FCFL’s CORPORATE STATEMENT TO THE GLOBAL SPORTS WORLD:
1. The Future of Sports is Fan-Controlled
2. The first professional football league where fans call the shots
3. You hire the coaches, draft the players, and call the plays in real-time
What is particularly rad about their involvement with the FCFL is that they are not just passive owners of new teams in our league who will be sitting in the owners’ box eating lobster and wearing suits – I mean honestly, can you picture Marshawn suited up?? He came out to see our new potential venue this week and flew in on a Southwest flight rocking a hoodie that said “Beast Mode.”
Instead, as part of their role as Team Owner, they will also be serving as the Fan Captain – meaning they will be the head fan for their squads and will help their fanbases make the decisions for their team. In the coming weeks we will be announcing six more Team Owners / Fan Captains for each of the franchises in our inaugural season.
The fan involvement will start in early 2019 with Marshawn, Richard and the rest of the Fan Captains working with their team’s fans to come up with the best names, logos and color schemes for their teams. While Beast Mode and Sherman will certainly have their favorites and will help to pick the best options – their votes are worth just the same as their fans, because in the FCFL the fans call the shots and there are not any special powers for the Team Owners.
The teams will likely take on the personas of their Fan Captains, with Sherman’s reflecting his style as a highly-intelligent, trash-talking, shut-down defender, while Lynch’s squad will be built around the aura of Beast Mode, creating a hardnosed brand of smash-mouth football with a modern and brash team swagger.
And as the season approaches fans of each team will work with their Fan Captain to draft their team’s players and coaches, and when we take the field, fans will be calling the plays in real time. But they won’t be alone in their decision-making. The Fan Captains will be co-streaming their team’s games on Twitch where they will be providing commentary on what they are seeing develop on the field and guidance on what plays they think their fans should be calling… So get ready to hear Richard call a whole lot of the other team’s receivers “sorry” and for Marshawn to suggest runs up the middle on 3rd and 20.
Over the last couple of months we’ve been working with Richard, Marshawn and their respective teams on putting together the details around their involvement and we’ve been extremely impressed with how engaged both guys are. Not just with their fanbases, but also how much they’ve latched onto the concept of the FCFL – where the fans get to have their voice heard for reals.
@MoneyLynch
When we explain the FCFL to people, the number one football situation they bring up is the ill-fated pass call that cost Marshawn and Richard’s Seahawks team the Super Bowl XLIX title. Recently we asked Marshawn what would have happened if the fans had been in charge that day and had called a run instead – not surprisingly he guaranteed it would have been a TD (actually he said it would have been 10 TD’s, which seems a bit extreme).
We are hard at work getting the other six Team Owners and Fan Captains locked in – some will be other familiar faces from the NFL and others will be famous fans from the wider world of entertainment, sports and gaming, as our goal is to create a league where fans of all kinds can find a team that they really connect with.
So if you have any ideas for folks that you think would make a killer Fan Captain – hit them up on Twitter and tell them to get involved, be sure to tag us @FCFLio and use the hashtag #PowerToTheFans so we can rally the support of all of our fans to get their attention!
A New Pro Football League
Where The Fans Call The Shots
@FCFLio
The Fan-Controlled Football League (FCFL) is exactly what it sounds like, a real world sports league where the Fans are in charge. It’s like Madden in real life.
All FCFL games will be live-streamed on Twitch, the world’s leading social video service and community for gamers and eSports, available on mobile, desktop, and tablet. The FCFL has also teamed up with IMG Original Content who will be supporting the league with their unparalleled expertise in sports and entertainment.
How it Works For The Fans
Via an interactive video overlay on Twitch or in the FCFL app, fans will call all of the plays in real time for the 8 teams in the new league. The outcome of each fan vote will be relayed to the quarterback and executed on the field.
In addition to play calling, the FCFL is putting fans in the General Manager role for the first time in sports, allowing them to determine each team’s name, logo, coach, and the players that make the roster via a fan-run draft. It’s a video game brought to life, and it’s what every football fan has been waiting for.
MORE ON MARSHAWN LYNCH
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American footballrunning back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft after playing college football at the University of California at Berkeley, where he became the school’s second all-time career rusher. As a member of the Seattle Seahawks, he won Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos. After initially retiring after the 2015 season, Lynch applied for reinstatement and was traded to the Raiders in April 2017. Lynch earned the nickname “Beast Mode” for his powerful running style and consistent ability to run over defenders and break tackles.
Beast Mode
Lynch is known for his Beast Mode brand which includes an apparel line, retail store, and at least one partnership with International brands. The first Beast Mode store opened in Oakland, California on February 7, 2016, during Super Bowl 50. On April 8, 2015, rapper Ludacris released the video for his single “Beast Mode,” named after Lynch, who appears in the video. Ludacris also mimics Lynch’s interview at the Super Bowl media day by saying “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” to reporters before Lynch comes in and adds “You know why we here”. Lynch makes a cameo in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops III. He also appeared in the fourth episode of the sixth season of Tanked where they created a special fish tank for “BeastMode” first aired June 19, 2015.
Lynch was approached by former Pro BMX rider, Todd Lyons, who noticed that Marshawn Lynch rode his BMX products. Lyons, acting as the current brand manager for SE Bikes BMX company, partnered with Marshawn to create a Beast Mode Ripper; an adult-sized BMX bike with customized Beast Mode branding as a 2018 SE Bicycle.
On September 19, 2017, Lynch launched his own ad-supported Beast Mobile cellphone service that allows subscribers to pay their phone bill by engaging in ads and offers.
MORE ON RICHARD SHERMAN
How It All Began
@RSherman_25
Richard Sherman was born and raised in Compton, California to a hard-working parents adamant on teaching their children about the importance of studying and learning. Richard’s parents taught him, along with his older brother Branton and his younger sister Krystina, at an early age that nothing beats hard work and consistent learning.
At Dominguez High School, Richard played football as a wide receiver, cornerback and punt/kick returner and ran track but his proudest achievement was graduating with a 4.2 GPA. After receiving numerous offers to the nation’s top programs, Richard committed to Stanford University, becoming the first student in 20 years qualified to attend Stanford on both academic and athletic merits.
Richard Sherman attended Stanford, where he played receiver for the first three years of his collegiate career. He played only four games his Junior year due to a season-ending knee injury and was granted a medical redshirt. As a receiver, Richard caught 84 passes for a total of 1,340 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The spring after his Junior year, Sherman made the switch to defense, where he found the position that would make him an All-Pro. During his two years on the defensive side of the ball, Richard racked up a total of 113 tackles, 23 pass break-ups and 6 interceptions. In 2011, Richard entered the NFL Draft and was selected in the 5th round, 154th overall, by the Seattle Seahawks.
Richard Sherman hauled in 4 interceptions, 17 pass break-ups and 53 total tackles in his rookie campaign with the Seattle Seahawks, earning him a spot on the 2011 All-Rookie team. Since coming into the league, Richard is tied at 7th in the NFL in interceptions (30) and has had 92 pass break-ups. Considered the best cornerback in the league, Richard has been named to four Pro Bowl rosters and three All-Pro teams in his six seasons in the NFL.
In 2013, Richard Sherman and the Seahawks won their first Super Bowl, blowing out the Denver Broncos 43-8. Winning the Super Bowl capped off an amazing season for Richard in which he lead the NFL in interceptions (8), recorded 17 pass break-ups, and returning 1 interception for a touchdown. He finished the year as an All-Pro cornerback, Pro Bowler, and most importantly, Super Bowl Champion.
On March 9th, 2018, Richard was released by the Seattle Seahawks. Just one day later, Richard agreed to a 3 year, $39 million contract deal with the San Francisco 49ers. With the help of the Player’s Union, Richard Sherman negotiated his contract without the help of an agent. Richard has already expressed his determination to help lead his new team both on the field, and in the locker room.
Richard is not only dedicated to his team and perfecting his craft. He also works hard off the field to raise his two children and give back to his community through his foundation, Blanket Coverage. He was taught the power of education and hard work from his parents and wants to teach younger children they can accomplish anything when they work hard and have dedication. He aspires to make a positive impact on and off the field and be an example to children everywhere.
Since forming Blanket Coverage, Richard Sherman and the Blanket Coverage team have made it their mission to provide school supplies for students all across America. Richard has visited several elementary and high schools, speaking to the student body on making the world a better place than when they entered it.
His goal every year is to make it back to the Super Bowl and bring San Francisco home another championship. Richard is a fiery competitor who puts his life and passion into everything does. He is immensely grateful for the support of his fans and strives to be a better person and player each and every day.
