2026 UNLV PRO FOOTBALL MOCK TRADE COMPETITION

The William S. Boyd School of Law Sports & Entertainment Law Association is pleased to announce our annual UNLV Pro Football Trade Competition which will take place on the UNLV campus at William S. Boyd School of Law on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, 2026.

The competition offers participants a unique opportunity to experience trade negotiations and strategic planning in a realistic, competitive environment. Participants will represent professional football teams, navigate trade negotiations, and comply with Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rules.

• Registration opens on October 1, 2025
• Early-bird registration deadline is January 1, 2026
• Regular registration deadline is February 1, 2026

Registration for the competition will close on the deadline, or once there are 32 registered teams, whichever is sooner. Team Size: 3-6 particpants

• Super Early-bird registration (first 5 teams) - $450 per team
• Early-bird registration - $550 per team
• Regular registration - $700 for one team

1. Team Assignments: Each team will receive a randomly assigned professional football team and its corresponding draft capital, based on the end-of-2026 season roster. Assignments will be sent via email approximately two weeks before the event.
2. Goal Setting: Using your roster and draft capital, teams will develop short- and long-term goals that will guide your trade decisions and overall strategy.
3. Preliminary Negotiations: Before the competition begins, teams can engage in preliminary group chat discussions to explore potential trades with other teams.
4. Trade Period: On the first day, teams will have six hours to negotiate trades that must comply with CBA rules. All trades are subject to compliance review to ensure adherence to CBA regulations.
5. Presentations: Each team will deliver a 5-7 minute presentation to judges the following morning, explaining their trade strategies, goals, and the rationale behind their decisions.

Approximately two weeks before the event, teams will receive the following information which will be used to create strategic goals and prepare for the competition’s trading period:

1. A randomly assigned professional football team
2. The team roster will be current to end-of-season.
3. A corresponding draft capital for that team.
4. Teams will use this information to create strategic goals and prepare for the competition’s trading period

Judges will assess each team based on the following criteria:

1. Trade Compliance: Ensuring all trades adhere to CBA requirements
2. Strategy and Creativity: Evaluating innovative approaches and strategic decisions
3. Goal Achievement: Measuring how effectively trades align with stated short- and long-term goals
4. Presentation: Assessing the clarity, organization, and persuasiveness of each team's presentation

The final schedule will be provided before the event. Below is a preliminary outline:

• Morning - Welcome session and briefing
• Afternoon - Six hour trade negotiation period split into two different sessions
• Evening - Team preparation for presentations

• Morning - Team presentation to judges
• Afternoon - Awards presentation

Contact Information: For inquiries about the Professional Football Mock Trade Competition, please reach out at [email protected]

Visit the COMPETITION WEBSITE for updates

This Professional Football Mock Trade Competition, organized by the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV Sports and Entertainment Law Association (SELA), is represented by the SELA logo and the competition's official logo seen above.

Host or Publisher William S. Boyd School of Law