Fantasy Sports Giants Merging to Create Largest Leagues in Vegas

^{Stadium Swim at Circa will play host to the inaugural Legacy League in late August. (Photo: VegasMatty / X)}

LAS VEGAS – Fantasy football players will have a shot at winning a record amount of money this year from some of the greatest leagues ever assembled in Sin City. Two fantasy football industry heavyweights are finally merging, as the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and Fantasy Football World Championship (FFWC) have joined forces.

A pending acquisition between SportsHub Holdings LLC and FullTime Fantasy Sports could create the largest high-stakes fantasy drafts and prize pools in the world. SportsHub is the parent company of the NFFC and the National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC), while FullTime operates the Fantasy Football World Championship (FFWC) and Circa Draft Series. 

The NFFC and FFWC have each used Las Vegas casinos as a backdrop for their drafts in the past, and that will continue for both moving forward while they  now working together. 

Circa Instrumental in FullTime Fantasy's Success

In a press release about the partnership, NFFC founder Greg Ambrosius said that bringing in FullTime and the FFWC into their community of contests allows them to invest more into their live events, consolidate several of their offerings, and add more prizes in their featured games.

“The FFWC brings a dedicated audience of high-level players along with marketing opportunities that will make the NFBC and NFFC more visible than ever before," Ambrosius wrote. "We’re very excited to be working with FullTime’s Ian Ritchie and his experienced team to bring our combined vision to life.”

FullTime Fantasy has previously run the FFWC and Circa Draft Series from Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas. Together with the NFFC, they are expected to form fantasy leagues that will be bigger and better than ever. 

FullTime CEO Ian Ritchie credits Circa owner & CEO Derek Stevens with giving his team the chance to grow fantasy football to this level.

“Derek and his team at Circa have been nothing short of amazing, embracing the fantasy industry like they have, and it has meant everything to us,” Ritchie told Casinos.com. “Their dedication and passion for fantasy, as players themselves, has really given us directional energy and opportunities that we had not even considered ourselves.  Derek is an innovative thinker and a true marketing genius, so buckle up, this is going to be a really fun ride.”

The two companies have serious plans, including more high-stakes contest offerings, improved technology, and player tools with enhanced live draft production at venues like Circa. They have also decided to launch the inaugural Legacy League, the first $100,000 entry-fee league. Legacy League plans to host its annual draft at Circa’s Stadium Swim in the future.

“It’s more of a merger of two like-minded companies that will band together, keep both brands alive, cross-market contests, increase prizing, and give the players what they want – a great draft experience and a true Las Vegas experience,” Ritchie said.

He added that FullTime is excited about the future because the NFFC and NFBC communities will benefit greatly from the merger, which will create innovative, Vegas-focused contests he expects to be "legendary."

Legacy League Planned as Biggest Fantasy Event Ever

According to Ritchie, owners of all 12 Legacy League teams will get to use one of Stadium Swim’s cabanas to set up their own individual war rooms in preparation for the draft, which will take place in late August. Then the draft board will be revealed throughout the festivities on the massive 143-foot screen that overlooks the venue’s six pools. 

Even more impressive is that the first Legacy League has been completely filled. A second one is in the works, with two more teams already committed to participate this season.

Live events at various Las Vegas casino properties have become a staple of NFFC and FFWC drafts for more than two decades. Park MGM hosted NFFC drafts for the previous four years, while FFWC was set up at Circa. The merger between the two companies will allow drafts to continue at multiple locations again this year and give players more options.

Ritchie says that the NFBC will conduct baseball drafts at the Rio Hotel & Casino this year between March 19 and 22, and will transition to Circa starting next year. The NFFC will be drafting at Circa over Labor Day Weekend this year but was already committed to Caesars Palace for opening weekend of the NFL season, so it will be staying there for 2026.