Yeah, YYJ could sell the patent or transfer it to one of Dale’s other entities.
Edit* Also, nice memories of playing with my Patriots circa 2002. Good times.
Damn. The Big Ben got me into modern yoyoing nearly 9 years ago and I have no idea how many hours I have on my Speeder.
Ah, man… Does this mean we should buy up the YYJ YoYo’s we want!?
Man I so hope that the sponsored players get picked up by other companies … I absolutely loved some of the players(Tessa Piccillo…)
RIP to YYJ
Sad to hear this. One of my favorite companies. I’ve always felt they made some very affordable, great playing yoyos.
Here’s the yoyonews bit on it.
As just one of so many who learned the basics using a DM II and who still stand by them I am sorry to see YYJ go.
So sad to see them go, I wish they would be able to keep going like they have been, but it did seem like they were on a decline from what I’ve seen in my short time in throwing
regardless, still sad to see the first company I bought from going under
i need to get some money real quick and pick up any yyj i can. its sad seeing a company shut down.
My first “modern” yoyo a few years ago was a Phenom, and pretty much all I wanted at that time were YYJ.
Sad to see them go. Hopefully, on the bright side, it’ll be good for Dale’s health.
Never forget!
One of the most influential yoyo companies for our community. Introduced a lot of people into modern trick styles! Huge loss, sad to see. My favorite yoyos and yoyoers early on were all yyj.
Glad you mentioned the Patriot. That is one of my most ‘remembered yoyos’.
I remember when the Patriot was released. A few people got kinda irratated, suggesting that Yoyojam just had to make a yoyo like the Freehand instead of making something ‘less like the Freehand’.
So I made up a list if nothing else to just amuse people about ‘how things may appear and the Reality of how they actually Are’.
The Patriot has: a different diameter, a different width, a different axle, no spacers, an adjustable gap, a different response system, a different weight, a different side cap design; I’ll stop there, lol.
And since Dale and I have been good friends since I met him at Worlds in 99, I decided to tease him with certain individuals whining about him trying to mimic the Freehand to sell some yoyos.
I called Dale and said this, ‘Heya Dale… So you are trying to copy the Freehand with your Patriot yoyo’?
And Dale asked me, ‘What is a Freehand? Can you send me a few pics’?
Dale hadnt even seen a Freehand. <I don’t ever remember laughing so hard in my life.
If nothing else, realize something about Dale Bell. Dale influenced yoyo designs. He wasn’t ‘influenced by yoyo designs’.
Dale is an Original thinker. He thinks on a completely different Wave length than most other Folks.
All Work in house. All yoyos made in the United States. All designs finalized by Dale. All Molds made by Dale himself.
No doubt Yoyojam(Dale, not ‘they’. ‘They’ is Dale.) had design nuance input from Yoyojam players Worldwide but All final decisions were made by Dale.
Yoyos are something Dale did. But yoyos are just one of many things that Dale does. His focus has never been ‘just yoyos’.
Honestly it was a gift to other Company’s that Dale(Yoyojam) didn’t just focus all creative energy and efforts to Specifically Yoyojam.
Other Yoyo makers benefitted from Dale spending time and efforts on his other endeavors(like his Advanced Air Fan business).
Yoyojam was instrumental in keeping other makers on their toes. Dale inspired others to Make better performing yoyos.
The Entire yoyo world does not necessarily ‘owe’ Dale. But the Entire yoyo world knows a certain degree of the performance advancements we enjoy today, resulted from the Designs and Influence That flowed from Yoyojam over the years.
Where’s my Patriot? Lol
Yoyojam did not Singlehandedly try to conquer the Yoyo World. We pretty much All know that.
But that being recognized, we cannot deny that Dale has left an indelible mark in Advancing yoyo performance. And in doing that, got all of us further down the Road to these Seriously good yoyos we have today.
Dale is one Badd Man.
7 Likes
Ive never met Dale personally, but the more i hear about him the more i want to have a cup of coffee with him and just listen to what he has to say…
Big YYJ fan here, so I will chime in. Loved their yo-yos. Many memories of driving down the east coast to stop by YoYoJoe’s to buy YYJs. Highlights for me include Hitman, SFX, Aquarius, Go Big, Atmosphere, Kickside, Classic, Sunset Trajectories, Unleashed. Never any negative controversies with YYJ. Made in the USA ethos. A wholesome, fun image.
Have a great retirement Dale. I will miss seeing new stuff from you.
And THANKS!!!
:’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 
:-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\
This is sad. My first real yoyo was a DM2
But if Dale needs less stress, he is doing the right thing.
I am also really sad to see that now many good yoyo players will no longer have a sponsor.
One of my first yoyo’s was a pink yoyojam speedmaker. I wish I still had it today.
Yoyojam was always the big guys on top for a long time I feel. Team yoyojam was THE team to be on and that many aspired to be a part of, and anytime a team yoyojam member went up on stage, you knew something huge was going to happen.
I will greatly miss their presence in our little world :-[