Food for thought regarding online championship

[Cocktails and Dreams]

I think this is a worthy discussion Chad, but I'm surprised that nobody is posting the same thing on the FFPC boards, where they have 840+ teams IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND!! And they are hoping for 10,000 teams soon and talking about it. So do we really stay small when competition is setting a bigger carrot each year?

I'll admit, I NEVER thought we'd get to 1,872 teams when I introduced the Online Championship in 2009. We began the $350 model in baseball with a goal of 300 teams and followed up that summer in football with a goal of 300 teams. I remember asking Ryan in August for some autographed items as incentives because I was concerned that we wouldn't reach our goal of 300 teams. At the end the signups poured in and by 2010 the competition copied our format and even told us they were copying it. Now between our two contests there are almost 6,000 teams competing at the $350 price point.

We currently have 320+ teams competing in the Championship Round for a shot at $100,000. As Jared said in another thread, the real value is in the NFFC Classic, where we have 54 teams competing for $75,000. And yes, I do think we can make the Online Championship better with more teams (better league payouts).

I'm happy to have this discussion here about the future's format, but I'd love to see those same people competing in both Online Championships have that discussion on BOTH boards. Telling us to not get bigger or to not offer bigger grand prizes because this is big enough puts us at an unfair advantage in a VERY competitive area of the HSFF marketplace.

I am certainly not telling you to do something that would reduce or hinder your business. I am not sure I would even want it, as I mentioned. And it seems you believe that it would hinder it, which you are probably correct. If so, then I would say don't do it. As for posting it here and not there, I just personally like the activity of this board more than that one. And there has been a lot of discussion about change on many levels. Has nothing to do with wanting you to do something, and them not to do something. If anything, I would want them to before you as the "problem", for lack of a better term, is greater there.

Having been a huge part of the FFOC, I can speak for many in saying that was one of the most exciting formats ever. Partially due the million bucks obviously, which is not happening again. Thrill of a lifetime, and most expensive bad beat of a lifetime. Will never forget that game or that experience, or Deangello freaking Williams. Would be a good opportunity for the NFFC to introduce it back into the high stakes market. I would be happy to brainstorm with anyone if it seems like a feasible thing.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Already brainstorming on that Chad. Good feedback.

I know you're not telling us to do something that could hurt us competitively and I agree with everything you've said above. We'll figure this out and do the right thing, but yes we are talking with industry partners right now to find ways to grow this $350 market even more. We almost doubled the number of teams from last year and with the right payout structure I think this contest can grow and grow. Making sure it doesn't grow out of hand is an important point, but so far the industry doesn't seem to object.

[philpo]

Greg here is my 2 cents I see what you are saying about the competition getting bigger I think your are better off letting the online contest grow and I would implement a cutline system like the FFOC had except i would have each team advancing with their weekly scoring average from the regular season. Having that many teams in the playoffs is a lottery ticket but with the cutline it would start eliminating some of the teams each week and that playoff format is very exciting watching the cutline move with each game.

[CALI CARTEL]

greg what is the cut line for the online .

There is no Cutline, we're discussing potential remedies for the exploding size of the Online Championship -- on the cool formats that was introduced by the FFOC a few years back was a Weekly Cutline in the Playoffs, where if you didn't finish in the Top X% of teams for the week, you were eliminated. It was really cutthroat as even the best team in the whole thing could lay an egg and be eliminate in any given week -- but the excitement of watching your team approach and creep across the Cutline on Monday Night was awesome, and vice-versa the agony of watching your teams with no MNF players creeping downward towards the cut. It really was a awesome setup that could be somewhat implemented here -- again I'd only like to see this in the Online, both the Classic & Primetime are small enough that a cut doesn't necessarily improve the game.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Greg here is my 2 cents I see what you are saying about the competition getting bigger I think your are better off letting the online contest grow and I would implement a cutline system like the FFOC had except i would have each team advancing with their weekly scoring average from the regular season. Having that many teams in the playoffs is a lottery ticket but with the cutline it would start eliminating some of the teams each week and that playoff format is very exciting watching the cutline move with each game.

I certainly can see where that format would work Phil. It's a very interesting concept.

I do think the Online Championship in its current format has room for further growth on its own and we have a few plans in place to spread the word. I also like the Cutline Championship idea as a separate contest. There was nothing wrong with FFOC's concept or technology (done by Fanball); it was the outrageous financial plan that just wasn't going to work unless you had 25,000+ teams at $100 each.