SOLD OUT: 2014 14-Team NFFC Kickoff Gridiron

[Greg Ambrosius]

One of the coolest events we host in Las Vegas on the Second Weekend is the NFFC Kickoff Gridiron, a contest brought to us by KJ Duke. It's a 30-Round, 14-Team Draft Champions League with a $1,000 entry fee and a payout to the Top 3 teams. However, there's a unique twist to it that pays off handsomely for the weekly winners.

Actual money is used to bid for spots in Round 1. Actual money is also used to bid for spots in Round 2 and the draft order remains in that order from Round 2 on. So basically you are bidding for the top player you want on your team and then bidding again for your 2nd pick and your draft spot the rest of the way in this 30-round draft. All of that money is then used to pay off the weekly high scoring teams, 100 percent of it.

This league will be hosted by us in a Bellagio Penthouse Suite just before the Thursday Night NFL Opener between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. Food and drink will be served during the Kickoff Gridiron and during the game. It should be a great, great way to kick off the season.

Anyway, here are the details. The 14 owners who participated last year get first dibs on spots, but if someone doesn't return the first to sign up gets in. Here's the details of the rules that KJ posted last year and the current signup list:

OVERVIEW
♦ Draft Champions format
♦ $1,000 entry fee to regular prize pool, $500 entry fee to side pool
♦ Sep 4, 1pm pacific time, Bellagio suite (prior to the NFL kickoff party)
♦ Bidding real money for draft slots during first two rounds.
♦ Top 3 season winners will be paid ($6500/3500/1500, based on 14 teams)
♦ Side pool ($7,000) plus all draft slot bidding money gets paid out 100% over 16 weeks to weekly winners

SLOT BIDDING
Bidding for slots (real money) in the first two rounds will go into the private pool ($0 min, $10 increments). We'll auction off pick #1, the winner will sit down and pick his player, then we'll auction pick #2, he'll make his pick, and so on for the first 2 rounds of the draft. You can have only one pick per round. Starting in round 3, it will become like a normal 3RR snake draft (backend starts round 3). Your round 2 slot at the table is where you'll stay for the rest of the draft.

The entire private pool is paid out incrementally to each week's high scoring team. It's like a skins game in golf. If we have a 14-team league there will be $7,000 in the private pool to begin, plus all bid amounts. Last season bidding totalled $5,400, so the side pool was $12,400, with a weekly high score payout (each week for NFL weeks 1-16) of $775. With a higher main prize pool this season, bidding is likely to go higher.

Register for the league and pay NFFC $1,000 for regular entry. Bring a check or cash to the draft for the private pool portion (or paypal). I'll collect private pool funds at the end of the draft, get everyone's mailing address and send checks out weekly.

NFFC GRIDIRON KICKOFF LEAGUE
Thursday, Sept. 4 1 pm PT
Bellagio, Las Vegas
1. Mark Moyer, Laurel, Maryland
2. JJ Stratton, Fort Collins, Colorado
3. KJ Duke, San Diego, California
4. Scott Stauffer, Naperville, Illinois
5. Scott Keikoan, Las Vegas, Nevada
6. Matthew Shepherd, Napa, California
7. Mark Srebro, York, Pennsylvania
8. Marc Meltzer, Jupiter, Florida
9. Reed Kasaoka, Amherst, New York
10. Steven Lucinski, Bilwin, Missouri
11. Bryan Steimetz, Las Vegas, Nevada
12. John Pausma, Tinley Park, Illinois
13. George Melbrod, Rancho Santa Fe, California

If you have interest in this league, contact me at [email protected]. Let's fill this league up early and plan for the perfect kickoff to the Las Vegas weekend. Thanks all and good luck.

[Greg Ambrosius]

One thing I will throw out there if there's enough interest is a Bare Knuckles League right after the game in the Bellagio Penthouse Suite. I know this has been done in other contests, including the WCOFF, and the concept certainly isn't exclusive to anyone. Basically this is a draft with no notes. Everyone sits down at the draft table and we pick players from memory. I would gladly do this at any price level and make it a 14-team or 12-team format. If there's interest in the format, we'll all figure out the rest.

We've never done this before, but it's another unique format that would be a lot of fun for a private league. I mean, what's wilder than sitting down at a draft table with beers and just your memory? We could make this a $500 entry, $750, or more or less. Your call and we have the room if needed.

Just a thought for Thursday night. Thanks all and your feedback is welcome.

[moyer1313]

"It's a 35-Round, 14-Team Draft Champions League ....."

Last year we went from 26-Rounds to 30-Rounds because of a misprint, which stunk.

Hopefully, we aren't going to 35-Rounds this year because of another misprint.

Mark
Follow Me

[Greg Ambrosius]

"It's a 35-Round, 14-Team Draft Champions League ....."

Last year we went from 26-Rounds to 30-Rounds because of a misprint, which stunk.

Hopefully, we aren't going to 35-Rounds this year because of another misprint.

Mark
Follow Me

Duly corrected.

[Greg Ambrosius]

NOW ONLY 7 SPOTS LEFT in our 3rd annual NFFC Kickoff Gridiron League. We're glad to welcome back Jules McLean and Gerard Sambola as the latest team to enter the Gridiron. Good luck to all.

Halfway there. Secure your spot now if you want to join in the fun. Here's the current signup list:

GRIDIRON KICKOFF LEAGUE
Thursday, Sept. 4 1 pm PT
Bellagio, Las Vegas
1. Mark Moyer, Laurel, Maryland
2. JJ Stratton, Fort Collins, Colorado
3. KJ Duke, San Diego, California
4. Scott Stauffer, Naperville, Illinois
5. Scott Keikoan, Las Vegas, Nevada
6. David Hubbard/Derek Pierson, Angleton, Texas
7. Jules McLean/Gerard Sambola, Los Angeles, California

[kjduke]

Time to get rolling on the third annual Kickoff Gridiron league. I emailed past participants tonight to check on their status, but I presume we'll have at least several openings.

This is the best venue of the season and one of the most fun drafts with the early round cash bidding format. See the first post for details or PM me for further info. Last season's owners have first right of refusal each year, after which we'll fill remaining spots with new players. Post below or contact me if you want to reserve a spot.

KJ

KICKOFF GRIDIRON III
DRAFT CHAMPION SCORING, 30 ROUNDS
Thursday, Sept. 4 1 pm PT
Bellagio, Las Vegas
1. Mark Moyer
2. JJ Stratton
3. KJ Duke
4. Scott Stauffer
5. Scott Keikoan
6. David Hubbard/Derek Pierson
7. Jules McLean/Gerard Sambola
8. Mark Srebro/Jason Emma
9. Matt Shepherd
10. Glenn Lowy (tentative)
11.
12.
13.
14.

How the Slot Bidding works
Bidding for slots (real money) in the first two rounds will go into the private pool ($0 min, $10 increments). We'll auction off pick #1, the winner will sit down and pick his player, then we'll auction pick #2, he'll make his pick, and so on for the first 2 rounds of the draft. You can have only one pick per round. Starting in round 3, it will become like a normal 3RR snake draft (backend starts round 3). Your round 2 slot at the table is where you'll stay for the rest of the draft.

The entire private pool is paid out incrementally to each week's high scoring team. It's like a skins game in golf. With 14 teams, there will be $7,000 in the private pool to begin, plus all bid amounts. Last season slot bidding added almost $6,000 extra to the weekly pool, and just under $800 was paid out to someone each week. The $1k entry fee is paid to the NFFC like any other league, and I'll collect the remaining $500 plus all bid amounts at the end of the draft - check, cash or paypal. Weekly winners are paid promptly each week as scores become official.

[Don Draper]

duke - dont miss this team from the signup list...

Mark Srebro/Jason Emma, York, Pennsylvania

[kjduke]

duke - dont miss this team from the signup list...

Mark Srebro/Jason Emma, York, Pennsylvania

thanks Mark, fixed it

... 5 spots remain

[Greg Ambrosius]

Matthew Shepherd signed up last night for this league, so he's definitely in. He will fit in perfectly with this group. Here's the current signup list now with ONLY 4 guaranteed spots left:

GRIDIRON KICKOFF LEAGUE
Thursday, Sept. 4 1 pm PT
Bellagio, Las Vegas
1. Mark Moyer, Laurel, Maryland
2. JJ Stratton, Fort Collins, Colorado
3. KJ Duke, San Diego, California
4. Scott Stauffer, Naperville, Illinois
5. Scott Keikoan, Las Vegas, Nevada
6. David Hubbard/Derek Pierson, Angleton, Texas
7. Jules McLean/Gerard Sambola, Los Angeles, California
8. Matthew Shepherd, Napa, California
9. Mark Srebro (tentative)
10. Glenn Lowy (tentative)

[Greg Ambrosius]

Lewis Lipsey just grabbed a spot in the Kickoff Gridiron League. This one should be full soon enough. Here's the current signup list for this special league:

GRIDIRON KICKOFF LEAGUE
Thursday, Sept. 4 1 pm PT
Bellagio, Las Vegas
1. Mark Moyer, Laurel, Maryland
2. JJ Stratton, Fort Collins, Colorado
3. KJ Duke, San Diego, California
4. Scott Stauffer, Naperville, Illinois
5. Scott Keikoan, Las Vegas, Nevada
6. David Hubbard/Derek Pierson, Angleton, Texas
7. Jules McLean/Gerard Sambola, Los Angeles, California
8. Matthew Shepherd, Napa, California
9. Lewis Lipsey, Los Angeles, California
10. Mark Srebro (tentative)
11. Glenn Lowy (tentative)