Like Kevin Costner’s character (Ray Kinsella), a lot of people in the fantasy football industry thought we were crazy for starting a live draft event in Las Vegas. But a solid core of fantasy fanatics invested in our dream and became participants in the WCOFF. From that inaugural year, the WCOFF has grown. From a one-day event, we’ve evolved into a 4-day event filled with 3 parties, a golf tournament, and various divisions of fantasy football competition.

Much of our inspiration in expanding and improving the WCOFF has come directly from the participants. Whether it has been ideas spawned on the message board, or in private emails and phone calls, or people offering suggestions at the draft, we have always gotten our best ideas from people like you.

As the WCOFF has matured as a business, we’ve always known that some day it would be acquired by someone else. It has always been our earnest hope that that “someone else” would be a person or persons who were as interested in improving the WCOFF experience as they were at turning a profit. From the outset, the WCOFF has been our “baby” – a part of both of us, and a thing in which we’ve developed a good deal of emotional investment.

Several months ago, we were approached by a potential buyer – led by Jesse Herron, a 4-year WCOFF participant who competed in the Hall of Fame league last year. Jesse and his partner, Dustin Ashby asked to meet informally with us to discuss their interest in buying the WCOFF. We’d previously met with other folks who had expressed an interest in buying the WCOFF. But this meeting was different. Instead of digging for information on the financials of the company, Jesse’s first question was: “What inspired you to create the WCOFF?” That was the first time any potential buyer had actually asked us the question. The meeting was held in a small pub, and as time passed, Jesse and Dustin began to share their vision for improving and expanding the event. We were impressed by their heart for the WCOFF – as well as by their smarts, enthusiasm, and vision.

Since our best ideas have come directly from the participants in the WCOFF – it seemed only fitting and right that we hand the reigns over to one of “our own.” And so it is with a sense of pride and nostalgia – and an even greater sense of excitement about the WCOFF’s future – that we wanted to let you know that the WCOFF has been acquired by Jesse Herron and Dustin Ashby from Gridiron Fantasy Sports LLC.

This is not our “good-bye,” as we will be actively involved in organizing and consulting on the WCOFF. But it does give us the opportunity to say thank you to a lot of people – namely, the participants who helped make our Field of Dreams come true. Good luck, and we hope to see you again at this year’s draft!

Emil Kadlec & Lenny Pappano

5/9/2007