Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Wed Nov 22, 2017 4:57 pm

We launched our new NFBC site last week with both Las Vegas weekends listing the Aria as the host site. I wish I could say our host venue is set in stone, but unfortunately this is still a work in progress. Aria is tentatively the host site, so don't book that room just yet.

A lot has changed since we first started hosting live events in Las Vegas in 2001. We hosted the Fantasy Sports Trade Conference back then at places like the Sahara, Boardwalk Casino (demolished for City Center), Stardust (demolished and now just sitting there undone), Flamingo and more locations. We hosted the NFBC at the Rio, Stardust, Flamingo, Bellagio and more since 2004, but so much has changed since then.

Since we don't book a huge block of rooms with our host hotel, we are really at the mercy of the hotels to retain space for us. Since I have a good relationship with the MGM sales people, we kind of know what space is still available and we can officially book that space inside of 60 days. Right now Aria has a tentative hold on space for us on the First Weekend and we're working for enough space on the Second Weekend. The Bellagio is still in the mix as they have a big show taking all of the convention space March 19-22, but there might be enough space for us on one or both weekends.

We also have a couple of other venues with space in that same location. So right now I can say that we have a great chance at being at either the Aria or Bellagio or both, or a nearby hotel on that part of the Strip. Again, because of our needs and the lack of hotel rooms that we take, we can't finalize anything right now, but I should know more as we get closer.

If you are looking for hotel rooms now, take what you can get. That First Weekend is also the first weekend of March Madness, plus St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday, so it is going to be extra busy. Hotel rates are already insanely high. I am trying to secure a room block at the Aria for that weekend, but even those rooms are $300 or more. Bellagio is higher. Check out the Vdarra and Cosmopolitan for better rates. Bally's, Planet Hollywood and even Flamingo are across the street and affordable.

I wish I had this one booked like we have for New York and Chicago, but Las Vegas is a different story these days. I will continue to get a better read on the host hotels and post here, but my advice for both weekends would be to get the best rate now because everything will go up as we get closer to March. And if we get a sweet room block deal, I'll post the rates as soon as I can. Sorry for the delay, but I have a feeling things are going to work out nicely this year with a top host hotel. We just have to have patience to get the best space. Thanks all and I'll stay in touch on this thread.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
Edwards Kings
Posts: 5879
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:00 pm
Location: Duluth, Georgia

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Edwards Kings » Thu Nov 23, 2017 6:14 am

Greg Ambrosius wrote:Check out the Vdarra and Cosmopolitan for better rates. Bally's, Planet Hollywood and even Flamingo are across the street and affordable.
For those going to Vegas, I have stayed at Vdarra several years now...I love it. Some of the nicest rooms on the strip, no casino, so getting the to your room is more like what would occur at a conventional upscale hotel, a covered walkway to the area in Bellagio where we typically have the drafts/auctions, and/or a short walk around the round-a-bout to Vdarra's sister property, Aria.
Baseball is a slow, boring, complex, cerebral game that doesn't lend itself to histrionics. You 'take in' a baseball game, something odd to say about a football or basketball game, with the clock running and the bodies flying.
Charles Krauthammer

Darik B
Posts: 1412
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:54 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Darik B » Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:18 am

Great tip, thanks!
Edwards Kings wrote:
Greg Ambrosius wrote:Check out the Vdarra and Cosmopolitan for better rates. Bally's, Planet Hollywood and even Flamingo are across the street and affordable.
For those going to Vegas, I have stayed at Vdarra several years now...I love it. Some of the nicest rooms on the strip, no casino, so getting the to your room is more like what would occur at a conventional upscale hotel, a covered walkway to the area in Bellagio where we typically have the drafts/auctions, and/or a short walk around the round-a-bout to Vdarra's sister property, Aria.

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:47 am

Edwards Kings wrote:
Greg Ambrosius wrote:Check out the Vdarra and Cosmopolitan for better rates. Bally's, Planet Hollywood and even Flamingo are across the street and affordable.
For those going to Vegas, I have stayed at Vdarra several years now...I love it. Some of the nicest rooms on the strip, no casino, so getting the to your room is more like what would occur at a conventional upscale hotel, a covered walkway to the area in Bellagio where we typically have the drafts/auctions, and/or a short walk around the round-a-bout to Vdarra's sister property, Aria.
This is a great tip Wayne as the Vdarra is great and centrally located. Las Vegas is so busy in March though that I think Vdarra rooms are even $300 and up for each weekend there, but cheaper during the week. I know we likely won't have a contract in place until 60 days out, so do all you can to get a room now before the prices really go up, wherever that is. Good luck everyone.

As I said in the first post, we are doing everything we can to secure space at the Bellagio and/or Aria, but this is an incredibly busy time for conventions. Since we don't take large room blocks (nor would we at $400 a night and at 150 rooms a night), we are at the mercy of the big hotels. That means we keep tentative space until 60 days out and then lock in what is still available. The big hotels want to secure all of the ballroom space with one big show if they can, and if they can't then they parcel off the space to smaller ventures. We've had to do it this way since 2010, but this year is especially busy. The Bellagio has one huge show that is taking up every single ballroom during both weeks, but there is some space available right now on the weekends. Same with Aria as we know First Weekend has availability.

Nobody loves the Bellagio more than me and I'm working the phone lines. But we can't promote them at this point. We used the Aria for one day of football drafts and it was fantastic as they had great ballroom space, food, and free WiFi. We have the same space set aside right now for First Weekend and working for more. But again, if Bellagio space opens we will return there.

Thanks for your patience all. Plan for that area of The Strip and we'll do all we can.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

King of Queens
Posts: 3602
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by King of Queens » Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:48 am

Thanks for the update, Greg. Please keep us posted.

Bronx Yankees
Posts: 1238
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Bronx Yankees » Mon Nov 27, 2017 9:52 pm

Greg Ambrosius wrote:
Edwards Kings wrote:
Greg Ambrosius wrote:Check out the Vdarra and Cosmopolitan for better rates. Bally's, Planet Hollywood and even Flamingo are across the street and affordable.
For those going to Vegas, I have stayed at Vdarra several years now...I love it. Some of the nicest rooms on the strip, no casino, so getting the to your room is more like what would occur at a conventional upscale hotel, a covered walkway to the area in Bellagio where we typically have the drafts/auctions, and/or a short walk around the round-a-bout to Vdarra's sister property, Aria.
This is a great tip Wayne as the Vdarra is great and centrally located. Las Vegas is so busy in March though that I think Vdarra rooms are even $300 and up for each weekend there, but cheaper during the week. I know we likely won't have a contract in place until 60 days out, so do all you can to get a room now before the prices really go up, wherever that is. Good luck everyone.

As I said in the first post, we are doing everything we can to secure space at the Bellagio and/or Aria, but this is an incredibly busy time for conventions. Since we don't take large room blocks (nor would we at $400 a night and at 150 rooms a night), we are at the mercy of the big hotels. That means we keep tentative space until 60 days out and then lock in what is still available. The big hotels want to secure all of the ballroom space with one big show if they can, and if they can't then they parcel off the space to smaller ventures. We've had to do it this way since 2010, but this year is especially busy. The Bellagio has one huge show that is taking up every single ballroom during both weeks, but there is some space available right now on the weekends. Same with Aria as we know First Weekend has availability.

Nobody loves the Bellagio more than me and I'm working the phone lines. But we can't promote them at this point. We used the Aria for one day of football drafts and it was fantastic as they had great ballroom space, food, and free WiFi. We have the same space set aside right now for First Weekend and working for more. But again, if Bellagio space opens we will return there.

Thanks for your patience all. Plan for that area of The Strip and we'll do all we can.
FYI, I got an email re Cyber Monday rates so I decided to check-out pricing for Las Vegas Week 2 (a Thursday to Sunday stay). With the MLife card, I actually got modestly better pricing at the Bellagio than the Vdara or the Aria (for the cheapest room at each). I got my Bellagio room for $616.51 for the three nights ($205 and change per night), although they also got me for another $215 and change in taxes and fees (jeez!). Loved the Vdara last year and agree with Wayne on his recommendation, but was surprised that the Vdara was about $660, or $45 more than the Bellagio, for the same nights (not including taxes and fees). Going to check back periodically and see if pricing gets better later on, but decided to lock-in some decent-to-good pricing now.

Mike
Mike Mager
"Bronx Yankees"

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Tue Nov 28, 2017 8:35 am

That's awesome Mike. That's a great deal at the Bellagio.

Yeah, MGM is now tacking on I think $39 a night in Resort Fees, along with a tax of 18 percent or so. Those fees can add up for any of the MGM or Caesar's properties. It's the new luggage tax the airlines are pocketing right to the bottom line and like the luggage fees, these Resort Fees in Las Vegas are NEVER going away. Bummer.

See you in March and thanks again.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:27 am

While I'm at it, I'll gladly explain our move to The Stewart Hotel in New York City since there's concern from some that we're lessening the live event experience. I couldn't be happier of the move because it allows us to continue to be the only high-stakes event to EVER host live drafts in New York City. Plus the thought that we could be lessening the event couldn't be further from the truth. Hopefully we won't let that fact get in the way of over-zealous sentiment.

Let's explain our reasoning for the move to The Stewart Hotel:

** The Stewart Hotel is located around the block from Penn Station. This is an easy way to enter the city and walk right to the draft. It should save folks time and money to get to the host hotel.

** The hotel worked hard with Tom to allow us great ballroom space that allows us to continue the tradition of offering food and drink on the NFBC. We don't have cash bars or make you go without food between drafts. This is something we've built into the live events and The Stewart Hotel has structured our contract to make this all possible again.

** We weren't returning to the New York Hilton or New York Sheraton anymore. It's as simple as that. The costs have become insane the last couple of years and we can't continue to host live drafts in New York City at those losses. When we first started hosting live drafts in New York City in 2004, it was after 9/11 and the hotels were happy to have our live events on weekends when other conventions weren't using the space. Now demand is so high that space is tough to get and rental fees are through the roof. When you're paying 80 percent in prizes and paying for the live events it doesn't add up.

In fact, ask why NO OTHER HIGH STAKES EVENT has EVER hosted one event in New York City. The answer is simple: It doesn't add up financially. It's been a loss leader for us for years. We understand that and still host live drafts there because we believe that these great customers still play with us in Las Vegas and online and so for us it justifies the loss. Plus if we just forced everyone to come to one location, we'd just force people to do online drafts and we'd lose that great element of the live drafts where camaraderie builds loyalty. But last year the loss leader became a huge loss and it was time to find a better alternative. This is a business after all and the Hilton no longer made business sense.

** The Stewart Hotel is on 7th Avenue and 33rd Street, near the FNTSY Sports Network offices. We held our NFFC drafts at the Hotel Penn over Labor Day weekend and it was perfect. Matt Modica and Chris Vaccaro did a great job of getting our guys to their studios for live interviews throughout the weekend and FNTSY Sports Network covered all of the Saturday events live on air. We hope to work with them again for baseball. It's also a good location for SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and they broadcast the NFFC Super League live on Friday night. We will try to do the same this year for the NFBC Ultimate League on Friday night and this location works. We've always tried to make our guys industry stars and you saw that in a big-way last football season. Not only that, but our guys loved the Hotel Penn so much for football that we are returning there this Labor Day and couldn't be happier. Those ballrooms are fantastic and again the hotel is working with us to make food & drink, free WiFi and everything else work perfectly for us. One man's treasure is another man's trash, but the facts point to football being a huge success.

** The Stewart Hotel is offering free WiFi to all of our users, just as Hotel Penn did in football. There's no charge for this. We had the same thing at the Aria and the Bellagio last year for baseball as good hotels are working this expense into other ways like Guest Room Resort Fees. Anyway, this becomes a plus when your competing event has NO WiFi at their live events, like we saw in Las Vegas last year for football.

** Andy Saxton is in charge of the after-draft party for both sports and he found a perfect Irish Pub near the Hotel Penn and we'll likely go there again in baseball. I'm not sure why anyone would be worried about finding a good Irish Pub in New York City, but have no fear, we have the nightlife covered. The Mouth can ask Lisa Ann and Adam Ronis if they had any fun there for football as they joined the festivities after Friday's Super League and closed the joint down with everyone else. Andy is knee deep in football right now, but he can explain more when he moves over to the baseball site.

I have no problem with folks following the Anti-Establishment guy when the Establishment is taking away Health Care and increasing taxes, but that's not what is being done here. I get it, you're unfamiliar with the new hotel and so panic sews fear. Okay. But we like this option and it's going to keep us in New York City for another year. Check out the hotel here:

https://www.stewarthotelnyc.com/location/

** One other point worth mentioning: We chose to be licensed by the state of New York, which charges a 15.5% net tax on New York resident winnings. So why would we create a live event in a state that mostly has residents competing where we know we're likely going to pay an additional 15.5% tax? Who would be so dumb? Well, thankfully, not every New York NFBC player wins money, and some don't win a penny for years!! :lol: But no, the bottom line is that we know we are going to be taxed on top of all of the other expenses in New York City, but we chose to continue to host live events here because you are among our best customers and we're not letting this added expense move us out of a great location. The government is not helping season-long game operators, but we're not budging over this added tax. The live events mean too much to us and New York City is too special to leave. Nobody will give us credit for that -- certainly not anyone with a big mouthpiece -- but it's the fact that financially this doesn't make sense but we're still pig-headed enough to remain! :lol:

From a business standpoint, doing all Online drafts would be more economical, but when that happens I think someone other than Tom or myself will be running the NFBC. We love the live events too much for any one person to scare everyone away because "we're not doing enough." We have been working on this for months and we like what we have going in this part of Manhattan. We'll never please everyone in the NFBC (especially some), but that doesn't mean we aren't ALWAYS trying to do just that. We believe this year's New York drafts and auctions will be the best ever and the location will help with that. If you want to make that happen, then jump on board and help us. But if not, we'll understand.

Again, this is our 15th straight year of baseball and football live drafts in New York City (2 years we were at Citi Field for baseball). We couldn't be prouder to be back in the Big Apple, a city NOT ONE OTHER HIGH STAKES EVENT has ever attempted. We hope that we have 15 more years after this one in New York City, but nothing is guaranteed. So join us while you can and I think you'll see this is going to be the most action-packed, fun weekend you've ever had in New York. Thanks all and best of luck to all of you this season.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:52 am

I would also like to add one other fact right now: The online draft room is working very well for the 7 drafts that are currently live.

I know since The Mouth's post there is fear of playing online in 2018. I've gotten those emails. Honestly I don't think that's the intent of the post. The intent is to make the site as good as it possibly can be and obviously that's our goal too. Why wouldn't it be? Our programmers are hands on and they see all of the comments. They want to make this not only the best draft room in the industry, but the best site overall. Again, we have every intent to work together to make that happen.

But the bottom line is that the drafts are working well. The software is doing exactly what it should be doing. I can see all 7 drafts on one screen and I see camaraderie in the draft room, more picks being made each day and few Placeholders. Dan Kenyon is in DC 1 and every time he sees a player who isn't in the player default list he emails me. We get that player added that day and remove the Placeholder. By the time that first draft is done there likely won't be any more Placeholders needed, unless someone drafts an obscure minor-leaguer. And if they do we'll add him that day and he will be available for every draft after that. The IT department has done a great job with this and it will make future drafts so seamless.

Do you want to see what the first six drafts look like with the new 4-Hour time limit? Here's the average picks per league so far:

3.4 rounds per day
2.6 rounds per day
3.3 rounds per day
3.3 rounds per day
3.4 rounds per day
2.8 rounds per day

For November that's a good pace. These include $50 DCs, which you would think would be slower. Plus we are starting each draft quicker in the Sit 'n Go format.

There are 3 things The Mouth just posted that need attention:

Auto 1
Scroll Que on Phone
Sleep Clock

I'll discuss each:

Auto 1 - As I stated previously, we wanted Multiple Round Ques and we wanted the draft room out shortly after the World Series. We will get the draft room live quicker in future years, but we still got folks drafting before Thanksgiving. If we had waited on this feature, we wouldn't be drafting now. And instead of doing Multiple Round Ques we'll now just concentrate on adding 1 Round Auto, which isn't good for the long-term but what is being demanded now. I know some think this is an easy add when drafts are already ongoing and we have other sports going on, but we'll take the necessary time to get this added and done. It won't be today but it's on the list. That being said, I see 1-2 owners in each league using the Auto pick feature.

Scroll Que on Phone. I will add to this one that some on the iPad have a similar sentiment. Let me explain. So the draft room is built so that it can be expandable for every platform. So folks who are drafting on a desktop are seeing everything clearly. I'm on a 27" monitor and I'm not seeing the things that Michael says needs fixing on his iPhone 6. Obviously when you shrink this draft room to a laptop, you'll lose some of the players in the default list, your Que will get smaller and so on. When you go to an iPad the same thing happens and so on down to the phone. We want drafting from the phone to be easier, but everything is obviously going to be smaller in the current format. As far as drafting a player from your phone, that can be done. But it's possible that adding players to your Que from another device right now makes sense so that the players you want are Qued up for you to draft during the day.

As one of our programmers just said: "Developing a website in the past used to just entail one view. Now we have many views to deal with, and the experience needs to be built for the each screen display. Views vary from a 5 inch phone screen, to a 9.7” tablet view to a 13” laptop view, 17” monitor view, 27” monitor view. Creating each and every view / ratio takes time. We are trying and will address everything as we try to develop everything else. We will add to the list."

As for being beta testers here, that's not what is going on. This draft room was used by CDM for all of their football drafts this year and it's being used by Fanball's DFS contests and our NFFC Daily Drafts right now. The drafting of players is vetted and works. What people want is a better drafting experience on phones and iPads and they want that same view on every single format. We get it. If you can't live without that, then I understand if you don't want to draft now. Does the draft room work well? Yes. Can we make it work better on the iPad and iPhone? Sure, in time, and we will.

The Sleep Clock is working now as owners had suggested. It wasn't earlier, but it is now. You have an 8 Hour Pause overnight from 1 am ET to 9 am ET. If someone has 17 minutes on their time at 1 am they remain on the clock until 9 am when they have 17 more minutes to pick. I see picks being made overnight and as you can see by the number of picks made each day (45 or more in multiple leagues) it is working. We have three time zones to consider here, but if there's any change that needs to happen bring on the suggestions. We want this to work for everyone and we think it is now.

Again, I can see all 7 drafts right now on one screen. I get alerted to every Help call. The only Help calls we are getting are for Placeholders and three of us respond to it immediately. Darik, Tom and myself are on alert for all of these drafts on days, nights and weekends. Thankfully we are getting nary a Help call for problems either drafting, logging into the draft room or anything else. And that's a good sign.

Again, everyone is on the same page that we want to make the online and live drafting as good as it can be. Dialogue goes a long way to making that happen. Everyone here is working on that experience every day. This draft room is being used across the company and so every single improvement we make helps CDM, Fanball, League Safe and every other company joining our contests soon. We want it better even more than you do.

But trust me, it works. Hopefully that isn't being lost in all of this.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

Bronx Yankees
Posts: 1238
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Bronx Yankees » Tue Nov 28, 2017 2:30 pm

Greg Ambrosius wrote:In fact, ask why NO OTHER HIGH STAKES EVENT has EVER hosted one event in New York City. The answer is simple: It doesn't add up financially. It's been a loss leader for us for years. We understand that and still host live drafts there because we believe that these great customers still play with us in Las Vegas and online and so for us it justifies the loss. Plus if we just forced everyone to come to one location, we'd just force people to do online drafts and we'd lose that great element of the live drafts where camaraderie builds loyalty. But last year the loss leader became a huge loss and it was time to find a better alternative. This is a business after all and the Hilton no longer made business sense.
Greg - Sorry to hear NYC is a loss leader for you guys. I can confirm that, but for the great experiences I have had drafting in NYC, there is no way I would incur the expense to draft in Vegas, as I did last year and will do this year and, hopefully, for many more years to come. The live events are fantastic. While folks may have different preferences and opinions on the optimal hotels (honestly, I would draft in a closet if it was big enough for a table, chairs, projector and screen), the current back-and-forth on the boards should not dissuade anyone from attending the live events. Anyone on the fence about attending the live events - whether in NYC, Chicago or Vegas - is strongly encouraged to give them a try (and to partake in as many associated social gatherings as possible).

Mike
Mike Mager
"Bronx Yankees"

Bronx Yankees
Posts: 1238
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Bronx Yankees » Tue Nov 28, 2017 2:32 pm

Greg Ambrosius wrote:** The Stewart Hotel is on 7th Avenue and 33rd Street, near the FNTSY Sports Network offices. We held our NFFC drafts at the Hotel Penn over Labor Day weekend and it was perfect. Matt Modica and Chris Vaccaro did a great job of getting our guys to their studios for live interviews throughout the weekend and FNTSY Sports Network covered all of the Saturday events live on air. We hope to work with them again for baseball. It's also a good location for SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and they broadcast the NFFC Super League live on Friday night. We will try to do the same this year for the NFBC Ultimate League on Friday night and this location works. We've always tried to make our guys industry stars and you saw that in a big-way last football season. Not only that, but our guys loved the Hotel Penn so much for football that we are returning there this Labor Day and couldn't be happier. Those ballrooms are fantastic and again the hotel is working with us to make food & drink, free WiFi and everything else work perfectly for us. One man's treasure is another man's trash, but the facts point to football being a huge success.
If the venue change gets MTM on TV, I expect him to become The Stewart Hotel's biggest fan. :lol:

Mike
Mike Mager
"Bronx Yankees"

User avatar
Doctor Who
Posts: 383
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:00 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Doctor Who » Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:19 pm

Thanks Greg for a detailed breakdown about the live events and clearing some things up about what will be there when we arrive. I’m estatic to hear about the food and drink still be readily available to those drafters, and like I said in my post, am
Shocked to see you guys still doing that with no live event fees. Squashed any of my fears that the live event fees going away will diminish the live experience, which is phenomenal to hear as I try to drink all your Coronas before you do every year! Looking forward to these events and everything that has been planned for them.

User avatar
Baseball Furies
Posts: 2704
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Baseball Furies » Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:55 am

Bronx Yankees wrote:
Greg Ambrosius wrote:** The Stewart Hotel is on 7th Avenue and 33rd Street, near the FNTSY Sports Network offices. We held our NFFC drafts at the Hotel Penn over Labor Day weekend and it was perfect. Matt Modica and Chris Vaccaro did a great job of getting our guys to their studios for live interviews throughout the weekend and FNTSY Sports Network covered all of the Saturday events live on air. We hope to work with them again for baseball. It's also a good location for SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and they broadcast the NFFC Super League live on Friday night. We will try to do the same this year for the NFBC Ultimate League on Friday night and this location works. We've always tried to make our guys industry stars and you saw that in a big-way last football season. Not only that, but our guys loved the Hotel Penn so much for football that we are returning there this Labor Day and couldn't be happier. Those ballrooms are fantastic and again the hotel is working with us to make food & drink, free WiFi and everything else work perfectly for us. One man's treasure is another man's trash, but the facts point to football being a huge success.
If the venue change gets MTM on TV, I expect him to become The Stewart Hotel's biggest fan. :lol:

Mike
What?! Did someone say TV?! I love The Sherman, I mean Stewart Hotel already. Looking forward to being there. :mrgreen:
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry

User avatar
Baseball Furies
Posts: 2704
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Baseball Furies » Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:02 am

You know what's really ridiculous and extremely disappointing? I spent at least four plus hours putting my thoughts down on this forum really with the hopes of it all being taken the right way and seen for what it was-a real attempt (yet again) by me to present another side of things with a coherent and cohesive argument as a client and a consumer of the NFBC to contribute and help to make it better across the board for everyone, including you, Greg. And you chose to bury some piecemeal responses to it on this thread about live event venues (which a large portion of your clientele don't care about anyway) with of course all the little digs, slights, indignation, and pouting you could smatter in whenever you could to minimize and demean my points and beneficial input.

I think it's really time for you to man up a bit and not be so thin-skinned about everything. You even had the audacity to make some dumbass reference to this guy, Snake, in comparing me to him. A guy from what I understand and have heard who was a completely hostile and antagonistic scumbag who you were forced to give the boot for how he was so negatively impacting you, your company, your other clientele, and your product. And I'm that guy now. Makes sense. I'm sure everyone with half a brain on here can see that based on what I have done over the years.

And just a little advice:
When you're in charge and your name is on it, guess what? You get to take it all, the good and the bad, for better and for worse. That's what leadership has to endure sometimes. And sometimes when people stick it to you, maybe you should listen, and just because they do, doesn't invalidate all the good shit you have done and achieved over the years in making this what it is today. It just comes with the territory especially if you want to play with the big boys. And let's also not forget that without us, none of this would be where it is today. So sorry, I wasn't raised an ass-kisser. It's not my nature. Although I have been known to kiss a good ass now and then when the ass truly deserves some kissing, so you do have something to look forward to.

So I'l shut up now and my apologies for the massive inconvenience this has all caused you. And no worries, I'm going to continue to give you my money and my business and to bring you new business and fill up leagues etc. just for the fun of it while I'm at it. And yeah, you're going to have to continue to put up my shit in return until I get the Snake plug pulled on me.

Oh and one final thing, instead of talking around me and about me on these boards, how about talking to me? It has worked before. You have my number once your cell is functioning...or you can just call me collect from that phone booth that Dough was referencing in one of his posts.

P.S. I posted virtually this same post on my thread as well so people wouldn't miss it.
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:10 am

This is EXACTLY what SNAKE would have done. He would post in every thread until he sucked the living daylights out of the NFFC Message Boards. Please don't follow that same path. Please. We see the other thread.

Just for the record: SNAKE was never kicked out of the NFFC for his Message Board posts or suggestions. Quite the contrary. In fact, NFFC veterans begged me to kick him off the boards for years and I didn't do it. I'm a journalist first and foremost and I believe in the First Amendment. I allowed him to continue posting as long as there weren't any more personal posts. He continued to post the most and the most offensive until he crossed the line. Then we allowed him to play without posting, giving him one final lifeline.

The reason he is no longer allowed to play or post in the NFFC is that he lied to Tom and I about paying off his entry fee. A declined credit card turned into another credit card and into a financial chase that wouldn't end. The lies turned into an embarrassing loss for us as a game operator, of which Tom and I take the blame. We had to explain to management how we were swindled by poisonous lies. At the end of the day, if you don't pay, you don't play. If you don't pay, you don't post.

You know exactly what Tom and I have gone through during the last three years with you. You are paid in full, so don't anyone take that reference. I won't elaborate, but you can tell your friends and family if you'd like. If anyone doesn't pay FULLY in advance of drafts this year, they don't play. We've chased lies from SNAKE to JD -- as you fully know -- and we're done. Keep paying, and you (by that I mean everyone) can keep playing and keep posting. Heck, you can post if you don't play, but that doesn't sound like fun.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass or anything else. SNAKE did something to the NFFC that took years to recover from. If anyone truly believes that everyone here isn't trying to "Make the NFBC Great Again" (as if we were always bad), then they are totally mistaken. Your campaign slogan reads well on a headline, but every single day we try to make the NFBC better, with or without deflating posts. We have an IT group that can turn suggestions into programming fixes immediately. All of our energies are 100 percent centered into making every aspect of the NFBC tech experience the best it can be and we don't have time for Message Board fights. We have work to do. It's time to get it done.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:10 am

Oh, and you really don't have to post in Bold type. We can read it.

Now, let's get this thread back to the live events. I'll post updates as I get them, especially for Las Vegas. Thanks all.
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Fri Jan 05, 2018 5:59 pm

Okay, we are moving closer to a final destination for both weekends in Las Vegas. We are moving closer to 60 days out from our First Weekend drafts and thus hotels can now finalize deals with us next week. We have two good options and I'm confident both weekends will be at the same hotel. Convention space has opened up here at the end at two fantastic venues like we had hoped and now we just have to get the right convention space.

Stay tuned and we'll get a room block and final convention space announced soon. I think it's going to work out nicely. :D
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

User avatar
Baseball Furies
Posts: 2704
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Baseball Furies » Sat Jan 06, 2018 12:09 am

Greg Ambrosius wrote:Okay, we are moving closer to a final destination for both weekends in Las Vegas. We are moving closer to 60 days out from our First Weekend drafts and thus hotels can now finalize deals with us next week. We have two good options and I'm confident both weekends will be at the same hotel. Convention space has opened up here at the end at two fantastic venues like we had hoped and now we just have to get the right convention space.

Stay tuned and we'll get a room block and final convention space announced soon. I think it's going to work out nicely. :D
I am sensing a Bellagio Suprise, perhaps? Would be nice if this was pulled off for us. Looking forward to the good news. :)
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry

User avatar
Greg Ambrosius
Posts: 40282
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:59 pm

Okay, MORE GOOD NEWS today!!! :D

I just heard back from the Bellagio and they have space for both weekends in Las Vegas. We have to finalize this contract, but 60 days out we have the necessary space reserved for the NFBC March 16-18 and March 23-27. The only day that the Bellagio Convention Center when we need space is booked is Thursday, March 22nd. I have some other options in mind for that night, so hang tight. We will have a Main Event and a $1300 Auction Championship that night, but location is TBD.

We had tentative space at the Aria First Weekend and space was starting to open up for Second Weekend, but the Bellagio made us an offer we couldn't refuse!! :lol: We had to either wait a bit more on the Aria or jump at the chance to return to the Bellagio for an eighth straight year. I'm going with the latter.

Now we still need to finalize this deal, see if our Executive Penthouse Suite is available and work on Thursday, but I feel good about where we are now. I'll see if we can find some type of room block if anyone wants to stay either weekend and will post that once I have more information. Anyway, I feel good about announcing this and will provide more details very soon.

Thanks for your patience everyone. This is the dance we have to play with Las Vegas hotels each year and when space opens up 60 days out we always try to be first in line. We were with the Bellagio and it paid off. See you there for what should be two of the best weeks of our lives!! :lol:
Greg Ambrosius
Founder, National Fantasy Baseball Championship
General Manager, Consumer Fantasy Games at SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @GregAmbrosius

Thurman15
Posts: 158
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:27 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Thurman15 » Thu Jan 11, 2018 4:10 pm

Awesome Greg. The Bellagio seems to be the best. The food was awesome last year as well. Good work guys.
Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Famer with the Cardinals was once asked " You love Baseball Rogers, but what do you do in the winter ? " His response......"I stare out the window and wait for spring "

Bronx Yankees
Posts: 1238
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Bronx Yankees » Thu Jan 11, 2018 4:13 pm

Great news! Looking forward to being back at the Bellagio for Week 2! Can't wait!

Mike
Mike Mager
"Bronx Yankees"

User avatar
Doctor Who
Posts: 383
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:00 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Doctor Who » Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:44 pm

Making me regret passing on Vegas this year already! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Nice to hear that you were able to keep getting your space though. Good job Greg.

COZ
Posts: 713
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Rolling Meadows, IL

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by COZ » Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:42 pm

Drafted at Aria for football this year & I'll be the first to say it...as I did to Greg this year....Aria > Bellagio. Beautiful drafting rooms, great food & service, & easy to get to especially if you stay at Vdara which is superior to the Bellagio in my opinion. But I guess some of the East Coasters need the cache & name recognition to stroke their egos that comes with saying look at me everybody "I"m such a high roller I'm drafting at the Bellagio in high stakes fantasy baseballI." I say OVER-fucking-RATED & especially if the NFBC is going to be Plan B at the Bellagio, year in, year out. Quit lapping up the casino-mall that is the Bellagio like a lap dog as if it is the be-all, end-all, folks. Drafting at Aria > Bellagio.
COZ

"Baseball has it share of myths, things that blur the line between fact & fiction....Abner Doubleday inventing the game, Babe Ruth's Called Shot, Sid Finch's Fastball, the 2017 Astros...Barry Bonds's 762 HR's" -- Tom Verducci

Bronx Yankees
Posts: 1238
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by Bronx Yankees » Fri Jan 12, 2018 6:58 am

COZ wrote:Drafted at Aria for football this year & I'll be the first to say it...as I did to Greg this year....Aria > Bellagio. Beautiful drafting rooms, great food & service, & easy to get to especially if you stay at Vdara which is superior to the Bellagio in my opinion. But I guess some of the East Coasters need the cache & name recognition to stroke their egos that comes with saying look at me everybody "I"m such a high roller I'm drafting at the Bellagio in high stakes fantasy baseballI." I say OVER-fucking-RATED & especially if the NFBC is going to be Plan B at the Bellagio, year in, year out. Quit lapping up the casino-mall that is the Bellagio like a lap dog as if it is the be-all, end-all, folks. Drafting at Aria > Bellagio.
COZ wrote:Well shit, what is everyone going to have to piss & moan about now?!!?!
Well, guess we found out. :lol:

Mike
Mike Mager
"Bronx Yankees"

COZ
Posts: 713
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Rolling Meadows, IL

Re: Latest Update On Las Vegas Venues For 2018

Post by COZ » Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:25 am

Bronx Yankees wrote:
COZ wrote:Drafted at Aria for football this year & I'll be the first to say it...as I did to Greg this year....Aria > Bellagio. Beautiful drafting rooms, great food & service, & easy to get to especially if you stay at Vdara which is superior to the Bellagio in my opinion. But I guess some of the East Coasters need the cache & name recognition to stroke their egos that comes with saying look at me everybody "I"m such a high roller I'm drafting at the Bellagio in high stakes fantasy baseballI." I say OVER-fucking-RATED & especially if the NFBC is going to be Plan B at the Bellagio, year in, year out. Quit lapping up the casino-mall that is the Bellagio like a lap dog as if it is the be-all, end-all, folks. Drafting at Aria > Bellagio.
COZ wrote:Well shit, what is everyone going to have to piss & moan about now?!!?!
Well, guess we found out. :lol:

Mike
Image
COZ

"Baseball has it share of myths, things that blur the line between fact & fiction....Abner Doubleday inventing the game, Babe Ruth's Called Shot, Sid Finch's Fastball, the 2017 Astros...Barry Bonds's 762 HR's" -- Tom Verducci

Post Reply