Check this article out at Salem News. Here is a quick summary from the article:
Nathan Harrington, a Salem native, bested 3.1 million competitors to finish No. 1 among prize-eligible fantasy football leagues this season on ESPN.com. He did it all despite a crippling car accident, despite having no permanent residence and no computer. It’s a feat not even the most ardent fantasy owners would dare to dream possible, and it has him on the verge of finding a new home.
For winning, Harrington received a $3,500 gift certificate to Best Buy, which he is selling to his mother for $2,500. He’s going to use the cash to help he and his family move into a new apartment.
What do you get when you beat 3 million teams, experts, Joey C and others? A $3500 gift card to Best Buy! He turned around and pulled a Groupon and sold it to his Mom for $2500. Does that gift come close to matching how amazing an accomplishment that is? Oprah gives cars out to people just for showing up to her show! Celebrities get schwag bags worth thousands just for going to events! Lets help this guy get something great – I’m sure Joey C would offer him to be a featured columnist for fantasy football tips every week for lucrative pay that we all get or do a classic interview. Who wants to sponsor this guy! Where did your team rank at ESPN or Yahoo?
Thanks – Patrick
Good Morning Gloucester 
I never felt better about my fantasy football teams than I did this year with two outstanding rosters.
In both leagues I shit the bed and got bounced out of the playoffs early- much like our beloved Patriots. I’m sort of shocked that $3500 is all that ESPN could come up with for this guy. If anyone thinks that the insane popularity of Fantasy Football hasn’t made a major impact on the NFL and any of the networks who televise it they are just plain crazy.
Billions are generated from Fantasy Football is my guess (whether people think that’s silly or not) and you’d think they could reward the guy that has the best showing out of 3 million teams with something better than $3500. I’d think they could get more from a marketing perspective by pimping the guy out and then using that in promotions when people decide which platform they decide to set up their respective Fantasy Leagues on. If I was that kid I’d play on CBS Sportsline next year and wear a shirt around saying
“I beat 3 million other fantasy players and I’ll I got was $3500”
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That’s what I’m saying! exactly!
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They talked about him on Mike & Mike in the Morning today, it is amazing, and you are right, the compensation seems out of proportion.
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Out of porportion? 3.1 mill / $3500. = a little better than $.0011 (1/10 of a penny) for each team. Best Buy is getting a lot of exposure because of ESPN’s skimpy prize. And that prize is at retail dollars not cost dollars off the bottom line. So, add the stamp to post the check to him, the envelope, etc, could we be approaching $.0012!! It is starting to add up. I want to contact ESPN to get a sweet 20 week ad deal like that for the Folly Cove Rum. Charge a nickle for each time the 3.1 million teams log in over 20 weeks or a buck a team, will equal 3.1 million dollars!
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