Is it just me or are new people fewer and farther between on this site? It takes weeks if at all to fill a theme league and people seem to be dropping out like flies. I look at the various leagues and there seems to be maybe 50-100 people max that are spending hundreds of dollars doing numerous leagues and then there is a vast wasteland. WTF happened? And is it too late for the WIS management team and staff to fix the problem? Thoughts from those of you that have kept this place going?

It is what it is. The traditional sim sports here have been declining for 5+ years at this point. I just get what enjoyment out of it I can, because I know someday it won't be here anymore. Not much point in hoping for any miracles.

Wow, a lot of doom and gloom there. However, I've also noticed that the forums are dead as well, not a good sign.

Trying to compare this site now to what it was 7-8 years ago is like trying to compare an old, rotten, bug-invested piece of fruit to what it was when it was picked.  Theme Leagues would almost always fill, some in 2 or 3 days.  Customer Service was quick, accurate, and professional.  The game was updated several times a year.  FOX can probably be blamed for most of the disregard, as I'm sure they direct where employees spend their time, but that doesn't explain the complete 180% turn of those employees' attitudes toward the games.  It's truly sad too, because with FOX's marketing abilities, this site could (and to me should) be overrun with customers.  Wish I knew somebody with enough $ to buy it and properly market and manage it. 

I've been a WIS member for a long time (over ten years now). Back when FOX took over, I fully expected a site with such great features and marketability to be soon over run with so many people it would be crazy. Now, years later, it seems as though it has gone downhill. Honestly, I love the games on here so much I have to limit how many I play so I don't spend too much money on this (cause then I don't have enough for some other things I also enjoy). Any reasonable marketing decisions and effort should create a huge buzz for a site like this, but I don't know enough about the situation to know why that isn't happening. I'd love to see more people on here. I sure hope the site isn't going to be closed, as logain suggested he believes may happen at some point in the future. I enjoy it too much, and I'd feel like I lost something which can't be replaced if WIS ever shut down.  Long live WIS - I'll carry on and play and hope for the best.

I only play the dynasty games, but it is dead there too. Every now and then (like during March Madness, when everyone goes to FOX Sports) they will put an add up, and WIS will flood with one-and-done customers, but other than that, it's sad.

It truly is a great site. If they could just see that, they would have millions of dollars in profits I am sure. 

The complete lack of effort they are putting in to the site now tells me they are just waiting for their profit margin to slip enough to close it down. I'm assuming that the profits aren't good enough to keep the business going strong or they would ramp up the customer service and address issues. Considering someone else hasn't started up a different basketball simulator, I'm assuming the market just isn't there.

There are people spending hundreds of dollars playing?  I play a lot but... wow.

I very seldom post in these forums but here is something to consider. The constant bad-mouthing and complaining that goes on here is a factor for newbies, imo. The complaints are legitimate but i seldom if ever here any of you old timers say anything positive about the sim. Why would any newbie want to spend money on this game given the lack of satisfaction evidenced here by forum posts. I just had a friend of many years finally field a team after busting my *** over many years for doing this. He loves it, for now. But, one of his first comments after reading the forum page was to comment how unhappy most of your posters seem to be with the sim. I agree your complaints are legit, but from a newbs perspective it totally turns you off. Just something to think about. I will continue playing and will play more now that i have a rival who i associate with in the real world. He already owes me a 12 pack of Magic Hat #9's. Anyway, just food for thought for you world class owners. And that last comment is real,  not sarcasm.

it is what it is.  No amount of false positive will make people stay.  You have a valid point, but that point's been made before.  I'm somewhat "successful" when it comes to the sim, but I have a gripe list that's very long.  I learned quite some time ago that it was a waste of my time to post about them here, however, as admin truly does not give one single iota about this game.  Despite all of that, I have a ton of fun with this and will keep playing as long as it remains fun.  If that comment keeps someone from playing, then that's really their problem for reading one sentence and not the whole message.

The people that don't play but post a stream of negative criticism... well, that's their right even though I agree it is somewhat irritating..  It is the internet, and this is a message board.  Most of the comments on any public message board at a product's provider IS negative.  It's human nature.  Sad but true.

I agree that the negative comments are hurting whatifsports. Their complete ignorance of it is quite appalling. You would think that if people are bashing your business on your website where everyone can read it, you would, in the very least, respond.

I've only been on the site a couple of years but I have to agree all the negativity from the veterans probably does turn off prospective users but since their complaints are valid and since admin never responds or addresses their concerns even when the owners provide easy fixes the fault still lies with the site - my opinion but like I said Im relatively new to these parts so take it for what its worth

ha.

In all fairness, there have been many changes to the sim over the years. When I first started, many elements in the game now didn't exist. There were no percentages for things like usage, rebounding, etc., or at the very least, if they were used by the sim, we didn't get to see them. Back then, there was a very specific two part formula for drafting players which would provide a winning team, and once you figured it out (or someone told you, which wasn't hard to get if you frequently the forums), then you were set.

There have been MANY changes over the years besides adding percentages. For example, at one point back in the day you could exploit the strike shortened season of 99-00 players, because the sim reduced their salalries to represent the number of games they had played, but pro-rated their games and minutes to an 82-game season. You could literally field an amazing team with players from that season on the cheap, but they would play like a team from other seasons. WIS worked to fix this, and I assume it hasn't been an issue since.

Back then, injuries depended upon the number of games a player had played, not minutes. The less games, the greater the chance for injury. Minutes only determined fatigue, which as is the case now, could impact the game and increase the chance for injuries.

Back then there were no defensive ratings, which was something people called for and (obviously) eventually got, no matter how flawed you may argue some of those ratings are.

There were also no percentages for permiter, paint, etc, and no percentages for what position someone played. There were no penalties for fielding a team of, say, all centers, other than the fact that your other numbers might not be balanced or proper for winning.

My point is there have been wholesale changes to the sim in my tenure at this site, and because I haven't played as much as I used to, I'm not sure I always field the best teams myself. In fact, I learn a lot by watching owners who do well now, such as several of you.