THE NFBC MAIN EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT AT 390 TEAMS!!

Gordon Gekko II · Post by **Gordon Gekko II** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 8:55 am

Sell them all out this week Greg!!! as eddie says BANG!!!!!!!!!!!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:03 am

Originally posted by Gordon Gekko II:

Sell them all out this week Greg!!! as eddie says BANG!!!!!!!!!!! I saw the weather report on CNN at lunch and told my wife I needed to run to work and call everyone on the East Coast. It looks like nobody is getting outside there today and I'm catching everyone at home!! Unfortunately, the economy is keeping some of my East Coast customers home for the season, but I've been able to get a hold of enough and get us up to 336 signups. 54 to go!!!

billywaz · Post by **billywaz** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:41 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

quote:Originally posted by Gordon Gekko II:

Sell them all out this week Greg!!! as eddie says BANG!!!!!!!!!!! I saw the weather report on CNN at lunch and told my wife I needed to run to work and call everyone on the East Coast. It looks like nobody is getting outside there today and I'm catching everyone at home!! [/QUOTE]True dat Greg!! We are expecting anywhere from 6-10 inches in the Richmond area today which will put me out of work for AT LEAST 3 days!!!!

Bullgod · Post by **Bullgod** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:02 am

EIGHT SPOTS LEFT IN CHICAGO FOR THE MAIN EVENT!!!

Glad to have Pat Sorge of Schaumburg, Illinois back in the main event as he becomes our 52nd team in the Windy City. You'll remember Pat when you see him on Draft Day, that's for sure. In a post in the non-baseball forums, Pat posted this:

Topic: I won't be pulling my hair out on Draft Day:

Because I won't have any!!! My name is Pat Sorge and I have been in the NFFC for 2 years and this will be my 2nd year in NFBC. I have joined up with St. Baldrick's Foundation, which has an annual event in March to raise awareness and money for children with cancer. My (very small) sacrifice is to have my head shaved in public to show solidarity with children that lose their hair due to cancer treatment. What I'm hoping to do is raise money through my family, friends and associates. Then it dawned on me. There are many great folks that I compete against every spring (NFBC) and fall (NFFC). So I asked Greg and he said throw a message out here...Thanks Greg! Anyway here's the link to St. Baldrick's website where you can find more information on where your donations would go if you so choose.

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants ... 009-332562#

I usually don't do this sort of thing so I'm sorry if it offends anyone that I'm intruding on our fantasy board but I think this is a very worthy cause. Thank you for taking time to read this and I'll be the guy trying to grow his hair back at the draft in Chicago! Also I'll gladly buy a round of drinks to whoever donates! Atleast the Chicago group. Again thank you in advance and good luck this year guys and gals!

Sounds like a good cause. Pat's a good guy, so don't be afraid to support him if you can. Thanks all.

Thanks Greg!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:13 pm

Great news: We're glad to welcome Kevin Schiller of Los Angeles, California to the NFBC's main event in Las Vegas, bringing us within four spots of a 10th full league there. Welcome back to the NFBC Kevin.

And we now have 53 owners in Chicago, seven short of a fourth full league, thanks to the arrival of Thomas Greenwald of Carpentersville, Illinois. Welcome back Thomas.

Okay, FOUR GUARANTEED SPOTS LEFT IN LAS VEGAS.

SEVEN GUARANTEED SPOTS LEFT IN CHICAGO.

52 spots left overall. Let's fill the main event up and get these draft spots picked. Thanks all.

KJ Duke · Post by **KJ Duke** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:31 pm

Originally posted by Bullgod:

EIGHT SPOTS LEFT IN CHICAGO FOR THE MAIN EVENT!!!

Glad to have Pat Sorge of Schaumburg, Illinois back in the main event as he becomes our 52nd team in the Windy City. You'll remember Pat when you see him on Draft Day, that's for sure. In a post in the non-baseball forums, Pat posted this:

Topic: I won't be pulling my hair out on Draft Day:

Because I won't have any!!! My name is Pat Sorge and I have been in the NFFC for 2 years and this will be my 2nd year in NFBC. I have joined up with St. Baldrick's Foundation, which has an annual event in March to raise awareness and money for children with cancer. My (very small) sacrifice is to have my head shaved in public to show solidarity with children that lose their hair due to cancer treatment. What I'm hoping to do is raise money through my family, friends and associates. Then it dawned on me. There are many great folks that I compete against every spring (NFBC) and fall (NFFC). So I asked Greg and he said throw a message out here...Thanks Greg! Anyway here's the link to St. Baldrick's website where you can find more information on where your donations would go if you so choose.

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants ... 009-332562#

I usually don't do this sort of thing so I'm sorry if it offends anyone that I'm intruding on our fantasy board but I think this is a very worthy cause. Thank you for taking time to read this and I'll be the guy trying to grow his hair back at the draft in Chicago! Also I'll gladly buy a round of drinks to whoever donates! Atleast the Chicago group. Again thank you in advance and good luck this year guys and gals!

Sounds like a good cause. Pat's a good guy, so don't be afraid to support him if you can. Thanks all.

Thanks Greg!

Glanced at the financials, low mgt overhead for the size of the organization.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:24 am

We had a great day of signups yesterday and now have less than 50 spots left for the NFBC's main event. We added eight more teams in the last 24 hours and are getting closer to our goal of 390 teams. Our signup deadline is when we hit 390 teas, so don't delay!!

Anyway, thanks to Jim Cormier of Windermere, Florida and John Rundle of Pembroke, Massachusetts we're now over 340 teams overall. Welcome aboard guys and thanks for joining the NFBC main event. We're on our way to a sellout.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:19 am

Another returning team to Orlando brings us to 22 teams there and I know we have at least 1-2 teams from last year coming back soon. So we're getting there. C'mon, let's fill up this second main event league in Orlando and shut it down. Thanks all and welcome back Ryan Messick and Jonathan Schwartz.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:23 am

I think we have filled up the final $650 Auction League spot in Chicago. Hang tight, but it looks like a participant from last season could be returning there. Great news.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:22 am

Another main event signup for Orlando brings us to 23 owners there and over 340 overall. Welcome back John Kerr of Hurricane, West Virginia. Glad to have you back in Orlando.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:56 pm

We begin our 24th main event league tonight with the return of NFBC veteran John Wojtowicz of Cranford, New Jersey. That brings us to 101 teams in New York, leaving us four guaranteed spots for a full league. I've talked to several NY guys who are going to sign up this week, but I'd advise each of them to get on the board quickly if you want to part of this seventh full league. Thanks all.

We now have less than 45 spots left for the main event. Let's fill this up and GET IT ON!!!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:51 am

Here we go towards the finish line. We just received three confirmations for the main event from long-time NFBC members: John Paolucci in New York, Stephen Fiore in the online/phone league, and Rob Maysey/Greg Masters in the online/phone league. Awesome everyone. Great job and we're now headed towards a 24th full league as we're now in the 350's overall. Thanks all.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:00 pm

We're on a roll and have more than 355 paid signups for the main event right now. Here we go towards the finish line. Thanks all for the late entries today. Keep 'em coming.

Well, what do you think? Are we going to sell this main event out for a fifth straight year? Even in a down economy?

Quahogs · Post by **Quahogs** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:55 pm

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

We're on a roll and have more than 355 paid signups for the main event right now. Here we go towards the finish line. Thanks all for the late entries today. Keep 'em coming.

Well, what do you think? Are we going to sell this main event out for a fifth straight year? Even in a down economy? This says alot about how people feel about fantasy baseball.

It has weaved its way into the tapestry of people's spring/summer lives.

It's a constant companion from the first site of the buds on the trees to the first hint of fall colors in the leaves.

Win or lose the people come back. There's a kind of Cub fan mentality at play here. Could this be the year?

To quote John Fogerty...

"Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!

We're born again, there's new grass on the field."

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:50 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

We're on a roll and have more than 355 paid signups for the main event right now. Here we go towards the finish line. Thanks all for the late entries today. Keep 'em coming.

Well, what do you think? Are we going to sell this main event out for a fifth straight year? Even in a down economy? What is the relationship of new vs returning in 2009 compared to 2008? You seem to have always had a large number of loyal returners (repeat offenders, recidivism or whatever you want to call it

), so if you are able to hold onto ratio of returners, I think that is a good sign. To be honest, you have already exceeded (again) my expectations.

Great job and congratulations! You probably already mentioned this earlier, but is Meat gonna make it or is out doing a tour?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:12 am

Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

quote:Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

We're on a roll and have more than 355 paid signups for the main event right now. Here we go towards the finish line. Thanks all for the late entries today. Keep 'em coming.

Well, what do you think? Are we going to sell this main event out for a fifth straight year? Even in a down economy? What is the relationship of new vs returning in 2009 compared to 2008? You seem to have always had a large number of loyal returners (repeat offenders, recidivism or whatever you want to call it

), so if you are able to hold onto ratio of returners, I think that is a good sign. To be honest, you have already exceeded (again) my expectations.

Great job and congratulations! You probably already mentioned this earlier, but is Meat gonna make it or is out doing a tour? [/QUOTE]The return rate this year for the main event is unreal and is the saving grace of our event this year. I'll admit that we don't have as many new participants in the main event as past years, but the number of new participants for the online championship is through the roof. So we have definitely added a new spark to our overall event.

I can tell you right now we have over 75 percent of last year's participants back in the main event and we may finish closer to 80 percent, which is almost a record number for us. I track this every year and 75% is solid; 80% is fabulous.

Only one team from last year's Top 45 has not signed up this year. Only four from the Top 67 are not back and only 13 of the Top 113 are not back. Interesting, huh?

I've e-mailed Meat, but haven't gotten a reply from him in almost a year. I'm sure he's busy. Shame as he really loved our event the first three years, but the Bat out of Hell III tour has been three years long for him. He's the best, he really is. He autographed a baseball for me in 2005 and I have it at my desk. It says, "To Greg, Give me %" Meat Loaf

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:15 am

We now have our 24th full league for the main event, 360 owners overall, as Mark Fabiano of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania grabbed one of the last two spots in the phone/online league. Mark is new to the NFBC, but this was his only way to jump in and he's excited. That signup means it's time to count down from 30 to our final destination of 390. And we'll do everything we can to fill up each city perfectly. Thanks all. That means we have:

2 SPOTS IN LAS VEGAS

16 SPOTS IN NEW YORK

4 SPOTS IN CHICAGO

1 SPOT IN THE PHONE/ONLINE LEAGUE

7 SPOTS IN ORLANDO

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:35 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

I can tell you right now we have over 75 percent of last year's participants back in the main event and we may finish closer to 80 percent, which is almost a record number for us. I track this every year and 75% is solid; 80% is fabulous.For this type of event, for what folks have to do in order to participate, and for what we are going through in our economy right now, this is way past great! Kudos to the F&W for apparently making the right move at the right time (so unusual for American business these days) and partnering with NBC Sports.

Top Dawg · Post by **Top Dawg** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:25 am

Greg - This is utterly amazing. To be 100% honest with you, I thought the event would max out at maybe 300 teams. To be at 360 and with still 10 days or so until we all start begging for our draft positions; I would say is beyond belief given the overall economic climate.

Fan-frigging-tastic!

Pete

billywaz · Post by **billywaz** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:59 am

All I want to say is Greg is a friggin machine!

He is on here morning, noon, and night, and I wouldn't be shocked if he is "cold calling" people to fill this up!

As someone new to baseball, it is much appreciated. Hopefully this fills up by this Monday (that is my prediction) as I could use my draft spot ASAP so I can try and not embarrass myself this year!

Hard Heads · Post by **Hard Heads** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:01 am

Originally posted by billywaz:

All I want to say is Greg is a friggin machine!

He is on here morning, noon, and night, and I wouldn't be shocked if he is "cold calling" people to fill this up!

As someone new to baseball, it is much appreciated. Hopefully this fills up by this Monday (that is my prediction) as I could use my draft spot ASAP so I can try and not embarrass myself this year!

You'll do just fine Waz as you have had satellite experience in a 15 team league. You have your Fantasy Football success you can rely on and I imagine you have wasted very little time researching baseball as good as you do football. Good Luck this year Billy!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:03 am

Originally posted by Top Dawg:

Greg - This is utterly amazing. To be 100% honest with you, I thought the event would max out at maybe 300 teams. To be at 360 and with still 10 days or so until we all start begging for our draft positions; I would say is beyond belief given the overall economic climate.

Fan-frigging-tastic!

Pete Thanks Pete. You helped us build this, so take some pride in this as well. We've come a long way since that wild 2004 debut. Now if we could just convince Will to jump back in, we'd be one spot closer to 390!!!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:07 am

Originally posted by billywaz:

All I want to say is Greg is a friggin machine!

He is on here morning, noon, and night, and I wouldn't be shocked if he is "cold calling" people to fill this up!

As someone new to baseball, it is much appreciated. Hopefully this fills up by this Monday (that is my prediction) as I could use my draft spot ASAP so I can try and not embarrass myself this year!

Thanks Billy. Yeah, I'm forced to sleep alone these days because I stay on the computer too late at night and get up at 4 or so to get back on the computer. It's hard to sleep when you know what is at stake. But don't worry about me, I'll get rewarded with a different kind of sleep in Las Vegas!!

The great thing about this strong response is that I feel as refreshed like never before. Tom and I are working hard but it's not the same feeling as it was in football when I was fighting a market that was willing to lose money, fighting my own customers with bad behavior on the boards, fighting the economy and fighting our own model with high guarantees. We set up lofty guarantees here in baseball, but this is such a dedicated customer base and the product is unique to the market that it's been a joy to assemble this contest this year. Very little pressure this time around and the Corona's will be very enjoyable for me in Vegas.

Thanks all and let's keep this going. We're not done yet!!

[ March 04, 2009, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Greg Ambrosius ]

billywaz · Post by **billywaz** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:16 am

Originally posted by Hard Heads:

quote:Originally posted by billywaz:

All I want to say is Greg is a friggin machine!

He is on here morning, noon, and night, and I wouldn't be shocked if he is "cold calling" people to fill this up!

As someone new to baseball, it is much appreciated. Hopefully this fills up by this Monday (that is my prediction) as I could use my draft spot ASAP so I can try and not embarrass myself this year!

You'll do just fine Waz as you have had satellite experience in a 15 team league. You have your Fantasy Football success you can rely on and I imagine you have wasted very little time researching baseball as good as you do football. Good Luck this year Billy! [/QUOTE]Thanks Craig!

I have a MUCH better grasp on things than I did last year at this time. All I need now is my draft spot to come up with a plan that will probably go down the tubes when I deviate from it in round two!

Best of luck to you also Craig, although I know you probably don't need it, as you are already one of the better players here.

Lost Sailor · Post by **Lost Sailor** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:28 am

But don't worry about me, I'll get rewarded with a different kind of sleep in Las Vegas!!

Sleepless sleep is certainly 'different'.

[ March 04, 2009, 10:28 AM: Message edited by: Lost Sailor ]