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They couldn’t have picked a better target. A contest that doesn’t ask for the money up front but gets it week to week if you want to compete. Unlike many who put out a good product and pay off as soon as the season ends CDM has gone the other route. Hanging onto the money as long as they can. Yesterday it came home to me. I got their 1099 for 2005. No problem I’ll pay it. The real problem though is I won that money in 2004. I was in a better tax income than. Did CDM ask me? Hell no! They took my money for 2004 and than kept it till 2005 to pay off. CDM should be banned for the crap they pull. The problem now is everyone else has to back them to save their own contests. CDM as I make out my amended tax form I can say one thing. FU!

Next we'll get to hear how you refuse to do your Christmas shopping at the dollar store on account of them being lying bastids because the sales tax bumps prices beyond a buck. If this place has become your number one option in regard to venting about life's arbitrary injustices, maybe mixing in some human contact would be in order.

I wish CDM nothing but good luck in their fight with MLBAM, as it will be good for all fantasy leagues if they are victorious. But, I agree with Walla Walla. Waiting for payoffs from them is a bit ridiculous. The last time I played in their baseball league I won some money and got paid off just a few weeks after the season ended-the FOOTBALL season! My check came in February after the Super Bowl was over and they had already been taking money for the next baseball season for over a month. So I won't be playing in your games, CDM,but I sincerely do wish you well in your fight with "The Man".

I agree 100% Walla!

I got my 1099 from them last week and when it was for more money than I had won in 2005 I gave them a call and asked them what the deal was, well they told me that 2004 was added as well for business reasons! What? The sad thing is I have already drafted 2 teams with the this year and I have another tomorrow so I have to deal with their BS for at least one more year. And the late payoffs irritate the hell out me too! I have never played in any other contest that pays out in January for baseball, ridiculous!

It is unfortunate that an organization like that is the one leading the fight. I am not so sure it is in the industry's best interests to have them carrying the torch. There could be some angry folks at MLB that have either gotten their 1099's late as well or is just sick and tired of all those additional fees CDM stacks on you each week. I must say, they almost took the fun out of Fantasy Baseball for me. They really suck you in, don't they!! I would have been better off with someone stealing my identity!!!

Just some clarification....



CDM Fantasy Sports filed a lawsuit against MLB, aiming to allow CDM to retain the rights to produce and promote fantasy games without having to hand money over to MLB.



MLB did not target them.



Another point, MLB uses Sporting News for cap games and pretty sure they charge the same type of weekly fees.



[ February 10, 2006, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: UFS ]

They waited until 2005 to make 2004 payoffs? I can understand a football league being in the next tax year but certainly not baseball or basketball. Not a game site I would want to patronize.

I quit CDM 2 or 3 seasons ago for the same reason. Their strategy of delaying payouts is similar to why many consumer companies offer rebates: create the impression of value, but earn interest on the money for as long as possible, and if the consumer forgets that you owe them money (which a surprisingly high proportion will), you never have to pay. Sleazy tactics. I too will never play CDM again.



Greg, as the head of the FSTA, why not encourage them to get their act together and start treating their customers respectfully (like the NFBC)?

From a customer of CBM off there MB:



02/10 07:05:18 xb10 March of the Penguins

...i can`t believe CDM is making us enter a team now before we can post...it`s barely February, for crying out loud...hey CDM, i know you guys are strapped for cash, but this is a totally classless move...i`ve been supporting your games for a long time now (as have many others), and this is the thanks we get???...if you were HALF as concerned about paying your customers as you are about charging them, we`d all be a lot better off...yeah, i know, this team i just entered is FREE...but you know what?...i`m not interested in this cheesy free team, i`m interested in the DIAMOND CHALLENGE...we`re ALL interested in the Diamond Challenge...we all want to see it succeed, as i`m sure YOU do...and you know what?...it can NEVER succeed, when you charge us and charge us and charge us those transaction fees ALL SEASON LONG, and then when we`re lucky enough to win, you stiff us for months on end!!!...if any one of us stiffed you on a transaction fee (for even a lousy $2.50) you`d lock our team out immediately, end of story...but i guess when YOU stiff someone (for hundreds or even thousands of dollars), then that`s totally justified...yeah, sure it is...look, i got MY check back in December, and thank you for that, but i understand there are still several who HAVEN`T???...have you people looked at the calendar???...IT`S FEBRUARY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!...and yet you see no shame promoting the FOLLOWING YEAR`S GAME, while forcing people to sign up NEW TEAMS before they`ve even been paid for their OLD ONES???...that`s insane!!!...well, i`m glad this team is FREE, because i enjoy posting here, and the relationships i`ve built with other players, and the good times this game has brought me over the years...but i regret to inform you, i`ve finally had enough, CDM...this free team is the ONLY one i`ll be entering this year...i`m sorry you guys have encountered the legal stuff with MLB, that obviously hasn`t helped matters....but truth be told, this problem with the prize winnings has existed for years...you know it, and i know it...as long-time customers such as myself can attest, each year it takes longer and longer to get paid, and i`m afraid one of these years WE WON`T GET PAID AT ALL...i LOVE the Diamond Challenge, always have...it`s a big part of my life during baseball season...but i don`t like it THAT MUCH...not so much that you can keep my hard-earned prize money for MONTHS ON END, and be left twisting in the wind and wondering if i`ll ever receive it at all...that`s asking TOO MUCH, CDM...you can count me out, after nearly TEN YEARS of playing Diamond Challenge...i`ve finally had enough...i ceratinly hope you guys can right the ship, because i`d love to play in the future, but right now i just don`t trust you...and after ten years, that`s pretty sad...

Bump. I plan to keep bumping this up to get the word out. I don't want any of my fellow NFBC drafters going into a CDM game without knowing the facts!

Thanks for the heads up on CDM, I have never won enough from them to worry about the 1099 issue, but will not enter any other from here out. I ran into this problem with another company, which will remain anonymous at this time, because they have agreed to rectify ASAP. I have been a loyoal customer to them for over 10 years and this is the first time it has ever been a problem getting the money in a timely fashion, so I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. If it is not rectified by the end of this month, I will let everyone know, but I am sure they will take care of it before then

I guess I will take the other side. I have continue to have absolutely no issue with CDM. I have had Top 25 finishes in both baseball and football and getting the money has never been a problem (it is driven by when your W4 is returned).



I continue to recommend them to all on this site. I cant speak to anyone's specific issues, but usually their are legit reasons behind them.



www.cdmsports.com

Originally posted by KJ Duke:

I quit CDM 2 or 3 seasons ago for the same reason. Their strategy of delaying payouts is similar to why many consumer companies offer rebates: create the impression of value, but earn interest on the money for as long as possible, and if the consumer forgets that you owe them money (which a surprisingly high proportion will), you never have to pay. Sleazy tactics. I too will never play CDM again.



Greg, as the head of the FSTA, why not encourage them to get their act together and start treating their customers respectfully (like the NFBC)? I will weigh in on this very briefly. I have a strong personal relationship with Charlie Wiegert and the guys at CDM and have GREAT respect for everything they've done for the fantasy sports industry. Charlie is an executive board member with the FSTA and a leader in our industry. The Diamond Challenge game is the premiere salary cap baseball game in the industry.



That being said, I would recommend to EVERY game operator to pay their customers as soon as possible when each season is over. Some companies don't do that. In fact, one of the main reasons we started the trade association in 1999 was to protect the consumers from fantasy companies taking the money and running. We called ourselves the Fantasy Sports Players Association because we were an association FOR the fantasy players. We still are, but we've since changed our name to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association because of the many trade issues we now fight together.



The FSTA has never had a formal complaint from a consumer about CDM Fantasy Sports. I believe they have paid over $25 million in prize money over the last 15 years. Yes, these latest payments may have been later than expected, but it's possible there is a major reason for that. The MLBAM lawsuit hasn't helped things.



But I trust everyone WILL get their prize winnings from 2005 and will again from 2006. We just published their fantasy baseball magazine and obviously work together financially on that and have had no issues. We certainly enjoy working with CDM and plan to continue our solid relationship for years to come.



I understand the frustration and I'm not alibing for anyone. We pay our winners the day after the NFBC season if we have their W-9 on file and I think everyone should pay that way. I would recommend the Diamond Challenge to any serious fantasy baseball player and I feel confident in Charlie and the boys in St. Louis to get your winnings to you at season's end.



Just my two cents, but I'll stick with CDM right now.

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

quote:Originally posted by KJ Duke:

I quit CDM 2 or 3 seasons ago for the same reason. Their strategy of delaying payouts is similar to why many consumer companies offer rebates: create the impression of value, but earn interest on the money for as long as possible, and if the consumer forgets that you owe them money (which a surprisingly high proportion will), you never have to pay. Sleazy tactics. I too will never play CDM again.



Greg, as the head of the FSTA, why not encourage them to get their act together and start treating their customers respectfully (like the NFBC)? I will weigh in on this very briefly. I have a strong personal relationship with Charlie Wiegert and the guys at CDM and have GREAT respect for everything they've done for the fantasy sports industry. Charlie is an executive board member with the FSTA and a leader in our industry. The Diamond Challenge game is the premiere salary cap baseball game in the industry.



That being said, I would recommend to EVERY game operator to pay their customers as soon as possible when each season is over. Some companies don't do that. In fact, one of the main reasons we started the trade association in 1999 was to protect the consumers from fantasy companies taking the money and running. We called ourselves the Fantasy Sports Players Association because we were an association FOR the fantasy players. We still are, but we've since changed our name to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association because of the many trade issues we now fight together.



The FSTA has never had a formal complaint from a consumer about CDM Fantasy Sports. I believe they have paid over $25 million in prize money over the last 15 years. Yes, these latest payments may have been later than expected, but it's possible there is a major reason for that. The MLBAM lawsuit hasn't helped things.



But I trust everyone WILL get their prize winnings from 2005 and will again from 2006. We just published their fantasy baseball magazine and obviously work together financially on that and have had no issues. We certainly enjoy working with CDM and plan to continue our solid relationship for years to come.



I understand the frustration and I'm not alibing for anyone. We pay our winners the day after the NFBC season if we have their W-9 on file and I think everyone should pay that way. I would recommend the Diamond Challenge to any serious fantasy baseball player and I feel confident in Charlie and the boys in St. Louis to get your winnings to you at season's end.



Just my two cents, but I'll stick with CDM right now. [/QUOTE]Well thats a strong endorsement Greg, and I would hope that you relay to Charlie the viewpoint of those of us that don't trust them. I am still skeptical.



However, if Charlie/CDM will follow your lead for customer service, I'd play their games again.



In fact, I'll make it real easy for him to win back a customer. If Charlie sends me an email stating that I will be paid within 30 days of the end of the season after they receive my tax form, I'll sign up right now.