Just had to post something about this.  I'm sure most commissioners have noticed that it's getting harder and harder each season to fill long-established HBD worlds.  I'm the commissioner of Negro League, and we've got six openings for season 30, the most I can remember having after we roll. 

One question...when is the last time you remember seeing an ad for What If on any other website, anywhere?  No advertising means no new players.  One of my worlds is having to merge with another, and the others are taking a LONG time to fill.  I love this site, but how much longer will it be here if there is no promotion whatsoever?

/rant

I've said this before but I'll say it again.   It's a limited market.   Anyone interested in simsports probably knows how to use a search engine.   And, if you search "sim baseball", it's right there. 

I'm not sure how much advertising is needed.   Some would be nice but, again, I'm pretty sure anyone seeking a site like this has the know-how to find it.

Posted by MikeT23 on 11/22/2014 12:35:00 PM (view original):
I've said this before but I'll say it again.   It's a limited market.   Anyone interested in simsports probably knows how to use a search engine.   And, if you search "sim baseball", it's right there. 

I'm not sure how much advertising is needed.   Some would be nice but, again, I'm pretty sure anyone seeking a site like this has the know-how to find it.

What about on other sports sites, even foxsports.com?  MLB.com?  Just nothing.  If you don't market yourself, you die.  Plain and simple.

Marketing would increase awareness. More awareness = more people that try it.

There are people out there who aren't actively seeking sim sports yet would try it -- and some of those would like it.

I don't actively seek donuts, but when someone puts a box in front of me, I'll eat one. Make that four. Teen.

Perhaps but there aren't thousands, over even hundreds, of people out there thinking "Damn.  I wish I knew how to find a baseball dynasty game on the internet."    Maybe dozens but they lack the skills to use a search engine.    HBD would be pretty complicated for them.

I'm definitely interested in an Internet baseball simulation game, but if I handn't seem an ad for SimLeague Baseball about 8 years ago, I doubt I'd have the slightest clue anything like this exists. I wouldn't have occurred to me to Google "sim baseball."

I suspect there are a few thousand people like me out there who would be interested in the game if it were shown to them,but who probably won't find it on their own. I think it would make sense for WIS to do some advertising on sites like Baseball Reference or Famgraphs. Probably not too expensive, and a good way to find a target audience.

But if they don't, I won't lose any sleep over it. I think things are going just fine.

I agree with arcticlegend that there may be people who would like it but it would never even occur to them to search for simulated baseball on the web.

It is asinine that they don't at least advertise on Foxsports sites.

 They are retards and I really feel they would rather we, the customer, just went away and left them alone.

Yes. That's the point. When I found this site, I wasn't actively seeking sim leagues. I was just a baseball fan who thought it looked cool once I learned about it. You'll always lose customers through attrition, but if you don't have new people coming in, your customer base gradually dwindles until it's gone. I can't be the only commish who sees it getting harder to fill as time goes by.

If it wouldn't occur to you to search "sim baseball" on the internet, how interested can you be in sim baseball?   And, if you can't be bothered to do that, how many days do you play HBD before you dump the team?

I agree the game is dying a slow death but some massive advertising campaign isn't going to save it.   It's just a limited market.

That thinking is flawed. It's how Apple has built a monster with new products. There weren't demand for them until they were available. But people wouldn't know they're available until they were exposed to advertising or word of mouth. I wouod venture to say not many people walk around talking about this game.

I, for one, had never heard about simulation sports until I read Bill Simmons talk about it. He doesn't anymore, nor does WIFS advertise. They need to.

No, it really isn't.  

In order to play HBD, you have to know how to work a computer.  If you want something, maybe even if it doesn't exist, you can plug it into a search engine.  Presto!  You can get it or find that such a thing doesn't exist.    For instance, I want baby rhino eggs.    Guess what?  They don't exist.   But Wal-Mart, Target and ebay have some sort of related item.   A baby rhino was in the Bronx Zoo in November 2013 and there is a such a thing as Rhinoceros Iguana that actually does lay eggs.

It's silly to think someone seeking a simulated baseball game can't find this site in a matter of seconds or that someone who wants to play a simulated baseball game will be swayed into coming to this site by an ad saying "Hardball Dynasty.  You're in charge!!!"

To be clear, I'm not saying they shouldn't advertise.  They should.   But running ads all day today on Fox isn't going to have people flocking to this site. 

I bet this site gets lots of traffic.   Especially this time of the year.

http://www.foxsports.com/fantasy

See the "sim games" drop down link?

I'm in the same boat as sinfonian, arcade and artical.  I never knew simulation sports existed.  When I tell most people what this site is (when they see me checking it) they also have no idea what it is or that such a thing exists, still to this day.  I found it because it was on MLB.com, and I could log in from MLB.  The reason why I started WIS is because I love fantasy baseball and was bored during the off-season, so I decided to give this site a try.  Here I am almost 10 years later.  Before MLB.com, I never knew a concept of this site existed.

That said, I'm clearly not alone.  This site should be promoted on ALL fantasy sites and all sport sites.  Plain and simple.  The demand for simulation hasn't not gone down.  In fact it is probably higher due to more people with access to the internet.  Therefore there is no reason for worlds to merge, worlds waiting months to fill a few spots, and flat out almost a zero growth rate the past 2 years.  

Anyone (MikeT) who argues this, is doing it for the sake of arguing.    And don't worry, I blocked him years ago so now this user can rant to himself as the leader of the poorly positioned, and clearly the most lonely and bored person on earth.

WHY IS there no APP to this site yet???!!!  That alone speaks volumes.  

Here are some ideas:

The WIS facebook is abysmal by only giving predictions, and NEVER trolling to have people share promotions to try to the site.  How about a referral program?  Get a free season when a friend tries and stays for 3 or more seasons.  Explain the site by putting a few dollars into marketing where the ad will appear for people who search and view fantasy and sporting sites.  This is low cost, targeted marketing.  I'm sure others can think of others.

How about other suggestions?  We can all complain about the lack of marketing, so lets put some stuff together and send it to admin.

Amen Thunderclese! I stumbled on WIS just two years ago. I wasn't searching for a sim site. I didn't really know about them though I am an avid sports fan. The word should get out to more folks like me, i.e., this is cool, fun, and available and right here, try it out.