The Next Time You Smell Collusion in Your Fantasy League, Take it to the Courts
Courts, Legal, Fantasy Sports July 7th. 2009, 5:00pm
Stephen Montemayor, one of our three interns, is a senior at the University of Kansas and the sports editor of the University Daily Kansan.
If you still think all it takes to be a fantasy sport owner or commissioner is properly hosting a draft night party – don’t eff up the chili – and pouring over box scores during the season, well buddy, you’re about to be put out to pasture with the rest of the dinosaurs who still don’t believe we’ll get all our nutrition from a pill by 2025 and that all football games will soon be played in front of luxury box-only stadiums.
This century’s fantasy sports owner must work the phones and wheel and deal himself to victory. But when a trade goes awry and when a league smells collusion, that’s when things get interesting.
So The Wall Street Journal recently called in some of the nation’s top lawyers to help you argue your case (and maybe keep your friendships and league breathing). After all, as the article says: “In this tense climate, the defense of a trade is an art form not unlike that of standing before a jury.€
Rich stuff. You’ll notice Marc Edelman, Rutgers law professor and “chief justice†of SportsJudge.com, is among the pundits.
Edelman’s site is one of several fantasy sports arbitration services on the web. Resolutions from SportsJudge.com run for $15 for a single case and $100 if your league can’t help but have annual disputes. For an additional Benjamin, you can even get your league certified by the site so you can see how you stack up against other privileged leagues and work your way toward the Sports Judge Hall of Fame.
FantasyDispute.com offers a similar service for roughly the same price. Fantasy leaguers submit a description of the dispute, what remedy they’re seeking and the email of the other person involved in the tussle. The other party has the option to send a response by email with their side of the story. A written email decision will be sent to both people the same day so long as the response is received by the site by 5 p.m. PT.
And remember, the judge’s decision is final. FantasyDispute’s 250-plus word decisions are always sealed with “IT IS SO ORDERED.€
55 Responses to “The Next Time You Smell Collusion in Your Fantasy League, Take it to the Courts”
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July 7th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Needs more royal we.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
The thing I hate the most about my fantasy league: there’s a guy in my keeper league who can pick up a guy like Kevin Curtis right before he has two straight 100-yard games. And then after those two games, he always finds a sucker in our league and trades him for Tom Brady.
I’m almost exaggerating here.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Beer. Chili. Fantasy football. That’s a room destined not to be drenched in badussy.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Anyone who submits a fantasy football dispute to one of these sites should fill their bath tub with cement and take a nap. Immediately.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Brady missed every game last year. Whos the sucker.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I was once in a fantasy league where an owner drafted Derrick Thomas. After he died.
/sometimes there are just idiots in your league–not collusion
July 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
LOL
LOL
LOL
i’d hate to follow hernia on stand-up night at the laugh shack.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
there’s a guy in my keeper league
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
One thing that might help is to cap the number of free free-agent transactions. In my league you can have 10 free transactions, then it costs $1 after that. The transaction money pays for a good part of the beer at the next season’s party.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
A bunch of pussies would use these assholes to solve a fantasy football dispute. The only thing nerdier than fantasy sports, is having a fantasy sports attorney. Jumpin Jesus on a pogo stick what the hell is our world coming to..
July 7th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
i think it is fair to say that tbl ♥’s tsh. but its just guy love between two guys.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
It’s too damn hot for chili during draft day.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Am I the only person whose league is merely used to throw insults at old highschool and college buddies’s mothers?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I think Yahoo has this built in if you pay for the premium league.
/adjust’s pocket protector
July 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Id hate to follow Michael Richards at the laugh factory
July 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
That’s why I only do football. You can do it without being a total nerd.
I was once in a serious baseball league, and it just freaked me out. You’d hear things like “well, I benched Derek Jeter this week because he was only facing one lefty this week, and the Yankees have two open days.”
I don’t have the time or desire to figure shit like that out.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Id hate to follow TBL into the hat store; there wouldn’t be any left.
/thank you, thank you
//I’ll see myself out
July 7th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
mrejr – i like funny. and i can’t name a blogger who’s consistently funnier. perhaps you can.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I don’t have the time or desire to figure shit like that out.
I’ll admit to playing fantasy sports and it can get pretty homo with the baseball stuff. I’m actually running a league right now and i hate and will never do it again. too much shit going on with baseball. I’m just gonna stick with football from now on…..and the only reason i’ll even do football is because draft night is a damn good party.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Yeah. That’s insane.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
i never said there was anything wrong with it dude. i got my peeps who i am in the tank for to.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Im supposed to have my fantasy league virginity taken from me this season. Can someone steer me to a fantasy for dummies site? Are rbs as important with teams going to 2 backs?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Simmer down, now. Chili is acceptable in all weather conditions and terrains. Spoon over your man card, please.
/that’s racist
July 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Fetch, let’s make a date to hop on AOL IM. my pic has me in a hat. you’d enjoy it.
it’s sort of similar to this, but all one color and it’s not flimsy. i usually grill in it. wore it at the beach this wknd. chicks dig it (except my wife)
scarves 2008
hats 2009
? 2010
July 7th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Id hate to follow Michael Richards at the laugh factory
/that’s Funny
+2 duder (one for Jim Abbott before)
July 7th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
share
July 7th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
scarves 2008
hats 2009
? 2010
belts?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Too easy?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Fetch, let’s make a date to hop on AOL IM. my pic has me in a hat. you’d enjoy it.
it’s sort of similar to this, but all one color and it’s not flimsy. i usually grill in it. wore it at the beach this wknd. chicks dig it (except my wife)
So I see
July 7th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Alas, I dont have AOL IM. And if you’re serious, that hat is pretty stylin. But then again I have zero style so I don’t know if that’s a good thing that I like it.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Really? Even when it’s 100 degrees? My draft day meal consists of steak and eggs for breakfast with a Bloody Mary of course, and usually chips and dip during the draft itself.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
jpq, that photo’s hilarious. id never wear it up in da club, though. haven’t been to a club in years, anyway.
BELTS????
that’s hardly an accessory
July 7th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Fantasy football is all luck, whoever picks up that years DeAngelo Williams randomly at least makes the playoffs. Fantasy baseball is skill, hence phrases like this. You haven’t lived until you realize how excited you are that Jason Marquis gets two starts on the road against the Pirates and San Diego next week.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
really?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
At my league’s draft, we do ribs, beer, and cupcake with real buttercream icing, because we are REAL MEN.
/kidding about the cupcakes
//not really, they’re delicious
July 7th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
i would tell you guys what i do at my draft but i have never been to one because i like women
July 7th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
BELTS????
that’s hardly an accessory
personally, I like these in lieu of belts
July 7th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
TBL, your 2010 trend: gotta go with ascots.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
and belts
July 7th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Damn…two links gets it moderated, so here’s your trend: ascots
July 7th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
and ascots
July 7th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
That’s why I’m in a keeper league. It prevents a lot of stuff like this. For example, I picked up Michael Turner at the end of the 2007 season when he was with the Chargers because I knew he would be the most coveted free agent RB in 2008. Did I expect him to do what he did? No. But I picked him up knowing he would be a top-20 RB by default.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Screw MJ on a stamp, where is Urkel? Those spenders are so unreal.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
LOL! Gotta say you’ve been pretty strong today, mrejr8234.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
The biggest complaint I have about fantasy football “luck” is the schedule. You can ride a hot QB all year and get the best record in the league. And then in your playoff week his real team is playing in a Cleveland snowstorm and you’re fucked.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
The luck factor keeps people interested year after year. Same with head to head over points.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
The biggest problem I’ve got with fantasy football is the inherent iniquity of the head to head schedule. You could be the second highest scoring team in the league for a given week, and if your opponent is half a point better, you lose, while someone who scores less than 2/3 as many points gets a win. Sometimes that’s enough to cost you a playoff berth.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
there are leagues that just offer points if youre that hardcore lefty
July 7th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I know, but my two primary leagues are head to head, and I doubt that will ever change. (I’m not commissioner in either)
July 7th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
I finished with the 4th most points in my main league last year, but finished 9 out of 10…head to head sucks donkey dong.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Sometimes when you try to think in fantasy football (like you would in baseball), you screw yourself. Last week my kickers were Elam and Longwell. Longwell was on fire and playing the Cardinals, while Atlanta was slumping against the Bucs. Sure enough, the Vikings don’t do dick and Elam kicks a game-winner in overtime (which gets bonuses for game winner and overtime).
That one decision cost my team a championship.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
2008 scarves
2009 hats
2010 Feety Pajamas
July 7th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
I think this should have a
/phoenix suns 2004-2007 tag
//head to head is more like real sports
July 7th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
except in real sports both teams play in the snow or whatever.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Articles about video games and now fantasy football …what will this intern think of next? Who else does not give a shit when it does not involve real sports or real gambling?
TBL Godfather, give him 5 demerits, 250 pushups, and double his quota of original photos of hot campus coeds.