A bunch of crap our lawyer made us add

OFFICIAL RULES
FOR
THE LEE ATWATER
INVITATIONAL DEAD POOL

I. What is The Lee Atwater Invitational Dead Pool? (“The Invitational”)

The Invitational is a competition between individuals (“players”) to determine who is the most skillful at predicting the official pronouncements of death (“deaths”) of famous people (“celebrities”) during the twelve-month period between January 1 andDecember 31 each year (“season”). Players compose lists of the celebrities whom they determine are most likely to die between January 1 and December 31, and the playercredited with the most deaths within that time frame is the winner.

II. The Key To Winning

In order to compete effectively, players must employ their skill at gathering and interpreting information to determine which particular celebrities are most likely to die during the season. Examples of research a player might perform would be: reading back issues of magazines (e.g. People, Newsweek, Time, etc.) and newspapers for items relating to celebrities’ current health status; watching television shows (e.g. Hard Copy, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, etc.) which cover the entertainment industry; visiting internet websites which cover the entertainment industry as a whole, or sites devoted to specific celebrities. Individual players’ diligence and skill in gathering and interpreting this information will determine the ultimate success of any entry. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT PLAYERS CONDUCT EXTENSIVE RESEARCH BEFORE ENTERING THE INVITATIONAL. Submitting entries which are not adequately researched and not based on pertinent criteria (e.g. age, current health status, occupational risks, health history, etc.) will afford players little chance of winning.

III. Rules

1. Entries: In The Invitational, each entry consists of a list of 10 (ten) celebrities, identified by name, and ranked in descending order from #1 to #10, according to the determined likelihood of their respective deaths. Listed celebrities who die during the period beginning at 12:01 a.m. PST January 1 and ending at 11:59 p.m. PST December 31 will each be credited as one “death.” Each entry must be accompanied by a $15.00 entry fee (U.S. funds), and must be submitted by using the Official Electronic Entry Form (the SOM) found at the internet address http://stiffs.com/enter/, and each entry must include credit card payment of $15.00 as proscribed in the form. Deadline for electronic submissions is 11:59 p.m. PST December 31. Entries not
accompanied by a valid credit card payment, will be voided.

2. Celebrities: A celebrity, as defined for The Invitational, is any person whose name is listed in the SOM or, whose name has been submitted to The stiffs.com Fame Committee and has subsequently been ruled to be famous. Determination of fame for those names not listed in the SOM can only be made by The stiffs.com Fame Committee, and all rulings are final.

3. Deaths: For players to receive credit, deaths must be reported in any national news publication by 11:59 p.m. PST, January 10 of the year following the end of the game, and the official date of death, as determined by local coroner, or other governing body, must be established as being between 12:00 a.m. PST January 1 and 11:59 p.m. PST December 31 of that game year. Deaths not reported until after January 10, will not be credited.


4. Alternates: In addition to the ten ranked celebrities on each list, players must also include a back-up selection, or “alternate” celebrity. This alternate will be added to an entry ONLY in the event that one or more of the ranked celebrities on an entry dies after the date of submission, but before the start of the season. The alternate will be installed into the #10 position, with all other names moving up one space. For example: If celebrity #5 on a player’s list were to die between the date of submission and January 1, 2009, the #6 celebrity on that player’s list moves into the #5 slot, #7 moves to #6, #8 moves to #7, #9 moves to #8, #10 moves to 9 and the alternate is placed in the #10 position. In the event that 2 or more selections from a given list die between the date of submission and the start of the season, the highest ranking position will be filled, with the remaining celebrities each moving up one space. For example: If celebrities #3 and #6 die between the date the entry
is submitted and January 1, 2009, #4 moves to #3, #5 moves to #4, #7 moves to #6, #8 moves to #7, #9 moves To #8, #10 moves to #9 and the alternate becomes #10. The player would have no celebrity in the #5 position and would be limited to 9 eligible names.

5. Prizes: From all eligible entries received, winners will be determined by the abilities of participants to use their skill, diligence and knowledge of the relevant Lee Atwater rules to accumulate the most credited deaths. The 10 (ten) players who finish the season with the greatest number of credited deaths on their individual list(s), will receive the prizes listed at http://stiffs.com/blog/rules/ as of the start of the game.  No cash prizes shall be awarded.

6. Tie-Breaker: In the event of any players finishing the season with an equal number of credited deaths, a tie-breaking point system is employed to determine their respective places in the list of winners. Each celebrity’s ranking, from #1 to #10, indicates a corresponding point value, which is to be applied to any credited deaths, and used as a secondary factor in determining winners. Celebrities in the #1 position are worth 10 points, the #2 position 9 points, #3 position 8 points, #4 position 7 points, #5 position 6 points, #6 position 5 points, #7 position 4 points, #8 position
3 points, #9 position 2 points, and celebrities in the #10 position are worth 1 point. If 2 or more players have the same number of credited deaths at the end of the season, the number of points accumulated by the ranking system will determine their respective places. This point system ONLY comes into play in the event of a tie, and ONLY as a secondary factor. The number of credited deaths is the primary factor for winning The 2009 Invitational In the event of an absolute tie (i.e. one which exists after all point values have been taken into account), players will evenly divide the prizes for the two sequential positions in which they finish. Example: If 2 players tie for Second Place, they would each receive $350.00 for a combined $700.00, which is the sum of the Second and Third Place prizes ($500.00 + $200.00 = $700.00).

7. Disqualification: stiffs.com reserves the right to disqualify any player(s) charged with any criminal violation in connection with any celebrity on any list(s) submitted for The 2009 Invitational. Any entry fees paid by a subsequently disqualified player will be forfeited.

8. Commissioner’s Powers: stiffs.com will act as the Commissioner for The Invitational. The Commissioner will have the power to rule on all aspects of The Invitational. The Commissioner has the right to make any necessary changes to the game and its rules as the season progresses. The decisions of the Commissioner shall be final
and irreversible.

IV. LEGAL CONSTRAINTS

Prizes awarded pursuant to The Lee Atwater may be subject to legal restrictions. Players agree that in the event that the award of prizes to winners of The Invitational is challenged by any legal authority, stiffs.com has the sole right to determine whether or not to award such prizes and whether or not to refund previous payments made by participants. Prizes are subject to change at any time at the discretion of stiffs.com.

V. ODDS OF WINNING

Odds of winning depends on the number of participants and skill level of each. Prizes are not transferable and no substitution of prizes is permitted.

VI. NOTIFICATION

The First Place Winner will be notified by e-mail or regular mail within seven (7) days after the date the winners are determined and must sign and return an affidavitof eligibility and publicity/liability release within fifteen (15) days following attempted notification. Any prize notification returned as undeliverable may resultin disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. By accepting the prize, the winner grants permission to stiffs.com to use their names and/or likenesses forpublicity and promotional purposes without further compensation, unless prohibited by law, and agree to execute a written consent. A list of winners may be obtainedfrom the stiffs.com website at http://stiffs.com/09stats.html after January 10, 2010, or by sending a written request to Winner’s List c/o stiffs.com 11024 Balboa Blvd,Box 741, Granada Hills, Ca 91344.VII. ELIGIBILITY

Employees of stiffs.com, their distributors, divisions and subsidiaries, licensed retailers and their immediate families are not eligible. If any prize is won by a minor, the parent or legal guardian of such minor must sign and return the affidavit of eligibility and publicity/liability release and the prize will be awarded to the parent or legal guardian. Void where prohibited by law.

VIII. TERMS

Game entrants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of the Commissioner, which are final on all matters pertaining to this game. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. All federal, state and local taxes will be the sole responsibility of the prize winners. stiffs.com is not in any way responsible or liable for damage, loss or injury (including death) resulting from computer malfunctions, late, lost, or misdirected entries, or acceptance and use of the prizes. Winners assume liability for injuries caused or claimed to be caused by participating in the game, or by any prize.

IX. RULES

This game is subject to these Official Rules. Official Rules may be obtained at the stiffs.com website at http://stiffs.com/blog/legal

4 thoughts on “A bunch of crap our lawyer made us add

  1. CHAD

    Why is Christopher Hitchens aka “Hitchypoo” being credited to some of the players in this year’s game even though he died before 2011? I noticed on lists for the 2012 Invitational, the alternate pick for those players was not inserted and Hitchypoo was not removed.

    Reply
  2. Thijs van Rossum

    I want to participate but I live outside the US. Is this a problem? (when entering adress I cannot select/deselect state outside US)

    Reply
  3. Jack Burch

    I won the February 2016 Lee Jr. contest with 3 stiffs. My entry list was called Playing the Field and user name was OBP.500. I can’t seem to contact anyone at stiffs.com and it seem to be impossible to log onto the forum because of email address and user name problems. Could someone contact me vie email, please? I know there is a deadline for notification and I’m afraid you won’t be able to get in touch with me…Thanks

    Jack Burch
    captainjack57@hotmail.com

    Reply

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