NFBC New Schedule Due To Current Lockout Situation

[Greg Ambrosius]

THANKS MLB. THANKS ROB MANFRED. THANKS FOR NOT THINKING ABOUT YOUR FANS.

I'm frustrated as the lockout enters Day 91 today. I'm frustrated for a sport I've loved for decades. I'm frustrated for the fans. I'm frustrated for all the people who make a living at side jobs at the stadiums, around the stadiums, within the game. I'm as disappointed in the stewards of the games as I am frustrated by them. They do not care for the game of baseball at all or they would figure this out.

They are stewards of what was once called America's Pastime. Do they not care about this sport, which has lasted almost 150 years?? I guess not.

Okay, enough of that. Time to get down to the business of what we do now that Rob Manfred has officially cancelled the first week of the MLB season. Here's the NFBC's plan:

1) Reschedule New York and Chicago live events: Since the earliest the MLB season can now start is Thursday, April 7th, it makes no sense to host live events three weeks before Opening Day. We are officially rescheduling New York and Chicago as of today.

The good news is that both hotels are willing to accommodate new dates for us with no penalties. They view us as good clients and are willing to work with us. So the plan is to watch what happens this weekend with the negotiations, but if a deal is struck we will just flip these live events to the weekend of April 1-2 at the same venues. This would allow Las Vegas to be the first weekend of drafts and NY and Chicago the second weekend of drafts. We haven't guaranteed the space for those dates yet, but that's the plan for now if only the first week of the MLB season is cancelled. If this lockout goes longer into April, we will then look at new dates for New York and possibly Chicago.

2) Las Vegas Stays For Now: We will stay at the Bellagio for now for March 24-30. Yes, it would be 14 days from Opening Day, but if a deal gets done this weekend most of the free agents would be signed by then and we could still host live events. The Bellagio has also been fantastic with us and will allow us out of this contract if we need to cancel by next week. But for now we are staying in Las Vegas.

If more than the first week of the MLB season gets cancelled, then we will cancel the Bellagio drafts for that weekend. We don't want to host high-stakes live events more than 2 weeks before Opening Day. The Bellagio Convention Center is booked for all of April as many conventions rebooked for that month after cancelling in November and December. Bellagio officials will try to help us find new space at possibly Aria or Park MGM, but there are no guarantees right now. We'll work hard to find space when needed, but right now it's a moving target and it's impossible to do anything other than hold on for now.

So here's the decision: We are NOT cancelling Las Vegas at this point, but if more games get cancelled next week we will cancel Las Vegas. We are rescheduling New York and Chicago for now and hope those drafts can be held April 1-2. We still hope to host live events for all three cities, but we need baseball to give us a new Opening Day and then we'll tackle those dates with our hotel partners and with all of you.

3) We are still holding off on charging the delayed payments until we know if/when there will be a season. If you've already been charged and need to drop a team because of the new dates, just email me or Tom or Darik. We understand that not everyone's plans may work out now with the new schedule, but again we're at the mercy of this stupid lockout and can only do these live events once we know the date of a new Opening Day.

Thanks everyone for your patience and dedication. You HAVE to be a die-hard baseball fan to live through this mess. Let's all hang in there and hopefully we'll still have a full season and a full gathering in all three cities. Stay well and stay in touch.

[King of Queens]

Given the circumstances, this is truly the best possible news. Thanks for everything, Greg.

[Ultrarunner]

Thanks Greg. Will adjust fire as necessary. So
Much for the nice rates we got at the Stewart on Black Friday

[sfeschuk]

I can't imagine the stress and frustration that you guys have endured over the past two years. Truly, one thing after another. Yet you persevere. Here's hoping that once this lockout is in the past, the next few years of business are thoroughly predictable and utterly boring.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I can't imagine the stress and frustration that you guys have endured over the past two years. Truly, one thing after another. Yet you persevere. Here's hoping that once this lockout is in the past, the next few years of business are thoroughly predictable and utterly boring.

From your lips (or fingertips) to our ears!!! Organizing live events and guaranteeing big prizes in national contests is enough work, but MLB just adds so much stress to everything we're doing. But we're not alone in this position as there are vendors and stadium workers and restaurants and hotels and fantasy content sites and minor-leaguers and so many others that are affected by this greed. Again, the owners are the stewards of the game and there's enough money for both sides to prosper. I'm beyond frustrated right now, but I just think we all have to hang in there and hope this beautiful game returns. It has to. And it has to return soon or the damage could be irrepairable.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, we have turned off all NFBC Main Event Online leagues from March 19th through the 23rd and have added new dates for what will hopefully be the last week of Online drafts before Opening Day on Thursday, April 7th. If you want to draft as late as possible, please feel free to move your own teams when you'd like.

Just go to your My Teams page and click on the gear icon to the left of your team link. Then pull down to the date and time that you now want to draft and then hit Save. It's as easy as that. The control is all in your hands.

I know we have time to make changes, but we just didn't feel there was a need to host Main Event leagues three weeks out from Opening Day and wanted to get those last week options on Registration. Plan accordingly and again please make your own changes with the teams you already have purchased. With any luck, something will get done by Monday and we'll be looking at a new MLB start date.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, a few more adjustments:

* We will push the NFBC $2,500 and $5,000 Draft Champions league start dates back exactly one week for each one and hope that Opening Day starts on Thursday, April 7th. If it doesn't, we will have to re-evaluate all full leagues.

* With the flip of New York's schedule, the New York MTM Ultimate Invitational League is tentatively planned for Friday, April 1st at 8 pm ET. The goal would be to host similar schedules on Friday and Saturday, April 1-2 and hopefully even more events on Sunday, April 3rd.

* We don't have a suite yet for a kickoff Friday night party at the Bellagio, but will push harder for that once we know if we'll be hosting live events there March 24th. It's been extremely difficult to get space there for that weekend, but we'll keep trying.

Hope this helps.

[COZ]

I can't imagine the stress and frustration that you guys have endured over the past two years. Truly, one thing after another. Yet you persevere. Here's hoping that once this lockout is in the past, the next few years of business are thoroughly predictable and utterly boring.

Well said & I endorse the sentiments expressed. I remain optimistic the best is yet to come.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, I just heard from Deon at the Sheraton Northbrook and she also was very nice and sympathetic to what is going on. We have changed the live events dates to Friday-Saturday, April 1-2 and will still hold an Auction Championship on Friday at 4 pm CT and a Main Event on Saturday. We can hold another event after the Main if there's interest.

Again, this is the final weekend before what we hope is Opening Day on Thursday, April 7th. Could be a lot of fun, so plan accordingly.

Thanks again to the Northbrook Sheraton. All three hotels surprised us with their kindness and loyalty to us as good customers. Now let's get a new CBA and get this season rolling.

[Ultrarunner]

Thanks for your flexibility and responsiveness. Crossing fingers the MLB and MLBPA get this done. Looking forward to Vegas and a now delayed NYC

[Tom Kessenich]

Update on NY: They have space for March 31-April 2 for us so if we are able to re-schedule for those dates we have the space at the Stewart Hotel. Again, this is TENTATIVE so keep that in mind but if we are able to move forward with that schedule this would be our revised NY schedule of events:

Thursday March 31
6 pm ET $1,500 Auction
7 pm ET Main Event

Friday April 1
9 am ET $1,500 Auction
2:30 pm ET $2,500 Auction
4 pm ET $1,500 Auction
8 pm ET Main Event

Saturday April 2
Noon ET Main Event
5 pm ET $1,500 Auction
6 pm ET NY Ultimate

[Greg Ambrosius]

I don't want to jinx us, but if Buster Olney's report is true today that the MLBPA is willing to add a 14-team playoff it could finally resolve this stupid lockout. I know that none of us want to see 14 teams in the playoffs after a 162-game regular season, but right now that seems to be the chip that could win the owners' favor in this lockout.

And if it does turn the tide, our updated schedule would hold true. Thanks to everyone who is already signed up for Las Vegas and is willing to go as the First Weekend this year as not a single person has backed out of a league. We have some conflicts in New York for March 31-April 1 and may have an opening or two in some full auctions and maybe the Ultimate League, but I'm confident we'll fill those if needed. Stay tuned and be ready for a blitz of info from us once we know what the new Opening Day is going to be. If it's Thursday, April 7th, we're going to have some fun despite the one-week delay.

Fingers crossed everyone. Hopefully we can make this work.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I wish there was something we could report about the upcoming live events, but we are getting no direction from Major League Baseball today. Maybe we find out that another week of games will be canceled tomorrow or maybe the two sides will surprise us and land in the middle on the CBT numbers. Apparently the CBT is the holdup of a deal, which is asinine in itself. To think that the Competitive Balance Tax -- which does nothing to creative competitive balance in Major League Baseball -- is holding our game hostage right now is ASININE!!

Anyway, we will hold out hope that we can still host Las Vegas live events in a couple of weeks. From many of the people that I've talked to, they likely are going to Las Vegas March 24-27 with or without NFBC live events, so rescheduling Las Vegas makes it tough if we want full leagues across the board. We'll make that decision once we know more and talk to more people, but don't be afraid to email me what you plan to do if you're already scheduled to go to Las Vegas. Again, our hope is that a new Opening Day will be announced in the next week and we can still host Las Vegas March 24-27. New York and Chicago will be just before Opening Day if at all possible.

I'll keep refreshing Twitter for MLB news, but as of today it's Stone Cold Silence. So frustrating. Hang in there with us a little longer everyone and hopefully this dispute doesn't ruin a big portion of this season.

[Wolfpac]

This is a thought? We are drafting online championships now right? And the deal is in place that if the season is less than 100 games those contests would be refunded. Would anyone be still interested to draft main events under the same pretense? Personally I would.

Thoughts?

[Red Sox Nation-]

I'd also be willing to draft in Vegas if we have an unknown start date. We have the 100 game minimum rule and I'd suggest a FAAB period the Sunday prior to Opening Day. It's not ideal but it beats the alternative for me.

[Rickerbocker]

I wish there was something we could report about the upcoming live events, but we are getting no direction from Major League Baseball today. Maybe we find out that another week of games will be canceled tomorrow or maybe the two sides will surprise us and land in the middle on the CBT numbers. Apparently the CBT is the holdup of a deal, which is asinine in itself. To think that the Competitive Balance Tax -- which does nothing to creative competitive balance in Major League Baseball -- is holding our game hostage right now is ASININE!!

Anyway, we will hold out hope that we can still host Las Vegas live events in a couple of weeks. From many of the people that I've talked to, they likely are going to Las Vegas March 24-27 with or without NFBC live events, so rescheduling Las Vegas makes it tough if we want full leagues across the board. We'll make that decision once we know more and talk to more people, but don't be afraid to email me what you plan to do if you're already scheduled to go to Las Vegas. Again, our hope is that a new Opening Day will be announced in the next week and we can still host Las Vegas March 24-27. New York and Chicago will be just before Opening Day if at all possible.

I'll keep refreshing Twitter for MLB news, but as of today it's Stone Cold Silence. So frustrating. Hang in there with us a little longer everyone and hopefully this dispute doesn't ruin a big portion of this season.

Asinine is 100% correct and the best word to describe this nonsense! First, let's just pretend for a moment the intent of the CBT was for competitive balancing, the numbers holding up the deal would equate to ONE win in the standings. ONE WIN! So, it is asinine. MLB needs to move off the CBT of $220m to $230m, and then increase 2.5% each year. Move the arbitration pool from $80m to $40m. Go to a 14 team playoff, MLB make rule changes within 45 days, and get the deal done. It's ludicrous, because that's about where the deal is going to land, whether it's tomorrow or 3 weeks from now (or a MONTH AGO). So, GET THE FRICKIN DEAL DONE MLB & MLBPA. GET IT DONE!

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, today is the day that baseball will be saved!!!

At least that's how I'm writing the movie script!! After shooting themselves in the foot for 97 straight days, the MLBPA and MLB owners have a chance to save their lives by agreeing to a deal that nobody likes today. There's no other option. Either both sides give and take a little over these last few millions or the entire sport crumbles to the ground. That's what is at stake today.

I'm an optimist, so I believe both sides will eat crow and get it done. Again, there's just too much at stake and both sides have compromised to get to this point. To not get to the finish line when the CBT difference has been shaved between $229 million and $238 million would be even more asinine than the last 97 days have been. Yes, the owners need to come up on the CBT for Years 2 through 5, but that can be done once Year 1 is approved. This is going to get done because it HAS TO GET DONE!!

So we are planning today as if a full season is coming your way with Opening Day on either April 7th or April 8th. If that's the case, we are ramming forward with the same guaranteed prizes and same schedule that we announced last week. The Bellagio is still ready to host us from March 24th through the 27th and we'll be around on Monday-Tuesday March 28th and 29th if people want to do more live events. We have space at the Stewart Hotel for Thursday, March 31st through Saturday, April 2nd if the demand is there and we have space at the Sheraton Northbrook for Friday-Saturday, April 1-2 as well. That's the plan for the live events.

Again, we raised this year's grand prizes in the Main Event and the Rotowire Online Championship to $175,000 and $150,000, respectively, before a 97-day lockout took place and we are keeping those prizes there even though it will be very difficult to reach our goals now. We've lost a lot of draft days for the OC and we've already refunded a few Main Event teams, so this could be a tough year. But hopefully if the deal gets done today and free agent signings put baseball back on the sports map that baseball fans will give the NFBC another look and compete this year. We sure hope so.

We're updating Registration with new drafts the week of April 1-7, so get ready. Hopefully we have 30 days of a mad rush to finish this drafting season and to kick off a full 162-game Major League Baseball schedule. Fingers crossed that today goes well and baseball is saved.

If not, the movie script changes to a different ending where Thanos kills all of the Avengers (that's for Tom). We'll know how it ends shortly, so keep the faith and let's hope for a full season starting in 4+ weeks. See ya soon.

[mdecav]

So as Opening Day gets pushed, what is the plan with the Cutline format?

[Greg Ambrosius]

NOW WHAT?

In the 19 years since I created the NFBC in the Fall of 2003, I've had to answer that question more times than I want to remember. I think we've found a good answer each time that question has been posed, but this time it seems more dire than ever before.

So with the owners killing another week of the 2022 regular season yesterday, NOW WHAT?

Here's what I'll say: Please be patient. Please wait one more day before doing anything. Please don't give up on baseball or the NFBC just yet.

I may be an optimist, but I think something positive happens today. I think the owners reacted too quickly yesterday in killing a second week of the regular season and I think those games can still be made up on the schedule for a full 162-game season. I think Opening Day can still be April 7th or April 8th and that we can still host Las Vegas and New York City and Chicago. Again, I'm an optimist, but the players made a fair proposal yesterday and I think that will bare out today.

I've had multiple people email me overnight to ask me to cancel their live event entries. It's enough to really affect several key events that could force us to really take a hard look at some of these events. I'm asking each of them and all of you to please give it one more day, to please see if yesterday's news was an over reaction or if we really are looking at Opening Day after April 14th. If that's the case, then tomorrrow or tonight we'll answer NOW WHAT GREG?

Fair enough? I think something positive happens today and we have a clearer idea of what the 2022 season is going to look like. I beg for a few more hours before we make a call on the live events and the season ahead. Is that a deal? Thanks all if so.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, our patience looks like it's going to pay off. A deal is on the horizon between MLB owners and players. IT'S GOING TO GET DONE NOW!!!

We have to see what the new Opening Day will be and how they are going to construct this 162-game season before making our final decisions, but if a deal gets done today we are definitely going forward with Las Vegas and will contact everyone currently signed up to make sure they are still on board with the timeline. Again, let's see what the schedule looks like, but Las Vegas IS ON!!!

We'll finalize New York City and Chicago live events once we have the Opening Day date as well, but April 1-2 still looks like the best bet. If Opening Day is Monday, April 11th or later, then we'll see if April 1-2 is still the best timeline.

It's GREAT NEWS if we can get a deal today and MLB Network's Tom Verducci said that free agent signings could happen as soon as tonight. That could be wild.

We hope everyone in the NFBC community sticks around for the 2022 season. We obviously lost a lot of draft dates because of this stupid 99-day lockout, but we are NOT changing our guaranteed grand prizes for any of our contests. I'm not sure we can hit our goals with the Main Event, Online Championship, Cutline Championship, Online Auction Championship or even the DC National Championship, but we aren't changing anything now. We'll push as hard as we can over the next 28-30 days and hope that everyone supports our contests. We'll deal with the fallout of the numbers if we fall short, but it's time to PLAY BALL!!

Don't fail us now MLB owners and players. Get this deal done today. Set a new Opening Day. And let's play 162 games. Thanks everyone for your patience throughout this lockout mess. America's Pastime will be back soon.

[Greg Ambrosius]

So as Opening Day gets pushed, what is the plan with the Cutline format?

So first FAAB deadline for Cutline needs to move back one week for sure and we're doing that now. We'll update text with that shortly. Once we know Opening Day and what the schedule looks like then we'll update the Cutline regular season if needed. It might not be needed; we'll see.

Guillotine schedule will also need to be adjusted and we'll do that once we know the new schedule.

First FAAB for Main Event, OC and all other season-long contests should also move back one week to Sunday, April 3rd. We'll post that and adjust that shortly.

Now let's see when Opening Day actually is.

[COZ]

https://youtu.be/JW3N82SwiMg

[Greg Ambrosius]

GAME ON!!!!! PLAYBALL!!!

We are all so emotional right now that it's impossible to put how we feel right now. Let's just get to work and make our 19th NFBC season the best one possible for all of you and for our product. Here we go.

Okay, it looks like Opening Day is Thursday, April 7th. We will set the contests up accordingly and once we do that we'll have more information. We don't know if there are day games that day or just night games, but the schedule will reflect whatever comes.

Las Vegas is on as scheduled. We've lost a few people in certain contests over the last day and I'll email each group shortly to make sure we're still a go for these. But nothing changes on the schedule. We'll open on Thursday night and can host live events through Monday, March 28th. Plan accordingly. However, one thing: We have space for only 105 teams and 7 leagues for the Main Event on Saturday, March 26th at 11 am PT. We have 63 teams entered now, so if you want to be part of that great day and honor Hall of Famer John Pausma before the drafts, sign up soon and secure your spot. We don't have enough space for more than 7 leagues.

Chicago is set up for April 1-2. Dean Peterson is moving to Wisconsin later this year, but is more than willing to host these events for us this year. We'll see about future years without Dean there. We really need to fill a Main Event and hopefully a $1500 Auction Championship to keep returning to Chicago each year, so let's get it done this year. We are now the weekend before Opening Day, so let's fill each one and honor Hall of Famer John Pausma in a special way. Who's up for it?

New York City is set for March 31-April 2. The Stewart Hotel doesn't have space on Sunday for us, but we'd love to host something that day. We added Thursday to replace Sunday if anyone can do multiple Mains that weekend, but we'll keep looking for space. We sure would love to have a full weekend of live events in New York City this year the weekend before Opening Day. Let's get it done.

That's it. BASEBALL IS BACK BABY!!! Let's go.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Brady Tinker just booked his flight to Las Vegas and will be with us the whole weekend, handling several auction leagues in spite of his bad, aging back!! Can't wait to get the band back together again!!

See you in Las Vegas everyone.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I might as well make one more post while I'm emotional right now:

NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER take the live events for granted. We've seen how fleeting it can be to see this great community of friends each year and how easily it can be taken away. We saw that in 2020 and we saw it again in 2021. We almost experienced it again this year.

I CAN'T WAIT to see everyone again. And I'm never taking it for granted. The live events are special, special, special and I realize that it's so easy to draft Online nowadays and I thank everyone who does. But getting together once a year at these family reunions and catching up with like-minded baseball nuts is something special. There's nothing else like it in our industry. Enjoy it every time you can.

Here's one example of why I say this: We had one of our best NFFC owners who always came to Las Vegas show up and draft in September and in October he died in his sleep. He was 38 years old. At no point did anyone ever think that he wouldn't be with us next year. And it was such a hectic weekend that many of us didn't even have enough time to share drinks with him and catch up. And now he's gone.

NEVER, EVER, EVER EVER take these live events for granted. Stay well everyone, enjoy the drafting season and I'll see many of you in Las Vegas and New York City. And if you had doubts about drafting live with us before, throw those thoughts out the window and join us. You won't regret it.