Don't charge hockey fans more just because non-hockey fans can't figure out an Offsides or Icing call and decide not to follow the sport because the rules are so difficult to understand. ;)

2. Database storage and bandwidth (probably the biggest cost considering how many times people access their 15 teams) are enough to put the game at a significant loss even if it uses the stats from the Ultimate game. Just ask some of the people around here how many teams they had and it's just ridiculous for TSN to sustain that out of their own pockets with no source of income for it.

3. There is no reason for those who would normally not be very competitive to pay for the Ultimate game, thus leaving the Ultimate game with only a handful of competitors, which leaves the entire model at a cost loss. There has to be incentive, and not just prizes because that's not enough to lure most people, to get people to convert to paying players.

4. If you're playing for fun and not to compete for prizes, then what's the problem with the free game as they've laid out? Just because it's not what you're used to? That's like if you really liked ice cream and you had a friend working at an ice cream shop who would always give you a 2 scoop cone for free everyday and one day his boss tells him that he's fine with the friend giving away free cones, but he has to cut it back to 1 scoop and then you complain and don't go there anymore. Huh? If you're in it just for the fun, then what's the problem? Join a division with the rest of your friends and forget about WWR's and just compete within your division.

5. TSN is a successful business because they have a business model built on making money. Smallworld's model failed, so TSN isn't using it anymore (gee, wonder why?). Just because TSN is a successful business doesn't mean they should give things away for free. Should they take a profit loss to provide us with a free game? And a loss it would be because I'm sure Erik and his employees don't work for free or peanuts. So why in the world would TSN purchase Smallworld and then proceed to take a hit to the profits they had pre-SW? That's just ridiculous to even put into the discussion.

6. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Ultimate Baseball game and am glad I spent the $35 for my 3 teams. I was originally hesitant until TSN agreed to allow multiple division prizes, but now I don't care. The $35 is long forgotten and I'm having fun playing an improved product (FAR less downtime and more timely stats and email updates and on and on and on) with improved customer service.

Personally, I would. And that's what TSN is doing. It's not just the same game you used to play. The stats are up far earlier than before and are more consistently on time. Their downtime is practically non-existent. And they've worked to add more strategy to the baseball game by removing RanDro from the game. I would assume they will try to add some more strategy to the hockey game as well (if it's possible!). I also now receive and email for each of my teams every morning which not only details my points page, but also includes any player updates for players I have. In other words, they're trying to make it so that you're actually getting something new for your money so that you're not just paying for what you used to get for free.

And sure, I understand the publicity angle, but does TSN really need that? I'm sure they have millions of subscribers to their paper, so why do they need to give away an internet game? I'm sure more subscribers wouldn't hurt, but I think Smallworld showed that the database/bandwidth costs needed to run a free game like the old game for hundreds of thousands of managers is just too much for the "advertising" return. Besides, they are still offering a free game. It's just not one you like. So you're not really asking for a free game. You're asking for a pay game for free. If you liked the ice cream store's ice cream, you might complain about getting the 1 scoop for a couple of days, but after about a week you would remember why you go back: because they give you a quality product. At that point, you would either pay for more or just be content with what you get for free because all you really care about is the product.

TSN still offers a version of their game for free, you just don't get to pick as many players as before. If you don't like that, then spend the $11.67/team because you like their product so much. If you're so willing to toss TSN for some other game, then maybe you don't like their game as much as you profess that you do while trying to get it for free and are just looking for any free game, regardless of product.

//- START TAX RANT

As far as the government goes, that's like comparing apples to the number of craters on the moon. Huh? Exactly. First off, the government does a LOT of frivolous spending and does even more spending on products/services that are overpriced. We've all heard the stories of the $300 hammers and everything else. So before I'm willing to see the government raise my taxes, I want to see that they're doing reasonable spending and that they really are cash strapped after all that reasonable spending. Just watch the NBC Nightly News and you'll see all the "Fleecing of America" stories. Those alone could save everyone a LOT of taxes. Personally, I prefer tax hikes at the local level anyhow so that people can see where their money is going. While localities aren't perfect spenders either, the common folk like you or I have a lot better chance of seeing where the money is going and have a better opportunity to decide if a tax hike is worth it or not. For instance, if my locality were to ask for a Food Tax hike in order to give a pay raise to teachers, I would vote yes in a heartbeat. I would probably vote yes for most tax increase measures for my particular locality because I see a lot of good that has been done with local tax dollars. While the citizens of another locality scream and holler about $70k going to a skate park for kids, I can see the one that our city built and see that it really does keep the kids off the streets where they can skate in a fun and safe environment. I would vote yes for money for that in a heartbeat, again because my particular locality has a pretty good track record for spending.

As to the charging more taxes to wealthy persons than non-wealthy persons, this is a personal opinion issue. Personally, I prefer a flat tax for everyone. Why? Because I'm trying to build a business from nothing. My parents were barely "middle-income" and I went to college on loans and now I'm trying to build something. If I'm successful, I will employ other people and create jobs. But, I will also have to pay more taxes than the guy who decided to be lazy and spend his life working at McDonalds. Why? Because I have ambition? Why, if that guy working at McDonalds decides to get a better job, should he pay more taxes for having more ambition? There are people who my fiancee used to work with who have the opportunity to take a free class over the course of 3 months in order to receive a certification that would give them about a $5k pay raise, but would also require more responsibilities (not more than $5k worth). My fiancee took advantage of the opportunity and now has a better job and is making more money. Why should she pay more taxes than her former co-workers who decided they were content with where they were? Further, if I'm building my business, that likely means that I'll be bringing in more money. But as I bring in more money, I have to pay more than more money to the government. It's not like a food tax where if I spend $10 and pay X for tax, then I know that spending $20 will require X x 2. No, it's like bring in $10k and pay X. Bring in $20k and pay X x 2.5. Why? All that's doing is make it harder to grow my business in order to try to create more jobs. Even back when I lived with my parents and we struggled, I was never a fan of our tax system. It penalizes success. I know that there are a lot of people who are born into money and most people just look at those people and say, "Tax them more!", but they forget about the people who actually worked their way to that point. And suddenly, because they worked their tail off, they owe the government something more? Nah, not in my book. Make everyone pay the same rate. Obviously, there should be LOW income level tax breaks along the lines of Food Stamps and other government assistance programs. But anything from the "Standard of Living" income up should be flat.

//- END TAX RANT

As far as getting the "full" roster for free, you might as well plan on TSN not offering the "full" roster format for the free game anymore. If you want to play "full" roster format, you're going to be playing Ultimate. And if you don't want to pay for the Ultimate game, then your choices are:

1. Pay-for-trade to compete in the "free" game.
2. Play in a NET (No Extra Trades) style division with friends for free.
3. Find another game.

TLW, How is it complete BS? Because a company wants to have a reason to provide a product? Without a profit, TSN will not continue to provide the games they provide. Where are we then? Personally, I like the TSN format (and improved customer service and other added and improved features) enough that I'm willing to pay $35 for 3 teams to continue playing it and to keep giving TSN a reason to provide the product. It's kind of the same reasoning behind why I buy Ben & Jerry's ice cream instead of the store brand. From a consumer standpoint, I don't want Ben & Jerry's, nor TSN, to stop providing their product. If that means I have to pay what I feel is a reasonable price for their product, then I will. And like everything, there is a limit to what I'm willing to spend. If Ben & Jerry's were to go to $10/pint, I probably would switch to a different brand (like Dreamery), just like if TSN charged too much, I would likely go to a different game. However, my price limit for TSN is not anything over Free, like what most people who are complaining seem to be set at.

TLW, I guess you and I can just agree to disagree. You don't want to pay for their product and I do. Pretty much that simple. Fair enough.