NFL PLAYERS Fantasy ’08, the Players-Only Fantasy Football League, Launches Today on NFLPLAYERS.com, FOXSports.com on MSN

       Eight NFL stars compete for supremacy on the fantasy gridiron



    WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 /EMWNews/ -- NFL PLAYERS, the licensing and

marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association, in partnership with

FOX Sports Interactive is proud to announce the launch of NFL PLAYERS

Fantasy '08. In its second year, NFL PLAYERS presents the only official

players-only fantasy football league. NFLPLAYERS.com gives fans access to

exclusive player video blogs, message boards and interviews, while

FOXSports.com on MSN, a leader in fantasy football, will host the league

and provide weekly matchups, league standings and roster updates.



    Reality collides with fantasy



    Players MAURICE JONES-DREW/Jacksonville Jaguars, STEVEN JACKSON/St.

Louis Rams, TATUM BELL/Detroit Lions, CATO JUNE/Tampa Bay Buccaneers, BRIAN

BROHM/Green Bay Packers, LARRY FITZGERALD/Arizona Cardinals, WILL

WITHERSPOON/St. Louis Rams and JAY FEELY will compete against each other as

the eight owners in NFL PLAYERS Fantasy '08.



    "Fantasy football is a growing phenomenon, uniquely engaging fans while

showcasing the talents of our players," said NFL PLAYERS COO and Executive

Vice President Andrew Feffer. "It is with great excitement we partner with

Fox Fantasy Football to provide a one-of-a-kind experience with real NFL

players participating in this exclusive league. This season, we aim to

provide unique player access featuring exclusive content, stories and even

self-produced player video blogs."



    "We are excited to work with the NFL PLAYERS organization to give

fantasy fanatics a first-hand look at how their real-life heroes draft,

trade and compete with each other in the fantasy world," said Larry Tobin,

Vice President of Product for FOX Sports Interactive. "Our open and free

fantasy platform is a perfect environment in which to host this league,

which will no doubt attract an incredible amount of attention from fantasy

fans across the Web."



    The live draft was held in June on the roof deck of the Ivy Hotel in

San Diego, Calif. With sports commentator Summer Sanders acting as

commissioner, the 12-round draft included good-natured trash talk,

strategic moves and shocking insider selections.



    "I was excited," said Maurice Jones-Drew. "There were so many emotions

running through my body after the draft. We just can't wait to get out

there and start knocking teams off."



    The event was documented by a television crew for an upcoming episode

of the "NFL PLAYERS: Helmets Off" series. Check NFLPLAYERS.com in coming

weeks for an up-to-date broadcasting schedule of this season's "NFL

PLAYERS: Helmets Off."



    NFL PLAYERS Fantasy '07 Wrap Up:



    In a battle of close friends and former teammates, Tatum Bell

triumphed, barely holding off Champ Bailey to win the inaugural NFL PLAYERS

Fantasy Football League. Despite finishing the regular season below .500 at

6-7, and beginning the season with four straight losses, Bell persevered to

prove his football knowledge was a step above his fellow NFL

contemporaries.



    With a terrific Week 16 performance, Bell's appropriately named "Motown

Bell Ringers" proved the old adage "it isn't how you start, but how you

finish" rings true, even in fantasy football. In 2008, he aims to defend

his title as one of only two returners. Jay Feely, the other fantasy

veteran, comes back for his second year after winning the regular season in

2007.

    About NFL PLAYERS INC:



    Formed in 1994, NFL PLAYERS is the licensing and marketing subsidiary

of the NFL Players Association. Representing more than 1,800 active and

many memorable retired NFL players, NFL PLAYERS "takes the helmets off" the

players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes.

Through an exclusive sponsorship agreement between the organization and the

NFL, players are integrated into NFL sponsor activation programs. In

addition, under an exclusive agreement between NFL PLAYERS and the NFL,

NFLPLAYERS.COM, the company's official Web site is part of the part of the

NFL Internet Network. Each year NFL PLAYERS negotiates and facilitates

extensive player marketing opportunities for players. NFL PLAYERS

activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships and promotions,

special events, radio and television projects, publishing and internet. For

more information, please visit NFLPLAYERS.COM.



    About FOXSports.com on MSN



    FOXSports.com on MSN is a leading sports Web site that delivers

breaking news, real-time stats and fantasy games to more than 14 million

unique visitors every month. FOXSports.com, a unit of Fox Interactive

Media, is the exclusive provider of sports content for MSN in the U.S. and

it is the online extension of FOX Sports television coverage. Located at

http://msn.foxsports.com/, the site provides sports fans with a wealth of

exclusive online video, and is the industry leader in the delivery of

sports content to mobile devices via its Fox Sports Mobile products.