Implementing contests in social networks

Abstract

Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for implementing a contest between various social networks. A contest is staged between at least two teams using a server accessible by a plurality of clients. The contest requires each of the teams to achieve a predefined goal. The membership to each one of the teams is restricted to a plurality of individuals associated with a respective one of a plurality of social networks accessible by the server.

Therefore, having thus described the invention, at least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a server accessible by a plurality of clients;   an application executed on the server that is configured to at least stage a contest between a plurality of teams, wherein the contest requires each of the plurality of teams to achieve a predefined goal to win the contest;   the application further configured to restrict a membership of each team of the plurality of teams to a plurality of individuals associated with a respective social network of a plurality of social networks, wherein the plurality of social networks are obtained from a source external to the contest, and the contest is configured to be inserted into a social networking site;   the application further configured to enable an individual of the plurality of individuals associated with a first social network to create the contest by specifying the first social network and a second social network of the plurality of social networks to be associated with the contest;   the application further configured to present an invitation to join the contest to the plurality of individuals included in the second social network;   the application further configured to offer at least one virtual tool for sale to respective individuals of the plurality of individuals to employ during the contest to aid in achieving the predefined goal, the application further configured to maintain an inventory of virtual tools for each of the plurality of individuals; and   the application being configured to issue a virtual currency to the plurality of individuals who join a team of the plurality of teams.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an entry fee for the contest comprises a predefined amount of the virtual currency. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one virtual tool is durable instead of consumable so as to be available for an entirety of the contest. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one virtual tool is consumable instead of durable such that the at least one virtual tool is available for a single use during the contest. 
     
     
         5 . A method, comprising:
 staging a contest using a server accessible by a plurality of clients between a plurality of teams, wherein the contest requires each team of the plurality of teams to achieve a predefined goal; and   restricting a membership of each team of the plurality of teams to a plurality of individuals associated with a respective social network of a plurality of social networks accessible by the server.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of social networks are obtained from a source external to the contest. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising providing spectator access to the contest to the plurality of individuals associated with the respective social network to which the membership of a team of the plurality of teams is restricted. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising facilitating a creation of the contest by an individual of the plurality of individuals associated with the respective social network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the individual specifies an entry fee to be charged to the plurality of individuals who join the membership of any team of the plurality of teams involved in the contest. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the contest is created by the individual by specifying a first social network and a second social network of the plurality of social networks to be associated with the contest, wherein the individual is included in the first social network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising presenting an invitation to join the contest to the plurality of individuals included in the second social network. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising offering at least one virtual tool for sale to respective individuals of the plurality of individuals to employ during the contest to aid in achieving the predefined goal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising maintaining an inventory of virtual tools for each of the plurality of individuals, wherein the inventory of virtual tools may be employed during the contest to aid in achieving the predefined goal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising offering at least one virtual accent for sale to respective individuals of the plurality of individuals, each of the at least one virtual accent being applied to an avatar associated with a respective individual of the plurality of individuals. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising facilitating a use of an offensive virtual tool by an individual on a first team of the plurality of teams to inhibit a progress of a second team of the plurality of teams in achieving the predefined goal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising facilitating a use of a defensive virtual tool by another individual on the second team to counter the use of the offensive virtual tool by the individual on the first team. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising inserting the contest into a social networking site. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising interfacing with a social networking site to access the plurality of social networks. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising hosting a message board accessible to the plurality of individuals participating as a member of any team of the plurality of teams engaged in the contest. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising hosting a message board accessible only to the plurality of individuals participating as a member of a respective team of the plurality of teams engaged in the contest.