AFFL and Question to the NFFC

King of Queens · Post by **King of Queens** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 6:53 am

This is what you will find on the AFFL homepage:

2008 Entry Fees and Grand Prizes

Platinum Entry - $1200 through June 1st, then $1350
Grand Prize $100,000 or more

Gold Entry - $500 through June 1st, then $600; Grand Prize $75,000

Silver Entry - $150 through June 1st, then $185; Grand Prize $40,000

Bronze Entry - $100 through June 1st, then $125; Grand Prize $25,000

Copper Entry - $35; Grand Prize $10,000

AFFLAC Entry - $10; Prizes TBD

Eliminator Entry - $10; Prizes TBD

*All contests subject to change before March 1st when official rules are released.

Just wrong. WRONG.

Coltsfan · Post by **Coltsfan** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:05 am

Call me crazy but why in the world would a venture capitalist want to buy a stake in the AFFL?

There situation is that they are upside down, the prospects of growing this tournament are very dim, and they have proven that they don't understand how to run a business. The whole investor thing is almost laughable.

Wayne

Ted's Cracked Head · Post by **Ted's Cracked Head** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:22 am

Question for any attorneys out there:

If the AFFL does not payout, will all of the participants (even losers) have a claim against the provider and not just the winners?

If he didn't payout isn't it like the challenge never happened and wouldn't he owe everyone a refund?

[ February 25, 2008, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Ted's Cracked Head ]

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:37 am

If I was owed a significant amount of money, I would have already contacted my attorney. No F'ing around when it comes to stuff like this.

Coltsfan · Post by **Coltsfan** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:53 am

My best guess is that he probably is a good guy but just won't be able to secure the funds to make good on what he owes.

Wayne

boutrous11 · Post by **boutrous11** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:54 am

sorry i don't know the whole story here, why exactly are the funds not available? did the guy just spend all the $?

BillyWaz · Post by **BillyWaz** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:01 am

That is the million dollar question Boutrous!

Ted's Cracked Head · Post by **Ted's Cracked Head** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:01 am

My best guess is that he probably is a good guy and bad business man but just won't be able to secure the funds to make good on what he owes.

Wayne Agreed and fixed.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:19 am

Originally posted by boutrous11:
sorry i don't know the whole story here, why exactly are the funds not available? did the guy just spend all the $? I have talked with Neil about this situation and as much as I think he's a good guy, he definitely made inexcusable mistakes this year. First of all, you don't EVER spend the entry fee money on anything and he has admittedly done that with his new software this year. Neil had back-end support from STATS and another company when he first started the AFFL, but for some reason he felt the need to build his own back-end support system this year.

The money from signups should have been set aside and even though he guaranteed the $100,000 grand prize and the $75,000 grand prize he still would have been short only $125,000 plus all of his other expenses this year. The hole he would be in then would have been far smaller than the one he's in now. Only Neil knows how much cash he has now to pay the winners, but he's let it be known that he needs to sell the software to cover the $475,000 in prize money.

Again, it's inexcusable and Neil knows it. But right now we have an industry with a head of good steam going forward and this could be a disastrous road bump in a number of ways. First of all, the industry can't afford to just have $475,000 taken out of it. Secondly, the trust factor is now muddied when there was no reason for it with the top companies being so reputable. And finally, this will definitely get the legal system and the government involved and looking into a very legitimate business that now walks around with a black eye.

In 1999, we started the Fantasy Sports Players Association to protect fantasy players who were getting ripped off by our industry partners. The Replica Corporation had just gone bankrupt and a lot of players were out tens of thousands of dollars. Twelve of the biggest companies in the industry formed the FSPA to protect the industry and to promote the awareness of fantasy sports. Through the years, we became the FSTA as the need to protect the consumer lessened. Well, we're needed again as this is a bad one.

Neil still has time to come whole, but it's not a good sign that he went from discussing payout plans on the footballguys.com site to disappearing altogether. Neil, you need to let everyone know what the future holds, whether it's good or bad, and be straight with everyone. Get on those boards again and respond to the folks who you promised a reply to. Do it now and be straight.

LFW · Post by **LFW** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:20 am

My best guess is he was committed to running his site and had a good portion of his life and savings invested in it....and just didn't know when to cut his losses. He must have felt he was "All In" and wasn't willing to fold. Not right for his customers but that's my guess on what happened...he stuck with his dreams even when they feel apart..Maybe he just couldn't face the truth in time?