Patents are an important aspect to any product but maybe even more so in the football equipment field. No matter how much technology and research goes into football helmets, there is only so much more protection that can be provided by them. Patents are key (not necessarily in a good way) to giving companies an advantage over others and keeping separation in profits. In an article by Richard Gold called “Are Patents Impeding Medical Care and Innovation,” Gold argues that patents and control for large pharmaceutical companies reduces innovation in the field due to a lack of competition (Gold, 1). Likewise in the field of football helmets there could be a benefit to safety innovations. With less patents, there is a more available market. More companies can enter into it and this increases competition and a desire to innovate. This could lead to both safer products, and quite possibly cheaper ones all around.

Riddell is the major football helmet producer in the world and will continue to keep this dominance as long as they hold this “monopoly” over the market with its deals with the major organizations in football. Its production could benefit, and arguably has benefited, from more regulations. Although the company may incur more costs, the lack of ability to charge whatever they want due to more competition, the market could be benefited overall with better safety regulations and more competition with other producers.