Last Of The Satellite Leagues Tonight

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:13 am

We have seven more NFBC satellite leagues to host tonight and then we're done for now. We'll likely offer second chance leagues at the All-Star break again, but after tonight it will be time to take a break.

Thanks to everyone who made this such a successful NFBC Satellite League season. Tom monitored most of these drafts and helped keep the banter flowing during the draft and he made sure everyone showed up for the draft. I did a few of these, but nowhere near as many as Tom did. Tom Bartsch of our staff also helped out and will be monitoring a few tonight.

Special kudos to Geoff Stein and Jason Pliml of MockDraftCentral.com as they were the perfect hosts for our online leagues. We had very few technical problems this year and the site worked out great. The ADPs were an added bonus and one that I'm looking forward to implementing this football season. Great, great, great job guys.

I think we learned an awful lot from this satellite league season and we'll implement that knowledge next year. I think it's obvious that the online drafts can be expanded into an overall contest format like our main event and I trust we'll venture in that area next year at three levels: $125, $250 and $500. We need promotional help to make that happen and hopefully we'll have that before next off-season. We also know we can expand the number of NFBC Satellite leagues we currently offer and next year we'll add staff to be able to handle the demand in March. I'm sure we'll have even more offerings next year as we realize that not everyone can make it to our live drafts, and we also realize that some folks would rather draft online with our higher payouts.

If you have any suggestions for the satellite leagues or online championships for 2009, feel free to post them here. This year we hosted more than 60 satellite leagues and will manage over 100 leagues this baseball season. Our total prize payout will be over $900,000 this year, a record year for us. Congrats to everyone who made this possible and good luck to everyone this baseball season.

It looks like we'll need more space in our baseball issues next year for photos of league champs. All satellite league winners also get a chance to be pictured in the magazine, so good luck all and send those photos at season's end.

Spyhunter · Post by **Spyhunter** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:22 am

Greg,

Great job to all. a couple of thoughts:

1. Please keep the auction satellites, this is an incredible draft. The tech issues were way down this year, I think FA is on the right track so lets not lose hope!

2. How about a satellite where you bid with FAAB for draft spot?

3. Can we add a live $2500 mixed live auction in NY or Vegas?

4. How about one satellite that uses OBP instead of Avg?

Spy

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:27 am

I will admit, there is a chance we won't do satellite auction leagues next year or even for this football season. The technology and support just isn't there and it's a nightmare for us when we could be offering multiple satellite draft leagues. The auctions take one full person per league and it's 6-7 hours worth of aggravation. Sorry, but Tom and I are both leaning against that going forward.

KJ Duke · Post by **KJ Duke** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:42 am

Agree with Spy, the technology has finally stabilized to where it works pretty good. I'd like to see a couple of those lges continue.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:45 am

The problem with the auctions is every time there is at least one owner who has major issues on the site. It's never minor ones, it's always major ones. And if one owner ends up having a bad experience or ends up with an auction team they didn't even bid for (which basically happened to Jack Haan this year) it simply isn't worth it.

I know you guys love auctions and I wish we could offer them in a way that ran without any glitches. But that isn't the case right now and because of that I think Greg and I need to really think about whether we want to do these going forward for both baseball and football My vote at the present time is to say no but Greg's the boss.

Nutty Scrats · Post by **Nutty Scrats** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:30 am

Tom. I think there is one more Saturday because I'm suppose to be in it (LOL), correct?

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:46 am

Originally posted by Nutty Scrat:

Tom. I think there is one more Saturday because I'm suppose to be in it (LOL), correct? Many people do not realize it but Lance Turbes only drinks on days nutty writes the word LOL in a post.

Liquidhippo · Post by **Liquidhippo** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:53 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

I will admit, there is a chance we won't do satellite auction leagues next year or even for this football season. If there's a chance you won't, it logically follows that there is a chance you will! YES!!

Long live the auction!

Just add to the entry fee that each participant must also buy you a Corona in Vegas.

The Auction must go on! The plebs will riot if they cease!

graybros · Post by **graybros** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:39 am

Enjoyed my annual NFBC satellite draft for the 2nd year last night. Everything went as smooth as possible and the MDC software is great.

Looking forward to the overall contest format next year for satellites.

I was wondering if you could start message boards for satellite leagues like there are for the "Big Boy" leagues. Some good banter is always a great part of fantasy sports and I would love to hear what that guy was thinking for drafting Carlos Gomez in the 10th round.

Josh R · Post by **Josh R** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:41 am

my only recommendation would be is too use the satellite league forum for all kds deadlines and draft orders. It sometimes is easy to miss these especially if its a busy news day or if you havent checked in a couple days.

Thats even pretty minor and wouldnt stop me from playing or anything, I think everything works pretty smoothly.

Nutty Scrats · Post by **Nutty Scrats** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:08 pm

Originally posted by Chest Rockwell:

quote:Originally posted by Nutty Scrat:

Tom. I think there is one more Saturday because I'm suppose to be in it (LOL), correct? Many people do not realize it but Lance Turbes only drinks on days nutty writes the word LOL in a post. [/QUOTE]Chest. Lance has always blamed me for his habit!

Won't be the last time someone blames me for something but I have broad shoulders always room for more. As long as my wife doesn't keep blaming me for things! LMFAO

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:07 pm

LMFAO counts as lol to Lance.

[ March 26, 2008, 08:08 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]

sportsbettingman · Post by **sportsbettingman** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:34 pm

I was going to take the night off...but the LOL got the thirst a-goin'!!!

Thanks Nutty...it will be a more interesting night now!

~Lance

Parnelli · Post by **Parnelli** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:27 pm

Overall for Satellites, that is an awsome idea.

Dub · Post by **Dub** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:28 pm

Greg:

MDC is excellent. I think an overall for Satellites is a great idea!!!

Any possibility of next year moving to Monday and Thursday lineup changes?

Thanks

Keith

jim.s · Post by **jim.s** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:51 pm

I did 5 satellites (including 1 auction) and the main event. Superb moderating in all events. Please keep the satellite auctions -- they are great.

Nutty Scrats · Post by **Nutty Scrats** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:39 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

LMFAO counts as lol to Lance.

Dang! I thought me changing things up would help Lance out a little!

New strategy! Intervention!

Nutty Scrats · Post by **Nutty Scrats** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:40 am

Originally posted by sportsbettingman:

I was going to take the night off...but the LOL got the thirst a-goin'!!!

Thanks Nutty...it will be a more interesting night now!

~Lance Lance, I always got you back! You can count on me!

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:47 am

And on the 27th day of March a collective "WHEW!" is heard from Iola.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:01 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

And on the 27th day of March a collective "WHEW!" is heard from Iola.

That is sooooooo true. Seven satellite leagues last night and 60+ in the last four weeks was a lot. But honestly they couldn't have gone better and everyone for the most part was on time and prepared to draft. We'll tweak things a bit next year and add even more online opportunities.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:04 am

Okay, here's a question that Tom posed to me last night and one I'd like to ask here: Now that we're all used to MockDraftCentral.com and are prepared for those satellites, do you think it makes sense to lower the amount of time per pick from 90 seconds? Could we go down to 75 seconds per pick? 60 seconds? I know it's hard to sort and look for players at times, but it might cut down on the length of the baseball drafts and make the experience more enjoyable. Or do you think it would be too difficult to find players in 75 seconds (or 60)?

I'd be interested in everyone's feedback who has done the satellites this year as we may even go this route in football this summer.

KJ Duke · Post by **KJ Duke** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:25 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

Okay, here's a question that Tom posed to me last night and one I'd like to ask here: Now that we're all used to MockDraftCentral.com and are prepared for those satellites, do you think it makes sense to lower the amount of time per pick from 90 seconds? Could we go down to 75 seconds per pick? 60 seconds? I know it's hard to sort and look for players at times, but it might cut down on the length of the baseball drafts and make the experience more enjoyable. Or do you think it would be too difficult to find players in 75 seconds (or 60)?

I'd be interested in everyone's feedback who has done the satellites this year as we may even go this route in football this summer. I think its good as is. Most people most of the time draft much faster than 90 seconds, so it mainly provides a cushion to find a player or further consider certain picks based on who was just taken.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:30 am

90 seconds is too long.

I would be comfortable with 60, I'm guessing that newbies to MDC would like the extra 15 seconds. But then again if they were serious about their game they would have already mocked there anyway. One vote for 60 seconds.

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:57 am

60 or 75 definitely no on 90.

Josh R · Post by **Josh R** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:02 am

yes, please!! I dont want to make anyone go fast but really, I think of it this way...

3 picks before your own, you should have it narrowed down to a top 4. This way you get for sure one of them. Most likely the 3 in front of you will take around 2 mins. Plus, as each of their picks come around, you can narrow it down even further.

As a guy who rarely goes over 10 seconds, I would love to see 60 seconds, but 75 would be a great compromise as well. I bet it would shave off at least 30 mins off a draft time.