Imprinted tape for combined functional and decorative purposes

Abstract

In order to spat an athletic performer's shoes to reinforce the foot and the ankle, an elongated tape formed of a flexible base is coated on one side with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and imprinted on the other side with repetitive versions of a team or sponsor's trademark, logo, or the like in colors associated with the team or sponsor. The tape may be used by wrapping the shoes and ankles in a manner known as spatting to reinforce the shoes and display the imprinted design.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim: 
     
         1 . The method of spatting soft sided athletic shoes having cleats on their bottoms to reinforce a wearer's feet and ankles against injury and simultaneously promote a sponsor of the wearer comprising:
 wrapping the shoes, while being worn, with flexible tape having adhesive on one side and a design related to the sponsor imprinted repeatedly along the length of the tape on the opposite side, the wrapped tape extending on the bottoms of the shoes, between the cleats, around the soft sides, and around the ankles of the wearers, with the imprinted sides exposed.