Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

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Greg Ambrosius
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Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Jan 31, 2013 9:19 am

AMAZING. JUST AMAZING. UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING!!

That's all I can say about the response to our NFBC Draft Champions Leagues right now. We have really hit on something special when it comes to this format and I'm very proud of everyone involved. It's sooooooo cool to see so many people drafting during these blah, winter months and really enjoying baseball at a time when really nothing is happening in baseball. Good for all of you.

ALL OF YOU have made these "slow drafts" special this year. From the 8-hours per pick leagues to the 4-hours per pick leagues to the DC Expresses where we draft all in one night to even where we're trying to create regional drafts, it's been fun and innovative. Each year we tweak this format enough to make it more fun and more competitive and right now the format seems to be working very well. You folks created this format, not me. KJ Duke approached me about this format in football several years ago, we ran some leagues through MockDraftCentral.com and then in baseball you folks suggested 40 rounds and then convinced me to expand this to 50 rounds. This is really YOUR contest and I like where this is headed.

You know, Tom and I were talking last night about the lack of smack talking on the Message Boards these days compared to in years past. Certainly in the early years before anyone knew each other, it was cool to smack talk on the boards and talk about how many local leagues you'd won and tell everyone you were going to win the NFBC title. It was fun to even throw out opinions of certain players and debate them on our boards. Now we don't have that as much because if you want to say you love a certain player so much, you can prove it by jumping into a Draft Champions league and picking him earlier than anyone else. These leagues have taken folks from the Message Boards into the draft rooms, where they belong!! :lol: It's great for business and great for our blood pressure!! :mrgreen:

Okay, let's keep things rolling now. We will take signups for the Draft Champions Leagues through March 7th and we won't start any new 8-hour leagues after that. We may do some 4-hour leagues or Draft Champions Express leagues after that, but not any 8-hour leagues after March 7th. All of these must be finished by March 30th to be part of the DC National Championship.

I think it's obvious that we will zoom past last year's total of 70 leagues and 1,050 teams. The grand prize is based on those totals, so once we go past 70 leagues we'll have additional prize money to redistribute. Everyone wins with increased demand, so let's keep it going. Thanks all and have continued good fun. Great stuff.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
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Re: 50+ Draft Champions Leagues Before Feb. 1st

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Feb 07, 2013 1:58 pm

We now have more than 60 full Draft Champions Leagues as we've added 10 of them in the last 7 days. We've also gone 17 straight days of filling up at least one league per day, our longest streak ever for this event. Heck, any event!!! This is insane, but I mean that in a good way!! :lol:

Expect the overall prize pool to increase shortly everyone. This is just fantastic and we couldn't be happier that so many folks are drafting in the dead of winter and enjoying baseball this much. At any one time we have 25+ leagues going on at once. Again, JUST AMAZING. Thanks all and enjoy.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
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Re: 50+ Draft Champions Leagues Before Feb. 1st

Post by Gekko » Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:56 pm

Greg Ambrosius wrote: Expect the overall prize pool to increase shortly everyone. This is just fantastic and we couldn't be happier that so many folks are drafting in the dead of winter and enjoying baseball this much. At any one time we have 25+ leagues going on at once. Again, JUST AMAZING. Thanks all and enjoy.
if you post a new (higher) overall prize schedule, it could drive more people to get in more leagues (including me).
let's see it! hopefully the top 5 overall get the majority of the bump

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Re: Now 60+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Winston's Empire » Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:08 pm

Congrats guys! This has always been my favorite format since you guys offered it and KJ making his Keeper League a Slow Draft makes that even better too!
Keep it going boys! :D
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Greg Ambrosius
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Re: 50+ Draft Champions Leagues Before Feb. 1st

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:10 pm

Gekko wrote:
Greg Ambrosius wrote: Expect the overall prize pool to increase shortly everyone. This is just fantastic and we couldn't be happier that so many folks are drafting in the dead of winter and enjoying baseball this much. At any one time we have 25+ leagues going on at once. Again, JUST AMAZING. Thanks all and enjoy.
if you post a new (higher) overall prize schedule, it could drive more people to get in more leagues (including me).
let's see it! hopefully the top 5 overall get the majority of the bump
Well, we haven't SOLD OUT yet....but give us another week!! :lol:

I think a $15,000 grand prize format is possible. We'll see, but it has a nice ring to it. ;)
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 70+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:49 pm

We zoomed past the 70 league mark today for the NFBC Draft Champions National Championship, selling out 3 leagues today. If I'm counting right, that puts us at 73 total leagues with 3+ weeks of signups to go. The response to this format this year has been SIMPLY AMAZING!!

This means that the overall prize pool has already increased. We'll update that prize pool once we hit 80 leagues and above. Hopefully we can get the grand prize up to $15,000 and start guaranteeing that figure each year going forward. Thanks all and good luck in all of your DC drafts.
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 70+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Elvis Lives » Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:46 pm

Greg,

Thanks to you and Tom for the wonderful service you provide. You guys are the reason this works! I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we very much appreciate it!

Mike

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Re: Now 70+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Steel Lugnuts » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:45 pm

Mike Boelkens wrote:Greg,

Thanks to you and Tom for the wonderful service you provide. You guys are the reason this works! I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we very much appreciate it!

Mike
I couldn't agree more with Mike, this Roto experience and service you've provided has been awesome, anyone who even suggests a H2H format on this site should be banned for life! :mrgreen:

I think I'll be joining one more to get over the 80-league mark, and the $15,000!

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Re: Now 70+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:53 pm

Steel Lugnuts wrote:
Mike Boelkens wrote:Greg,

Thanks to you and Tom for the wonderful service you provide. You guys are the reason this works! I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we very much appreciate it!

Mike
I couldn't agree more with Mike, this Roto experience and service you've provided has been awesome, anyone who even suggests a H2H format on this site should be banned for life! :mrgreen:

I think I'll be joining one more to get over the 80-league mark, and the $15,000!
YOU FOLKS have built this format to what it is today. YOU deserve all the credit for the idea to go 50 rounds, to creating 4-Hour DCs, to creating Draft Champions Express Leagues, and more. Most of this is all of you helping us create this great format. Okay, we SHARE in the success of these!! 8-) But the best is yet to come. The next 4+ weeks should be WILD!!!
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 80+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Tue Feb 19, 2013 9:08 am

I might as well edit this thread as well: 80+ DRAFT CHAMPIONS LEAGUES AND COUNTING!!

And remember, the grand prize has already been increased to $12,000 and it could go higher. 2nd through 10th overall has also been affected in a positive way. Thanks all and we'll update the final figures once this madness concludes!!! It's been more successful than we ever imagined!!
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 90 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:31 pm

It's WAAAAAAAAAAY beyond our expectations this year, but let's just summarize this by saying THANKS!!

The demand for these NFBC Draft Champions Leagues is beyond extreme. We now have 90 full Draft Champions Leagues and a $15,000 grand prize is definitely within sight. I think we'll guarantee that very shortly as we head into the final two weeks of these 8-Hour drafts. Thanks so much everyone and enjoy the camaraderie in these leagues. We now have:

72 $150s
17 $375s
1 $1,000

If my math is correct, that's 90 full leagues. WOW. That's all we can say, is WOW!! And THANKS.
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 90 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Gekko » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:57 pm

Greg,
You will EASILY go past 100 leagues this year. GREAT job! 8-)

With this being so LARGE, you should really look at making this league format part of the LIVE draft weekend. I know it would get me to show up 8-)

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Re: Now 90 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by ALL-IN JD » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:11 am

And Mark will be in AT LEAST 50 of them!! :D :D :D

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Re: Now 90 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:49 am

Gekko wrote:Greg,
You will EASILY go past 100 leagues this year. GREAT job! 8-)

With this being so LARGE, you should really look at making this league format part of the LIVE draft weekend. I know it would get me to show up 8-)
It's been a great Draft Champions season and you've helped a bit. ;)

We were in Chicago this week for three days of meetings and everyone has agreed that going forward the NFBC, NFFC and NFBKC needs to be ready to host these drafts right after the seasons conclude. When it comes to baseball, there are some eligibility issues and Player ID issues we need to address, but really we need to think about getting these Draft Champions Leagues live the day after the World Series at the latest. Maybe earlier. When it comes to football, same thing. Right after the post-season or Super Bowl.

These Draft Champions Leagues have extended the fantasy drafting season to almost year-round now and we have to be prepared for that. As the leader in the Draft Champions format, we will get there. We are totally committed to that going forward.

As for a live event...50 rounds, 15 teams....I'd need to provide breakfast, lunch and supper Mark!! :lol:
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 100 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:38 pm

WE REACHED 100 DRAFT CHAMPIONS LEAGUES TODAY!!

WOW!! We never expected anything like this, but we are very proud to run all of these leagues. Just a reminder that we will take signups for the last $150 and $375 8-Hour Draft Champions Leagues on Thursday, March 7th. We won't start any of those after that because we need to be done by March 30th. Plan accordingly.

We now have $9,000 more in prize money for the overall prize pool. We've already committed $5,000 of that to first place to make that one now $15,000. That also gives us another $4,000 to spread to 2nd through 15th or 20th overall. We'll finalize all of that soon, but more people will partake now in the overall payouts. Love it.

Thanks all AND CONGRATS to everyone in this contest. Super job all.
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 100 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Gekko » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:55 pm

GREAT job Greg/Tom/STATS. i'm literally burned out. at my peak i had 9 drafts going on concurrently. i still probably have another 2 or 3 leagues to get in. wish i coulda got to 40 of them, but i couldnt do it

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Re: Now 100 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by MadCow Sez » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:00 pm

Gekko wrote:GREAT job Greg/Tom/STATS. i'm literally burned out. at my peak i had 9 drafts going on concurrently. i still probably have another 2 or 3 leagues to get in. wish i coulda got to 40 of them, but i couldnt do it
Can we just put all Gekko's teams into 3 leagues of their own? he's guaranteed a little prize money lovin' that way.
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.
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Re: Now 100 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Outlaw » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:33 am

Gekko wrote:GREAT job Greg/Tom/STATS. i'm literally burned out. at my peak i had 9 drafts going on concurrently. i still probably have another 2 or 3 leagues to get in. wish i coulda got to 40 of them, but i couldnt do it

Monday mornings are going to be busy for you...

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Re: Now 100 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:50 am

'I don't have time for FAAB! '....
'However I do have time for 40 ongoing drafts '
That folks, is a fantasy player :lol:
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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Re: Now 110+ Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:18 pm

WE NOW HAVE MORE THAN 110 DRAFT CHAMPIONS LEAGUES!!

You folks just keep setting the bar higher and higher with each new league. Great job everyone. We will stop taking signups for these 8-hour DCs after Thursday, so jump in early this week if you still want to compete. We've already added more than $12,000 to the overall prize pool and upped the grand prize from $10,000 to $15,000. Heck, at this rate all of that has the potential to rise further.

Thanks all and great job. Right now we have no fewer than 40 leagues going on at once. Enjoy and thanks.
Greg Ambrosius
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Re: Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:42 am

We have turned off Registration for the $375 and $150 Draft Champions Leagues because we need to finish these leagues by Opening Day on March 31st. We sold out our last leagues in both formats last night. We have a full Draft Champions Express League already set for Friday, March 15th, which I think will be the last one of those one-night leagues.

So in all we finished with 120 Draft Champions Leagues!!! That's 1,800 teams competing in this format this year, which is JUST AMAZING!!! We never saw this coming.

We will finalize the new overall prize structure, which will distribute more money to more teams since we finished with so many more teams. Let's see if any 4-Hour DCs come along before we do that, but for now we are ECSTATIC with the final numbers and we're AMAZED at the intensity that you guys competed in this format. Great job all.

Thanks again and look for the new prize structure once everything is finalized.

Okay, let me ask, is anyone else amazed by the new demand for this product/contest?
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Re: Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Quahogs » Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:16 am

Greg Ambrosius wrote:
Okay, let me ask, is anyone else amazed by the new demand for this product/contest?
No. This is what happens when you listen to the customers. The smart ones though. :D

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Re: Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:28 am

Quahogs wrote:
Greg Ambrosius wrote:
Okay, let me ask, is anyone else amazed by the new demand for this product/contest?
No. This is what happens when you listen to the customers. The smart ones though. :D
Funny, funny!! :lol:

Actually, give the credit of this idea to KJ Duke. He's the one who was doing these on another site and he suggested that if we did these right that they could become a new area of our market. We were able to test it out on MockDraftCentral.com and then we kind of perfected it here. But again, give credit to Shawn who said 40 rounds wasn't enough, that we needed to expand to 50 rounds. The burn rate was too high for just 40 players. Now 50 players seems to be the right number. I talked with him about the right number for football, too and he has convinced me to go deeper there as well.

So you are right, our CUSTOMERS created this format. We came up with the right prize structure and a few tools like 1 Round Auto to make this work. And then we automated everything so that emails are going out without too much effort here. There are a few improvements that can probably be made in the future, but we're right there. Thanks to the "smart ones" for getting us there. ;)
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Re: Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by Quahogs » Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:41 am

It was a spawn of the existing 1st bunch of 45 rd FAAB-less leagues with a 75? second clock and KJ's 1st contract league which was a leisurely paced draft. A match made in heaven.

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Re: Now 120 Draft Champions Leagues And Counting!

Post by King of Queens » Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:17 am

Coming in 2013: ULTRA Draft Champions Leagues.

100 rounds.

Placeholder madness. :lol:

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