When is the game?
We strive to put on quality events every year. Therefore, we have a limited number of dates available every year. We do not lock in game dates until after both teams have 30 players registered. After they build, we will work hard to secure a field for the game. Game dates are usually Friday, Saturday, or Sunday nights. We work with local schools and communities to make sure that we don’t schedule games during important events that would conflict our games. IF YOU REGISTER WITH US, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL AND/OR TEXT ABOUT ALL GAME DATES AND PRACTICE TIMES.

How do I find out who’s on my team?
When you go to REGISTER, you will see how many people have registered for your team. However, to see who they are, you must REGISTER yourself. Once you register, you will be sent a link that shows you who is on your team via email and you can check it as often as you like. The link will stay the same, but the list will change as people REGISTER. If your link doesn’t work, you can always go here:
http://gridironalumni.com/player-list
and put the email that you registered with in the field and click FIND TEAMMATES.

I can’t find my school?
We try to put all of the schools for an area in, but sometimes we miss some. Please contact us and we’ll add your school.

Who is Gridiron Alumni?
We’re guys who love football, just like you. We’ve always wondered why football has to end, so we came up with a way to keep it going. Please refer to our
About Us
section. We make our living and feed our babies putting on alumni football games and we couldn’t ask for more than that. Don’t forget to join our Facebook Community. We have contests, prizes, and lots of discussion about football. http://www.facebook.com/GridironAlumni

Who is eligible to play?
You must be 18 and over. Since it is Alumni football, we prefer that you play for the team you went to high school with. We require that teams have at least 75% alumni. We don’t want to punish people who have put down their roots, but please don’t go out and recruit “ringers” that didn’t go to the school. The goal is to make this an annual event and that can really ruin a game and make it so that it doesn’t happen the next year.

Will I be insured?
We do carry insurance required for the schools and stadiums. Hoqwever, we DO NOT carry player insurance. If you are interested in player insurance, contact your local insurance agent or AFLAC. They may have something that will fit your needs. DISCLAIMER: Gridiron Alumni DOES NOT provide insurance to players and we do not endorse any insurance agencies.

How many players can play on one team?
We USUALLY MAX OUT AT 50 PAID PLAYERS on each side, but require at least 30 on each team in order to make it a game. After 50 players, people start complaining about playing time. We have made some special exceptions though.

My team has over 50 players registered. What determines who plays and who doesn’t?
Players remember Number of players registered means nothing. In order to secure your spot, you must register and make payment. Once 50 payments are made, we will notify everyone that a waiting list has begun. If you want to guarantee your playing, please pay your player fee.

When is our first practice?
You will be notified by Gridiron Alumni OR your team leader by email or text. Practices are not organized until you have at least 25 registered players. If your team has less than 25 players, keep recruiting.

How often is practice?
That will be determined by the team. However, most teams practice 2-3 times a week until game time. Usually teams try to practice once during the week and twice during the weekend to accommodate most people’s schedules.

Do I have to go to the practice?
The short answer is NO! However, in alumni football, teams that practice together win. Period. You can’t get timing down and build cohesion without practice. Some people’s schedules and geography do not let them practice with the team. Those people should keep in contact with their leader to see if they have any information that they need. If you cannot make any practices, you are still allowed to play and we allow plenty of time before the game to help people catch up.

Who is going to coach us?
Teams will usually find either a current or old coach to help them out at practice. This adds to the fun of it. Call that old coach and see what he says! If not, players often split the team up into coaching duties. A good fit is a QB running the offense and a LB running the defense. Every team is different though. See what works best for you.

What does the player registration fee cover?
The player fee includes your equipment rental, which includes shoulder pads, helmets, jerseys, pants, integrated girdles and knee pads. We provide locker room personnel, gate workers, referees, and much more. Since we are not affiliated with the schools, we usually have a lot of fees and costs that you would not see in a normal high school game. Players can pay at any time by going to
PAY MY PLAYER FEE

Is the fee refundable?
We have a lot of travel expenses and most facilities make us pay them before the game. Please see our refund policy on the
REQUEST A REFUND
page.

If I miss the first meeting and practice, can I still pay at practice?
You can pay at any time via mail OR online. For more information, please
go here
! Please DO NOT pay your team leader. It makes it very hard to track.

Can I use my own equipment?
Yes. You sign a one and a half page waiver that releases Gridiron Alumni and the local school district from all liability regardless of the equipment used. Please be smart about it. If your helmet is 20 years old, it may be dangerous. Regardless, the player fee is the same.

When do we get the equipment?
Equipment is dispensed roughly 4-5 hours prior to game time as the player’s fee is collected. You will provide your driver’s license (or ID) and get your gear. All gear is numbered and accounted for. At the end of the game, you will return your numbered gear and get your driver’s license back. We have worked very hard to make the process enjoyable and quick for everybody involved.

How do we determine who gets what gear?
Gear is dispensed in the order in which you pay your fee. We have 5 sets of jerseys (100 Black, 100 White, 100 Purple, 100 Red, and 100 Green) numbered 00 to 99. The team that fills up first gets to pick their color first. All teams will be dispensed black or white helmets AND black or white pants. We have over 140 helmets and 150 pairs of shoulder pads in various sizes. We carry girdles, belts, integrated girdles, and knee pads. The only thing you will need to bring is under clothing, socks, cleats, and a mouthpiece (if not provided). Teams often want to put their stickers on them, but our helmets have “Gridiron Alumni” decals on them. You can get a small sticker for the back of the helmet as long as you know that we are going to have you take it off at the end of the game. Some guys take colored tape and put a stripe down the middle of the helmet. We often have a game the next day. All we ask is that you take it off after the game. Some teams will work with us or another company to get their own jerseys (starting at $30 per jersey). If you would like to do this, be prepared to order at least 45 days in advance. (NOTE: Some trailers have different gear than others)

Why don’t we get gear to practice in?
There are a few reasons. 1) There is no way we can account for all of that gear. We would spend more money replacing lost/stolen gear than we could ever make. 2) At any given time, we have about 300-400 people practicing for our games. We wouldn’t have enough gear to hand out to the hundreds of players playing across the nation. 3) When guys put pads on, they want to hit something. Football is a collision sport and people get hurt. Lose your QB or your Safety and your whole team might not play.

Who are we going to play?
Our #1 priority is to schedule all teams against their big rival. These are the best games. In very rare cases, the rival team doesn’t build up. If that’s the case, we’ll try our best to get someone for you to play. If you build a team, we will do everything we can to make sure you get a game.

How are leaders determined?
Leaders are not determined. Time after time, they always just step up and do the job without anybody asking them to. If you are a leader, then you will lead. Even if you’re not a leader, do your best to help out where you can. It’s important that all player’s opinions are heard.

Is it safe?
The simple answer is that it is football. Football is not a contact sport; it’s a collision sport. ALL PLAYERS MUST SIGN A LIABILITY WAIVER AND RELEASE OF INDEMNITY. We recommend that you are physically in good shape, that your doctor approves you to play, and that you know your limits. Stretch, run, and get into good shape before the game. We often give teams at least 45 to 90 days to prepare. Make sure to take advantage of this time to get into “football” shape. Going to the gym is NOT enough. DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH! Also, don’t play if you have a really bad recurring injury. We recommend that all players get a Sports physical. We do not provide insurance for players. We strongly recommend that you have good insurance. Call your local AFLAC or Insurance agent. We are not insurance agents or brokers. We do not carry any liability for the practices or the game and any claims on insurance are between you and the insurance company. We cannot stress enough that you are taking a risk. You could be seriously injured and even die. Make sure to make an informed decision.

How competitive is this?
Believe it or not, it’s VERY competitive. Some teams are loaded with young, fast, strong athletes. Some teams are are a little older and a little slower. One thing we’ve learned is that it doesn’t mean anything. There hasn’t been a team that didn’t want to win. There is no magic answer. All games have their ups and downs. All of the games are awesome to watch and to play in. We encourage players to get in shape, do your best, and have fun. If you are concerned about your overall health, then you will definitely want to talk to your doctor. If you really want to win, then go to practice. It’s a huge advantage if you can get 20-30 guys at practice every week.

Do you provide trainers?
No. We have an EMT or doctor standing by for safety and to notify the hospital to be on stand-by. We ask that the home team find a volunteer among their friends. Trainers are not provided, but most teams find a volunteer. Make sure to ask them now so that you have plenty of time for them to clear their schedule.

How much money does the school or charity get?
We have decided as a part of our Mission Statement to leave a community better than we found it. We have a very lucrative Gate Share Program. We split the proceeds of all presale tickets sold by the school or charity 50/50. We have decided to always donate the concessions and it’s earnings to the local charity or host school. These events are generally well attended and it’s a great opportunity for the school or charity to raise a lot of money. Not only do we give away the concession booth, which can make between $1000 and $15,000, we work with your school or charity to TURN A GAME INTO AN EVENT. Here are some of the things we encourage you to do:
Sell “Alumni” apparel or even just your normal school clothing.

• Create a carnival with booths
• Dinner Pep Rally
• Dunk the Teacher
• Bake Sale
• 50/50 Raffles
• Silent Auctions
• Event T-Shirts
• GATE SHARE PROGRAM

We have helped schools and charities raise over $400,000 since 2010 using our program as a fundraising vehicle.

Who gets the gate money?
Since 2010, we have raised over $400,000 for schools and charities. We have a very lucrative GATE SHARE program. The larger the crowd, the more money the school makes. However, the more presale tickets the school or charity sells, the more money they can make. Some schools have raised upwards of $30,000 at a single Gridiron Alumni game. Also, keep in mind that this is not a school event. This is our event and we are a business. Much like the people who sell you fundraising candy bars or discount cards, our event coordinators work 60 hours a week putting these games together. It costs a lot of money to transport a crew and over $120,000 worth of football gear and equipment to and from the location. We also pay for game officials, travel expenses, and all of the food and lodging of the crew. This is how we pay our bills and feed our families. We give many opportunities for the school to make money. The amount of money that a school can make is directly correlated with the amount of time they are willing to put into fundraising.

What are the rules?
We play high school rules with a few exceptions.

• WE ENCOURAGE EXCESSIVE CELEBRATION! This is not high school or college or the NoFunLeague. THIS IS ALUMNI FOOTBALL. Let’s see your end-zone dance! You are not allowed to celebrate OVER a player, but next to them is fine. Be a good sport at all times.
• 12 minute quarters for teams that have under 40 players. For over 40 players on a a team, we play 15 minute quarters.
• The biggest change to the rules has been the removal of blitzing. The defense is allowed to bring no more than 4 players at a time and all 4 players must have their hands down before the QB goes under center. In order to disguise the rush, the team may have 5 players with their hands down, but only 4 of them may rush the QB. If the QB breaks the pocket or makes a “run” move, then defense is allowed to treat the QB as a runner.
• No crack-back blocks. Wide recievers are allowed to block, but they cannot crack back. They must come at the player with their hands in front of them and not use their helmets or shoulder pads. Remember, these players all have to go to work on Monday.
• There is no play clock. However, if one team is ahead in the 4th quarter and they seem to be stalling, they will get a warning. If they continue, they will get a 5 yard penalty for Delay of Game.
• Wear any number at any position.
• No blocking punts, PAT’s, or FG’s. The defense may come across the ball and make contact with the offense, but they may not try and block the ball. If the kicker runs with the ball, he is live.
• We like to call it Big Man Carry. If a team is 21+ points ahead of the other team in the 4th quarter, they are now required to do Big Man Carry. This is where a lineman runs the ball. You cannot make it a tight end or a big wide receiver. It must be a Big Man. This is alumni football and if you are 21+ points ahead in the 4th quarter, this is their reward. If during the Big Man Carry, the other team scores and puts your lead under 21 points, you can then go back to your normal offense until you get back to 21+ points ahead again.

What can we do to help?
Call your friends and family and let them know what is going on. Maybe they’ll want to play. Maybe they’ll want to watch. Our number one complaint is that people “never heard about it!”
Help us find some volunteers. Although we provide a lot of paid positions, these games don’t happen without a few local volunteers. All local volunteers get into the game for free. We need their name and phone number at least one week before the game so that we can put them on the VIP list. For every game, we need volunteers for announcing, clock operator, music, video, and chain gang. The only person who gets a sideline pass is a volunteer EMT, Paramedic, or Physician. Firefighters are often trained paramedics or EMT’s also.
Go to practice! If both teams have good practices, then the game will be that much better. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
If you know anyone that would love to be involved with this game, don’t hesitate to CONTACT US!

How do I request a refund?
We can usually process a refund in about 2-3 business days. If you request a refund from PayPal, it will take about 2 weeks because they take forever to “review” the case. PLEASE DO NOT USE PAYPAL FOR REFUND REQUESTS! Please click here to review our Refund Policy and for Refund Requests!

How much does it cost to get into the game?
Adults are $10, Students with ID are $5, and Kids 5 and Under are Free. Men and women in uniform are always free.

If you did not find the answer to your question, please CONTACT US!