The home video game system market is a multi-billion dollar global industry. Nintendo Wii, Mircosoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 have taken in impressive profits over the past several years. One game system dinosaur, however, ColecoVision (pictured), a popular home video game system in the early 1980's, is growing sour over a missed opportunity. The long defunct company is dreaming of what could have been.
In 1983 ColecoVision's sales began to plummet along with many other game companies' products during the 1983 video game crash. The company made a desperate attempt to save the product line.
In late 1983 ColecoVision approached Joe Klecko, defensive end, of the New York Jets about a possible partnership.
"We were fledgling and that was the best idea the marketing team could come up with," said Flip Herman, Coleco's vice president in 1983. "At the time, I called the idea Einstein-like."
The idea was to rename the entire game system after the New York Jets' sack master—KleckoVision.
Joe Klecko, a four-time Pro Bowler, was in the prime of his career in the early 80's. The southeastern Pennsylvania native had his number retired by the Jets and was part of the fearsome "NASDAQ Sack Exchange" defense.
"No," said Klecko, when asked his response to ColecoVision's proposal. "There was no way I was going to sign that deal. I didn't even know what ColecoVision was. I was too busy making sack lunch sandwiches out of quarterbacks. Looking back ... maybe I should have signed the deal."
ColecoVision claims they offered Klecko $500,000 plus annual profit sharing to attach his name to the video game system. Although, Klecko disputes this number saying it was closer to $5,000.
"Even now, almost 26 years later, I feel like it would have been a huge hit. Kids and adults would be playing KleckoVision and not Nintendo. I, er we, could have been game system millionaires."
ColecoVision's run ended in 1984 when it was pulled off the market. Klecko and former company executives have not spoken since 1983.
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