NFBC To Offer Online Option For NFBC Main Event

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:41 am

We are expanding our live events this year to more locations than ever before, appearing in five different cities on two different weekends. Along with our mainstays of Las Vegas, New York and Chicago, we will also host live drafts in St. Louis and Atlantic City.

But even though we are offering all of these live events, we will still offer an online option for the NFBC main event on Saturday, March 27th. We realize that we have many participants who just can't make it to the live event for one reason or another but who still want to be involved in the battle for the $100,000 grand prize. We are allowing that chance again this year, but only on the second weekend of drafts.

Those drafts will be held online with more details to come soon. NFBC members can sign up for the Classic by:

Clicking on any Sign Up Now link

Logging in as a returning user or signing in as a new user

Under Game select CLASSIC

Then under Venue select Online

Select the time (there is only one option)

Then choose payment method and hit Sign Me Up Now!

We have held off on this announcement only because our primary goal has been to upgrade the live draft venues and grow our live events business. The NFBC is primarily a live events contest and that's been our focus throughout the last three months. But we also realize that for a number of reasons, folks just can't make it to the live events and with us moving out of Florida this year it does put some folks in a tough spot to compete with us. We don't want to just close them out of the main event, so this option is now available.

We admittedly are stretched for staff at this time, but we solved that today and will announce that next. We are not going to include the phone option as part of this, but we will have one person on call for these leagues and they will run as smoothly as an online satellite league we offer. Cost is $1350 including a $50 Events Fee and online members will get the same giveaways as those at the live events (via mail).

These leagues will be filled separately from the live events, so the first 15 teams are guaranteed a spot and then the next 15. Last year we had two full online main event leagues. After filling up the first two leagues, we'll see if it makes sense to go beyond that, so first-come, first-serve for this one. Get in early if you want to make sure you get a spot in the online option for the main event.

Thanks for your patience all and good luck.

Auction King · Post by **Auction King** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 12:41 pm

Hi Greg,

this is great news, especially in light of the economy and layoffs and such. Any chance there will also be an online league or two for the $800 mixed auction league?

Raskol · Post by **Raskol** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:31 am

Great news, Greg. Maybe I'll have an entry in the big dance this year after all.

Cornhusker · Post by **Cornhusker** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:35 am

An online option for the auction championship would be great if possible. I would definitely sign up.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:08 pm

Originally posted by Auction King:

Hi Greg,

this is great news, especially in light of the economy and layoffs and such. Any chance there will also be an online league or two for the $800 mixed auction league? We'll see. We'd have to see compatible software to make this work. At this point there is no plan for that, but we'll see.

GYOZTES · Post by **GYOZTES** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:10 pm

Will the online option be run on MDC?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:39 pm

Originally posted by GYOZTES:

Will the online option be run on MDC? We'll announce those plans shortly. We're still working through a few things.

GYOZTES · Post by **GYOZTES** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:25 am

Greg-What are your plans for the online option if there are 58 teams? (as an example) What are you going to do with the 13 teams at the end?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 7:26 am

Originally posted by GYOZTES:

Greg-What are your plans for the online option if there are 58 teams? (as an example) What are you going to do with the 13 teams at the end? We won't have 58 teams. We closed out each date when we got to a full multiple of 12 teams and moved on. That's what we'll do again. We knew when the multiple of 12 was at it's peak and closed it out. That's what we'll do again. If we are wrong on any, all teams that weren't in a full league will be refunded and/or asked to pick another date. Pretty easy.

bustouts · Post by **bustouts** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:12 am

Greg,

I'm not one to nit pick but this is contrary to everything you have ever done. Unless I'm missing something, this will give individuals the opportunity to basically hand pick their own league by signing up together. A draft can definitely be "rigged" for the lack of a better word by doing it this way. Am I missing something? Wouldnt you be better offering some type of joint draft for both weekends. You would get a lot more people which is what you want and you could form the leagues randomly like you do live.This will also give the opportunity to players who want to have 2 teams.

GYOZTES · Post by **GYOZTES** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:58 am

I am referring to the main event. Isn't that what this thread is? 15 teams, not 12?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:13 am

Originally posted by GYOZTES:

I am referring to the main event. Isn't that what this thread is? 15 teams, not 12? Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were referring to the Online Double Play.

As for the main event online, yeah, again, we'll be smart and try to cut it off at a full multiple of 15, whether that's 30, 45 or 60. We are going to do all we can this year to have full leagues in all areas and if not we'll hook up two venues. In your example, maybe one of them is online and NY or LV or CHI. We'll see. But I think we'll sell out all 405 spots and thus we'll be able to close out some venues quicker than others when we get to multiples of 15 and move on. That's the goal this year, so plan ahead.

It will be tough to do any phone hookup at Citi Field or Cubby Bear Wrigleyville, so trust me, we are closing them off in March when we feel we've reached a comfortable full league level. The phone options are more limited this year because of the unique venues we have.