what do you do when the commish refuses to pay out?

[Guppy CEO]

this is my league's 5th season. i won back in the 2nd and told the commish to just roll it into future seasons, so that i could easily make trades with future picks (we have to prepay b4 we can trade future picks). In the 3rd year, i placed 2nd and wanted and asked for that payout. he sent me a check but asked me to wait a bit so that he could make sure he had the funds in the acct. instead, he closed the acct. since then, he just makes 1 excuse after another. now i find out that he hasn't paid any one yet. does any one know if this can be taken to small claims? its only a $50 a year league, but that's $3k he's basically stolen from us. right now, those that are owed are going to wait until the start of next season when fees are due before bringing it up to the league, because we think that if we do now, he'll just shut the league down and disappear.

this was my biggest fear with joining an online league. i like many of the other owners and would hate to see it fold, and i can basically play free for the next 8 seasons, but i hate to have everyone else ripped off. and since i have a good team, there's a chance i could win more that i would never see.

[bigcsr67]

That is garbage. I am not sure about the legal process, but I do know I would be very furious. Sorry you got stuck in this situation.

[Steelersfan]

Online money leagues in which owners do not know each other in real life should use a site such as http://leaguesafe.com/. I know it's a little late for this but you gotta protect yourself...good luck Guppy.

[Guppy CEO]

Online money leagues in which owners do not know each other in real life should use a site such as http://leaguesafe.com/. I know it's a little late for this but you gotta protect yourself...good luck Guppy.

yep, in the future, i'll be going that route.

[theimposter]

If it came down to it, you should be able to sue. Though I'm not sure exactly how that process would work assuming you and most of the owners live in different states, so it'll have to do with the venue laws of your state. Sounds like a total mess and the commish sounds like a worthless human being.

If he bails in the offseason when you bring it up, you can find a replacement owner, appoint a new commish, and get the rest of the owners to use leaguesafe from there on out.

[hamburglar]

my third year in fantasy football i was stiffed as were two of three other owners who monied... the fourth owner was paid via frequent flier miles. i dont believe small claims court will work for you because it's gambling; hence illegal. thats actually what the scummer said to me.... what sucks is that he was league champ in year two hence his team and name are on the trophy. we decided to kick him out of the league and put the line thru his team name and actual name on the trophy.

i mean i wanted to kick his bleep... but really what would that accomplish... i haven't had a fist fight since 1995. sucks man. sorry it happened to you.

[blacksheep]

This happened to me twice last year. Won one league and got 2nd in the other. One league folded and some of those owners got together and reconstituted the league minus the commish. The other league I just bailed when it was apparent that commissioner was not going to pay. Hard lesson to learn but now very wary when I join a league. It pays to really check things out. Hope things work out for you, Guppy.

[Misfit74]

/cocks large firearm

Nah, I don't play in money-leagues. But if I did, boy...

[MilwaukeesBest]

Sounds like a straight up ponzi scheme, sorry man. Good luck with the outcome.

[theimposter]

i dont believe small claims court will work for you because it's gambling; hence illegal.

I'm not sure about this. FF is a game of skill for the most part, at least more so than betting on football games, etc. Just like video game tournaments where they may be an entry fee and a cash prize, the payout should be able to be enforced legally if need be, though I can't say anything definitively. I'd look into some legal advice on the issue if I were in this situation.

[lic217]

legal advice would cost more then your winnings so that out of the question.
i would just pester the hell out of him and threaten to sue.
You could also use one of those online sites that tells you stuff about someone and go to his house with a flaming bad of dog crap

[meineymoe]

He sent you a check... did it have his home address on it? I'd just show up one day......


-oo-

[Madtoker]

Go after him on Mafia Wars

[MARKinMI]

Use leaguesafe.com.... if the comish objects to it then you know he's not on the up & up.

[melish1631]

He sent you a check... did it have his home address on it? I'd just show up one day......


-oo-

Oh yeah!!! I never send money to 'new' leagues unless I get a few referrals from some of the guys in here...