Tentative Plans For 2015 NFBC Live Drafts

[Greg Ambrosius]

With 2014 NFBC now officially in the books, it's time to start planning ahead for 2015. We are extremely excited about the next season and we're already making plans for 2015. Help us finalize these plans.

We'll admit that we were thrown for a loop last month when Major League Baseball announced that they are starting the season a week later this year. This will be the first time in our 12-year history of the NFBC that we haven't held a draft on the First Weekend of March Madness, but with MLB pushing the schedule back a week we have to follow suit as well. Unfortunately, Opening Day is now on Easter Sunday, which makes it very tough on the NFBC schedule, so let's discuss all of this now:

** Because Second Weekend is on Easter Weekend, we are flipping the schedules again with our drafts. We will now have only one location on the First Weekend (March 26-29) and that will be in Las Vegas, while the Second Weekend of April 2-4 will have live drafts in Las Vegas, New York and Chicago. We just don't feel we can have the big weekend in Las Vegas over Easter weekend.

** We are tentatively set for live drafts at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, but we might have to get creative on Friday, March 27th. There is a huge conference at the Bellagio for two weeks beforehand, so we have some work to do yet. But current plans are for the Bellagio to be the host site again and we're working that way right now. It is Sweet Sixteen that weekend and we'll plan an NCAA Viewing Party again in the Executive Suite on Thursday, March 27th. Plan accordingly.

** We will be at the Bellagio April 1-4 and also in New York City and Chicago April 2-4. We are talking with the Sheraton Northbrook again to remain in Chicago if that works for everyone, while Tom is talking to the New York Hilton again. We don't have any final contracts yet, but discussions are moving forward nicely. In New York, we will try for a Thursday night auction to replace the Sunday auction that we've had each year; so we're looking at Thursday, Friday and Saturday instead of Friday, Saturday and Sunday in New York. In Chicago, we'd shoot for Friday and Saturday April 2-3.

** With this schedule in mind, we'd have to run the NFBC Platinum League on Saturday night, March 28th and the NFBC Diamond League on Sunday, March 29th in Las Vegas. We can have NFBC Ultimate Auction Leagues on Saturday and Sunday nights. If there's demand for Ultimate drafts or auctions on the Second Weekend in Las Vegas, we'll definitely run them. We can definitely be flexible with the schedule.

** Our goal is to get the Draft Champions Leagues started earlier this year, so look for those to start shortly after the World Series. That's the goal. We know this group is always ready to draft, so let us work on the draft room, the player default list, the eligibility list and the rest and hopefully we can start a couple of weeks earlier than we have in the past. That's what we're working on.

** We raised entry fees last year for the live events, so we don't feel a need to do that in 2015. Classic remains $1,600 with a $125,000 grand prize and the Primetime remains $1,500 with a $100,000 grand prize. The Auction Championship also remains at $1,200 with a $20,000 grand prize.

** We are still working on all of our Online events. We don't know if we'll have the NFBC Cutline Championship or not; there's a lot of work that would need to be done on that contest, which features optimal scoring each week and a points based scoring system. We also hope to unveil a new online draft room after the New Year.

We know a lot of you plan ahead with your schedules, so hopefully this helps. We would love feedback on this schedule and if you think it is the right one or not. We were surprised that MLB moved Opening Day to Easter Sunday and it actually had us scrambling a bit, but we think this schedule can still work. Let us know what you think and we'll get moving to finalize these plans. Thanks all and come join us for what should be another wild ride in 2015.

[Hells Satans]

Diamond Auction, please.

[76erfan]

makes sense. Similar plan to when Easter was a conflict a few years back.

Start the sign up lists.........Claiming my spot in all three NY auctions ASAP:)

[COZ]

Like it. Good decisions as usual. I will be drafting in Chicago, for those who want to make early travel plans to draft against me. I'm dead money. : )

COZ

[the icon]

Thinking I may have to make that NYC trip again andy. Got a taste of the live auction.

[76erfan]

baseball auctions are the best......you wont regret.

Waiting for the tentative sign up list for 2015.....cant wait to throw my name out there:)

[MadCow Sez]

This makes my day...my daughter will be on her senior trip to NYC in weekend 1 so I'm free to roll out on the 26th and roll home on the 30th. Bring on the Ultimate Auction and Main Events!

[Chthroop]

Pls count me in for the auctions in NY.

Looking forward to it

[76erfan]

Chris,
Just make sure you remember the dates this year:)