Who's Coming To The NFBC In 2014 And Where?

[Greg Ambrosius]

When we first started the NFBC in the Fall of 2013, nobody knew anyone else in this competition. So whenever we got a new signup -- which at times was like only once a day -- I took the time to call or email that person and try to learn a little more about them so that I could introduce them to everyone else on the Message Boards. It was my way of getting to know our customers, but also our way of introducing them to the rest of the competition.

I created this thread to introduce all of the new members and in following years it was a great way to show how many signups we were getting in each event in each city and to recognize the past accomplishments of our returning members. It was a lot of fun for myself and everyone who was trying to keep up with the participants.

In recent years with everything we have going on here with the three different events, SiriusXM, our weekly columns, etc., it's tough to continue with the introduction of every new signup. I wish I had the time, but it's just not there. Still, I'm going to create this thread to do my best to alert everyone when certain leagues are selling out. I want to use this thread to make sure everyone knows about the latest signups and where certain events may have the fewest spots left. Look for regular updates on this thread.

The Super Bowl is now complete and congrats to all Seahawks' fans. That was a DOMINATING performance and an incredible conclusion to a fantastic 2013 NFL season. Now it's time for football to step aside and for baseball to take over. We want to see sunshine and green grass again. Let's do it.

Thanks to all who have signed up already and if you going to join us in 2014 please secure your spots soon. We don't run payments until Feb. 15th, so you can easily secure your spots now. Thanks all and good luck in 2014.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We now have 175+ teams signed up for the NFBC Main Event through Feb. 2nd after finishing with a record 435 teams last year. We are now working on our 5th league at the Bellagio in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 29th, the place where we will celebrate the championship of last year's winners, Dan Semsel & Ken Norred. Both have promised lengthy speeches!!! We have four past NFBC Main Event champions signed up for that location already: Dan & Ken, Lindy HInkelman (2009 & 2011), David DiDonato (2006), Dave Potts (2012), Terry Haney (2007) and Steve Jupinka (2010). We also have NFBC Hall of Famer Shawn Childs signed up there.

This year for the Main Event on the Second Weekend we will all be in one big ballroom. Space is very tight at the Bellagio on that weekend, but we were lucky enough to secure the big Bellagio Ballroom where we were in 2010. All leagues will be in one spot for the Mains. Last year we had 7 Main Event leagues and we appear to be on a pace to equal or top that this year. Should be fun. To be in a full Las Vegas league, don't wait too long to secure your spot. Thanks all.

The First Weekend in Las Vegas already has 26 owners for the Main Event, so the next four spots are available in a full Las Vegas league. Don't wait too long if you want to join us on the First Weekend of March Madness. Also, we want to fill a couple of auction leagues in Las Vegas on that First Weekend, so let me know if you're coming to town that weekend and would like to secure a spot. We really want to fill up some leagues during that weekend. Thanks all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

It's time to rev up the New York Main Event at the New York Hilton as we hope to equal or top last year's 5 leagues there. We are happy to be returning to the New York Hilton at a perfect spot near Times Square. Come and join us all.

Our latest signup is Cory Schwartz of MLB.com. Cory has been with us since Day 1 and is a past league champion who loves the live NFBC drafts. Cory will be back with Mike Siano of MLB.com on Saturday, March 22nd. Come and join those guys for a shot at our $125,000 grand prize and $6,500 league prize. Thanks all and good luck.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We've added another past NFBC overall champion to the Las Vegas Second Weekend Main Event as Terry Haney just signed up. Terry is an NFBC Charter Member who has been with us since 2004 and in 2007 he won the $100,000 grand prize. We're glad to have Terry back with us live in Las Vegas and we'll bring all of our past overall champions on stage with us when we honor Dan Semsel & Ken Norred, and any other 2013 NFBC champions who are with us in Las Vegas. Thanks all.

Okay, who else is ready to commit to the 2014 live events? Let's fill these up!!!

[Greg Ambrosius]

We're happy to announce today that Eric Heberlig of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania -- our $75,000 champion in the Rotowire Fantasy Baseball Online Championship and the runner-up in the NFBC XII last year -- is back for our 2014 Main Events. In fact, he's taken out a pair of teams in both the NFBC Main Event and NFBC Primetime, drafting all four Mains Online. Eric had a FANTASTIC season last year and we're happy to have him back this year.

We now have 48 owners with teams in both Mains, giving them a shot at $300,000+ in prizes. We're lovin' it and the move to a $100,000 grand prize in the 12-team format was the right thing to do. Let's keep the ball rolling on all of the signups and get these filled.

Oh, and we filled one NFBC Primetime in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28th at 1 pm PT. That is a stacked, fun, fun league. I can't wait for that one. Let's fill up another one at that time and get all of these live Primetime slots in Las Vegas filled.

New York, I can't figure out where the problem is with the Primetime. C'mon man, it's $100,000!!! A doubleheader at the beautiful New York Hilton on Saturday, March 29th or even a Primetime on Sunday at 1 pm ET. Does it get any better than that? I'm going to call you out in a separate thread soon, so be ready!!!

[Greg Ambrosius]

We're glad to welcome back James Roday Rodriguez, star actor in USA Network's "Psych" series to the NFBC in 2014. James is an NFBC and NFFC veteran who loves to draft in Las Vegas and this year he is coming for the First Weekend of March Madness at the Bellagio. James is doing the 3-Pack, drafting in the Main Event and Primetime on Saturday, March 22nd and doing the Auction Championship on Friday morning, March 21st. Welcome back James and congrats on another great season of Psych.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Roday

James is a great guy, a great actor and a solid fantasy player who finished in the Top 20 overall two years ago. We're glad to have him back in 2014.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We now have over 200 teams registered for the NFBC Main Event and 80+ for the NFBC Primetime. That's a good start before spring training, so let's keep things rolling. We had 435 teams for the Main Event last year. Remember that grand prizes for both events have been increased to $125,000 for the Main Event and $100,000 for the 12-Team Primetime.

Thanks and good luck all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We're glad to welcome back to the NFBC Main Event the tag team of ESPN.com's Nate Ravitz and FSTA Hall of Famer Glenn Colton. Nate and Glenn are teaming up again for the Main Event, but this year they are drafting Online. We'll miss them in New York City, but we wish them best of luck in the hunt for the $125,000 grand prize. Good luck guys on March 29th Online.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I'm glad to report that Richard Van Fleet of LaJolla, California is coming to Las Vegas on Saturday, March 29th for the NFBC Main Event. Richard won our NFBC Draft Champions National Championship and we'll have a nice plaque waiting for him at the Bellagio. We'll also bring him up on the stage with our other 2013 NFBC champions for recognition!!! I like it when our national champions are present at the next live events. Congrats again Richard and welcome to Las Vegas.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We now have 5 full leagues for the NFBC Main Event at the Bellagio on Saturday, March 29th as we welcome back Chad Schroeder of Omaha, Nebraska. Chad grabbed a pair of Main Events today and will likely add a couple of NFBC Primetimes as well. He's also teaming up with Joe Berg in the NFBC Platinum League. Welcome back CHAMP and good luck in baseball again.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We're glad to welcome back our defending NFBC 12-Team Main Event champion to the contest in 2014. Bill Strickler won our NFBC XII $50,000 grand prize to become our first multi-sport national champion. Bill also won our 12-Team NFBC Primetime in 2009 to go along with last year's 12-team national baseball title. The only other person to win national titles in multiple sports is Chad Schroeder.

Now Bill is back in the NFBC Primetime as he took teams Online on March 21st and March 29th. Come and take him on for a shot at this year's $6,000 league prize and $100,000 grand prize. And Bill is so bullish on this contest that he may take another team or two. He loves the format and the ROI.

Who else is stepping into the Primetime or the Main Event? Spring training is here and signups are really picking up. Thanks Bill and congrats once again on that fantastic title last year. Let's do it again!!

[Greg Ambrosius]

We now have 25 teams signed up for the Main Event Online on Wednesday, March 26th. If you want to guarantee a spot in a full Online league for that night, don't delay. First 30 teams are guaranteed to be in a full Online-only league that night. Thanks all. That night Online is getting pretty popular right now.

We're also closing in on our 3rd Main Event league in New York City and our 6th Main Event league in Las Vegas on Second Weekend. Again, it never hurts to sign up early to secure those spots in full leagues and to get the 2014 ADPs on your team pages. Thanks all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

We added three more owners last night to the Wednesday, March 26th Main Event Online and now have 2 SPOTS LEFT for that totally Online draft. If you want a guaranteed spot for the Main Event that night, jump in now. Thanks all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

One more guaranteed spot now in that Wednesday, March 26th Main Event Online league. We certainly could fill another league that night, but the next signup is definitely guaranteed to be in an all-Online league as we have 29 owners now. Thanks for all the signups in the last day guys as both Main Events are gaining plenty of steam now. Good job all. The Primetime has added 30 teams in the last 8 days, which is great.

[Tom Kessenich]

It's great to have the fantasy industry's FIRST national baseball champ back in the fold. Artie Rastelli, the 2004 NFBC champion, will be back in New York in the Main Event. Artie helps us get closer to selling out our third Classic league in the Big Apple. Let's keep the New York signups coming and let's all welcome back a great NFBC champ. Great to have you back Artie and best of luck in the hunt for the $125,000 grand prize.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Just a heads up that we are one spot away from our 3rd full Main Event league in New York City. Next signup is guaranteed a spot in a full league. We certainly have plenty of time left to fill a 4th league, but just a heads up nonetheless. Last year we had 5 Main Event leagues in New York City and that's the goal again.

Also, we are closing in on our 6th full Main Event league in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 29th. If you want a guaranteed spot in a full league, don't delay out there. We had 7 full leagues last year in Las Vegas and that's certainly reachable again this year. All leagues will be in one big ballroom at the Bellagio this year, which should be fun.

And finally, we are hosting the Wednesday, March 26th Main Event in our Executive Penthouse Suite to spice things up. That's a fun place to host a live draft and this year we have 6 of 15 spots sold for that night. Let's keep adding to the live event and have some fun in the Penthouse Suite!!! Thanks all.

[Tom Kessenich]

It's great to see more New York signups coming in the last few days. We've started work on our fourth Classic league in New York and I'm reaching out to all of the people who played last year and haven't signed up yet. There are spots available but why wait any longer? Sign up NOW and let's keep the momentum going.

[Greg Ambrosius]

86 teams now for the Second Weekend Main Event in Las Vegas!! 4 SPOTS LEFT for that 6th full league at the Bellagio. Let's fill this one up and get started on League #7!! Thanks all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, we've SOLD OUT the NFBC Auction Championship in Las Vegas on Friday, March 21st at 10 am and we have 7 SPOTS LEFT for the Friday afternoon auction. We are going to sell out both, so there's no turning back now. Good job everyone and we'll do two auctions on Friday, three Mains on Saturday and a Primetime on Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas. We're still looking at a combined Super League on Saturday night as well, so keep your eyes on that list as well.

Here's a look at the SOLD OUT Auction in Las Vegas at 10 am:

NFBC AUCTION CHAMPIONSHIP
LAS VEGAS
Bellagio Las Vegas
Friday, March 21, 10 a.m. PT
1. Jon Stadtmueller, Little Rock, Arkansas
2. Rod Nixon, Albuquerque, New Mexico
3. Richard Gordon, Las Vegas, Nevada
4. Ryan Lashinski, East Bethel, Minnesota
5. Craig Granroth, Oak Grove, Minnesota
6. James Rodriguez, New York, New York
7. Boaz Levy, Studio City, California
8. Steve Wood, Lee's Summit, Missouri
9. Dave Potts (would do Friday instead of Sunday)
10. Don Warner (would do Friday instead of Sunday)
11. Jim Nicola, Whittier, California
12. Scott Wieland, Verona, Wisconsin
13. Ken Norred, Ashland, Alabama
14. J.T. Visco, Irwin, Pennsylvania
15. Jason Steeves, Calgary, Alberta

Now, let's fill up the afternoon auction as well. Thanks all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I know I haven't done a good enough job updating this thread with the latest signups, but I'll try to do it today:

First a special shoutout to the return of the Morgans to the NFBC Mains. Greg and Dale Morgan were NFBC Charter Members in 2004 and they're back this year with a Main Event on the First Weekend (or 26th) and Greg is also partnering with Perry Van Hook for a Main Event on March 29th. Perry is also an NFBC Charter Member who is returning to our Main Event and we welcome him back as well. Nice job guys.