On the Road,
Building What Comes Next

Manny Matsakis and Gary Vaynerchuk standing together.

Manny Matsakis with Gary Vaynerchuk.

I’ve been in New Jersey and New York City working on the CoFL, and one of the best connections of the trip started with football. I had the privilege of spending time with Gary Vaynerchuk, a big Jets fan. When I mentioned that I coached Wayne Chrebet at Hofstra, we hit it off.

Gary was speaking at a summit on using artificial intelligence, and I came away excited about the possibilities for our league. In particular, I see opportunities to build stronger engagement with our fans and give people more ways to connect with the CoFL.

The technology is interesting, but what matters to me is what we can do with it for football people. I’m looking forward to sharing more as we work through those ideas and decide how to put them into practice.

I also met in New York City with prospective corporate partners who have shown interest in the concept we’re building. Those conversations are another part of the work: finding people who understand the opportunity and exploring where we can build something together.

Back on the league side, I’m working to establish the foundation for our two newest Northern Division teams. There is more to share as that work moves forward, and I want the preparation behind those teams to be as strong as the announcements that introduce them.

We’re also reviewing a prospective ticketing partner’s contract this weekend. If that review comes together as planned, we expect to announce the partnership next week.

This is the part of building a league that I enjoy: football conversations opening doors, new ideas becoming practical possibilities and the work of putting the right people around the game. I’m encouraged by this trip, and I’m looking forward to showing you what comes next.

Manny Matsakis
Founder & CEO, Continental Football League

The Legacy Series · Part 2

Before Mars

Otis Sistrunk’s Road Through the Continental Football League

Otis Sistrunk never played college football, but his road to the Raiders ran through the Marines and the Norfolk Neptunes of the original Continental Football League (Raiders retrospective). Our latest Legacy Series feature returns to that Norfolk chapter, before the familiar name and the national spotlight.

This is a story about the work behind an unconventional football career. It asks us to look beyond where a player started and pay attention to what happens when he gets a place to compete. Read “Before Mars” for the full story, and a reminder of why those opportunities matter.

Read “Before Mars” →

Watch This Week · Manny’s Minute EP15

Why the Denver Broncos
Couldn’t Get Don Jonas

Why couldn’t Denver get Don Jonas? That question leads this week’s Manny’s Minute EP15.

After reading the Sistrunk feature, make time for another football story with a question worth revisiting. Watch the episode on the CoFL website and pass it along to a fan who enjoys looking beyond the familiar headlines.

Watch Manny’s Minute EP15 →

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Kept.

A letter for serious football fans.

Keep the football conversation going with Kept, Manny Matsakis’s Sunday morning letter from his independent publication, Gridiron Aficionado. It’s for readers who want more than scores: the people, ideas and stories that make the game worth thinking about.

Set aside a little of your Sunday morning for football you can sit with. Explore Kept and subscribe for the next letter.

Explore Kept & Subscribe →

Keep someone in the loop.

Know someone who would enjoy following the CoFL? Forward this issue and invite them into the conversation. We’ll keep sharing the work behind the league, the people doing it and the football stories worth your time.

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