I Think More About Kevin Correia Than North Korea

[DOUGHBOYS]

My wife says that I about fantasy baseball 24/7. She's wrong, of course. I do sleep.
If she would have accused me of thinking about it all day today though, she would have been right.
I think more about Kevin Correia than North Korea.
I don't care about Homeland Security, but I do care if I feel secure or not in owning Glenn Perkins to Close a game.
Flat out, fantasy is better to think about than reality.

Today, I put myself in Joe Berg's shoes. Joe, more than anybody else in the NFBC wants 12 team leagues to succeed. I looked at the signups today and saw that they were woefully behind 15 teamers. I mean waaaaaay behind.
Everybody tells me that nationwide, 12 teamers are the most popular number for a league. However, it is a tough sell here. NFBC veterans have become enamored with the 15 team set-up.
Little things have been done to try and popularize the 12 team format here. An Online Overall. A bonus for winners if teamed with the Main Event. Even Joe would say that this is not enough.

Next year a 10 team Cutline league will be introduced. It's popularity could relegate the 12 team format to even third place in NFBC hearts.
So, what can be done?
First, 'Primetime' is a dumb name. Unless living in the eighties, it means little by itself. It has little use in tying new folks to the 12 team event. The 12 team competition doesn't need a name. Just call it what it is.
The 15 team Main Event IS The Main Event.
Capitalize on the notoriety and call the 12 teamer what it is, The 12 Team Main Event.

Next, the Draft Championship drafts have been amazingly broad in appeal. Why not introduce 12 team leagues to this format?
12 team, 60 round drafts would make for drafts that would be quicker in time and make for deeper teams as 12 teamers owners seem to enjoy.
An Overall would be a certainty for this as well. Really, this should already be happening.

Back in my own mind, and out of Joe's mind, I've also thought about a draft that I will conduct next October by e-mail.
It has to be an E-Mail draft. There are just too many things that can go wrong with a draft like this in the NFBC Draft Room.
Here it is....
We have a 30 round draft. The draft however is broken up into two 15 round drafts.
The first 15 rounds would be an ALL HITTERS Draft. All 14 hitting positions would have to be covered by all teams with these 15 offensive picks. One hitting reserve per team.

The next nine rounds are ALL PITCHING. Any pitcher, no starter/Closer rules. After the 24 th round, teams would be free to draft any player of their choosing.
By having the hitters portion of the draft end after the 15th round, this means that the 15th kdsed team gets first pick for the pitcher's portion of the draft. A bonus for those who feel short changed by KDS.
I think it'll make for a great draft.

My wife came home minutes ago and she started in on the 'Didja's'.
You know....Didja do this...Didja do that...I had to say 'I didn't'.
I have to go....

[Money]

Alright Dan I'm going to bite and play armchair QB as it pertains to the NFBC 12 team main event. Here are a few points and I think the common point will be that the legions of faithful 15 team main event players will participate in that event no matter what.

1. The 15 team main event should have remained at 100k. The extra 25k would be better served rewarding 2nd-10th place. The old guard that support this event would play for either prize. Finishing in the top 10 is a huge accomplishment. This was done in my opinion for one reason, to satisfy the (vocal) old guard that have helped build the main event and couldn't accept another event being on an even keel as it pertains to prize money. This simply gives a new main event participant another thing to ponder. Why not put the same amount of money up and play for an extra 25k?

2. The most popular time slots in the live events are on Saturday morning. Why not give that to the primetime that you're trying to build? The old faithful will find the main events and play. I'm not saying hide them but have a 10am 12 team and a 1 pm 15 team.

3. The 12 team online event is huge, it now offers an overall prize of 75k. This is where the legions of home leagues play and those that want a taste of this start in the online. So here are the choices:

15 team $1500 entry top prize $125K

12 team $1500 entry top prize 100k

OC 12 team $350 entry top prize 75k

This formula sets this up for a slow start. The old faithful are going to play the 15 team no matter what. If the top prize is what floats your boat then you gravitate toward the 15 team and if it's a lower price point you go to the online championship. The 12 team main event is stuck in the middle.

Ultimately the 15 team is what built the NFBC and should be carefully protected. I think the (vocal) old guard has forced the NFBC's hand here and will not allow it to compete on an even playing field. I understand it to a certain degree. If this was my business I'd have handled it differently. The old guard is going to play no matter what. So you end up with 500 teams in the 15 team event and 200 in the 12 team event. The NFBC loses in this scenario because they will have to add money to that event while taking a loss in the 12 team event. I doubt competition from across the street drove this decision, if so, its an over reaction. The (vocal) big time players had to play for more, pure and simple.

At then end of the day the old guard will rush into the 12 team with multiple teams trying to capitalize on the ROI. This isn't the way to grow it. The 15 team event is built and has an awesome base, there was no need to add to the prize, it will not grow the event, only detract from the 12 team event that they are trying to grow.

This is certainly not meant as a knock against the NFBC, I applaud the desire to grow and not stay stagnant. The 12 team main event is a way to do this. I'm a big fan of this organization and my comments are meant to help.

At he end of the day I believe the 12 TEAM MAIN EVENT will do just fine.

OK, back to my first day of slow drafting, we've made it to round 3. I'm going back to my self imposed message board posting retirement.

[DOUGHBOYS]

The lowest price event for 12 teamers is $350.
It yearns for a DC, if only to invite all the ESPN, Yahoo, home league type players. They may feel more comfortable with a 12 teamer than being forced to do a 15 team DC.
Like auctions, inviting players to play at a lesser price may be more enticing. Betting a c-note instead of a lap top on fantasy expertise seems a better step.

[Money]

The lowest price event for 12 teamers is $350.
It yearns for a DC, if only to invite all the ESPN, Yahoo, home league type players. They may feel more comfortable with a 12 teamer than being forced to do a 15 team DC.
Like auctions, inviting players to play at a lesser price may be more enticing. Betting a c-note instead of a lap top on fantasy expertise seems a better step.

I don't disagree, I was simply pointing out what could detract from the 12 team main event. The OC is a great vehicle for growth in this game and has to be managed within the scope of all overall offerings. That event in itself feeds more folks to the main event than any other.

[DOUGHBOYS]

The OC is a FAAB event. That fact alone, drives several would-be 12 team customers away.
Whether it be 12 team or 15 team, a three pack either way could be decided on FAAB/no FAAB.

I'll partner in the OC.
If the 12 TEAM/60 Round draft was offered, I'd most likely take two or three teams. I bet I'm not alone on that line of thinking.