CBL News In Depth

Strat-O-Matic Inks Big Deal with The Sporting News

Will Kolodzie

Strat-O-Matic has entered into a partnership with The Sporting News that will benefit existing Strat customers, and potentially, tens of thousands of new gamers.

Under the watchful eye of Hal Richman and Bob Winberry, The Sporting News will build and host an online version of the Strat-O-Matic computer baseball game. The Sporting News contacted Strat-O-Matic with an idea for such a

product approximately 6 months ago. The two companies reached a deal in January after much planning and discussion.

"We are very pleased to be working with The Sporting News -- the advantages of their name recognition and marketing ability are obvious," says Winberry. "They have some very talented people who are working on this project -- a number of whom are Strat-O-Matic players."

The concept for the online version of the Strat-O-Matic baseball game shares similarities with the typical Strat draft league. You join a league and manage a team of current and historical players over a 162-game season. You pick the players, set the lineups, and adjust the managerial settings. The Strat-O-Matic game engine provides the results.

"This will be a draft & manage-only simulation," says Winberry. "You will draft your team using a salary cap system, trade players with other gamers in your league and define your computer manager settings. Games are autoplayed on The Sporting News servers, probably an entire series in one night."

Strat gamers who don't have enough time to play in draft leagues will find this product very appealing, as will fantasy or rotisserie players who are looking for a greater challenge. Special theme seasons (e.g. "Players from the Fifties") will be introduced in the future. League winners will be awarded valuable TSN and SOM merchandise.

Intensity is one word that comes to mind for the Strat-O-Matic online game. Leagues are expected to run for two months. Participants will have to draft their teams with a salary cap in mind. Player salaries are priced very appropriately. Gamers will have to put the best team on the field to win. They'll also have to do it under the constraints of the cap. Super advanced rules will be used for the game.

"This type of simulation will open up Strat-O-Matic to many more people because the time commitment is much less than a traditional Strat-O-Matic play-by-mail league," says Winberry. "We feel that fantasy baseball players will also be naturally attracted to a game like this."

The new game impacts the Strat-O-Matic community in a big way in that it offers a new venue to participate in Strat-O-Matic baseball leagues. There is now an even greater ability to match one's abilities against other Strat players in a national setting. The possibilities are great, so much so that this product could enhance and redefine Strat-O-Matic's position in the marketplace more than ever imaginable.

"Eventually we hope to have an entire community built around this game. Many new people will be attracted to the hobby as the game will be easy to learn and will not require a large investment of time," says Winberry. "The combination of The Sporting News' ability to create and promote the game along with the Strat-O-Matic game engine, player cards, and ratings should translate into a bigger and better Strat-O-Matic community."

The Coming Soon page for the Strat-O-Matic Online Baseball Game is live and taking emails at:

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/

For more information:

Strat-O-Matic - www.strat-o-matic.com

SportingNews.com - www.sportingnews.com

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