The 2022 NFBC season was among the most difficult in our 19-year history due to the continuing pandemic and the labor issue between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. Off-season drafts stalled slightly when the owners locked the players out for 99 days starting in December before a settlement was reached a mere 28 days before the start of the season. And while the pandemic was improving, there were still a lot of players who wouldn't draft live or even draft at all in 2022 because of that uncertainty.

But the NFBC continued to host online drafts during that time and adjusted its schedule once the lockout ended by moving the New York City live events back two weeks and kicking off the live events at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. It was the first time that the New York live events went after the Las Vegas live events, but it made for the most exciting time in Las Vegas ever. The enthusiasm for the return of baseball, for the return of so many people to the live events, and for competing for the record $175,000 grand prize in the Main Event made Las Vegas the most enthusiastic time in our 19-year history.

Despite the lockout, the NFBC had another record season in 2022 with almost 20,000 teams competing for over $4.5 million in prize money. The NFBC managed over 1,480 leagues over our 10-team, 12-team and 15-team formats in 2022.

We increased the grand prize in the NFBC Main Event to $175,000 in 2022 and that allowed us to finish with a record 705 teams, up 60 teams from 2021. Bob Cramutola of College Grove, Tennessee became our 18th different champion in 19 years to win the title as he held off Steven Weimer by 88 points. Amazingly, Bob didn't even win his league title as Steven was in his March 29th Online League and edged Bob by 1 point for that $7,000 league prize. This has never happened before in the Main Event where the overall champion didn't even win his league title. Bob first joined the NFBC in 2020 and by his third season he won the industry's most prestigious title. Well done Bob.

Andrew Geller of Flemington, New Jersey won the 2022 Rotowire Online Championship and our record $150,000 grand prize as he topped a record field of 2,388 teams for that title. Andrew has been close to winning this title before as he finished 2nd in the 2020 Sprint Rotowire OC and was 4th in 2021, but in 2022 he finally took home the top prize. Andrew first joined the NFBC in 2014 and had won 10 league titles before winning two more Rotowire OC league titles in 2022 and the grand prize.

Joshua Dawalt of Noblesville, Indiana won the 2022 NFBC Best Ball Cutline Championship and the $75,000 grand prize as he outlasted 1,609 other teams for the title. Joshua had two teams at \"the final table\" of 20 teams and he finished 1st and 19th overall. He finished with 2,759.1 points to win this year's Cutline title going away by 202.9 points. NFBC veteran Bill Strickler, who passed away two weeks before the end of the season, finished second to win $25,000.

Steve Maier of Oak Creek, Wisconsin won the 2022 NFBC Draft Champions National Championship and the $30,000 grand prize after topping a record field of 4,815 teams. This was easily the closest race we've ever had in the NFBC Draft Champions National Championship as Steve edged Mike Mager by just seven points. When you consider that each category has 4,815 points in it and that there are 48,150 available points then seven points is just .00015 of a percentage. Amazing margin of victory by Steve and another tough runner-up finish for Mike, who has now finished in the Top 5 of the DC overall standings a couple of times.

Steven Cozzolino of New York City won the 2022 NFBC Auction Championship title and that $20,000 grand prize as he bested a field of 135 teams for this title. Due to the 99-day lockout, we scaled back the grand prize and based it on nine full leagues, which we reached. Steven drafted live in New York City on April 1st at 9 am ET at the Stewart Hotel and he won his league title with 131 points as two other teams finished in the Top 10 overall from that league. He edged Scott Fleming by 39 points for the overall title.

The NFBC also saw great growth in 2022 in our online auctions as that software continues to be the best in the industry. Gregg Martin of Brooklyn, New York won the second annual NFBC Online Auction Championship as he topped a record field of 660 teams to win the $7,000 grand prize. This is the second straight year that this contest has reached its maximum total of teams. Gregg finished 109.5 points ahead of Mike Rothe to win the overall title.

The NFBC also finished with 3,396 $50 Draft Champions teams as players competed for league prizes in 283 different leagues. We did keep overall standings and we awarded a FREE 2023 NFBC Main Event entry to the top team in that format. Mark Steahly of Powell, Ohio will be competing in his first Main Event league in 2023 thanks to winning this overall title in 2022.

The private high-dollar leagues returned in full force in 2022 and Glenn Schroter of Whitestone, New York won the biggest prize of them all. Glenn won the NFBC Platinum League title and that $120,000 league prize after finishing second in 2021. Shawn Johnson of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina won the $75,000 league prize in the NFBC Diamond Auction League. This was Shawn's fifth title in the last six years in the Diamond Auction League, an incredible feat. Shawn also won the NFBC Ultimate Auction League title and that $40,000 league prize, while winning the NFBC 12-Team Super League title for the second straight year and that $18,000 prize.

Philippe Dussault of Terrebonne, Quebec won the NFBC Main Event title in 2021 and in 2022 he went to Las Vegas and won the Diamond League title and that $75,000 league prize during his first attempt. Scott Fleming of Wayne, New Jersey won his second straight NFBC New York MTM Invitational Ultimate League title and that $40,000 league prize. The draft for that Ultimate league was carried live on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, as it has been for the last seven years. NFBC Hall of Famer Steve Jupinka also won $40,000 in the NFBC Ultimate Online League. Winning NFBC Super League titles and $20,000 in 2022 were Toby Guevin of Grass Valley, California and Glenn Schroter.

For the second straight year, the NFBC ran the Diamond Challenge Roto and Points games. Russ Anno of Foothill Ranch, California won the $30,000 grand prize in the 2022 Diamond Challenge Roto contest as he defeated a field of 521 teams. He finished 39.5 points ahead of Brianna Hovey for the title. Howard Baum of New Providence, New Jersey won the $15,000 grand prize in the 2022 Diamond Challenge Points contest as he defeated a field of 400 teams. Kenneth Gavron finished 40.02 points behind to finish second overall.

And to close out a record-breaking year in the NFBC, Chris Carmody of Harrison Township, Michigan won the 2022 NFBC Postseason Contest and that $15,000 grand prize. Zach Waxman finished second and won $6,000 as this contest finished with a record 420 teams.

Now it's onto 2023, which is the NFBC's 20th anniversary season. Live events will be held in New York City March 17-19 and Las Vegas March 23-26 in what should be the biggest and best season ever. Come and join us for our 20th anniversary season!