Thoughts On Multiple Draft Dates For Main Events

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:23 am

Every year since we started the NFFC in 2004 as the industry's first multi-city high-stakes event, we've made sure that each city drafted at the exact same time to make sure that no owner gained an advantage. In fact, I was so precise that in the early years I'd call up each city to make sure we started at exactly the same time. Now everyone knows we start right at the top of the hour and we don't wait for anyone in any city.

But it seems like we're a dinosaur when it comes to running the main event like we do. We have one draft date, one draft time for our main events and everyone drafts under the same conditions. One shot to draft and win the NFFC Classic and one shot to draft and win the NFFC Primetime.

Now don't get me wrong as this isn't a complaint against the other high-stakes contests in our market, but as I perused the other sites this week I realized that nobody else is hosting just one main event draft time anymore. WCOFF is hosting a live draft on Friday night, Sept. 11th and then a second session on Saturday, Sept. 12th. Two shots at the main event prize. The FFPC, co-owned by Dave Gerczak our defending NFFC Primetime champion and a solid member of the NFFC, is also running two sessions of their main event this year for the first time. The FFPC will run live drafts on Friday, Sept. 11th and a second online session on Saturday, Sept. 12th.

Heck, RotoBowl tops everyone by having a live draft on Sept. 12th and THREE online draft dates for the main event before then: Sept. 8th, 9th and 11th. Obviously there are many other online national contests that have several different draft dates, but that's understandable. Even our NFFC Online Championship has seven different draft dates.

So again, this isn't a complaint, just someone noticing a new trend in this ever-changing industry. Does anyone mind that national contests have now gone to multiple draft dates to allow the same folks to have multiple chances to win the grand prize? Is this good for national contests and its players? Are there any downsides to this? Upsides?

From a game operator's perspective, it's obviously easier to reach your goals by tapping the same loyal customers twice or three times or heck four times for the same entry fee. I'm not sure that's how we want to grow our contests, but I understand the rationale. I've always felt that if we want our customers to compete more with us, we'll offer new games with new prizes and more chances to show off their skills. Thus we've added the NFFC Primetime, Online Championship and more satellite league offerings. But I don't fault any game operator for adding more draft dates to cover those guaranteed overall prizes.

I'm just asking the loyal fantasy players this question: Is this the trend you want to see in this area of the market or not? And do you want to see the NFFC go that way down the road? Fill me in because while I was busy filling up our baseball event I barely noticed this trend over here in football. But I see it now and it's interesting, to say the least. Thanks all.

pizzatyme · Post by **pizzatyme** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:30 am

Greg, I was initially in the camp of it giving a big advantage to compete in multiple drafts with the same event. But now, I've come to believe that the scenarios are so fluid that it minimizes the advantage.

I was most worried about a huge ADP advantage when it came to mid and late round "gems". But with the unlimited multiple resources online, in print, and on TV, we're all really working from the same information. So, therefore, it all comes down to that particular draft.

I see no problem "tapping" into your client base. If they have the means then they should be able to spend it how they want.

Good topic!

RedRyder · Post by **RedRyder** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:50 am

Put me in the multiple draft dates camp.

If the NFFC did do multiple draft dates, what were you thinking? Would we have to sacrifice a DC or Auction to do a Main?

I'd love to see a Primetime date added to Friday night!!

Raiders · Post by **Raiders** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:16 am

Greg,

Why not have drafts on Friday, a 3rd draft on Saturday and more on Sunday. To be honest I'm not sure if I would do a 2nd team, but I would look things over. For me it would be the 3rd on Saturday and go for the three drafts in one day.

So I'm all for having more draft times and more teams. Business wise it makes sense.

RotoBowl I would not call a High Stakes League, but that's just me.

John

Ted's Cracked Head · Post by **Ted's Cracked Head** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:21 am

I would "prefer" there be one draft day for the Live Main Events.

The two mains listed above are in competition with each other and trying to force players to make the tough choices when deciding on which events to play that weekend.

Time will tell if this "concept" will yield results for those operators. I call it a concept right now because this is the first year they are doing this.

Will this concept bring in new players or will it just be XX number of owners buying multiple teams? Either way, I guess that it is money for the operators but again, at what cost to their other events?

Will it grow the events and deliver the long-term results they are seeking?

Question to consider:

How would adding a main draft on friday affect the overall experience for the NFFC players?

I love to play in the Auction and one DC on Friday and would not give them up for one more shot at the big prize. For me, one is enough. I will make my plan, take my shot and roll with the results.

I would like to see the Friday events gain more steam and adding a main that day could hinder their growth. To me, that would be a shame.

Adding one on Sunday would likely fail due to the holiday weekend.

Tought choices for operators as the competition is heating up in an industry where the margins are still slim.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:22 am

Originally posted by RedRyder:
Put me in the multiple draft dates camp.

If the NFFC did do multiple draft dates, what were you thinking? Would we have to sacrifice a DC or Auction to do a Main?

I'd love to see a Primetime date added to Friday night!! If we ever did anything like this, it would be done on Sunday. We wouldn't mess around with the Friday DC's or the auction leagues. I guess it would be possible to do a second option on Sunday for both main events if we ever went that way. No games are between Saturday and Sunday, so I guess that would be an option if we ever considered the dual format.

Thanks for the input so far. Plenty of time to figure this new model out, although I still personally like the format we have.

[ May 19, 2009, 10:27 AM: Message edited by: Greg Ambrosius ]

Sound Advice · Post by **Sound Advice** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:30 am

I like different contests.
Auctions, DC's, Ultimates, etc.

The problem I see with multiple draft dates, is how do they compete for the same overall prize when some big news may have broken?

Who was it 3 years ago that went on the IR during the Saturday draft? He wasn't on my draft list so I'm having a hard time remembering who it was. It was a good player, I remember that.
He was drafted in every single draft!
That would give people an advantage that drafted the next day or Saturday evening.

That is the one reason to all draft at the same time.
Not to say it can't be worked around.
But that is why the drafts are held at the same time. Equality.
Let people that want more than one team figure a way to draft at the same time, like with a co-manager.

Of course the people with unlimited entry money would be for 2 or 3 drafts. They could get in them all and cover themselves. People won't remember the teams they had that sucked, just the good ones. They can post the good teams on their web sites.

Like in the wcoff rankings. Do they count in the bad teams? I assume not, people just look at the top teams. Not considering that they may have drafted on 4 different dates and had 3 teams that blew chunks.
That way they reward their multiple draft owners because they will always rank higher. Their reasoning is flawed though, because they are only doing it to bring in more money, not for the right reasons.

[ May 19, 2009, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Sound Advice ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:33 am

Originally posted by Rob B:
I would "prefer" there be one draft day for the Live Main Events.

The two mains listed above are in competition with each other and trying to force players to make the tough choices when deciding on which events to play that weekend.

Time will tell if this "concept" will yield results for those operators. I call it a concept right now because this is the first year they are doing this.

Will this concept bring in new players or will it just be XX number of owners buying multiple teams? Either way, I guess that it is money for the operators but again, at what cost to their other events?

Will it grow the events and deliver the long-term results they are seeking?

Question to consider:

How would adding a main draft on friday affect the overall experience for the NFFC players?

I love to play in the Auction and one DC on Friday and would not give them up for one more shot at the big prize. For me, one is enough. I will make my plan, take my shot and roll with the results.

I would like to see the Friday events gain more steam and adding a main that day could hinder their growth. To me, that would be a shame.

Adding one on Sunday would likely fail due to the holiday weekend.

Tought choices for operators as the competition is heating up in an industry where the margins are still slim. Great points Rob. This is the question I'm also asking: How does this feel for the player in these contests? Do they feel short-changed with ONLY one team or don't they worry about how many teams their competitors have? Does a main event the next day or the day before lessen their experience or isn't it a big deal at all. Would our Saturday main event be less of an experience if we also offered an online option on Sunday?? What does it say about our contest if the Sunday person wins the overall title after the majority of our gamers banged heads live on Saturday?

I understand the game operator's perspective on all of this. If this were just about the money, I'd schedule a second option on Sunday right now. I think I could sell out the NFFC Classic's 322 teams that way more easily. But I don't want to do anything to lessen the draft day experience. Maybe a second option wouldn't lessen anything, but that's what I want to hear from our customers, one way or the other. Rob touched on that above slightly, which is helpful.

These are interesting times, that's for sure. Help me figure them out if you can.

The Balanced Man · Post by **The Balanced Man** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:50 am

Personally, I think that having multiple draft dates is a good thing. But, I would add another idea in...

Saturday, you can do the live drafts as usual. Sunday, you can do online drafts to enter the main event, and charge the same price.

Lower costs for you, and a broader base to reach. No need to make the Saturday draft results public until after the online draft if you like. Heck, you are having multiple online drafts now, I don't see why the live events should be any different than that...

People in later Generation X and Generation Y (like myself) generally are totally Internet based. One of the main reasons I've never come to a main event is the travel costs and inconvienience. That's why I'm in the online contest this year. I just don't see a big reason to come to a live draft when I manage my team online, track scores online, and do everything else online.

Why cut out a section of your market? The parent who can't leave the kids behind? The 20-30 year old who plays solely on the Internet? The person who isn't big on travel?

Anyway, just my 2 cents.

RedRyder · Post by **RedRyder** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:50 am

I agree with Rob, time will tell if added Mains yield results.

It doesn't lessen the Saturday Mains for me, thus far...I guess I'll know in September.

I wouldn't participate in any added Mains (regardless of the contest) if held on a Sunday. Perhaps on-line though...