New NFBC History.
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 4:18 pm
The National Fantasy Baseball Championship was started in 2004 as the industry's first multi-city, high-stakes event. With live drafts in Las Vegas, New York and Chicago, the NFBC drew 195 teams at $1,250 each for the main event and awarded the industry's first $100,000 grand prize for baseball. Artie Rastelli, appropriately of Hoboken, N.J. - the birthplace of baseball - won the NFBC's first overall title and the first $100,000 grand prize. Two days before the end of the season, Artie and Aaron Seefeldt of Northbrook, Illinois, were TIED for first place, almost a statistical impossibility. Artie then forged ahead on Saturday and Sunday to edge Aaron for the title.
In 2004, the NFBC consisted of just 13 main event leagues and a total of 3 $1,250 Auction Leagues. That was it.
By 2005, demand had grown to where the main event sold out with 300 teams and the auction leagues had expanded to 10 leagues, thanks to a second offering at $650 per team. The NFBC also rolled out two new events in 2005: The NFBC Ultimate Leagues where the entry fee was $5,000 per team and first place was worth $40,000, and the NFBC Mid-Season Leagues. The Ultimate Leagues consisted of one 15-team Draft League in 2005 and one 15-team Auction League where owners from Las Vegas and New York were hooked up on a teleconference (not fun, but it worked). The Mid-Season League was the first online venture for the NFBC and consisted of six full leagues trying for a "second chance". Brian Oldenski of Middletown, New Jersey won the NFBC main event in 2005 as he won his league with 141 out of a possible 150 points and edged out Dan Kenyon of Grand Junction, Colorado for the $100,000 grand prize.
The NFBC expanded to a full slate of online satellite leagues in 2006 with everything from $125 entry fee leagues to $1,000 entry fee leagues filling up. Twenty-two satellite leagues were held before Draft Day as preparation for the main event, which in 2006 sold out with 330 teams. David DiDonato of Johnston, Rhode Island won the overall grand prize and finished the year with $145,000 by also winning the Ultimate Draft League. Rick Thomas of Bozeman, Montana finished second in the main event, which had grown to a fourth location as the NFBC expanded to Tampa in 2006. A total of 10 live auction leagues were also held, pushing the total number of leagues to 54.
The NFBC's main event sold out for the third straight year in 2007 as 375 teams were on hand in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago and Tampa. Terry Haney of Johnston, Iowa won the $100,000 grand prize with Thomas Greenwald of Hoffman Estates, Illinois finishing second. The biggest expansion of 2007 occurred online as the NFBC Satellite Leagues doubled to a total of 45. The Ultimate Leagues also doubled to four in 2007, with nine live auctions taking place. In 2007, NFBC prize money had grown to more than $850,000.
2008 was a historic year for the NFBC as it marked the fifth anniversary of the event. A total of 104 owners competed as Charter Members, with the vast majority of owners playing all five years. Robert Jurney of Dunkirk, Maryland made a great turnaround to win the $100,000 grand prize, with Stephen Jupinka of Waldwick, New Jersey finishing second. Jurney had finished 345th overall in 2007 and his team was 389th out of 390 teams during Week 2, but he came roaring back to win his second league title in the last four years and first overall title. The newest addition to the NFBC in 2008 was Super Leagues, $2,500 entry fee leagues with a $20,000 grand prize. The NFBC hosted three Ultimate Leagues, two Super Leagues and 10 Auction Leagues in 2008 as the event moved from Tampa to Orlando for the Florida location. The growth of the satellite leagues also continued that year, with 70 different satellite leagues being held. Total prize money topped $970,000 in 2008.
In 2009, F+W Publications formed a partnership with NBC Sports/Rotoworld to take the NFBC to a higher level. It was a historic season in many ways as Lindy Hinkelman of Greencreek, Idaho won a record-setting $241,300 as he accomplished the impossible. Lindy won the NFBC's main event as he beat out 389 other teams for that title and he also won the debut NFBC Online Championship, beating out 599 other teams for that title. Before the season started, the NFBC offered a $75,000 cash bonus to anyone who could win the overall title in this 15-team format and the new 12-team format and sure enough Lindy accomplished both. Lindy also finished second in the Ultimate Auction League to walk away with the biggest single payout in our six-year history. In all, the NFBC distributed more than $1.1 million in prizes as the event grew to record numbers thanks to the NFBC Online Championship. In 2009, the NFBC hosted more than 170 leagues.
In August of 2009, Fanball.com acquired the NFBC from F+W Media with the goal of taking the NFBC to unprecedented heights. In 2010, Fanball failed to keep up with the high states game. Players lost faith and moved on to other sites. NFBC a house hold name disappered and Fanball became a new banned cuss word by the FCC.
In 2004, the NFBC consisted of just 13 main event leagues and a total of 3 $1,250 Auction Leagues. That was it.
By 2005, demand had grown to where the main event sold out with 300 teams and the auction leagues had expanded to 10 leagues, thanks to a second offering at $650 per team. The NFBC also rolled out two new events in 2005: The NFBC Ultimate Leagues where the entry fee was $5,000 per team and first place was worth $40,000, and the NFBC Mid-Season Leagues. The Ultimate Leagues consisted of one 15-team Draft League in 2005 and one 15-team Auction League where owners from Las Vegas and New York were hooked up on a teleconference (not fun, but it worked). The Mid-Season League was the first online venture for the NFBC and consisted of six full leagues trying for a "second chance". Brian Oldenski of Middletown, New Jersey won the NFBC main event in 2005 as he won his league with 141 out of a possible 150 points and edged out Dan Kenyon of Grand Junction, Colorado for the $100,000 grand prize.
The NFBC expanded to a full slate of online satellite leagues in 2006 with everything from $125 entry fee leagues to $1,000 entry fee leagues filling up. Twenty-two satellite leagues were held before Draft Day as preparation for the main event, which in 2006 sold out with 330 teams. David DiDonato of Johnston, Rhode Island won the overall grand prize and finished the year with $145,000 by also winning the Ultimate Draft League. Rick Thomas of Bozeman, Montana finished second in the main event, which had grown to a fourth location as the NFBC expanded to Tampa in 2006. A total of 10 live auction leagues were also held, pushing the total number of leagues to 54.
The NFBC's main event sold out for the third straight year in 2007 as 375 teams were on hand in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago and Tampa. Terry Haney of Johnston, Iowa won the $100,000 grand prize with Thomas Greenwald of Hoffman Estates, Illinois finishing second. The biggest expansion of 2007 occurred online as the NFBC Satellite Leagues doubled to a total of 45. The Ultimate Leagues also doubled to four in 2007, with nine live auctions taking place. In 2007, NFBC prize money had grown to more than $850,000.
2008 was a historic year for the NFBC as it marked the fifth anniversary of the event. A total of 104 owners competed as Charter Members, with the vast majority of owners playing all five years. Robert Jurney of Dunkirk, Maryland made a great turnaround to win the $100,000 grand prize, with Stephen Jupinka of Waldwick, New Jersey finishing second. Jurney had finished 345th overall in 2007 and his team was 389th out of 390 teams during Week 2, but he came roaring back to win his second league title in the last four years and first overall title. The newest addition to the NFBC in 2008 was Super Leagues, $2,500 entry fee leagues with a $20,000 grand prize. The NFBC hosted three Ultimate Leagues, two Super Leagues and 10 Auction Leagues in 2008 as the event moved from Tampa to Orlando for the Florida location. The growth of the satellite leagues also continued that year, with 70 different satellite leagues being held. Total prize money topped $970,000 in 2008.
In 2009, F+W Publications formed a partnership with NBC Sports/Rotoworld to take the NFBC to a higher level. It was a historic season in many ways as Lindy Hinkelman of Greencreek, Idaho won a record-setting $241,300 as he accomplished the impossible. Lindy won the NFBC's main event as he beat out 389 other teams for that title and he also won the debut NFBC Online Championship, beating out 599 other teams for that title. Before the season started, the NFBC offered a $75,000 cash bonus to anyone who could win the overall title in this 15-team format and the new 12-team format and sure enough Lindy accomplished both. Lindy also finished second in the Ultimate Auction League to walk away with the biggest single payout in our six-year history. In all, the NFBC distributed more than $1.1 million in prizes as the event grew to record numbers thanks to the NFBC Online Championship. In 2009, the NFBC hosted more than 170 leagues.
In August of 2009, Fanball.com acquired the NFBC from F+W Media with the goal of taking the NFBC to unprecedented heights. In 2010, Fanball failed to keep up with the high states game. Players lost faith and moved on to other sites. NFBC a house hold name disappered and Fanball became a new banned cuss word by the FCC.