What Is Going To Happen To High-Stakes Fantasy Football?

Baker Boy · Post by **Baker Boy** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 7:48 pm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:
It's a weird time right now. I'm reading and agreeing with Lenny's comments, but those are on another contest's boards. The founder of the WCOFF is writing on a competitor's boards and getting attacked for sticking up for Dustin. Very weird indeed. But in many ways I do agree with what he says. Lenny's a good guy and this has to be painful to watch. Dammit Lenny, we should have done that deal together in 2002 like we planned!!

Then none of this would have happened.

QUOTE]

I just came across this tonight and I think you may have missunderstood what was being said on the FFPC board. I certainly wasn't attacking Lenny. He wrote we on our message board should be more charitable towards Dustin and his situation and some of us disagreed. To be fair he is right . What is there left to say? Give Dustin 6 weeks, hope he gets it fixed, and takes truth serium before he writes on his message board again.

I also think you did an excellent job on your payouts this year. Gee you told people that were gonna get paid , when they were gonna get paid and they did. I like that you (Greg) have more control now and I'm gonna get a main event team here this year.

[ May 01, 2011, 01:51 AM: Message edited by: Baker Boy ]

Glenneration X · Post by **Glenneration X** » Sun May 01, 2011 12:27 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:
quote:Originally posted by BillyWaz:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:
[qb] [QUOTE]Originally posted by BONGIZMO:
[qb] Where are these package deals, Greg???

I'm anxious to commit some of my fantasy $$$.

That is unless KOQ already gobbled up all of the package deal $$$! If you click on any of the SIGN UP NOW buttons or go to your HOME link in the green navigational bar and then pull down to Signups, you'll see it right there on the registration page. There's a pulldown that says Choose package with three options:

2-Pack: (NFFC Classic and NFFC Primetime Main Events or 2 of each for $2,800, no Events Fees and no Co-Manager Fees, a savings of up to $200)

3-Pack: NFFC Main Event, NFFC Auction Championship and NFFC Draft Champions Championship for $3,100. Again, no Events Fees, no Co-Manager fees for each, for a potential savings of up to $300

NFFC Online Championship 3-Pack: Three Online Championship entries for $1,000, a savings of $50.

These packages will be good through July 1st for anyone who commits early. The Events Fees are still the lowest in the industry, yet with the live event expenses continuing to rise each year we need to have these. If you know you're going to be competing with us in multiple events, feel free to sign up early, secure your spots and save some money. We still don't need your registration fees until Aug. 1st, so everyone wins.

Thanks all and check out everything. We sure have a lot to offer in 2011. [/QUOTE]No 4-pack?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun May 01, 2011 2:27 am

4-Packs are now being offered!!!

Just email me what that fourth or fifth or sixth live event is and we'll waive the co-manager and Events Fees if you sign up by July 1st. The whole incentive program is to reward owners who sign up early for multiple events and it continues with 3+. Thanks Glenn and trust me, we'll make it happen.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun May 01, 2011 2:40 am

Originally posted by Baker Boy:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:
It's a weird time right now. I'm reading and agreeing with Lenny's comments, but those are on another contest's boards. The founder of the WCOFF is writing on a competitor's boards and getting attacked for sticking up for Dustin. Very weird indeed. But in many ways I do agree with what he says. Lenny's a good guy and this has to be painful to watch. Dammit Lenny, we should have done that deal together in 2002 like we planned!!

Then none of this would have happened.

QUOTE]

I just came across this tonight and I think you may have missunderstood what was being said on the FFPC board. I certainly wasn't attacking Lenny. He wrote we on our message board should be more charitable towards Dustin and his situation and some of us disagreed. To be fair he is right . What is there left to say? Give Dustin 6 weeks, hope he gets it fixed, and takes truth serium before he writes on his message board again.

I also think you did an excellent job on your payouts this year. Gee you told people that were gonna get paid , when they were gonna get paid and they did. I like that you (Greg) have more control now and I'm gonna get a main event team here this year. Thanks and welcome back to the NFFC. I think it's going to be a great, great season if those damn greedy owners get out of the way and hopefully we can all enjoy the upcoming season.

I understood that thread and I did agree with Lenny that some of the posts were a bit below the belt on the personal level, but hey, I totally understand the frustration of the players. What could be more frustrating than finally winning a league title, celebrating the accomplishment and then finding out that there's a reason you're not getting paid? And you don't even know that reason, yet someone is using funny language to explain why it's okay and that you should trust in them?? I feel the frustration and I totally understand it.

The difference between our situation and the WCOFF right now is that I continued to be active on the boards during our sale and I continued to answer every question our owners posed to us. Liberty did a great job of giving me a time table for the acquisition of assets and I was able to somewhat translate that info to our customers. The football payouts were held up until the end of February in the NFFC because of the sale, but everyone knew what was coming and when it was coming and trusted in us. There was a level of confidence that things would actually work out better than before and everyone felt like they were in the circle of information being provided.

John Zaleski and Shawn keep posting about a "sale" but Dustin just mentioned a "transaction." Zaleski's post that the "cancer" is gone means someone within the organization was a cancer??? Very vague and confusing for anyone who trusted in the WCOFF. I'm not sure anyone knows what is actually taking place in 30-45 days and thus the growing frustration. If it's a "sale" then he should be able to provide the same information we did during that sale. I hope Dustin does because the control of information (or lack of information) is what is leading to the personal attacks and growing frustration by WCOFF owners. Truthful information -- good or bad -- is the solution to that problem.

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sun May 01, 2011 4:03 am

Well said Greg. It is sad to see what is happening overthere (as well as to be experiencing it personally) but a number of us saw the warning signs these past few years and in my case I went to the well once to often.

The attacks between members has gotten uglier by the day especially as many who support it (and in many cases have personal interests in WCOFF) continue to fight back at those that are unpaid and frustrated.

Long time friendships/acquaintances are in some cases I feel permantly altered and that's a shame. I just have a tough time with those that keep trying to play the poor Dustin card when so many are unpaid and I am seeing him having entered poker tourneys in April, playing some golf tournies that same month while some posters are talking of cancelling trips, selling items because they don't have their cash.

I have stopped bothering to throw this out over there as it just creates a flame fest that serves no purpose but imho, there are some folks in WCOFF that are 100% in a state of denial and going through this situation with blinders on.

Scott

[ May 01, 2011, 10:05 AM: Message edited by: BONGIZMO ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun May 01, 2011 5:07 am

I hear you Scott and I feel bad for you and everyone else who is owed money. What the WCOFF needs right now is ONE strong voice telling the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. This last week has caused so much confusion that I'm not sure ANYONE knows what is going on there. The 30-45 day "transaction" announcement did not achieve its goal and has now cast more untrust on Dustin and the WCOFF.

As a friend of Shawn's, I've told him to stop speaking for Dustin and taking the heat. He is a PLAYER first and foremost and it's up to Dustin to explain the current problems, not Shawn. I wish Shawn would leave the financial explaining to someone else. His last explanation that there was a bigger vision for the WCOFF than just 1,200 teams drafting in Las Vegas might make sense to some, but it's hard to explain the two years of major losses in baseball just to have a presence year-round when everyone knew what that would do to the cash flow for football. And any owner can have a bigger vision, but not at the expense of prize money. Shawn, let Dustin do the explaining, not you.

I think John has created more confusion this week as well. After disappearing for weeks on the message boards, he finally comes on the boards and talks about a "cancer" that has held back payments. I think I know who he is referring to, but I'm not sure this "cancer" is the whole problem if he saw what was happening and said "no more." Maybe I'm misinterpreting John's post, but he seems to think this "cancer" is gone now and all will be right, even though he admits on his post he hasn't talked to Dustin in three weeks. How can he know what this "transaction" is if he hasn't talked with Dustin in three weeks? And why doesn't he explain how the "cancer" caused the problem and what chemotherapy is now being administered to pay all of the winners? Three voices, three versions and no answers for the players. I feel bad for everyone because not everyone is on the same page.

If there really is a "transaction", you'd think anyone new coming in would see what is transpiring and would get ahead of the curve now, lawyers be damned. I certainly didn't want the NFBC and NFFC tarnished while I was negotiating for the acquisition of assets and I talked throughout the proceedings. You'd think this new group would be doing all it could through Dustin or John or Shawn or someone to right the ship until a new Captain is on board. I know that's what I'd be doing. I certainly wouldn't be going silent and letting competitors take the next 45 days of signups.

I agree, it's time for the players to let this play out. Nobody is coming forth because of all the rhetoric and all points have been made. No industry trade association is going to be able to force their hand and only the BBB can help consumers. So hopefully a new "major announcement" is forthcoming in the weeks ahead so that all consumers will be paid. Then let competition take place and provide consumers with choices they can make on their own.

King of Queens · Post by **King of Queens** » Sun May 01, 2011 5:52 am

The "one voice" is sure to be tar and feathered, unless the two key questions are answered in no uncertain terms:

1. What exactly has transpired over the last 5-6 months that caused this mess?

2. When exactly will all winners be paid?

Anything else will only serve to further fan the flames.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon May 02, 2011 4:55 am

Originally posted by King of Queens:
The "one voice" is sure to be tar and feathered, unless the two key questions are answered in no uncertain terms:

1. What exactly has transpired over the last 5-6 months that caused this mess?

2. When exactly will all winners be paid?

Anything else will only serve to further fan the flames. I agree Glenn. It's very disconcerting to see that the answer to No. 2 remains so uncertain so long after the season has ended. A concrete schedule of when checks will be sent out needs to be established and relayed to all of the prize winners. They certainly deserve to know that much at the very least.

mkrucek · Post by **mkrucek** » Mon May 02, 2011 7:08 am

Originally posted by Tom Kessenich:
quote:Originally posted by King of Queens:
The "one voice" is sure to be tar and feathered, unless the two key questions are answered in no uncertain terms:

1. What exactly has transpired over the last 5-6 months that caused this mess?

2. When exactly will all winners be paid?

Anything else will only serve to further fan the flames. I agree Glenn. It's very disconcerting to see that the answer to No. 2 remains so uncertain so long after the season has ended. A concrete schedule of when checks will be sent out needs to be established and relayed to all of the prize winners. They certainly deserve to know that much at the very least. [/QUOTE]And that's the problem when you don't have any deal finalized yet. So hopefully they can get something done and these winners paid.

Erok · Post by **Erok** » Tue May 03, 2011 6:11 am

Here's my two cents on the Live High Stakes Leagues:

I personally do not like the HUGE disparities in the payouts between 1st & 2nd & 3rd, etc, for the league prizes or the overall prizes.......I know everyone wants to dangle the $100,000 to the winner or $200,000 for first place, but to then make 2nd place $12,000,etc....???

That is terrible IMO, especially since the playoffs can be a total crap shoot at that point in the season with a whole new bunch of variables. I would much rather see a league winner get $6000, 2nd get $3000, 3rd get $1000, or something like that.

Then for the overall prize something like 1st is $50,000 , 2nd is $30,000, 3rd is $20,000, and so on and so fourth. I realize that the playoffs are a total crap shoot and that your odds are not that good to win the main prize that is why I would rather play in several satellite leagues accumulating a bunch of little prizes with better odds of cashing something. I'm sure others will argue the opposite side but to me this is more logical. I also agree with the poster that said the entry for the live event should be $1,000. More than that is too expensive for one league, and it isnt a big deal to me if the grand prize gets $100,000 or not.

Its just easier now for me to do the online leagues from the comfort of my home being Ive gotten married and had two kids over the past several years. To spend close to $2K to travel and do the live event is really too tough nowadays.

If the live event was $800 or $1000 I really would consider doing it again. I think the top 3 should be paid out and you can even argue the Top 4. I look at FF as an investment as I am sure many of you guys do on here. I like to believe I can put myself in a position to cash a decent amount of $ in every league I do, even though I dont win it all. I dont have to be the champ. I am looking for return on investment if I finish 2nd or 3rd, etc...

Curious as to how you other guys feel about this.