During the Netcam cycle of Modern Subbuteo (2012-2020), the UK distribution was handled by Paul Lamond Games. This is why the previous range is often referred to universally as the “Paul Lamond Range,” even though it was produced by Netcam/Eleven Force during that period and should be the Netcam Range as its Universal name. In October 2017, Paul Lamond Games was acquired by the American company University Games (eco’s of Waddingtons and Hasbro), which initiated a two-year merger process. By the start of 2020, the merger was complete, and the Paul Lamond name was dropped in favor of the University Games brand moving forward.

At the same time, Longshore Products, a Hong Kong-based company, secured the global rights to Subbuteo, while University Games retained the UK distribution rights. This allowed the continued partnership with the Subbuteo brand, but now under the University Games name.

The University Games range, like other distributors, has transitioned to the Longshore Cartoony Figure, which is widely considered a major downgrade compared to previous modern subbuteo figure. It’s a far cry from the quality of figures that came before thats for sure. Despite this, the UK range remains largely unchanged from the Netcam era.

To date, University Games has released very few new teams, mainly just replacing some of the generic teams as older stock of the previous figures runs out. They’ve also introduced three licensed teams: two England teams (one for the men and, for the first time in Subbuteo history, a commercially available women’s team in time for the 2022 Euros), and Liverpool. However, the Liverpool team is, in my opinion, the weakest of the three. Not only does it have the a glaring era with the sponsor, but when compared to the official Liverpool team from 2015/16, it represents a shocking decline in quality. The difference is glaring.

Overall, the University Games output on the team side has been disappointing, and the quality seems to continue to decline with each team release in my opinion. The box sets, such as the 75th Anniversary set, were particularly underwhelming—a gold ball and a brown box simply didn’t meet the expectations of true collectors. But they have since Redeemed themselves slightly with the Pretty Green set… With special figures being made to represent the Liam Gallagher and Damon Albarn… It shows they can knock it out of the park when they want too…

That said, they’ve made significant improvements on the accessory side compared to the Paul Lamond range from 2012-2020. New additions like the VAR set, a Training set, an electronic timer, and a Deluxe Pitch show that they’re putting more effort into the brand. The Deluxe Pitch, in particular, has been a real game-changer for those who don’t have the space for a permanent setup. It provides a flat surface without the hassle of ironing or adjusting a regular pitch. In terms of innovation and accessibility, it’s probably the most important pitch release since the Astroturf in the 80s—not necessarily in terms of performance, but certainly in making a flat playing surface available to everyone.
More Info on the University Range and the Longshore Range overall make sure to visit Peter Upton:
http://www.peter-upton.co.uk/longsh01.htm