Appearance on FOX Business Channel’s “The Glick Report” (6/3/08)

Today, June 1st, 2008, will go down as one of the biggest days of my life, all because of two little words: “Is Denied.”

Today the United States Supreme Court issued it’s verdict (or lack of one) in our lawsuit with Major League Baseball Advanced Media. It was short and sweet. “The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.

And with this statement from the highest Court in our land comes the finale to our three year ordeal. It’s hard to believe what has transpired over the last three years, and I would like to thank all those who have been supportive of our cause, especially my fellow members of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association who filed Amicus Briefs on our behalf.

From the very beginning, I was confident that our use of Major League Baseball players names to identify their stats for calculations in our fantasy baseball games could be done without anyone’s permission. Those stats are in every newspaper that carries box scores, and are in the public domain. The courts have agreed!

Plus, I felt fantasy baseball helps promote the baseball industry. At the end of the day, even though MLBAM has lost the opportunity to control the fantasy industry, they will still benefit as the fantasy players become more enthralled with the sport. Perhaps they will not be able to make as much money from Fantasy as they hoped, but they will benefit from having more people involved, offering new games and attracting new customers.

When you reach the end of something, you look back and reflect. As I look back and reflect, I have a renewed confidence in our legal system and the process. At the end of the day, the right thing happened. Powerful people and companies, with enough money to usually get their way, can be reminded that we still have a system that works for the people.

Whoever thought that fantasy baseball would provide a legacy? To the millions of fantasy players now and in the future, something happened here of major significance, and we are all part of it.

Everybody’s doing it, so I thought I would join in.  If you have something to say these days, say it in a blog.  For those who know me, I always have something to say!  For those who don’t, I hope I can entertain you a little.

I’ve been playing fantasy sports for over 25 years, and been in the industry for 17 years.  What started out as a friendly game with co-workers at the newspaper I worked at, turned into an obsession with a career and life change!  Being inducted into the FSTA Fantasy Sports Hall Of Fame has been a highlight, and I’ve been called both the Godfather and Grandfather of Fantasy Sports. I guess a lot people think I’m old and wise, which I’ll use to my advantage if I’m in a league with you!  I’ll be the poor old guy who appears to not know what he’s doing, so feel sorry for me!  When I win, remember it’s not personal, it’s business!  This is my business.

Some think I’ve helped save the industry because of my involvement with “the case”, MLBAM/MLBPA vs CBC.  That’s the one where the big bad boys at Major League Baseball thought they would just take over the fantasy baseball industry and put all the companies who started it out of business.  Well, not everybody.  Those willing to pay MLBAM/MLBPA a couple mil a year, they would let play with them for a while.

Eventually, this will all be over and fantasy sports players will be the winners.  But that day was put on hold again as the people with more money than sense decided to spend some more of it.  MLBAM and MLBPA just appealed the decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth District to the Supreme Court of the United States!  Hard to believe that the highest Court in our land might now decide the fate of fantasy players everywhere.  I say “might” because the chances of them actually deciding to hear the case are very slim.  I think even the guys spending all the money know that also, but if I was working for one of their law firms, and I saw a chance to make as much money as some of the players, I’d go for it also.  Hey, even when they lose, they still get paid….a lot!  Lucky for them, we have this system so they can continue to appeal and get those new Ferrari’s.  And while they’re discussing with each other what color they want, they get to bill a zillion dollars an hour to the folks at MLBAM/MLBPA.

If I seem a little sarcastic, please forgive me.  I’m the one who had to sell my 3-year-old VW to pay our attorneys!  Well not actually, but we have had to foot the bill for this whole affair, and I could be living very happily on some Island for what it has cost.

I’d much rather be talking about fantasy baseball than the legal system, so the sooner the Supreme Court tells them to take a walk, the better!  As the BAM boys are about to suffer another shutout loss, I’m going to prepare for my next baseball draft.  One I know I will win!