A prototype is a preliminary model of something. Projects that offer physical products need to show backers documentation of a working prototype. This gallery features photos, videos, and other visual documentation that will give backers a sense of what’s been accomplished so far and what’s left to do. Though the development process can vary for each project, these are the stages we typically see:

Everyone who has seen a Blow Trophy in person smiles, laughs, and takes a picture to show their friends. To me, that's the sign of a really great product. I want to share that with you, so please pick a Pledge, and join me in this obsession called Fantasy Football.

It doesn't need much explanation. If you're as into Fantasy Football as I am (or are related / friends with / married to / work with someone who is) then you completely understand .

I was trophy-less after winning a Fantasy Football Championship last season. No Championship Parade. No confetti. Nothing to taunt my league mates with.

Risks and challenges

Logistically, your Trophy(s) WILL SHIP on time shortly after the Project funds between January 23-27 2017. The Trophies are in the production phase. Your support will help finish the production cycle. The Project timeline is on schedule.

Our background is in product fulfillment and we are capable of shipping out every order, and then some, as they come in. Our warehouse manages over 25,000+ unit sales via ecommerce platforms annually. This Project is simply a part of normal everyday operations.

With each Pledge we are including Membership to our Blow Trophy Facebook Group, where any all and community concerns may be addressed the moment they may arise! We will be accessible, quick to respond, communicative, human, and personal to every single backer in a comfortable setting.

Regarding the products themselves, early versions of the Trophies have been extensively tested to perform as intended. The major issues we discovered were printing errors, Trophies not standing properly, and the occasional unit deflating over time. To resolve this, each Trophy is double inspected to ensure no printing errors. Furthermore we now inflate all Trophies for six hours during manufacturing to ensure that there is not short-term deflation and that each Trophy stands properly.

As should be expected with any inflatable, some Trophies may experience slight air loss over extended periods of time. If you've ever had a beach ball, or inflatable pool float, then you understand the material that we are working with. With that said, we expect most all Trophies to stay inflated for many consecutive weeks and months.

Something we noticed on the prototypes is that the Blow Trophy may look "folded" when initially inflated. This is due to the deflation and packaging process. The material folds reduce and blend in over time. Placing the Trophy in direct sunlight will expedite this natural process.

At launch, we are only offering units that we can personally fulfill in late January 2017. We have gone so far as to offer less than our available quantity as a safety measure to be able to replace any Blow Trophy that may have an issue. We understand that unforeseen complications may occur with any new to market product, and are adjusting our inventory as insurance against this.

If the Project exceeds expectations beyond the initial quantities, we are prepared to increase our Blow Trophy availability at an extended shipment window. We will update the Project as necessary.

A frequent question I've heard relates to customized trophies. Currently we are not offering league-specific printing, which is why we have designed the Blow Trophy to be written on at your preference and are including a Limited Edition Blow Trophy Backer Permanent Marker with each Pledge. In order to appeal to the widest audience, we have elected to make the Blow Trophy accessible for all. If our initial production proves popular, we may be able to offer expanded options at an additional cost at a future date.

To ensure a smooth shipping process for most, we are only able to ship to addresses in the United States and accompanying territories for this Project. Once the Blow Trophy has fully launched we will explore marketplaces where a Trophy may be shipped internationally.