I didn't initially want to have ads on the site, but have seen a handful of comments that people would be willing to play the game but don't want to pay for it. So, I'm thinking about offering the option to receive 5 credits in exchange for viewing ads for the duration of a single season. You would only be able to purchase an additional 5 credits this way if you are within a couple of weeks of your time expiring and only if you have a 0-credit balance, so if you are an ad-only player you could only participate in a single league.

Even if you have purchased credits and wouldn't need this, I'd be curious to hear your opinions on this idea.

Thanks -

I think any idea to get players to play is a good idea. Personally, I wouldn't do it though. This game is really cheap compared to just about anything out there.

$40 for 40 seasons... How can you beat that??? It costs $1 to play a season!!!

Let me put it another way. How much do you spend on Madden? Let's just say $40, although it is more like $60. You can play Madden for a year, then you have to purchase the new version to keep up with everyone else. That is $40-$60 a year. One season here lasts approximately two months, so you play six seasons a year. For that same $40, you can play in one league for over 6 years or two leagues for over 3 years.

If this isn't a great value I don't know what is!!!!

During the September special, I paid $6.99 for 5 credits, but got 10 extra credits for buying credits in my first 30 days or whatever, plus 25 bonus credits... so I basically got 8 seasons for $7, less than $1 a season. 8 seasons is almost a year playing 2 teams. I think that's a great deal.

Plus, if you have someone use your referral link, you can talk them into buying credits and get 10 free credits, or two free seasons. You bring one person on board, and they buy just 5 credits, you get 2 free seasons, plus they get 2 free seasons.

I only bought 1 season to check the game and see how it goes, plus the great September deal where you get 25 bonus credits. If he runs that again, you should jump on it. 6 seasons for $7 is a pretty great deal.

And, finally, if you like the game, you should really just spend the $40 like Zoot said. You really can't beat the deal. But $40 when they have the 25 bonus credit special, and it's an even better deal. You really can't beat that kind of deal.

I agree with you guys, I definitely feel like the price is more than reasonable. But I also kind of feel like the expectations are different for web-based games, people are expecting to have the "freemium" model where they can at least utilize something like this in a limited capacity for free. I wonder if the one free season just isn't enough for most people to get attached to their teams, and having to lay out $40 to get a reasonable # of credits is just too much when you don't get it installed on your computer or have a physical disk in a box.

I will definitely keep it where the free ad-based players can't play in more than one league using that method, but right now the more I think about it the more I am wondering if I need to do it to keep the players on the bubble around. You guys who have paid still get a huge benefit because you are in multiple leagues, and there are other features coming - like the ability to create your own leagues (I was going to roll that out sooner but I think the auto-leagues need to have a bit more momentum first) - which will require more credits to do. I'd love to think of more premium based features that don't tilt the competitive balance, too. Any ideas?

Not 100% sure I'm doing this option but am heavily leaning toward it.

I'm in for 40, but I like the ad supported idea.e

Now the teams and players are a bit bland or vanilla If you prefer. Nicknames, Helmetdecals, special jerseys, trophies, and week awards, tattoos. Player and team customization could be "perks". Maybe you can only earn perks with team or player accomplishments.

I like the idea, actually.

On a related note, I read somewhere yesterday my first credit purchase will get me 10 extra credits, but I can't find it now. Can anyone either confirm, or deny this?

25 bonus credits? Was that the September special bonus?

If you make your first credit purchase within 30 days of your account creation you get a bonus 10 credits. You also get a bonus 10 credits if you used another user's referral link (and they get a 10-credit bonus as well). That second one never expires (but can only be used once).

You're really digging into the archives now! (That would have been September 2013, that was back when there was no free-to-play option)