As summer will soon turn to fall, there are three important events that will be here before you know it: the FCIF Gala in Gotham on Oct. 5, Election Day on Nov. 5 and more immediate, that sacred time of the year commonly known as football season. I want to talk about the former and the latter this week.
Football first. Regardless of whether we were too weak, too slow or just not athletically inclined enough to make our high school team, there’s one football-related game all of us can play: fantasy football. In fact, throughout the last 15 years, one of the most popular hobbies in North America has been fantasy sports. According to the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (yes, there is such a thing), the number of participants in fantasy leagues exploded to 62.5 million in 2022. Fantasy sports are projected to be a $14 billion industry by 2029, when you include daily and season-long.
With that as the backdrop, FCNews in 2014 launched its inaugural fantasy football league. We call it Fantasy Football for a Cause. The idea was to have 12 teams compete not for personal profit but for a good cause. Companies and individuals have played for national charities like Susan G. Komen, Autism Speaks, American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity or the Gary Sinise Foundation; regional causes like Housing First Minnesota, Long Island Cares Food Bank, Harford Family House or Friends of St. Dominic’s; or the main industry cause, the Floor Covering Industry Foundation. Even our own Dustin Aaronson’s charity, Compassion Express, has been represented. One of my favorites was a team that sought to provide athletic equipment for the neighborhood high school. As you can see, the participants play for a variety of causes.
So now it’s time to form the league for the 2024 season (see story on page 3). The entry fee will again be $5,000 with at least $12,500 going to the winning team’s charity. Every team that participates will earn a minimum of $1,000 for its cause. There are also weekly prizes for the highest and second-highest scores. If you are interested in entering, you will need to announce your cause when your entry is accepted. Aside from individuals, we also welcome all companies—manufacturers, retailers and distributors—to enter. Anyone can do the drafting, from the CEO to the forklift driver to an employee’s hotshot kid.
Before the start of the season, which kicks off Thursday night, Sept. 5, we will publish the 12 team names and the charities for which they will be playing. We will even include a small write-up on each charity as well as why it has been designated by the team’s owner. At that point we will invite FCNews readers to get behind the team whose cause best resonates with them.
So, if you are interested in participating, here is what you need to know: There will be an online draft on the ESPN site, most likely Sept. 4 or 5 around 5 p.m. EST. If no one from your company is available the night of the draft, there is a feature called “auto draft” where the computer makes selections for you based on pre-determined rankings. You will also have the ability to make roster moves throughout the year. Should more than 12 companies express interest, there can be multiple divisions. But please contact us quickly if you would like to participate. There are a limited number of spots available.
For more details, please email me at steve@fcnews.net.
Next, let’s talk about the FCIF Gala. Time is running out to purchase either tickets or a table. We have more than 250 tickets sold already. The black-tie affair, which will certainly be the highlight of the year for the floor covering world, celebrates industry leadership. This year’s honorees include: Roger Marcus, chairman and CEO of American Biltrite; Dan Frierson, chairman and CEO of The Dixie Group; and Sy Cohen, founder and chairman of Stanton Carpet. All three distinguished gentlemen have close to 60 years in the floor covering industry, and their honors are well deserved.
For those who may not be aware, the Floor Covering Industry Foundation gets families back on their feet when battling catastrophic injuries, severe disabilities or other life-altering medical crises. Founded in 1981 by industry leaders, the 501(c)3 charitable non-profit helps industry workers by providing direct grants for medical care and basic needs.
If you haven’t already purchased tickets or a table, I invite you to come out and support a good cause. It will be a night to remember.
