NFBC Message Boards

OK, I am always the optimist and always look at the glass half full. That said, I am getting concerned about the NEW draft site that "Is going to up and running very soon, we just want to make sure it is bug free." My calender says that it is March 1st; a number of drafts have been held (Satellites) still at MDC; the drafts at MDC have been going off without a hitch; my MAIN concern is not where we are drafting but how and where we are going to handle FAAB! It was two weeks ago on Monday that we heard, "The site will be up by this evening or Tuesday."

I have put up close to 6K for NFBC this year; I have an Online draft team and signed up for an additional special online 3-pack; I am considering pulling that 3-pack (I have not paid for it yet); I said I would pay by check but Fanball has charged my Fanball account!!! I could start another thread on that one.



Before someone accuses me of spreading gloom and doom and being negative, let me just say I am stating FACTS!!! I LOVE this game a nd have played CDM/Fanball games since 2001; I am a LOYAL customer and as a LOYAL customer I just want some answers.



Thank you for giving the chance to vent!!!

Originally posted by Jim Christie:

OK, I am always the optimist and always look at the glass half full. That said, I am getting concerned about the NEW draft site that "Is going to up and running very soon, we just want to make sure it is bug free." My calender says that it is March 1st; a number of drafts have been held (Satellites) still at MDC; the drafts at MDC have been going off without a hitch; my MAIN concern is not where we are drafting but how and where we are going to handle FAAB! It was two weeks ago on Monday that we heard, "The site will be up by this evening or Tuesday."

I have put up close to 6K for NFBC this year; I have an Online draft team and signed up for an additional special online 3-pack; I am considering pulling that 3-pack (I have not paid for it yet); I said I would pay by check but Fanball has charged my Fanball account!!! I could start another thread on that one.



Before someone accuses me of spreading gloom and doom and being negative, let me just say I am stating FACTS!!! I LOVE this game a nd have played CDM/Fanball games since 2001; I am a LOYAL customer and as a LOYAL customer I just want some answers.



Thank you for giving the chance to vent!!! Jim, this is a very easy answer. As you can see, if one little thing is out of line someone gets on the boards and says this is the worst thing in the world. First impressions are very important and so we've decided to test and test and test these things before we unveil it to our customers. We were ready to unveil the draft software for mocks a week ago, but there were some small bugs in there that could have led folks to think the world was falling apart.



We held staff mocks every day last week and on Friday it was ready to go. There are some tweaks that need to be made on the back end for Geoff's commissioner tools and then we'll be ready. We're damned if we unveil this early with bugs and we're damned if we make sure it's darn near perfect by March 2nd. But at least you know why we held off until now: We want to make sure the first impression is a good one or I know what the response will be here.



We're working hard on all of this, but not just working to get it out. We want it to you like you expect it to be and that's better than before. That includes everything within the game. So give us another day for this and then let us unveil the rest in March.

I have to admit: I don't recall a single post in Year One demanding that STATS unveil the look and feel of the software. Heck, two years ago we didn't even have the FAAB software with STATS we have now. Last year you couldn't download free agent lists to Excel and we've already said you can do that. Improvements are being made to what we had and yet the uncertainty is still maddening.



I understand why that is and reputations go a long way in this business. Our first FAAB period is still a month away, but everyone wants to see this TODAY. I get it. It's coming.

Greg, I think you'd do yourself a favor by not announcing something is "coming tomorrow or on Thursday" unless you are positive that is the case. With IT systems there are always bugs to work out and announcing something prematurely causes people who don't understand this to get alarmed. Save yourself the trouble and announce all new system developments when they have been released, not when they are planned to be released. The problem is you've set an expectation of two weeks ago and it still has not arrived - fallling into the dreaded category of over promise - under deliver. I have faith that the draft site will be excellent when released. I would recommend beta testing with a select group of NFBCers that won't fly off the handle if they find some minor glitches. You could probably learn a lot from them and shield some of the unneccessary public criticizm on these boards.



[ March 01, 2010, 07:01 AM: Message edited by: Beezman ]

One more thing: I think the reason people are uneasy about the back end/FAAB is because it took STATS 4-5 years to build a decent product (that still wasn't great). Fanball is trying to do this in a few months. By getting it out early users can find problems ahead of time and the fixes can be made prior to the season. There's a reason why Microsoft, Google, and other large IT companies beta test their new software before releasing it to the masses. Because it works. In the software development world nobody gets it right the first time, no matter how much internal testing is completed.



[ March 01, 2010, 07:07 AM: Message edited by: Beezman ]

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

There are some tweaks that need to be made on the back end for Geoff's commissioner tools and then we'll be ready. We should have known this was all Geoff's fault...



Glenn

Fella's,



The dialogue that has transpired regarding FAAB and the back end system is certainly warranted. WE'RE ALL ANXIOUS! To think that any more input will further the process is silly. Why not let Greg and the Fanball team do what they need to do. If you think that they haven't heard everything at this point, you're mistaken.



They know ALL OF YOUR CONCERNS and the end result will not change because you post your complaints every hour of every day. I personally want to believe and I do. Nothing at this point from any of us will change the ultimate outcome. Let them get it right, that's what they're trying to do.



The only reason they're at bad deadlines is because they are trying to please you. They're wasting time responding to all of you. THEY KNOW AND WANT TO GET IT RIGHT. LET THEM!!!

Originally posted by Fast Money:

Fella's,



The dialogue that has transpired regarding FAAB and the back end system is certainly warranted. WE'RE ALL ANXIOUS! To think that any more input will further the process is silly. Why not let Greg and the Fanball team do what they need to do. If you think that they haven't heard everything at this point, you're mistaken.



They know ALL OF YOUR CONCERNS and the end result will not change because you post your complaints every hour of every day. I personally want to believe and I do. Nothing at this point from any of us will change the ultimate outcome. Let them get it right, that's what they're trying to do.



The only reason they're at bad deadlines is because they are trying to please you. They're wasting time responding to all of you. THEY KNOW AND WANT TO GET IT RIGHT. LET THEM!!! I don't think I post complaints every hour of the day! What about charging my Fanball account when I said I would pay by check? If it is not one thing it is another; We are not playing in some $50 local league here, we are spending serious money; remember who WE are, we are called CUSTOMERS!!!

Complaints (concerns) have been posted everyday. Nothing more is going to be gained by complaining. They've heard it all am sure they understand. They run the risk of some going elsewhere, they probably know that. Possibly your money issue is for a different thread. I hope you get it worked out.