No TFC 2020??

[MCHamer]

Hi all,

It's not looking good for 2020, I enquired at Telegraph towers about their plans for a cricket game and got this reponse:

"The list of potential fantasy games that will be running in 2020 has to yet to be finalised. At the moment, the only games that will potentially be running are football and horse racing games.

Regards

Ian"

I suggest we all contact them to let them know how much of a loss it would be...

[Waikikamukau]

Says not finalised Might be to do with Gambling on credit cards to be banned. That ban starts 14 April...two days after the start of the County Season. Would that have an affect on numbers, given most people in the UK have debit cards

Surely cricket will continue, especially with all the interest in the T20 world cup and The Hundred making useful separate side games. County and One Day could all be rolled into one game; and maybe keep Blast separate again.

I know there's heaps of interest in this game. Might be a little more if they did the pay leagues like the previous year. 100 teams or more created some juicy prizes for those who wanted to win money, rather than the game itself. I entered no pay leagues last year for this reason.

This has been a really well run game since I've been playing. Despite a few grumbles and the odd bit of angle shooting from a some on here; the game organisers have always fixed mistakes and addressed concerns quickly.

Really looking forward to getting my teams in early before the first county games start on April 12. See you all then everybody

[quizking]

If the game does run, am sure it would be a free to play version - as with the football this season, and the racing game just launched too - reasons given elsewhere in the forum, there won't be pay to enter side leagues either. The racing gets fewer entries (if i recall correctly) but does find it easier to attract sponsors; bet365 this year for cheltenham.

[mincer]

Fingers crossed there will be a TFC 2020. Normally the prize money is generated through the 'pay to play' rather than sponsors.

Hopefully they will keep the format the same as last year. Although I have fears if it does run then it will be 1st prize takes all and no spot prizes.

In which case, a bit like TFF it will be au revoir from me. Goods times but alas no more.

[get_on_my_cocker]

End of an era

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fantasy-spo ... ouncement/

[mincer]

Real shame. The football has been completely dumbed down, and now no cricket.

RIP Telegraph fantasy games. Would the last person please turn out the lights...

[Tim Bisley]

After deciding to all but kill off their own football game, it was inevitable really.

Such a shame.

[LondonFife]

Absolutely devastating news. A real highlight of the sporting summer gone. Can understand that with the numbers dwindling it was getting harder - but it's got to be a big blow to County cricket generally I'd have thought.

Thanks to all who kept it afloat for so long.

[Mike_]

Gutted

[robgraham]

Very sad.
It surely can’t be that much effort to keep the game running (having already developed the main systems/ processes). And if it wasn’t working financially, just up the price a couple of quid.
Let’s hope someone else takes up the reins...

[hancockjr]

Never understood why they changed it so only people who could sit around waiting for team news at 10.55 could realistically compete. Rules out everyone with a "normal" job.

People on here didn't seem bothered, I guess they felt it gave them an edge. But it was an edge to a much smaller pie, and now there is no pie.

Same with TFF - the average Joe doesn't want to have to check team news constantly, making subs throughout the day, one of the reasons why works leagues are all moving to FPL and TFF popularity is dwindling.

[kingcurtley]

For me, the writing was on the wall for this season as soon as it was revealed the Hundred would clash with the Royal London Cup. Player availability would have been a mess to navigate with TFC.

This has been on the cards for about 5 years, so fair play to TFC for keeping it going during these years when the numbers were dropping off.

TFC posts to their Facebook page say there was 8,500 teams in TFC last summer. Doesn't seem a sustainable number despite the dedication of the hardcore fantasy players, like many of us.

Don't agree with the comment about not being able to compete having a 'normal' job; found it was easy to scan a few tweets and make transfers on a phone if you need. However, it's a time consuming game to play properly, no doubt, so imagine that got rid of many casuals.

The game will be missed for sure: following cricket, both live and on Twitter, in the summer will be different - when Northants are 40/5 each game, won't have the joy of a quick 4-fer from your fantasy captain to numb the pain.

[murf]

I was a casual player many, many years ago and found I could easily get in the top 10% by following fantasy scores more than cricket itself. But I soon found it became too complicated (as a non cricket nut) when players became specialists at various forms of the game and didn't play others + foreign players coming in to play one form only etc etc. So I bailed.

Way, way too complicated for the average joe in the street (who would join a works league and enjoy TFF/FPL and not become a total FISO level addict) so soon became a niche game.

Hard to see how they could do a simple game and please everybody.

[oldandfat]

Any alternatives?

[tombryan365]

https://cricketxi.com/dashboard#

[hancockjr]

I was a casual player many, many years ago and found I could easily get in the top 10% by following fantasy scores more than cricket itself. But I soon found it became too complicated (as a non cricket nut) when players became specialists at various forms of the game and didn't play others + foreign players coming in to play one form only etc etc. So I bailed.

Way, way too complicated for the average joe in the street (who would join a works league and enjoy TFF/FPL and not become a total FISO level addict) so soon became a niche game.

Hard to see how they could do a simple game and please everybody.

FPL style weekly deadlines, with a reliable source of who is contracted to which completions and for how long, to enable the casual go at least have an inkling of who is likely to appear in which comps.

[bluelionman]

https://cricketxi.com/dashboard#

Thanks for this link, I'd never heard of Cricket XI but in the absence of anything else I will give them a go this season. I myself was going to see if Cricket Web or Cric Info had a game. Real shame the governing body had their own T20 game a few years ago but then the next year didn't bring it back and I found it rather good, the interface was smooth and deadlines clear plus doing transfers was like FPL - 2 was a free a week more cost a point deduction. Nothing seems to last when it comes to fantasy cricket games.

[bluelionman]

https://cricketxi.com/dashboard#

I been trying so hard but I just cant get a team in budget that I feel confident will actually have players that play.