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The basic premise of this “competition” is bidding on a team or teams via auction for the 2010 World Cup.  When your team wins you win ½ of the value the team you beat and the other ½ goes into the final pot which is split between the top 3 teams.  If this were a simple tourney “bracket” this would be pretty simple, but since the WC is a Group/Knockout tourney with a 3rd place game there will be three ways your team can win money. 

GROUP STAGE
The first is the group stage:  The two teams that advance will split ½ of the price of the two teams not advancing and the other ½ will go to the pot.  See example below:
Group D – Germany sells for $300, Serbia sells for $200, Ghana sells for $150, and Australia sells for $125
Lets assume Germany and Australia advance to the knockout stage.  The total value of teams not advancing would equal $350. So, $175 would be added to the final pot and the other $175 would be split between the owners of Germany/Australia; or $87.50 each.
It should be obvious, but you want to make sure your team advances out of group to win any money.

KNOCKOUT STAGE
The second way to win is in the knockout stage.  Since these will all be head to head matchups it is very simple.  If your team wins you win ½ of the value the other team sold for, and ½ goes to the pot.  See example below:
Germany sold for $300 and Mexico sold for $200.  They meet in the quarters and Mexico pulls the upset.  Mexico’s owner would pocket $150 and $150 would be added to the pot.
If you purchase a team that can advance deep into the tourney, there is a lot of money to be made from the knockout stage.  You will have the chance to win the “bounty” of your opponent in the quarters, semi’s, and final.
Important note—There will be NO AWARD for the winner of the 3rd place game.  The value of both of these teams will already have been given away to the winners of the semi-final games.

FINAL POT
As you can see ½ of what all teams sold for will be in this pot (except for the champ), so depending on the $$ spent at bidding it should be a significant amount to be divided among the top 3 teams.
WC Champion wins 65% of the final pot
2nd Place wins 25% of the final pot
Winner of the 3rd place games wins 10% of the final pot
So if you are lucky enough to buy the winner you stand to win a lot of $$.  Let’s assume teams sold for an average of $100 each.  Your team would have won $50 from the group stage, $50 in the quarters, $50 in the semi’s, $50 in the final.  You would then win $1120 from the final pot.

Below are some other rules to consider:

• -All 32 teams will be auctioned
• -This is an open out-cry bidding system.  All teams will be sold, and there is no price cap for purchase of a team.  Bidding for each team will start at $20.
• -There is no limit on the amount of participants, but since there are only 32 teams it is possible to bid and not buy anything.
• -The order of the groups for bidding will be random and selected/displayed the day of the auction.  All 4 teams will be auctioned once a group is selected in alphabetical order.
• -You can purchase multiple teams.
• -Money is due on the date of the auction so bring your checkbooks or you can pay via PayPal.
• -You can partner with others to increase your financial “firepower”
• -You or a teammate must be present at the auction to participate.

ESPN SoccerNet
SI Soccer - Read anything by Grant Wahl
US Soccer
Soccer by Ives
The Shin Guardian - Dug's Pick
Yanks Abroad
MLS Talk - Good Podcasts
BBC Football
Fifa.com

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