BLOOMBERG SPORTS ADDS FANTASY ALARM TO “FRONT OFFICE 2012”

Subscribers To Get Individualized Instant Updates On Their Fantasy Players; New Promotion To Go To The 2012 All-Star Game In Kansas City

New York, May 8– Bloomberg Sports, the world’s leader in sports analytic technology, today announced the integration of the Fantasy Alarm feature to their “Front Office 2012” fantasy baseball product, a state-of-the art enhancement which will provide all subscribers who opt in with an unlimited amount of instant updates on all their fantasy players’ activity. This valuable enhancement, free to all subscribers, officially launched today.

Via text message or email, Fantasy Alarm provides Front Office subscribers with direct access to critical, time-sensitive information such as injury, schedule, and latest news.  The alarms are tailored to the fantasy player’s roster, so that the subscriber will never miss an important update. Like all other Bloomberg Sports offerings, Fantasy Alarm will sync with all the major fantasy league platforms like Yahoo!, ESPN, and CBS.

“Just as ‘Front Office’ uniquely provides recommendations for every fantasy player specific to their team, our Fantasy Alarm feature will deliver immediate updates when anything affects a player on your specific fantasy roster,” said Bill Squadron, head of Bloomberg Sports. “We are also excited to be able to offer to our subscribers a chance to attend the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City with a guest, another added benefit through our ever-growing relationship with MLB.com. It is one of those great events every fan should attend.”

Users who sign up to receive real-time alarms will get updates when:

- A player does not appear in the daily line-up (approximately 60 – 90 minutes before game time).

- Breaking information and news tracking all major media outlets and social media.

- A player has been moved to the Disabled List, sent to minors, or placed on the inactive list (or removed from the 25-man roster for any reason).

- A player is removed from the DL for any reason. (i.e., added to the 25-man roster).

- A player involved in a game that is rained out or postponed.

- Probable pitcher notification (24 hours prior to start).

- Game time decisions tracking various media outlets (including pre-game broadcasts) on whether a player will play in a game or not (and other game-time decisions).

- MLB team closer changes.

Additionally, anyone who signs up to receive Fantasy Alarm either via text or email within the Front Office application will be entered into an All-Star Getaway Sweepstakes for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City.  There is no purchase necessary–fantasy players simply sign up to try Front Office 2012 for free, sync their league and sign up for Fantasy Alarm, and they are entered to win.

Bloomberg Sports’ “Front Office 2012” fantasy baseball product is again among the most used and innovative fantasy baseball tools for fans, while the company is now providing state-of-the art data analytic and player evaluation platforms for 26 of the clubs in professional baseball, as well as a quickly growing tablet product for players. Bloomberg Sports is also continuing to add a series of broadcast enhancement services for a number of regional sports networks, including MASN, Comcast Sports Net and others.

For more information on Bloomberg Sports, please visit http://www.bloombergsports.com and follow us on Twitter (@BloombergSports) and Facebook.

For more information on Bloomberg, please visit http://www.bloomberg.com/about and follow us on Twitter (@BloombergLP) and Facebook.

About Bloomberg Sports

Recently selected by The Sports Business Journal as a Finalist for “Best In Sports Technology”  and already named as one of the “Most Innovative Companies in Sports” in 2011 by Fast Company Magazine, Bloomberg Sports takes the technology developed by Bloomberg, the leading global provider in data and analytics, and applies them to the vast data analysis opportunities in sports.  Working with MLB.com and NFL.com since its launch in 2010, Bloomberg Sports fantasy products give fans the most powerful easy to use resources as they draft and manage their fantasy teams.  Additionally, Bloomberg Sports provides a professional product that delivers Major League Baseball clubs with a secure, virtually unlimited set of analytical functions to assist them in personnel evaluation and game preparation and with a tablet application used by many professional players. Bloomberg Sports has also created products customized for broadcast use, as well as professional tools for several professional baseball organizations in Latin America.

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg is the world’s most trusted source of information for financial professionals and businesses.  Bloomberg combines innovative technology with unmatched analytic, data, news, display and distribution capabilities, to deliver critical information via the Bloomberg Professional service and multimedia platforms.  Bloomberg’s media properties span television, radio, digital and print, making up one of the world’s largest news organizations with more than 2,300 news and multimedia professionals at 146 bureaus in 72 countries.

About FantasyAlarm.com, LLC

Driving innovation in the fantasy sports industry and supplying the demand for real-time mobile information, Fantasy Alarm has been hailed by The Fantasy News Network as “the best product on the market that can help you win your fantasy league”.  Launched in 2010 Fantasy Alarm pioneered the use of “push” technology to intelligently track professional sports lineup information and breaking news against user specific fantasy sports rosters.  Fantasy Alarm will deliver over 25 million unique alarms in 2012 and developed one of the industry’s fastest growing web properties by providing comprehensive content and entertainment produced by the industry’s most highly regarded thought experts. The Fantasy Alarm Show on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio has developed a new breed of sports radio that has set the benchmark for comprehensive fantasy sports entertainment and was recently nominated for a Cynopsis Sports Radio Award.  Fantasy Alarm is a proud content partner of RotoInfo.com. For more information on this privately held company please visit www.FantasyAlarm.com.

We’re a month away from the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com and you’ll be pleased to know that we’re on pace for a recording-setting crowd at the June 11-12 event in San Francisco.

In fact, we’ve grown so much that the conference is approaching Marriott Union Square ballroom capacity. As a result, the FSTA Board is actually discussing the possibility of having to take the unprecedented step of cutting off registrations if we hit those capacity numbers.

So, what does this mean for you? Basically, if you’re on the fence about whether or not to attend – or just procrastinating – don’t delay and sign up today!

Click here to register and find out more details about the conference. You can also review our ever-expanding agenda here.

At the time you register, you’ll also be able to purchase tickets to the Astros-Giants game on June 12. The FSTA has rented sponsorable “All-Star Suites” at AT&T Park and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, costing $151 each. Due to the large number of conference attendees, only a limited amount of tickets remain.

Here’s just a taste of the fantastic panels and speakers that we’ve lined up, many of which are unique to the Bay Area and our goal of once again focusing on technology at this conference:

• Keynote: Brent Jones, San Francisco 49ers and Northgate Capital
• Building a Challenger Brand: Paul Inouye, Perella Weinberg Partners; Chris Russo; Brian Mead, Yahoo!
• Game Design Lessons: Brian Morrisroe, Booyah; Chris Esaki, Microsoft Game Studios
• Analytics, Analytics, Analytics: Greg Moore, Sportvision; Steve Byrd, STATS

Reserve your room at the Marriott Union Square (480 Sutter Street) by clicking here. The special FSTA room rate of $199/night is available until May 25. If you prefer to make your room reservation by phone, call 415-398-8900 or 1-866-912-0973 and use the block code FAN in order to get the conference rate.

A number of sponsorship opportunities still remain, as well. Contact FSTA Association Director Megan Van Petten for more information.

Finally, whether you’re an FSTA veteran or new to the fantasy sports space and trying to decide about attending the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com, take a moment to check out video from January’s Winter Conference and FSTA Fantasy Baseball Experts Draft. This will give you a flavor for the conference and demonstrate why FSTA conferences are the premier networking events in the industry.

Questions about the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com? Contact us at news@fsta.org.



A reminder that tomorrow, May 1, is the Early Bird deadline to register for the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com.

The event will be held June 11-12 at the Marriott Union Square in San Francisco.

Click here to register and find out more details about the conference. You can also review our in-progress conference agenda, here.

If you register by May 1, the cost is $449 for FSTA members and $599 for non-FSTA members. After May 1, the fees increase to $599 and $749, respectively.

At the time you register, you’ll also be able to purchase tickets to the Astros-Giants game on June 12. The FSTA has rented sponsorable “All-Star Suites” at AT&T Park and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, costing $151 each.

Be sure to contact FSTA Association Director Megan Van Petten for more information on the “All-Star Suites” sponsorship opportunity as well as a number of others that are still available. A complete list of sponsorships can be found here.

Reserve your room at the Marriott Union Square (480 Sutter Street) by clicking here. The special FSTA room rate of $199/night is available until May 25. If you prefer to make your room reservation by phone, call 415-398-8900 or 1-866-912-0973 and use the block code FAN in order to get the conference rate.

Finally, for FSTA members that are registering for the conference: Please be sure to update your company profile. We’re in the process of creating the conference booklet and would like to have the most current information about your company available for all conference attendees to see.

Questions about the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com? Contact us at news@fsta.org.

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association is thrilled to announce that CBSSports.com will be the title sponsor of the upcoming FSTA Business & Technology Summit.

The FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com will be held June 11-12 at the Marriott Union Square in San Francisco, Calif.

Registration: Click here to register and find out more details about the conference. You can also review our in-progress conference agenda, here.

Register by May 1 to receive a significant Early Bird Discount on your registration. It’s $449 for FSTA members, $599 for non-FSTA members until May 1 — this is a firm date — when fees will increase to $599 and $749, respectively. So, book today!

Giants game and sponsorship opportunities: At the time you register, you’ll also be able to take advantage of a unique opportunity for conference attendees. The FSTA has rented five, sponsorable “All-Star Suites” at AT&T Park for the Astros-Giants game on June 12. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and cost $151 each. The price includes snacks and beverages. Sponsorships remain for four of the five suites – with STATS LLC already having purchased the first sponsorship.

And, speaking of sponsorships, the FSTA would also like to announce that RealTime Fantasy Sports has signed on to be the official Technology Sponsor for the conference.

Be sure to contact FSTA Association Director Megan Van Petten for more information on the “All-Star Suites” sponsorship opportunity as well as a number of others that remain available. A complete list of sponsorships can be found here.

Hotel: Reserve your room at the Marriott Union Square (480 Sutter Street) by clicking here. The special FSTA room rate of $199/night is available until May 25. If you prefer to make your room reservation by phone, call 415-398-8900 or 1-866-912-0973 and use the block code FAN in order to get the conference rate.

Football draft and Elevator Pitch: The conference will open with the annual FSTA Fantasy Football Experts Draft – carried live by SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio – on the night of June 11 at 5 p.m. PT, along with a Meet & Greet reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The FSTA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will also take place that evening.

Also returning is the Elevator Pitch! Do you have a new business or idea that will revolutionize the fantasy sports industry? This is your chance to get your idea out to a room full of decision makers! There are a limited amount of spaces left to participate. Contact Megan for more details.

Video from FSTA Winter Conference: Finally, whether you’re an FSTA veteran or new to the fantasy sports space and trying to decide about attending the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com, take a moment to check out video from January’s Winter Conference and FSTA Fantasy Baseball Experts Draft. This will give you a flavor for the conference and demonstrate why FSTA conferences are the premier networking events in the industry.

Questions about the FSTA Business & Technology Summit sponsored by CBSSports.com? Contact us at news@fsta.org.

The FSTA Awards Committee is pleased to announce that it will be accepting nominations for the 2012 Class of the FSTA Hall of Fame through April 24, 2012.

Eligible candidates will have been involved in the fantasy sports industry for at least five years and have made meaningful and/or significant contributions to the fantasy sports industry.

To nominate, you must be a member of the FSTA in good standing.

Please send your nominations, with a brief description of why you feel this person is Hall of Fame material, to halloffame@fsta.org by 11:59 p.m. ET on April 24.

The Hall of Fame election process is detailed at http://www.fsta.org/blog/hall-of-fame-nomination.

Current members of the FSTA Hall of Fame can be found at http://www.fsta.org/blog/hall-of-fame.

Induction will take place at the FSTA Summer Conference in San Francisco, Calif., June 11-12. You can register for the conference here.

Thank you for your assistance in honoring the pioneers and trendsetters of our industry.

FSTA Awards Committee



The Fantasy Sports Trade Association announces requests for submissions from those interested in participating in the 2012 Fantasy Baseball Projection Accuracy Challenge.

The FSTA, in conjunction with TheMostCredible.com and FantasyDispute.com, will be analyzing fantasy baseball projections from participants. The projections will be compared with actual player statistics at the end of the season, and awards will be presented based on the accuracy of those predictions.

Congratulations once again to the 2011 finalists listed below. Awards were presented in January during the FSTA Winter Conference at The Mirage in Las Vegas.

2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections Results
1. RotoHog / Fastpoint Games
2. Rotoworld
3. KFFL
4. Fantasy Pros 911
5. ESPN
6. Draft Analyzer
7. Sandlot Shrink
8. RotoExperts
9. Sons of Roto
10. Razzball
Rules
Submissions will be accepted immediately; however the projections MUST be final before the first game of the season, March 28, 2012.

Submissions may be accepted throughout the season; however if they are submitted after the March 28 deadline, it must be verifiable that the projections were published and publicly available (whether free or pay-model) prior to the deadline.

Submitters must fill in projected statistics for all 250 players on a spreadsheet that is available at http://www.fsta.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2012_FSTA_Fantasy_Baseball_Accuracy_Contest_Template.xls as well as at http://www.fsta.org.

Awards will be for accuracy of projected player statistics compared with actual year-end player statistics. Accuracy will be judged based on a combination of relative scoring (entrant closest to actual statistic vs. other entrants) and range based scoring using tables that are also available on the FSTA website.

Player statistics will be judged for the following categories for hitters: Runs, Home Runs, RBI, Stolen Bases and Batting Average.

Player statistics will be judged for the following categories for pitchers: Wins, Strikeouts, Saves, ERA and WHIP.

Submissions should be sent simultaneously to FSTA.Accuracy.Contest@gmail.com, Donnie Campbell at dc@themostcredible.com and Bill Green at greenbill@fantasydispute.com.

Awards will be presented at the 2013 FSTA Winter Conference and published in the “Fantasy Sports Report.” In order to encourage participation (without fear of embarrassment), final results will NOT be published, except for the names of all entrants and the names of the highest ranking entrants (approximately the top third – minimum of top 10).

Judges:
Donnie Campbell, http://www.themostcredible.com
Bill Green, http://www.fantasydispute.com

Your organization must be an FSTA member to be eligible to win the FSTA award, but anyone can participate. FSTA membership is available through the FSTA at http://www.fsta.org.

Questions? Email us at: news@fsta.org.

Fantasy football joins Md. legislature’s late-session frenzy

By Greg Masters

With just over three weeks to go, the Maryland General Assembly faces a long — and likely grueling — to-do list that includes showdowns over tax hikes, septic systems and offshore wind-power.

But a House panel hearing on Friday offered a bit of levity, as a Baltimore County lawmaker drew his colleagues’ attention to a less contentious issue: fantasy football.
A fantasy football draft. (Al Behrman – AP)

Del. John Olszewski Jr. (D) tried to win support from the Ways and Means Committee for a bill that would explicitly allow Marylanders to compete for cash and prizes in fantasy sports leagues.

While federal anti-gambling laws specifically exempt fantasy sports, Maryland is one of a few states that could potentially punish people who play for cash in such leagues.

“All we’re asking is to give our residents the same opportunity that most other folks around the country enjoy,” Olszewski said.

For the uninitiated, playing in a fantasy sports league involves assembling an imaginary team of real athletes and pitting it against other imaginary teams, with results determined by the athletes’ real-world statistical performances.

Olszewski said players in Maryland were “ensnared” by a 2006 opinion on poker tournaments issued by the state’s attorney general’s office, which said gambling includes any game that requires decisions, the element of chance and a prize.

That opinion is a major reason fantasy football league organizers such as CBS and ESPN exclude Marylanders from winning prizes, Olszewski said.

“Our residents are technically not allowed to win T-shirts or a trophy. It goes beyond the cash piece of it,” he said in an interview before the hearing.

He was joined by members of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association.

Travis McCoy, a lobbyist for the association, told lawmakers that fantasy sports is a “mainstream” hobby that “fathers and sons can play together.”

Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg (D-Baltimore), a sports enthusiast who is also vice-chair of the committee, jokingly remarked that he doesn’t play fantasy sports because it could clash with rooting for his home team.

“How can you justify —” he began, before being cut off by laughter from his colleagues.

“I’m for the bill, but that’s my problem,” he said.

After the hearing, Olszewski said he was cheered by Rosenberg’s comment.

“It was great the the vice-chair sort of openly expressed his support for the bill,” he said. “Everyone I’ve talked to in the committee is either supportive or doesn’t seem to have any real opposition to it. So I think it’s just a question of if it’s brought to a vote or not,” he said.

The hearing lasted only 15 minutes, in sharp contrast to a bill before the same committee earlier in the day that would authorize a casino in Prince George’s County. That bill drew three hours’ worth of testimony from dozens of witnesses.

TORONTO, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — InGamer Fantasy Inc., an innovator in real-time second screen gaming for sports publishers, announced that it has secured investment from a group of strategic investors. The funding round will be used to enhance InGamer’s product offering and expand sales & distribution in preparation for their US launch in September, 2012.

Upon closing, InGamer promptly partnered with Full Moon Sports Solutions by naming Rick Wolf EVP of Strategic Partnerships. Rick became familiar with InGamer while serving as Director of Business Development at NBC Sports Digital.

“Rick has played key early stage roles at SportsLine and Allstar Stats (Rotoworld), both purchased by U.S Networks, and has been instrumental in the growth of Fantasy Sports worldwide,” adds Nic Sulsky, co-Founder of InGamer. “He has been a part of some amazing U.S. success stories, so we figured it was about time he was involved in an International one.”

“Broadcasters, radio stations and local newspaper sites are fiddling with 2nd screen experiences,” said Rick Wolf, CEO Full Moon Sports Solutions. “InGamer’s unique 2nd screen social platform utilizing fantasy sports will revolutionize in-game companion products. In any category, when you find the winner, getting involved as early as possible makes the most sense.”

InGamer has had early success with several Canadian broadcasters and now, with the ongoing support of their strategic partner IMG Media, their sights are firmly set on International audiences.

“Enhancing shows or events with a relevant, real-time 2nd screen experience will drive eyeballs, engagement and revenue,” said Michael Dierks, VP of Digital, IMG Media. “We’re excited to be working with InGamer and Rick not only here in the U.S. but on a global level as we create new partnerships around this evolving area of media.”

More than 80% of all sports fans watch with a companion device in tow. By integrating real-time conversation into a gamified companion product that is measurable and trackable, InGamer is pushing the envelope of true integrated media. Media companies and Brands need more effective ways to monetize the evolving audience and InGamer provides the perfect second screen bridge to the new social sports fan.

Play for free at www.ingamer.com

About InGamer Fantasy Inc. (twitter:@ingamersports):InGamer Fantasy Inc. provides interactive companion sports and entertainment games for the web and mobile devices. InGamer’s innovative combination of live event statistics with real-time game dynamics provides a common socially competitive experience for spectators of live events; and those broadcasters, distributors and brands who want to engage the modern audience.

www.ingamer.com

SOURCE InGamer Fantasy Inc.

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

MORRISVILLE, NC, March 12, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ — Fantasy Postseason, LLC announced today that it has opened league registration for the College Basketball Tournament. Fantasy Postseason fantasy leagues combine the fun of the traditional Tournament brackets with the fun of fantasy sports, by allowing managers to draft individual players from Tournament rosters.

Fantasy players score points based upon in-game performance such as points scored, rebounds, and assists. Points accumulate for team managers as their players advance through the Tournament. The manager with the most points or best record at the end is the winner of their league.

Returning members will enjoy a number of new features added since the conclusion of the football playoffs, most notably live scoring, league archiving, and the ability for commissioners to make per player scoring adjustments in their leagues.

Fantasy Postseason, LLC focuses on the most important time of year in any sport – the postseason. The Fantasy Postseason website provides fantasy games for all of the major sports postseasons, including the Baseball Playoffs, the College Football Bowl Season, the Pro Football Playoffs, the College Basketball Tournament, the Pro Basketball Playoffs, and the Pro Hockey Playoffs. For more information, visit www.fantasypostseason.com.

CALLING ALL CUBES!

CBSSPORTS.COM LAUNCHES NCAA^® MARCH MADNESS^® CUBE MANIA

Fans encouraged to decorate work space with their favorite March Madness team colors and submit photos on Facebook

Sponsored by Lowe’s, Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, photo of the winning work space will be announced during The Final Four Show®

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL. MARCH 9, 2012: To celebrate the passion and excitement of March Madness, CBSSports.com and Lowe’s present the NCAA March Madness Cube Mania contest^* for the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Between now and March 25^th, fans are encouraged to decorate their work space with favorite team colors and logos. Once decoration is complete, photos of their work place can be uploaded to the CBS Sports page on Facebook (Facebook.com/CBSSports) to enter the NCAA March Madness Cube Mania contest. Fans can then share their photo through social media platforms and encourage friends to vote. The grand prize winning photo will be announced on CBS during The Final Four Show prior to the Men’s Final Four semifinal games on March 31, 2012.

NCAA March Madness Cube Mania contest details:

• Contest begins March 9, 2012 on Facebook.com/CBSSports.
• Fans can sort through a gallery of photos and sort by most popular, teams represented and participating companies.
• Photos can be submitted through March 25, 2012.
• The public may vote on the submitted photos from March 26 to March 30, 2012.
• Three winners will be selected by a combination of public votes, and judging by the Social Media department at CBSSports.com based on originality and creativity.
• Grand prize winner’s photo will be announced on March 31, 2012 during The Final Four Show on CBS and receive a $300 gift card to Lowe’s. Two secondary winners will receive $150 Lowe’s gift cards.

****************

*No Purchase Necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of the U.S., at least 18 or age of majority, whichever is older in state of residence, at time of entry. Contest ends at 11:59:59pm ET on March 31, 2012. Contest void in Puerto Rico, all U.S. territories and possessions, outside the 50 U.S. and where prohibited by law. See rules for details at Facebook.com/CBSSports.

About CBSSports.com

CBSSports.com is a division of CBS Interactive, the premier online content network for information and entertainment.  Its brands dive deep into the things people care most about across news, sports, entertainment, technology and business.  Leading properties include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, CBSNews.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET and many more. With hundreds of millions of unique visitors from around the world each month, CBS Interactive is a global top 10 Web property and the largest premium content network online.

Follow CBS Sports on Twitter: twitter.com/cbssports and on Facebook: facebook.com/cbssports

More information about CBS and its businesses is available at cbscorporation.com.

Press Contacts:

Alex Riethmiller – CBSSports.com 954.689.3334     ariethmiller@cbs.com

The Fantasy Football Players Championship couldn’t be more excited to announce that the “Godfather” of high stakes fantasy football, Lenny Pappano, has joined the FFPC family.
Lenny is the man responsible for all of us having the opportunity to play fantasy football in this capacity, and the FFPC is thrilled that he has chosen to come out of retirement in order to be part of our team.
After co-founding the entire high stakes fantasy football industry in 2002, Lenny built up the World Championship of Fantasy Football into the biggest contest on the planet before retiring in 2007.
Lenny is also the founder and owner of the award-winning fantasy football content site, DraftSharks.com, which was established in 1999.
In his return to the high stakes industry, Lenny will be involved in the day-to-day operations, marketing and strategy for the FFPC. You can connect with Lenny on the message boards as well as at the FFPC live events in Las Vegas.
At the FFPC, our commitment to our players is our primary focus and is unparalleled in the industry. By adding Lenny to our management team, our players are going to reap the benefits of the acquisition of such a talented and driven individual who also shares our vision.

Posted Jan. 28, 2012 @ 1:44 p.m. ET

By William Del Pilar

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) winter conference took place Jan. 16-17 and featured Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who took part in the “Power Tweeters” panel. There was an experts baseball draft, awards and honors were given out and a good time was had by everyone involved.

The trade conference has been going on for years, and its origins go back to the Fantasy Insights ‘98 Fantasy Football Convention. Geared toward fans, that convention, we were told, could draw tens of thousands of attendees. Then, that number became thousands, and finally the day before it began, we were told how strongly they were advertising and expecting an influx off the street. To say early ticket sales were down would be a gross understatement. Looking back, I would guess 20-50 individuals came through the two-day event. No one was upset. There was too much excitement generated just by meeting one another in a new industry and understanding we were trailblazers. It was an exciting time.

Now that I’m older, I have an appreciation for those days and what we were doing. We could sense a great future, though we knew there would be battles in the beginning to convince the government that fantasy sports was not gambling.

Some of the exhibitors began to talk about forming an association, and that was the logical move. Especially since the NFL was sending out cease-and-desist letters to both content and commissioner sites. The league claimed it owned the rights to statistics but didn’t exclude content companies from its attacks. Eventually, the NFL came around, and it was MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) that was taken to court.

CBC Distribution and Marketing Inc., the parent company of CDM Sports, was denied a license to use player statistics, forcing the company to sue. This brought the elephant in the room to the forefront in a decision that would make or break the industry. Realize this: We were a young industry, and many could have lost years of work and jobs. Once we had built an industry, the professional leagues were now ready to take control of it.

The issue was license fees for statistics. At the time possibly a dozen companies were paying fees, but that number always changed. The ESPNs and Yahoo!s of the world and the venture-backed companies usually had licenses. Those who could afford it. The leagues were generating a fraction of the dollars they felt they should, but they were generating some fees. Now, everything was on the line. This helped unite the industry, and the courts eventually ruled against the pro leagues. It was a great day, and I remember the association at a conference giving Charlie Wiegert, the face of CDM, a thunderous round of applause. Who says the little guy can’t win?

The FSTA has gone through many changes in leadership and members, but the core group of individuals are still there. Now many are being honored yearly with induction into the FSTA and Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s halls of fame. It’s always special and exciting to see friends, including employees of my now-former company, to talk shop and look toward the future while enjoying the present. It’s hard to believe it’s going on 14 years since the first time this industry informally met, and it’s still growing in stature and respectability.

FSTA winter conference highlights

SiriusXM Radio broadcast the FSTA experts league baseball draft live, and it was the second time it did this. There’s no better way to maximize a draft than having a radio show dedicated to it. It’s a big step forward as experts leagues are all about their drafts and analyzing them. Once a team drafts, everyone’s mental frame moves into in-season mode, and those outside the players don’t care who wins. Maximizing the day of the draft is where the focus should be.

While the draft is a big event, if you’re not involved in it, you usually have no interest. Bottom line: Do you want to stand in a room and listen to a person pick a team that you have nothing invested in? Not really, and that’s just human nature, so the radio format makes sense.

The Power Tweeters panel was when Maurice Jones-Drew made his appearance with Steve Gardner of USA Today and Matthew Berry of ESPN. It was a lively debate, and they gave tips on how they feel Twitter should be used, how they view themselves within Twitter and the pros and cons they’ve experienced.

MJD was asked about his Twitter comments regarding Bears QB Jay Cutler and his injury in the 2010 NFC championship game, and Berry talked about having to write a retraction after passing information along without first verifying it. The point to remember is that you can’t take back what you post on Twitter. For those who know me and my love of politics, that point is well taken by yours truly.

MJD is not tall but stocky, yet you would never think he’s a professional football player. There’s no denying his passion and heart to play his profession and how much he’s had to overcome. He’s someone for all of us to look up to. He enjoys the game of fantasy football, and there was a good back-and-forth on where Berry had him ranked. MJD was stating his case to be the No. 1 running back heading into 2012.

Remember, he led the league in rushing in 2011. For me, seeing MJD is one of the perks of the association as it has brought in personalities from MJD to Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon to the former head of the MLB Players Association, Donald Fehr. Being in the industry, I hear the stories the public often doesn’t. Nothing major, just more detailed insight from those who know a person or have worked with him before. It’s just a part of the job that makes it more enjoyable.

Although not of much interest to most attendees, being Latino, I found the Latino market pitch interesting. The Elevator pitch is when new companies highlight who they are and what they do. Fut11.com is providing fantasy soccer in Mexico. Latinos have a passion for soccer, boxing, basketball and baseball, and not in that order, depending on what country you’re in. The numbers are nowhere near where they need to be, but it’s a different market, and one that will require patience and financial support before a profit that would interest investors is possible. They’re slowly growing and are looking for ways to expand. Eventually a company like that will catch the eye of venture capital or as a possible acquisition by a larger organization. Fantasy sports continues to grow around the world.

Tableau Software is a technology I found interesting, and it’s been used in other industries. When the company opened it up to other users, it found a big response from the fantasy sports community, the stats guys, but this industry is merely a drop of their real revenue. I’m glad someone over there at least introduced it to the fantasy community. It allows the user to create maps, bars and line charts among its many features. This tool has the potential for bloggers to relay visually what they’re trying to say with normal charts and columns created quickly and in various formats. It’s a software that I am looking forward to trying as I always use statistical numbers to back up my points. You can see some of the visual samples Tableau can do here.

There was so much more information and companies to network with. If you’re a company in the industry and you’re not attending the conferences, it’s a shame, as you’re missing out on a lot of information and networking opportunities.

In fact, when the conferences first began, most of the companies would gather at the hotel lounge, as Las Vegas was where most of the events were held early on. It was a great time, but that stopped for many years as most would go off on their own and enjoy an evening with work friends or business partners.

However, this year was like old times as many ended up in the same lounge at the Mirage in Las Vegas instead of going out. It was nice because most of those individuals were the ones who founded this industry. It was great to see RotoWire, Yahoo! Sports, KFFL, ESPN and Fantasy Diehard’s Emil Kadlec, who co-founded the high-stakes industry and is the publisher of the longest-running fantasy magazine still around. While different, it was reminiscent of old times for this industry veteran.

As we were chatting, I looked over and mentioned this to Kadlec and jokingly wondered if age had anything to do with the familiar faces around. Once young and single, many of us are now married, and some have kids. With receding hair lines and expanded waistlines and after a hearty dinner and awards banquet, going out all night on the town in Vegas and making new memories took a backseat. Most ended up relaxing, talking shop with old friends and enjoying the past and present, as well as eying the future with a positive outlook.

Since its formation in 1999, the FSTA remains the same at its core, with many of the industry’s founders still actively involved. It’s easy to stay part of an industry when most of us feel we have the best jobs in the world. I can’t end this without a hearty thank-you to Paul Charchian and Megan Van Patten for putting on an outstanding event.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF FANTASY SPORTS:             THE OPEN FANTASY PLATFORM AT CBSSPORTS.COM

CBSSports.com’s award-winning fantasy sports                                                  service opens to third party developers

Six companies, including MLB.com & Bloomberg Sports, sign on                            to develop apps for launch of the first open platform in fantasy sports

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL. JAN. 17, 2012: CBSSports.com today announced its award-winning fantasy sports service is opening its doors to third party developers and companies to create apps for their products and services. CBSSports.com’s innovative open Fantasy Platform will represent the first of its kind in the fantasy sports industry.

Six companies, including MLB.com and Bloomberg Sports, have signed on as initial Fantasy Platform partners and will have free and/or premium apps available when CBSSports.com’s Fantasy Baseball product, featuring the new “CBSSports.com App Central,” launches on Jan. 31.

The CBSSports.com Fantasy Platform Development Center is now live for developers and companies to visit and see how their products and services can be shared with millions of highly engaged fantasy sports players. The Fantasy Platform offers developers a comprehensive set of APIs providing access to nearly all the data within CBSSports.com Fantasy Games and everything needed in order to build a customized fantasy app. The Fantasy Platform Development Center is located at: developer.cbssports.com

The Fantasy Platform announcement was made by Jason Kint, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CBSSports.com, at the 2012 Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) Winter Business Conference in Las Vegas.

“The way people play fantasy sports has dramatically changed over the last ten years with players using a ton more tools and products produced by a growing number of businesses,” said Kint. “Providing outside developers access to our proprietary service will benefit the entire fantasy industry ecosystem, creating additional value for companies, developers and advertisers while consolidating and enhancing the experience for fantasy players.”

With the Fantasy Platform, the millions of dedicated fantasy sports players at CBSSports.com can integrate products and services from across the industry directly into their fantasy game experience. By using these free and premium apps to access the Fantasy Platform, players will not only have all their tools and resources in one central location, they’ll have these products and services built directly into CBSSports.com’s fantasy sports games–leading to more efficient decision making and enhanced enjoyment.

Details about the initial Fantasy Platform launch partners and the apps they plan to offer are as follows:

Advanced Sports Media: Producer of the award-winning Draft Analyzer software, Advanced Sports Media (ASM) is focused on developing innovative software applications that help customers compete more effectively in their Fantasy Sports leagues. For the Fantasy Platform, ASM will be producing two applications: The Draft Analyzer App provides users with personalized and completely customizable draft pick advice while the Auction Analyzer App provides users with personalized bidding advice for auction leagues and is again, completely customizable with all league settings.

Bloomberg Sports: Established in 2010, Bloomberg Sports has quickly become a worldwide leader in the development of state of the art data analytic tools for both professional sports organizations and fantasy sports enthusiasts.  For the Fantasy Platform, Bloomberg Sports will be developing apps around their consumer products, “Front Office” (baseball) and “Decision Maker” (football), designed for fans interested in improving their fantasy play or for following their favorite players more closely throughout the course of the season.

MLB.com: MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, powers MLB.TV, the Internet’s most prolific live video subscription product. For the Fantasy Platform, MLB.com will be building an app that allows MLB.TV subscribers to watch their fantasy baseball teams live through a customizable experience whereby users automatically will see the live game with the most relevant action to their fantasy teams. Launching in time for the 2012 season, the app will also allow a fantasy user that chooses to watch any live MLB game to be presented with statistical data as to how on-the-field play will impact the user’s fantasy baseball team as it happens.

RotoWire: RotoWire.com is a leading content and technology provider to fantasy sports consumers and major media companies. For the Fantasy Platform, RotoWire will develop a content application around its real-time player news and in-depth player profiles to help fantasy players make the most timely and informed roster decisions possible.

StatSheet: A subsidiary of Automated Insights, Inc., StatSheet automatically transforms sports statistics into compelling narrative content, visual displays and interactive applications. For the Fantasy Platform, StatSheet will be developing “StatSmack”, the ultimate fantasy trash talking application which leverages StatSheet’s next-generation technology to arm managers with fully personalized, statistical data and trash talk that will empirically show why their team is better and why they are the better manager.

Ziguana: Ziguana brings powerful algorithms to the average fantasy manager through a simple user-friendly interface. For the Fantasy Platform, Ziguana will be releasing the “Forecaster” app which calculates a team’s probability of winning weekly matchups and makes day-to-day recommendations customized to specific league settings. For those tired of the tedium of setting their lineup, Ziguana’s “Lineup Auto-Pilot” app automatically optimizes and sets a team’s lineup each day. Ziguana will also be offering a 2012 MLB Projections app.

“CBSSports.com’s Fantasy Platform will allow us to build customizable, live experiences as we continue to develop fun ways for our fans to play fantasy baseball and follow the on-the-field action,” said Kenny Gersh, SVP, Business Development, MLB.com. “These new integrations into MLB.TV will deliver an original and exciting approach for our subscribers to watch their fantasy baseball teams live throughout 2012.”

“We are very pleased to be able to partner with CBSSports.com on this new platform, and bring what we know is the best tool for the casual or die-hard fantasy sports player, ‘Bloomberg Front Office,’ to a much wider audience,” said Bill Squadron, head of Bloomberg Sports.

SportsLine.com, now CBSSports.com, was one of the earliest companies in the fantasy industry, offering innovative fantasy products and services beginning in 1996. Using the Commissioner.com fantasy platform (acquired in 1999), CBSSports.com’s fantasy sports products and games have been some of the most popular in the industry and have won eight of the past ten FSTA awards for best Fantasy Commissioner Product. In 2011, CBSSports.com offered fantasy sports products for pro football, baseball, basketball, college football, hockey, and golf.

With a majority of its fantasy users playing paid fantasy sports, CBSSports.com has one of the most engaged and loyal fantasy sports audiences in the business. Fantasy Football players on CBSSports.com register the highest level of engagement of any major site, with players spending an average of 1 hour, 41 minutes per session and returning 4 times each week to research and optimize their rosters. (Nielsen NetRatings, September 2010)

Additionally, CBSSports.com reaches the most affluent and educated Fantasy Football audience among all major competitors: six in 10 have a household income of $75K+ and two-thirds are college-educated. (Nielsen NetRatings, September 2010)

Statistics from the millions of loyal CBSSports.com fantasy sports players:

• Pay to play on CBSSports.com: 60%
• Play fantasy football: 87%
• Average age: 34
• Average income: $82,600
• Played six or more seasons with CBSSports.com: 83%

According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA), there are currently 29.6 million fantasy sports players in the United States. Here’s the FSTA breakdown by sport:

• Football (72%) = 21,213,333
• Baseball (37%) = 11,050,666
• Auto Racing (24%) = 7,202,666
• Basketball (20%) = 5,821,333
• Golf (13%) = 3,749,333
• College football (13%) = 3,848,000
• Hockey (12%) = 3,552,000
• Soccer (7%) = 2,072,000

To view a promotional video for the CBSSports.com Fantasy Platform, click here:                               Fantasy Evolved: The CBSSports.com Open Fantasy Platform

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About CBSSports.com Fantasy Sports

CBSSports.com is a division of CBS Interactive, the premier online content network for information and entertainment.  At the forefront of the fantasy sports business, CBSSports.com offers services and expert advice in fantasy sports ranging from professional and collegiate football to baseball, basketball, hockey, and golf. With a Fantasy product for virtually every sports fan, the CBSSports.com Commissioner Fantasy Sports League Management product has won eight of the past ten Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) awards for best Fantasy Commissioner Product. CBSSports.com has a tradition of innovation in the fantasy sports industry as evidenced by its robust patent portfolio. For more information about the CBSSports.com Fantasy Sports, visit cbsports.com/fantasy.

Follow CBS Sports on Twitter: twitter.com/cbssports and on Facebook: facebook.com/cbssports

More information about CBS and its businesses is available at cbscorporation.com.

Press Contacts:

Alex Riethmiller – CBSSports.com 954.599.4154     ariethmiller@cbs.com

THE MOST PROLIFIC FANTASY FOOTBALL EXPERT LEAGUE ENDS WITH A BANG.

Fantasyfootballfreaks.com wins the 1st annual 32 team All-Pro Expert League in 2011. Fantasyalarm, a current FSTA member, appeared in the most challenging league title game in existence…losing by a mere 36.15 pts, not a large margin in this league. The results may be viewed here . Not only did Fantasyalarm represent well on behalf of FSTA members, but as a whole there were 12 of the 32 teams that are members as well.

FSTA members’ team highlights:

4 Division winners(8 divisions total)-Fantasyalarm, FFToday, USA Today, Pickemfirst

5 Playoff teams(12 total)-Fantasyalarm, FFToday, USA Today, Pickemfirst, Allproleagues.com

1 Conference champion-Fantasyalarm

After 13 weeks of regular season, the points leaderboard was filled with FSTA members including the top 4 spots-Fantasyalarm, FFToday, Pickemfirst, and Allproleagues.com. Playoffblitz and USA Today posted top 10 spots in points as well, bringing the total to 6 of the top 10.

The National Conference was completely occupied by FSTA members. Out of 16 teams, Allproleagues.com, Fantasyalarm, and FFToday made the final 4 in the conference.Sherpa Fantasy Sports and Playoffblitz missed the playoffs by 1 game. Congrats to all the teams for making the season as successful as it was anticipated, and invitations will be going out for next season in mid-summer.In addition, we thank you for making us the home of the #1 Fantasy Football expert league.

For great advertising opportunities contact allproleagues@gmail.com

A heads up that the deadline to submit nominations for the 2011 Fantasy Sports Trade Association Industry awards is this Friday, Dec. 16.

Read all about the rules and submit your nominations in our easy-to-use form by going to http://fsta.org/nomination.

This year, we’ve reorganized the awards into the following categories:

* Best League Commissioner Product

* Most Innovative Fantasy Contest

* Most Innovative Fantasy Product or Service

* Most Outstanding Fantasy Contest

* Most Outstanding Mobile Application

* Most Unique and Outstanding Live Event or Contest

* Most Valuable Fantasy Content

* Most Valuable Fantasy Tool

* Rookie of the Year

Only FSTA member organizations are eligible to win.

Winners will be announced at the FSTA Winter Conference sponsored by CBSSports.com on Jan. 16-17, 2012 in Las Vegas.

Join your colleagues at The Mirage Resort & Casino for this great networking opportunity and the chance to participate in discussions around the hottest issues facing the fantasy sports industry.

Check out more details and register for the conference  here. And reserve your room at The Mirage by clicking here.

Questions about the FSTA Industry Awards or the FSTA Winter Conference sponsored by CBSSports.com? Contact us at  news@fsta.org.

StatSheet Launches STAT.US Twitter Sports Network

(DURHAM, N.C., November 30, 2011) – Just in time for the fantasy football playoffs and the start of the college basketball season, StatSheet (http://statsheet.com) today announced the launch of STAT.US (http://stat.us), the world’s largest sports-focused Twitter network. STAT.USutilizes StatSheet’s unique artificial intelligence technology and proprietary database of over 2 billion statistics to bring live, in-game updates to fans on their favorite players and teams. STAT.US has both team and player-specific Twitter accounts covering the NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA college football and basketball. STAT.US Twitter accounts already have over 250,000 followers who are updated with live game scores and important plays as well as pre- and post-game analysis.

As part of STAT.US, StatSheet has also launched the first ever Twitter “Fantasy Tracker” where fantasy football managers can quickly follow the individual players on their team and keep tabs on their fantasy roster’s performance on game day via Twitter. STAT.US users receive live play-by-play, scores and statistical updates for the individual players and teams that they track within their existing Twitter feed.

“At StatSheet we are all about using technology to create the best possible experience for fans,” says Robbie Allen, StatSheet’s CEO and Founder. “STAT.US fits in perfectly with our existing network of over 400 team web sites and Android and iPhone applications and helps us take the next step in improving the in-game experience for our users.”

Key Features of the STAT.US Network:

• Team Accounts: followers of team accounts will get updates on scores, turnovers, key plays and win probability, as well links to StatSheet’s ongoing analysis and interesting statistical insights on their team both past and present. STAT.US has active accounts for every NFL, NBA, MLB, and DI NCAA Football and Basketball team.  Some examples: @cheeseheadhaven (Green Bay Packers), @Celts_Pride (Boston Celtics), @Cards_Update (St. Louis Cardinals), @CarolinaUpdBB (UNC Basketball), and @Fightin_TigerFB (LSU Football).
• Individual Player Accounts: followers of individual player accounts will find a smorgasbord of information at their fingertips.  For NFL players, they will get updates on every rush, every pass completion and every score, as well as end of quarter summary stat line updates for anxious fantasy owners. STAT.US currently has NFL player accounts for every significant offensive player and will be adding more player accounts for additional sports soon. Example accounts include @ARodgersStats (Aaron Rodgers) and @CJohnsonStats (Calvin Johnson).
• #Hashtag Lists: users can also follow specific hashtags such as #TDTracker for the NFL to monitor touchdowns, #HRTracker for MLB to monitor home runs, and #UpsetTracker and #OTTracker for all sports to keep tabs on potential upsets and over-time games.
• Fantasy Tracker: STAT.US gives users a quick interface to create and follow a Twitter list of individual player accounts so they can quickly track every play, score and update on their fantasy rosters.

The statistics for STAT.US are provided by StatSheet’s official stats provider, The Sports Network (TSN). TSN’s robust and flexible sports wire service enables StatSheet and its technology platform to quickly develop and deploy innovative, world-class products to sports fans.

About StatSheet

StatSheet is a subsidiary of Automated Insights, Inc. and represents the next revolution in content creation.  StatSheet’s technology automatically transforms raw data into compelling narrative content (articles, summaries, headlines), visual displays (charts, tables, graphs) and interactive applications (mobile and Twitter/Facebook–based social applications).  In essence, the company uses technology to humanize big data, and automate knowledge and insight at scale.  StatSheet converts a rapidly growing data set of over 2 billion statistics into comprehensive and compelling coverage of NCAA college basketball, Major League Baseball and the National Football League. The company currently publishes over 15,000 articles per month through its network of more than 400 team-centric websites, Android, iPhone and iPad mobile applications and Twitter and Facebook accounts.  Later this year Automated Insights will launch its NCAA college football coverage.  To learn more, visit www.automatedinsights.com and www.statsheet.com.

San Francisco, CA – Fantasy sports participation has grown over 60 percent the past four years as over 32 million people now actively playing in the U.S. and Canada, new research conducted by Ipsos for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) shows. This finding shows the highest participation numbers in the history of fantasy sports. One in five males played fantasy sports in the last year.

Complete results of the survey will be unveiled Tuesday, June 14 at the FSTA Business & Technology Summit in San Francisco, which features panelists from technology leaders such as Facebook, Gigya, Gameslam and Mashery along with fantasy industry stalwarts such as Yahoo! Sports, Gannett and MyFantasyLeague.

Based on the proportion of survey respondents who report having played fantasy sports in the past 12 months in the U.S. (12%) and in Canada (13%), the total projected number of fantasy sports players aged 12 and older is approximately 32 million. The number of fantasy players has increased over 60 percent from a 2007 Ipsos study that showed 19.4 million fantasy sports players. A 2010 study from Ipsos showed approximately 30.6 million people played in the U.S. and Canada.

“The fantasy sport industry continues to grow at a strong rate even through tough economic times,” said FSTA President Paul Charchian. “The combination of great passion for the hobby and inexpensive participation has made fantasy sports very recession resilient. We’re delighted to see participation numbers continue to grow.”

In addition to the demographic data, the FSTA conference will also feature panels on social media, mobile apps, Open APIs and raising investment capital. The FSTA expects record attendance for this conference, which features two days of guest speakers and seminars. A complete schedule of events is available at http://www.fsta.org/.

Charchian added, “The fantasy industry is at the forefront of technology and the impressive list of companies attending our San Francisco conference will showcase the innovation that should continue to fuel this trend.”

Overall, the survey shows that United States’ participation in fantasy sports has increased from those that played in 2010 (11%) while Canada’s participation is down slightly from 2010 (14%). As is usually the case, in the United States and Canada more males (19% and 20%, respectively) than females (8% and 5%, respectively) have participated in fantasy sports in the past year.

It is also interesting to note that college educated, full-time employees are more likely to take part in fantasy sports than their less educated and lesser employed counterparts in both the United States and Canada. Nearly two in ten (18%) college educated Americans have recently played fantasy sports vs. one in ten (10%) of the non college educated population. Similarly, in the United States, 19% of those who have full time employment have played in the past year vs only 11% of the unemployed. In Canada, the story is nearly identical with college educated people twice as likely to play fantasy sports as those without a university degree (22% vs. 11%) and 18% of those full time employed participating vs 11% of the unemployed.

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About the FSTA

The FSTA is the largest and oldest trade group representing the fantasy sports industry with over 120 members ranging from small startups to large media corporations. As the voice of the industry since 1998, the FSTA has been the leader in providing demographic data, annual conferences and collective action to ensure unfettered growth. Visit http://www.fsta.org/ for more information.

About Ipsos

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. Ipsos Public Affairs is the polling agency of record for The McClatchy Company, the third-largest newspaper company in the United States and the international polling agency of record for Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.

Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research. To learn more, visit: http://www.ipsos-pa.com.

For copies of other news releases, please visit: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/.

Methodology

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted May 4 – May 9, 2011. For this survey, a national general population sample of 1,226 Canadians aged 12 and older and 1,215 Americans aged 12 and older. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the general population sample’s composition reflects that of the U.S. and Canadian 12+ populations according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. An unweighted probability sample of 1,226 and 1215 respondents and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire 12+ population of the United States and Canada had been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Paul Charchian or Ipsos, please call (262) 308-5544 or e-mail at paulc@leaguesafe.com.

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association announces requests for submissions from FSTA members interested in participating in the 2010 FantasyFootball Projection Accuracy Challenge.  The FSTA (www.FSTA.org), in conjunction with TheMostCredible.com (www.themostcredible.com), FantasyDispute.com (www.fantasydispute.com), and Fantasy Football Librarian (www.fflibrarian.com), will be analyzing fantasy baseball projections from participants.  The projections will be compared with actual player statistics at the end of the season, and awards will be presented based on the accuracy of those predictions.

Details can be found by clicking here.

The player list can be found by clicking here.

Awards will be presented at the Winter 2011 FSTA Conference. Your organization must be an FSTA member to be eligible to win the FSTA award, but anyone can participate.

Time is short to get your registration in for the 2010 FSTA Winter Conference, sponsored by Yesteryear Fantasy Sports: the festivities kick off in less than two weeks!  Join us at the Palms in fabulous Las Vegas for two days of networking, fascinating conference presentations, and a whole lot of fun (it is Vegas, after all!)

The FSTA is proud to announce the addition of John Randle, legendary Minnesota Viking Defensive Tackle and veteran from “the trenches”.  John has teamed up with TrenchFantasy.com to help spread the word on one of the most innovative fantasy football game to hit the category in years.  Trench Fantasy is built around the idea that the ‘game is won and lost in the trenches’ and now fantasy players can compete in the trenches alongside their traditional QB, RB and WR leagues.

Hear the Pro Bowler’s thoughts on fantasy sports, how it has affected the players, and his role in the booming fantasy sports industry on Tuesday, January 26th.  Join us for dinner at the ESPN Zone, sponsored by XML Team Solutions, and get the chance to meet an NFL legend!

Log on to fsta.org/conference to learn more about the 2010 FSTA Winter Conference, sponsored by Yesteryear Fantasy Sports.

We will see you soon!

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association is proud to welcome Yesteryear Fantasy Sports as the Title Sponsor of the 2010 FSTA Winter Conference.  Lead by Jim Pennington, Yesteryear is a new concept in fantasy sports—basing your fantasy team on seasons past!  Learn more about Yesteryear Fantasy Sports at their website, http://yesteryearfantasy.com/.

Jim and his crew are just the latest of a long list of fantastic fantasy sports providers attending the 2010 FSTA Winter Conference, sponsored by Yesteryear Fantasy Sports.  Other attendees are coming from:

Don’t be left out—register today for the 2010 FSTA Winter Conference, Sponsored by Yesteryear Fantasy Sports!

Think your company did award-winning work in 2009? Want to give someone else a slap on the back for a job well done? Now is your chance.http://www.fsta.org/conference. The early bird registration fee of $349 for FSTA members and $499 for non-members is good until Dec. 17. And don’t forget to reserve your room at the Palms by calling 1-866-725-6773 and asking for the special FSTA rate of $119/night.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2009 Fantasy Sports Trade Association Industry Awards. Read all about the rules and award categories — there are some new ones this year to reflect changes in the industry and new technologies — by going to http://www.fsta.org/blog/awards. The nomination deadline is Nov. 20 and only FSTA member organizations are eligible.

Winners will be announced at the 2010 Winter Conference in Las Vegas on Jan. 26 & 27. Join the FSTA for two days of networking and discussions around the hottest issues facing the fantasy sports industry at the Palms Resort and Casino.

Check out more details and register for the conference at

Able to get into town early? Then be sure to join your colleagues on the night of Jan. 25 for an informal, pre-conference networking session and the annual FSTA Fantasy Baseball Experts Draft.

If you’re interested in drafting a team or have any other questions, be sure to contact FSTA Association Director Megan Van Patten at megan@fsta.org.

Saturday, August 29 BlogTalkRadio.com will host a 12-hour fantasy football talkathon to help raise money for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Cecil and Sigmund from footballguys.com will host the event beginning at noon EST and wrapping up at midnight on August 30.  There are several ways the fantasy sports industry can help promote this event.

For more information about the event contact Marc Ronick from BlogTalkRadio.

Click here for more information about the event.

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association is proud to welcome MyFantasyLeague.com as the title sponsor of the 2009 FSTA Summer Conference. Taking place at the historic Drake Hotel in Chicago June 18-19, the show will be jam-packed with information pertaining to the economy, pressing legal issues, and new products to push your business over the top. Check out the agenda today!

Nearly 11 months after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from Major League Baseball Advanced Media and the MLB Players’ Association in the CDM case — thus allowing CDM to continue using players’ names and stats without having to pay a licensing fee — the fantasy sports industry received more good news Tuesday.

Referring to the CDM case as “controlling” law and citing the NFL Players’ Association’s “numerous contacts with Minnesota,” a U.S. District Court judge in Minnesota granted CBS Interactive’s motion of partial summary judgment in its case against the NFLPA and Players Inc. and denied the NFLPA’s attempt to move the litigation from Minnesota to Florida.

As you’ll recall, in Sept. 2008, CBS Interactive sued the NFLPA, alleging that it was being wrongly pressured into paying licensing fees to operate its fantasy football games. The CBS suit was filed in Minnesota, a state which is part of the Eighth Circuit for the U.S. Court of Appeals, the same venue in which the CDM case was decided.

“This victory further cements the autonomy of fantasy sports operators from sports leagues and player unions,” said newly elected Fantasy Sports Trade Association President Paul Charchian. “The ruling ensures that the industry’s hundreds of fantasy companies will continue creating wide ranging products to serve the needs of fantasy players.

“Fantasy sports provide significant advantages to the leagues and players unions, creating a wide variety of tangible and intangible benefits. As has always been the case, the FSTA welcomes the opportunity to work with each of the leagues and their players’ associations.”

According to Glenn Colton, a partner in the New York office of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal who authored amicus briefs on behalf of the FSTA in the CDM case, the ruling is “yet another victory for fantasy sports players and businesses, and most importantly for all of our First Amendment freedoms.”

“The decision is yet another brick in the wall that will insure that the millions of fantasy sports players continue to be able to enjoy the game and the innovations and improvements that come with freedom to operate and invent without fear of players associations swooping in at the 11th hour and wresting control of the benefits of those inventions and innovations,” said Colton.

As to what will happen next in the case, Colton says that he hopes the leagues and players’ associations react to the ruling by demonstrating an increased willingness to work with the fantasy sports industry.

Tuesday’s ruling and its ramifications for the fantasy sports industry will be a hot topic at the FSTA Summer Conference in Chicago on June 18 and 19. Register for the conference ($349 for FSTA members/$499 for non-members before May 18) by clicking here.

The complete ruling from the United States District Court – District of Minnesota on the Memo and Order regarding CBS Interactive Inc. and National Football League Players Association, Inc. is now available for FSTA members in the download area of our website.  To download, log in to your account through this link or at the top of the screen and select “Member Resources.”  The file, an Adobe PDF, is located in the section labeled “Lawsuits, Laws, Briefs, and Rulings.”  Non-FSTA members can download the document by clicking here.

The victory for CDM Sports and the fantasy industry in the appeal of a watershed case ensures continued growth for the industry, said Jeff Thomas, president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association said after the verdict.

View 8th Circuit Court Upholds Ruling for Fantasy Sports Press Release

The Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) releases the latest demographic data for the Fantasy Sports market showing continued growth. The 2007 detailed data includes the addition of the Canadian and teenage markets. This information will be reviewed at the FSTA Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 1st and 2nd.

View the August 2007 Fantasy Sports Conference Demographic Survey Shows Continued Growth Press Release

The fantasy sports industry is growing at a rapid pace. News stories pop up weekly. And the industry’s 244-member trade association is making some news of its own. Last week, the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) made several important announcements about the state of the industry and its future.

View the FSTA 2006 Post Conference Press Release

Fantasy Football is a national phenomenon and the fantasy football industry is alive and kicking. Wednesday night, quarterback Warren Moon and comedian Scott Henry headlined the industry’s 4^th Annual Awards Banquet in Las Vegas and recognized the industry’s top companies for excellence in categories ranging from Fantasy Football Commissioner to Fantasy Football Draft Kit.

View the Warren Moon Headlines 2005 FSTA Industry Recognition Awards Press Release