Rival League Raiding

The EFL does not operate in a vacuum.  While the top players make up the ranks of EFL there are other leagues with other talented players such as the Stupendous Football League (SFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Tex-Mex Football League (TMFL). 

Players with expired contracts in the SFL, CFL and TMFL are available to all EFL franchises.  The league office shall publish a list of all players looking to “jump leagues” and the leaked contract offers they have received from their existing team / league upon receipt of said information from their agents.  Typically this information will be made public in February / March with two “blind” bidding processes taking place, one before the EFL College Draft (primary) and a second, for players not selected in the primary phase, shortly after the conclusion of the RFA Auction (Secondary).

Bidding franchises agree to take on the terms of the leaked contracts, with the player ultimately going to the team offering the highest signing bonus which will count towards the salary cap.  The bonus can be spread throughout the length of the player contract but will reduce the team’s salary cap by the amount of signing bonus allocated to each upcoming year – with a ten percent premium (cumulative) paid EACH future year on ALL remaining bonus monies.  The signing bonus is in ADDITION to the player's contract.

Example – Several SFL, CFL ad TMFL players make it know that they are interested in jumping to the EFL, for the right price of course.  Included in this group is a player from the SFL who will accept a four year contract worth 2.35 million (Action PC value) per season.  This player receives the following three offers from EFL teams.

       Team “A” offers 2.35 million per season over 4 years with a bonus of 500,000       

       Team “B” offers 2.35 million per season over 4 years with a bonus of 350,000

       Team “C” offers 2.35 million per season over 4 years with a bonus of 625,000

With Team “C” offering the highest bonus (625,000) they are awarded the player’s service for the next four seasons.  Team “C” must now decide how to best distribute the signing bonus to maximize their salary cap space - keeping in mind the 10% premium to be paid EACH year bonus monies are deferred.  Bonuses MUST be paid off within the "timeframe" of the player contract.                    

Players signed as UFAs cannot be traded in the first year of their new contract.

Deferred bonus monies CANNOT be clawed back.