How Can We Make Your Sundays & FAAB Easier For You?

[ALL-IN JD]

I played in the 12 team championship a couple years ago when it was called the "XII" and it was $1k.
Once you bumped it up to $1500, I was out. Personally, $1k is my top price point so I'd rather do a few OC at a lower price point than one PT team. Didn't have to do with FAAB as far as I was concerned.

Bringing the price point in is probably a good suggestion. The $1K price point could bring in more traditional 12-team players that are trading up from other venues or playing the OL Champ, while the reduced FAAB and deeper bench appeals more to the traditional main event players.

If you did something like this ▬ 15-man bench, bi-weekly FAAB, $1000 entry ▬ you might do enough to appeal to both sides of the aisle even with a $50k-ish top prize.

Sign me up!!

[Scavenger]

I review the entire list of free agents each week. As the season progresses, there are a fair number of players on the free agent list which I wouldn't bid on for any number of reasons...ever. These are players who are injured and out for the season, fill in players that come up from the minors for a cup of coffee and will never see the light of day again, those that don't provide any fantasy value or mop up guys, Jeff Mathis and Kevin Correia.

I would like the ability to HIDE these players or PIN them to the bottom of the free agent page. This would cut down the number of players I would have to sift through each week by 1/3 to a 1/2. If Joe Schmoe needs TJ surgery in the middle of May, I don't want to waste eyeball time, browsing over his name every week for the next 4 months. I don't want to waste eyeball time browsing over Jeff Mathis' name for the next 6 months.

Just my 2 cents...

[KJ Duke]

I review the entire list of free agents each week. As the season progresses, there are a fair number of players on the free agent list which I wouldn't bid on for any number of reasons...ever. These are players who are injured and out for the season, fill in players that come up from the minors for a cup of coffee and will never see the light of day again, those that don't provide any fantasy value or mop up guys, Jeff Mathis and Kevin Correia.

I would like the ability to HIDE these players or PIN them to the bottom of the free agent page. This would cut down the number of players I would have to sift through each week by 1/3 to a 1/2. If Joe Schmoe needs TJ surgery in the middle of May, I don't want to waste eyeball time, browsing over his name every week for the next 4 months. I don't want to waste eyeball time browsing over Jeff Mathis' name for the next 6 months.

Just my 2 cents...

good idea

[southpaw23]

I played in the 12 team championship a couple years ago when it was called the "XII" and it was $1k.
Once you bumped it up to $1500, I was out. Personally, $1k is my top price point so I'd rather do a few OC at a lower price point than one PT team. Didn't have to do with FAAB as far as I was concerned.

Bringing the price point in is probably a good suggestion. The $1K price point could bring in more traditional 12-team players that are trading up from other venues or playing the OL Champ, while the reduced FAAB and deeper bench appeals more to the traditional main event players.

If you did something like this ▬ 15-man bench, bi-weekly FAAB, $1000 entry ▬ you might do enough to appeal to both sides of the aisle even with a $50k-ish top prize.

I know how Greg is going to reply to this - he's going to say something along the lines of "we tried a lower price and didn't get the numbers there either" or something similar. The main difference is that this was a couple years ago when you introduced the product - a large main championship for 12 teams. By increasing the buy in before the product was established, you alienated some who were buying in (like me) and/or cut off a large segment of potential new customers before they could even try out the product.

[KJ Duke]

I played in the 12 team championship a couple years ago when it was called the "XII" and it was $1k.
Once you bumped it up to $1500, I was out. Personally, $1k is my top price point so I'd rather do a few OC at a lower price point than one PT team. Didn't have to do with FAAB as far as I was concerned.

Bringing the price point in is probably a good suggestion. The $1K price point could bring in more traditional 12-team players that are trading up from other venues or playing the OL Champ, while the reduced FAAB and deeper bench appeals more to the traditional main event players.

If you did something like this ▬ 15-man bench, bi-weekly FAAB, $1000 entry ▬ you might do enough to appeal to both sides of the aisle even with a $50k-ish top prize.

I know how Greg is going to reply to this - he's going to say something along the lines of "we tried a lower price and didn't get the numbers there either" or something similar. The main difference is that this was a couple years ago when you introduced the product - a large main championship for 12 teams. By increasing the buy in before the product was established, you alienated some who were buying in (like me) and/or cut off a large segment of potential new customers before they could even try out the product.

I think the rationale on pushing price point was in trying to reach the $100k overall prize hoping it would bring a wider audience, which didn't work. It does seem to be an orphan - too expensive for some and too time-consuming for others. A middle ground to appeal to both is worth a shot; I'd probably come back to it after dropping out this year.

[Yah Mule]

I review the entire list of free agents each week. As the season progresses, there are a fair number of players on the free agent list which I wouldn't bid on for any number of reasons...ever. These are players who are injured and out for the season, fill in players that come up from the minors for a cup of coffee and will never see the light of day again, those that don't provide any fantasy value or mop up guys, Jeff Mathis and Kevin Correia.

I would like the ability to HIDE these players or PIN them to the bottom of the free agent page. This would cut down the number of players I would have to sift through each week by 1/3 to a 1/2. If Joe Schmoe needs TJ surgery in the middle of May, I don't want to waste eyeball time, browsing over his name every week for the next 4 months. I don't want to waste eyeball time browsing over Jeff Mathis' name for the next 6 months.

Just my 2 cents...

This would be fantastic.

[DOUGHBOYS]

I really like this too. Sooo many worthless names tp peruse.
This is a very useful suggestion.

[Yah Mule]

I really like this too. Sooo many worthless names to peruse.
This is a very useful suggestion.

Having to read José Fernandez over and over again last year was also bad for my mental health.

[Roy's Outlaws]

I review the entire list of free agents each week. As the season progresses, there are a fair number of players on the free agent list which I wouldn't bid on for any number of reasons...ever. These are players who are injured and out for the season, fill in players that come up from the minors for a cup of coffee and will never see the light of day again, those that don't provide any fantasy value or mop up guys, Jeff Mathis and Kevin Correia.

I would like the ability to HIDE these players or PIN them to the bottom of the free agent page. This would cut down the number of players I would have to sift through each week by 1/3 to a 1/2. If Joe Schmoe needs TJ surgery in the middle of May, I don't want to waste eyeball time, browsing over his name every week for the next 4 months. I don't want to waste eyeball time browsing over Jeff Mathis' name for the next 6 months.

Just my 2 cents...

This would definitely save time on FABB. Is there anyway to be able to set up are own Fabb rankings , just like the draft rooms and have it stay that way for all our teams. We can adjust our own Fabb ranks by how we like players.

[Roy's Outlaws]

I played in the 12 team championship a couple years ago when it was called the "XII" and it was $1k.
Once you bumped it up to $1500, I was out. Personally, $1k is my top price point so I'd rather do a few OC at a lower price point than one PT team. Didn't have to do with FAAB as far as I was concerned.

Bringing the price point in is probably a good suggestion. The $1K price point could bring in more traditional 12-team players that are trading up from other venues or playing the OL Champ, while the reduced FAAB and deeper bench appeals more to the traditional main event players.

If you did something like this ▬ 15-man bench, bi-weekly FAAB, $1000 entry ▬ you might do enough to appeal to both sides of the aisle even with a $50k-ish top prize.

Sign me up!!

I did the same thing, Not a fan of 12 teamers, Price jump made it easy to forget about the XII. When I get done with a 12 team draft I always love my team, it always looks like a power house with no weakness. But everyones team look like that, where as in the 15 team event everyone has a weakness or 2. I also think FABB in a 12 is harder and more time consuming because their are more available player to consider. I might reconsider a 12 teamer with bigger bench and less FAbb , but I also would not be upset to see the Primetime go away either.

[MrWu]

Lots of good suggestions..

Part of me gets tired of FAAB, but another part of me likes working my butt off on FAAB while some of my opponents get tired of it near the end of the year. This season is crazy long, but I think the effort that it takes is part of the reason I like baseball more than fantasy football. If people want it super easy, let them play daily or draft champions leagues.. I think the hiding players option would be great, though, because it is really annoying seeing guys who are out for the year.

As for the Primetime lack of interest.. I think the Classic/Main Event is what the established people on this board care about.. I am getting in the Classic because I want a chance to go against the best and hopefully beat the best in the game that matters most to them. I don't feel there's that same "buzz" on the Primetime. I was in both a Classic and Primetime in Football last year, and it didn't seem like there is quite as much difference in the "prestige" of the two, but I could be wrong. Maybe people are just pickier in baseball and like a deeper 15 team league. There are no AL only or NL only-type leagues in football. Many of us in baseball got our start in AL/NL only leagues and feel more comfortable with a deeper league format. I would argue that a 12 team league in baseball just feels like a 10 team league in football, even though the math doesn't really equate.

That being said, adding an overall prize factor beyond the Lindy is interesting, and I bet if it existed, I may have chosen a Primetime over the Super that I ended up in.

I struggle in general getting into these larger contests because it's hard to calculate and ROI when the amount of leagues is not clear. I know ROI should not matter, but I like it to at least be around 80%, which it seems like these contests tend to end up. It's just hard for me to get comfortable until the final numbers become more apparent. That's especially the case in the Rotowire championship.

Anyway.. looking forward to meeting some of you in Chicago on the 4th.

Mr Wu

[Teufel Hunden]

What about getting rid of the Prime as a separate contest?

Instead have multiple price point 12 team leagues that feed into roto championship in the same manner that $150/$400/$1000 DC leagues are consolidated.

Adding $700 and $1400 (or higher) entry leagues to $350 option would provide a lot of price options for 12 team contest. I see a number of benefits:

1) Overall prize pool would support a 1st place of $100K, possibly even equaling main event as owners embrace contest.
2) With the same % going to rake and $ amount feeding into overall pool as $350 leagues a lot more money would stay in league prizes in higher $ leagues. For example, $700 entry could support: $8400 entry fees - $1700 rake - $1300 toward overall = $5400 left in league. $3600/$1800 prize money for top 2 sounds pretty good for $700 entry. Especially with the opportunity at $100K overall.
3) Easier to manage, schedule and market one contest instead of two. Market demand would dictate where and when different entry points are drafted.
4) Higher $ would not all have to be squeezed into small window prior to season. Could help alleviate some of the scheduling conflicts with auction/main and higher $ leagues.
5) NFBC no longer has to fear cannibalizing own contest with multiple 12 team offerings. Much easier to guarantee overall prizes and anticipate future growth.
6) Owner with greater time concerns could choose one $1400 league vs four $350 leagues to lessen FAAB workload.

I think that with this transition and many of the previously listed FAAB improvements the 12 team contest would be both more manageable and surpass the 15 team in overall prize money in 1-2 years. Blasphemy I know to many of the 15 team purists, but that is where the market is headed.

On a side note. I don't understand the resistance to 12 team. IMO it is just a different form of fantasy baseball. The same as auction is different from snake drafting, or a 15 team DC is different than 15 team Main. Each has their own unique challenges. IMO that is what makes fantasy baseball so enjoyable, the attempt to master multiple disciplines.

[Bronx Yankees]

What about getting rid of the Prime as a separate contest?

Instead have multiple price point 12 team leagues that feed into roto championship in the same manner that $150/$400/$1000 DC leagues are consolidated.

Adding $700 and $1400 (or higher) entry leagues to $350 option would provide a lot of price options for 12 team contest. I see a number of benefits:

1) Overall prize pool would support a 1st place of $100K, possibly even equaling main event as owners embrace contest.
2) With the same % going to rake and $ amount feeding into overall pool as $350 leagues a lot more money would stay in league prizes in higher $ leagues. For example, $700 entry could support: $8400 entry fees - $1700 rake - $1300 toward overall = $5400 left in league. $3600/$1800 prize money for top 2 sounds pretty good for $700 entry. Especially with the opportunity at $100K overall.
3) Easier to manage, schedule and market one contest instead of two. Market demand would dictate where and when different entry points are drafted.
4) Higher $ would not all have to be squeezed into small window prior to season. Could help alleviate some of the scheduling conflicts with auction/main and higher $ leagues.
5) NFBC no longer has to fear cannibalizing own contest with multiple 12 team offerings. Much easier to guarantee overall prizes and anticipate future growth.
6) Owner with greater time concerns could choose one $1400 league vs four $350 leagues to lessen FAAB workload.

I think this is a great idea.

As I see things:
1. The Primetime (at $1,500/team) currently is competing directly against the Main Event (at $1,600/team). For many of us, there is no comparison. Whether it is the prestige of the Main Event, a preference for the 15-team format, a preference for the payout structure (top three cash v. top two; better overall prizes) and/or other reasons, I do not think the Primetime is going to succeed in its current form.
2. While the time-consuming nature of FAAB likely impacts how many FAAB leagues folks participate in, I do not think sluggish Primetime sales can be blamed on FAAB for at least two reasons. First, the Online Championship leagues seem to be selling well, and that is a 12-team format with FAAB. Second, the Main Event, the auction leagues and the high-stakes satellite leagues seem to be doing well and they also are FAAB leagues. Take NYC for example. The Thursday night Main Event league is sold out. Three Saturday Main Event leagues are sold out and a fourth is on the way. All of the auction leagues are sold out. The MTM Super is sold out. Yet, despite a strong turnout in NYC, we have not come close to selling out a single NYC Primetime league. You cannot blame that on FAAB.
3. While many more folks draft online than in person, the NFBC has made its mark, and is known for, the quality of its live events. Efforts should be made to get more folks involved in the live events. After doing last year's Main Event for the first time, I was hooked. I'm doing two Main Events this year and contemplating trying to get to Vegas for the first weekend next year. For many folks, however, the high entry point for the live events is a big obstacle. There may be many owners that enjoy the Draft Championship leagues at $150/team and/or the Online Championship leagues at $350/team that would love to take the step up and experience live drafting NFBC style. At $1,500 or $1,600/team, however, that is really difficult. If a 12-team format was offered at $700/team as suggested, folks might be more likely to try live drafting (and then gradually move up into the higher-priced formats). Also, at $700/team, folks already attending the live drafts to participate in the Main Event or auction leagues might be willing to jump into an extra $700/team league during a break from the other events.
4. I gather the lower price point was tried unsuccessfully for the 12-team format. However, wasn't that on a standalone basis? The suggestion to use it as part of the Online Championships format - like the $150, $400 and $1,000 DC leagues - is a great suggestion in my opinion.

Mike

[DOUGHBOYS]

'The market' has always trended towards 10-12 team leagues. It is because they are an easier lion to tame. The general public does not spend their off season studying. They just want a fantasy team in the fire. 12 teamers will always be more 'popular' to the public.
Really, with the mind play that 15 team leagues provide, it's hard to believe that 12 team leagues would ever surpass it in this arena though.
This is where the best come to play. Most 12 team players are happy at lesser sites. Yes, I said lesser, because I consider them beer leagues to the players that are here. Its been said for years that at the NFBC level, 12 teams would pass 15 in interest.
Its been said so long, that I have quit believing it.

I believe that the Primetime is on its way out and more auctions are on their way in. The amount of teams becomes secondary to how those teams are constructed.
12 teamers can still get their fix with OC's and maybe OC's can become a $150, 350, and 1,000 contest like the DC's.
But for this year especiallyand for live events, Primetime Leagues are not filling while Auctions are almost complete across the board.

[la Jolla]

I have a bunch of friends that play Yahoo or ESPN baseball leagues every year and over the years I have spoken to all of them about trying the NFBC, but they all thought it was too expensive, even at $350. No facts to back this up, but I think that after a dozen years, the market for people willing to spend thousands of dollars is what we currently have here. Out of the estimated 40M fantasy players, I think 99.9% of this market doesn't want to play for more than $50-$100. I do believe that the Yahoo/ESPN crown would vastly prefer the 12 team format, but it appears to be priced out of most budgets.
And as an NFBC player, I would honestly take two shots at the 15 team Main Event before taking one 15 team and one 12 team. Increase my odds in one overall, and not have to do FAAB for both formats.
I think the Primetime falls into a tough spot where it is too expensive for the crossover crowd and too different management wise for the Main Event crowd. Not sure what the answer is, but my two cents.

[Glenneration X]

I agree with many of the later comments on this thread. I, along with several others, have thrown out some ideas on how to "fix" the Primetime. However, is the Primetime even fixable at this price point?

Some have noted that price doesn't matter. And in a vacuum, whether the Primetime $1500, $1000, $350, or $1 wouldn't matter to many that play these contests. However, it isn't in a vacuum. At the $1500 price point, the NFBC has given their consumers a choice on what to do with their hard earned investment at that cost. And I believe their consumer base has spoken.... loud and clear.

If given the choice between spending that $1500 on a Primetime, or another Main, or an Auction, or as part of a higher stakes entry, they'll choose other options over the Prime almost every time. I ask those who said they'd play more Primes if there were bi-weekly FAAB and deeper rosters offered, are you spending your money on Primes or the Main, on Primes or the Auctions, on Primes or the Supers, Ultimates, etc., even with those rule changes? I guess it would remain to be seen.

Listen to your consumer. Maybe with the "general public", the 12-teamers are the standard. However here, with your customers, the Main is the standard and the Prime is nothing more than a niche contest. Treat it as such.

Rid yourself of the Prime, offer more auctions, offer the 12 teamer as the Online Championship and as satellites, both where it is more successful, and if you must have a live 12-team event, make it at a much reduced price point with a reduced grand prize and then offer the changes to the structure your customers have asked for.

PS... to those who mentioned a "tiered" entry fee and prize structure for a combined Prime/Online Championship type contest, something similar was offered years ago when the 12-teamers first were introduced to the NFBC. It was called the Double Play, and it failed. Too confusing and not enough entrants to be profitable.

[Yah Mule]

The quality of any league is dictated by the strength its competitors. I think one primary difference between 12 team leagues and 15 team leagues is its harder to put people away in a 12 team league because there are more opportunities for your competitors to improve.

[Teufel Hunden]

'The market' has always trended towards 10-12 team leagues. It is because they are an easier lion to tame. The general public does not spend their off season studying. They just want a fantasy team in the fire. 12 teamers will always be more 'popular' to the public.
Really, with the mind play that 15 team leagues provide, it's hard to believe that 12 team leagues would ever surpass it in this arena though.
This is where the best come to play. Most 12 team players are happy at lesser sites. Yes, I said lesser, because I consider them beer leagues to the players that are here. Its been said for years that at the NFBC level, 12 teams would pass 15 in interest.
Its been said so long, that I have quit believing it.

I believe that the Primetime is on its way out and more auctions are on their way in. The amount of teams becomes secondary to how those teams are constructed.
12 teamers can still get their fix with OC's and maybe OC's can become a $150, 350, and 1,000 contest like the DC's.
But for this year especiallyand for live events, Primetime Leagues are not filling while Auctions are almost complete across the board.

Guess I don't quite follow the logic.

1) How can a 12 team league be easier to tame when by most accounts it is much harder work? More off-season work is much easier than 26 weeks of tough choices IMO.
2) If it were so easy to tame then why would all of the 15 team "experts" let all of that easy money head home with Eric the last two years? Guess they are just an altruistic bunch.
3) Roto/Prime are already bigger than Main in entry fee. The day has arrived.

So 12 team leagues are growing rapidly (93-124 leagues from 2012-2014), auction leagues are growing rapidly, DC leagues are growing rapidly and the Main event is stagnant. The good old days are long gone, for better or worse.

[DOUGHBOYS]

'The market' has always trended towards 10-12 team leagues. It is because they are an easier lion to tame. The general public does not spend their off season studying. They just want a fantasy team in the fire. 12 teamers will always be more 'popular' to the public.
Really, with the mind play that 15 team leagues provide, it's hard to believe that 12 team leagues would ever surpass it in this arena though.
This is where the best come to play. Most 12 team players are happy at lesser sites. Yes, I said lesser, because I consider them beer leagues to the players that are here. Its been said for years that at the NFBC level, 12 teams would pass 15 in interest.
Its been said so long, that I have quit believing it.

I believe that the Primetime is on its way out and more auctions are on their way in. The amount of teams becomes secondary to how those teams are constructed.
12 teamers can still get their fix with OC's and maybe OC's can become a $150, 350, and 1,000 contest like the DC's.
But for this year especiallyand for live events, Primetime Leagues are not filling while Auctions are almost complete across the board.

Guess I don't quite follow the logic.

1) How can a 12 team league be easier to tame when by most accounts it is much harder work? More off-season work is much easier than 26 weeks of tough choices IMO.
2) If it were so easy to tame then why would all of the 15 team "experts" let all of that easy money head home with Eric the last two years? Guess they are just an altruistic bunch.
3) Roto/Prime are already bigger than Main in entry fee. The day has arrived.

So 12 team leagues are growing rapidly (93-124 leagues from 2012-2014), auction leagues are growing rapidly, DC leagues are growing rapidly and the Main event is stagnant. The good old days are long gone, for better or worse.

1) It is easier to tame because the player pool is shallower for the general public.
It is harder to work because that player pool for FAAB increases.

2) Eric's expertise seems to be with 12 teamers. An expert in 12 teamers. Nothing wrong with that.

3) I would rather be 'stagnant' with the Main Event getting 420 entries than the Primetime struggling at 120.
If that day has 'arrived', I missed it.

[ALL-IN JD]

I agree with many of the later comments on this thread. I, along with several others, have thrown out some ideas on how to "fix" the Primetime. However, is the Primetime even fixable at this price point?

Some have noted that price doesn't matter. And in a vacuum, whether the Primetime $1500, $1000, $350, or $1 wouldn't matter to many that play these contests. However, it isn't in a vacuum. At the $1500 price point, the NFBC has given their consumers a choice on what to do with their hard earned investment at that cost. And I believe their consumer base has spoken.... loud and clear.

If given the choice between spending that $1500 on a Primetime, or another Main, or an Auction, or as part of a higher stakes entry, they'll choose other options over the Prime almost every time. I ask those who said they'd play more Primes if there were bi-weekly FAAB and deeper rosters offered, are you spending your money on Primes or the Main, on Primes or the Auctions, on Primes or the Supers, Ultimates, etc., even with those rule changes? I guess it would remain to be seen.

Listen to your consumer. Maybe with the "general public", the 12-teamers are the standard. However here, with your customers, the Main is the standard and the Prime is nothing more than a niche contest. Treat it as such.

Rid yourself of the Prime, offer more auctions, offer the 12 teamer as the Online Championship and as satellites, both where it is more successful, and if you must have a live 12-team event, make it at a much reduced price point with a reduced grand prize and then offer the changes to the structure your customers have asked for.

PS... to those who mentioned a "tiered" entry fee and prize structure for a combined Prime/Online Championship type contest, something similar was offered years ago when the 12-teamers first were introduced to the NFBC. It was called the Double Play, and it failed. Too confusing and not enough entrants to be profitable.

I agree with some of the things my neighbor says but after disagree with the Prime being a niche contest. As someone who has been part of the NFBC since it's inception and absolutely loves fantasy baseball there is nothing better than the 15 Team Main Event. That being said I could say that is the niche product. Outside of the NFBC I would say that 95 percent of the baseball world plays 10 or 12 team leagues. Our "niche" Main Event has survived the test of time, settled on a number (420) that seems to be achieved every year. Not much growth but it certainly works.

As for the the Prime (I would call it 12 Team Main Event) I absolutely believe it is not only fixable but there is a market for it. I agree with previous posts that 1K entry fee with a $50,000 grand prize is the way to go. Better yet, maybe somehow partner with Fanduel specifically for the 12 Team Event and maybe even offer a higher grand prize with their sponsorship. Include the 38 man roster and the bi-weekly FAAB and I believe you have something there.

Even if the above is not the perfect solution (maybe it needs to be tweaked further) I believe that a 12 Team Main Event is absolutely attainable when you have the majority outside of the NFBC playing in these types of leagues. Reaching the masses and appealing to them is a different story as the NFBC needs to do the best job they can reaching those masses and recruiting them. Just my two cents.

[Quahogs]

Jeff, the market for a high stakes ($1500+) 12 team contest just doesn't seem to be there. The people who prefer the 12 team won't go that high. The one's who can don't because they prefer the 15 team. Just look how they can't even fill a 12 Team Super but there are numerous 15 Supers, Ultimates, Diamonds, and Platiamonds...

I think Greg/Tom are getting the word out there about the NFBC. Look at all the new blood in the DC's however they seem to be drawn to the price point.

I think the OC 12 team for $350 will flourish. However the high stakes 12 Team Prime - that dog just don't hunt. The proof is in the pudding.

[Glenneration X]

I agree with many of the later comments on this thread. I, along with several others, have thrown out some ideas on how to "fix" the Primetime. However, is the Primetime even fixable at this price point?

Some have noted that price doesn't matter. And in a vacuum, whether the Primetime $1500, $1000, $350, or $1 wouldn't matter to many that play these contests. However, it isn't in a vacuum. At the $1500 price point, the NFBC has given their consumers a choice on what to do with their hard earned investment at that cost. And I believe their consumer base has spoken.... loud and clear.

If given the choice between spending that $1500 on a Primetime, or another Main, or an Auction, or as part of a higher stakes entry, they'll choose other options over the Prime almost every time. I ask those who said they'd play more Primes if there were bi-weekly FAAB and deeper rosters offered, are you spending your money on Primes or the Main, on Primes or the Auctions, on Primes or the Supers, Ultimates, etc., even with those rule changes? I guess it would remain to be seen.

Listen to your consumer. Maybe with the "general public", the 12-teamers are the standard. However here, with your customers, the Main is the standard and the Prime is nothing more than a niche contest. Treat it as such.

Rid yourself of the Prime, offer more auctions, offer the 12 teamer as the Online Championship and as satellites, both where it is more successful, and if you must have a live 12-team event, make it at a much reduced price point with a reduced grand prize and then offer the changes to the structure your customers have asked for.

PS... to those who mentioned a "tiered" entry fee and prize structure for a combined Prime/Online Championship type contest, something similar was offered years ago when the 12-teamers first were introduced to the NFBC. It was called the Double Play, and it failed. Too confusing and not enough entrants to be profitable.

I agree with some of the things my neighbor says but after disagree with the Prime being a niche contest. As someone who has been part of the NFBC since it's inception and absolutely loves fantasy baseball there is nothing better than the 15 Team Main Event. That being said I could say that is the niche product. Outside of the NFBC I would say that 95 percent of the baseball world plays 10 or 12 team leagues. Our "niche" Main Event has survived the test of time, settled on a number (420) that seems to be achieved every year. Not much growth but it certainly works.

As for the the Prime (I would call it 12 Team Main Event) I absolutely believe it is not only fixable but there is a market for it. I agree with previous posts that 1K entry fee with a $50,000 grand prize is the way to go. Better yet, maybe somehow partner with Fanduel specifically for the 12 Team Event and maybe even offer a higher grand prize with their sponsorship. Include the 38 man roster and the bi-weekly FAAB and I believe you have something there.

Even if the above is not the perfect solution (maybe it needs to be tweaked further) I believe that a 12 Team Main Event is absolutely attainable when you have the majority outside of the NFBC playing in these types of leagues. Reaching the masses and appealing to them is a different story as the NFBC needs to do the best job they can reaching those masses and recruiting them. Just my two cents.

You misunderstand me neighbor. I 100% agree that with the general public, 12-teamers are the standard. However, within our contest here, within the NFBC community, within "this" market, the Prime has become the niche product. All you have to do is compare the signups between the Main and the Prime. It's 3 to 1. Take out the 10 teams each by a couple of the competitors and the odds go even further. Even the 15-team Auctions have surpassed the entries of the 12-team Prime, and the Auctions don't even have an online option!

Further evidence is the fixes for the 12-team Main Event being offered and embraced on these boards, even the ones I suggested. 15-20 player reserves, bi-weekly or monthly FAAB. These are the very definition of niche.

The 12-team market is far greater than the 15-team across the fantasy playing universe. However, the 12-team playing public has made their choice on where and how to play that game. They prefer the less expensive, "easier to tame" as Doughy stated ESPN, Yahoo, or local leagues. Here for the 12-teamer, they prefer the Online Championships at the $350 price point.

The market has spoken already and they've made their choice. And the $1500 entry fee market prefers the NFBC and prefers the 15 team Main Event.

[ALL-IN JD]

Since I believe there as absolutely a market for both (with 12 Team at a lower price point) we can agree to disagree,

[DOUGHBOYS]

Well said, Glenn.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I didn't expect this thread to veer into a Primetime thread, but thanks anyway for all of the good suggestions for that contest. We'll definitely consider all of them for the future because we do believe there is a future for a live, 12-team Main Event. We have to find what that is in an industry that for years has been dominated by 12-team mixed draft leagues. We've found the sweet spot with the Online Championship, but maybe the Primetime needs to be different.

The main focus of the thread was to discuss how we could save time via FAAB on Sundays. Some people say we have already done that, but hopefully this Player Search for multiple teams will prove beneficial to all of you during the season. Getting the bids there later on will also save you plenty of time. Again, we are focused on making FAAB as good as it can be and saving you time with that part of our game. Keep the suggestions coming on how we can do that and it's good to see that some of you already think our FAAB setup is among the best in the industry.