RPFL: Real or Scam?

When we all were kids, we all wanted to do some thing big like be an astronaut, a teacher, or even a professional athlete. For me, I always wanted to play football. When I was 2-3 years old I would run around the yard playing with my football. I spent my life working hard so I could play or be around the game. Today I own LGF (Louisiana Gridiron Football) and coach football. My life is football, well my family too. I tell people that I have three loves, God, Family, and Football.

So when I hear about predators feeding on someones dreams, I take it personally. In 2015, Louisiana had not one but two so called Professional Indoor Teams come in and say that they were going to take the place of the departed New Orleans Voodoo. We learned of this and started asking question such as: where were they going to play? did they have the turf/ boards? did they have insurance? Neither team had a venue, after I called or went to the venue that I was told they had, neither team had the money for the turf and boards, and neither team could afford the insurance. Louisiana has the highest rates for insurance for a professional sport. Louisianian law states that any professional team must have $250,000 wroth of insurance for each player and coach. This policy is pretty steep. I called one Greater Louisiana Insurance, since they advertise with us, and asked about this policy. The cheapest policy that they could find was $200,000 per year.

Since August when we first broke the story of the Rival Professional Football League (RPFL), we have received hundreds of calls and emails saying that we were right. So what are they doing? Well the league is boosting about being a professional league that gives player contracts for $301,000 plus guarantees NFL and CFL coaches will be in attendance to sign guys for the next level. Well first let me start off by saying that the NFL DOES NOT SEND SCOUTS TO MINOR LEAGUE GAMES! I know this because I have spoken to the NFL about this. The CFL will send a scout to a game, however, everyone will know days in advance that he will be coming because he will contact the coaches way in advance for film their thoughts on they guy they are looking at. There are literally thousands of semi-pro, minor league, and semi-professional leagues out there. There is a lot of money involved in sending a scout out to watch someone in a game. I know this because I am friends with scouts and GM’s in the CFL. Several were at my wedding a few years back. So the claims that the RPFL is a developmental league for the NFL is false. To date, not one player in the RPFL has signed with any NFL or CFL team.

I was emailed a copy of the players contract, and I could not stop laughing at it. First off, the numbers do not add up .2017 RPFL Welcome Letter and Player Contract So lets get started with page 2. It says that all players must have a doctors evaluation done before they can play. This is true, however, a professional team would want their doctors to do the physicals, after all it is their insurance that will be effected. Which brings me to my second point. NO PROFESSIONAL TEAM CAN NOT HOST A GAME WITHOUT FIRST HAVING INSURANCE! Sure players must have their own insurance, but the team MUST provide Workers Comp Insurance for every player. THAT IS AN ACTUAL LAW! Louisiana is really strict on this. It costs a team $200k per season for just one team. On page 3 of the contract, item 6 injury: you must sign away all rights if you are injured on the job? That I do not understand. Why does this league not have insurance for their players?

On item 10 Compensation, I have same questions. Question one being, how do you get paid $20,000 for selling 200 season tickets when the season ticket value is only $50 each and you can only make 50% of that ($25). The most you can make on this is $5,000. Second, every player will make 33% for every sponsorship they sell. How does that add up to $60,000? So this contract is a set up as a four year deal. As you can see, if you played every position and earned the top amount for that position you would only earn $151,000 in four years. So the case of signing a $301,000 contract is FALSE. So what do these guys get paid? I was told by one coach that Mr Hines forces the coaches to play every player a certain number of reps per game, so the chances of a QB passing for 350 yards or a running back rushing for 200 yards is slim to none. I was told that there are a few players that were paid, however most players are not.

So since this is like semi-pro football, how much do you have to pay before you even step onto the filed? Well to tryout for the league you first must pay $150. Then you must rent the official RPFL helmet and pads fro $150. You then have to by all the apparel for another $150. Then you must buy your uniform for another $150. So now lets throw in the $40 for a physical that he charges players if you do not bring one from your doctor. Then there is a $40 charge for a background check. Now if your one of the unlucky ones to be fooled into this, you would most likely have to move to where your team is at. He now charges you $105 per week for a room (multiply this by 10 since there is a 10 week season $1050). So you are now looking at $1730 out of your pocket before you step your first foot on the field.

What do you get once you have paid your money to play in this league? You can keep your jersey and apparel that you buy. You must return the helmet and pads after the season. In Miami, he had a mansion that he rented for the players. It was a seven bedroom 4 bath house that housed 35 football players. The A/C control panel was removed so the players could not adjust the temperature in the house. May I remind you that this happened in south Florida. All the players had to eat and drink were noodles and water. The coaches I talked to said that they had to help these guys at times because they were starving.

What can be done to stop this? I have instructed every player and coach that has contacted me or others on my staff to go file a police report. Once the police have enough complaints they will then be able to charge Mr Hines with Fraud. Since this now across state lines, this has become a federal crime. $1730 is a lot of money per player that was dished out because of the lies. Not to mention all the players that paid $150, tried out and didn’t make any team. He is praying on peoples dreams and will only be stopped if there are complaints.

Here is the championship game between the Atlantic Sharks and the Florida Red Wolves. I have received class and emails from coaches, players, and officials from this game saying how Mr Hines changed the rules during the game, how he was unprofessional, and how this man is stealing from the integrity of the game.