How are the games played?
The SFL runs their simulations using a modified and enhanced version of ESPN NFL Football. Each game is streamed live on our YouTube channel. We are also featured on Next Level Sports, which is available through cable/satellite providers across the United States and on EsportsTV (ESTV) available on smart phones and TVs through the ESTV+ App! Our broadcasters watch and call the game live with you!
Coaches submit their custom playbook, slimming down over 10,000 plays into 4 quarters of gameplanning.
How can I play the game?
ESPN NFL Football can be played on consoles it was originally released for, or through digital emulators of old software.
Can I download the SFL Mod that features updated rosters along with team and league branding?
The mod is free and will be released and updated in our Discord server's SFL 4K23 section.
How do I get involved?
On our website menu, you’ll see a ‘create a player’ button. That will tell you all you need to know about joining the league and starting your journey.
Once you’ve joined our Discord server, if you want to have a player in the league, you’ll need to purchase a subscription. Once that’s done, you will be able to claim a position and will be placed on a Minor League team – where all players get their start. Owners can reach out to you, or you can see the list of owners online in the member list and contact them about any open positions.
Feel free to reach out to the owners directly about their posted position openings.
How do I create my player?
Once you have claimed your position and are assigned a team, you’ll be able to improve your player each week through our Player Portal on our website. Ping the SFLBot in Discord for account information.
Your player equipment, name, number, skin tone and other basic appearance features are all up to you! Depending upon when you sign, some positions may not be available due to high demand.
How do I become a coach?
Coaching in the SFL takes commitment, knowledge, and passion. Owners look for coaches who are willing to dedicate the time to watching film, studying strategies of opponents and helping develop game plans. Coaches are typically players who at least have a season under their belt and have an understanding of the strategy necessary to win games.
How do I become an owner?
Participants can become team owners through league expansion or the sale of a franchise. Owners pay $360 per season to help pay for all of the things in the SFL that make it the best in the business. League expansion occurs through an application process and a vote from team ownership groups. The sale of a franchise - or transfer of majority ownership - occurs between the buyer and the seller and is vetted and approved by the Commissioner and the league's Board of Directors.
When are the SFL and SFLm seasons?
The SFL (Pro League) has two seasons a year: from mid-January to early May and mid-July to early November. The SFLm (Minor League) also has two seasons a year: from mid-October to mid-December and from mid-April to mid-June.
If my friends or family join can we all play on the same team?
When you first join the SFL, you are assigned to a minor league team, based on position need of the teams. After the minors, you are drafted and must go to the team that drafts you, or forfeit all your earned value. After your first season in the majors, however, you are free to choose which team you want to play for each off-season and are not bound by any long-term agreements with teams. So, if you do have friends or family in the league, you can reunite with them then!
How much does it cost to be a player?
It costs $3 per month as a rookie and $7 a month as a pro – $9 to be a pro quarterback or running back, due to high demand of those positions. All payments for subscriptions are made through our Discord server in the #sflsubscriptions channel.
How long does it take to get assigned to a team after purchasing a subscription?
Usually, you’ll be assigned to a minor league team the same day you claim a position. If you purchase a subscription after 6 pm CT, you may have to wait until the next day before you can claim a position or you are assigned to a team. Our minor league operations are primarily led earlier in the day on the East Coast, while the pro league typically operates later in the day and into the evening.
How do I know who my coaches are and how can they help me?
Once assigned to a minor league team, your coaches will have a discord name color other than white and often will show their coach title for the team to differentiate from pro players who are playing in the minors on two-way contracts. Coaches can help you build the player you desire to be, make connections to potential player openings on teams and help you build relationships and endorse you at the pro level to improve your draft stock.
I love sports, competition and dishing out trash talk. What is allowed here and how do I keep from crossing the line?
It’s always important to ultimately respect players on other teams and when the competitions are all said and done, say good game and pay respects, regardless of pregame talk. The community's Code of Conduct is available in our Discord server.
What is progression and when do I submit it?
Progression happens weekly. It’s how your player improves through his or her SFL career and occurs on the player portal. Paid subscribers can access their progression/the player portal using the ‘players’ tab on our website’s main menu. Progression can be submitted each week from Saturday at 12:01 am CT to Tuesday at 11:59 pm CT.
What is the typical/best build for my position?
You can build the type of player you want to be. Our coaches are experts at how to best achieve the player you are trying to be like or the type of player you want to be. They can help you out, but generally attributes are self-explanatory. If you want to catch well, improve catch. If you want to be consistent, improve consistency.
So I'm starting in the minor league...what's the process to get in to the pros?
There are many ways to build a great career as a player and no two players have identical paths. Traditionally, once you claim your position and are assigned to a minor league team, you’ll play a season in the minors before getting drafted by a pro team. Depending on position and amount of spots available, you may play multiple seasons in the minors before a spot in the pros opens up. There are opportunities to move into the pros even before playing a full season in the minors, but those opportunities are fewer and farther between. All in all, you can expect to spend – on average – somewhere between 3 and 9 months in the minors.
What separates me from someone else who is trying to get drafted at the same position?
Every player's skill set is unique - often a team may be looking for someone specific of need that fits within their identity. A player off the field is just as important as a player on the field in the SFL. Teams want a personality that will be a fit in their culture, a positive presence in their locker room, a supportive teammate and – as a bonus – someone who is willing to help the team, whether that’s in scouting, doing live stats, graphics, or social media. There are so many ways to be a valuable member of a team outside of being a terrific on-field talent.
When is the Rookie Draft?
The Simulation Football League holds two rookie drafts a year, which select minor league players to the pros. These drafts occur in mid-June and mid-December at the conclusion of each minor league season.
What is the draft experience like before, during and after?
Before the draft, you will have some teams reach out to you and engage with surveys, interviews and general inquiries about their needs and your goals. Not all teams will be proactive with you and not all players will be proactive with teams. Proactive players can get a leg up by contacting teams and letting them know your goals and ambitions for your career. Ultimately, the teams and players who are proactive before the draft are the most successful in the SFL at building culture and camaraderie on the team.
During the draft, you’ll be able to join the league’s green room, where players can appear on camera after they are selected. This is your chance to be in the spotlight and have fun with the moment – it only comes once! Teams may contact you during the draft and you may not go to the team you ultimately wanted to play for the most, but remember, all players are under one season contracts and after your rookie season you can change teams in free agency if you’d prefer to play somewhere else. Give your new team a chance, though.
After the draft, you’ll be offered your contract and player build based on your SFLm build in the minors on the league’s player portal. Once you accept that contract you will be added to the team’s official roster.
I'm quiet, shy or nervous...how do I best engage with my team? The league?
The SFL is home to all types of people. If you’re unsure of opening up to a new community or to league/team officials and even your teammates, please get comfortable at your own pace. People you absolutely should try to establish a relationship with – even if just 1-on-1 in direct messages – are your minor league coaches. These people are going to be your biggest advocates to teams around the league that you are a valuable member of the team and a genuine person even if you don’t speak a lot publicly. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, in time. The SFL Community is home to all walks of life, from 12 different countries and the journey is all about finding a locker room you can call home.
Is this a welcoming and inclusive environment? Am I free to be myself?
We want everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin and be who they are. It is the internet, however. Some people are playing a role with their players and some people may not know you well enough as a human being to treat you and who you are with respect. If you at any point are upset by a person’s actions toward you in the community, please direct message Deputy Commissioner Andrew Rastelli immediately to discuss your concerns. These concerns will be passed along to Commissioner Irvine and ultimately the Directors of Compliance within the server.
