SOM 50th Anniversary – Updated 2/11/11 Final Update! Schedule Included

 
THE DAY HAS ARRIVED!!!
 
 
Updated as of 2/11/2011
 
We are thrilled that over 600 Strat-O-Matic Fanatics from all over the country will be joining us this Saturday, February 12th, in New York City to celebrate Strat-O-Matic’s 50th Anniversary/Opening Day 2011. For the first time ever, we will be recognizing the release of our new baseball season and other awesome products in the Big Apple, along with a special event in honor of the past 50 years.  The day will feature lectures, panels with our research team, guest speakers and of course the opportunity to meet Hal Richman, creator and founder of Strat-O-Matic, as well as plenty of time to check out the new cards and play against other fanatics. We will also be announcing the winner of our Ultimate Strat-O-Matic Fanatic Contest. Who will be named the victor? Come on Saturday to find out! 
 
Be a part of STRAT-O-MATIC: THE MOVIE!   Filmmakers will be shooting footage all day at the event. 
 
In addition, attendees arriving by 9:00am will receive a FREE Strat-O-Matic collectable ONLY available at this event. See below for more information!
 
In 1961, Hal created a brand and a community uniting sports enthusiasts that continues to flourish to this day. The Strat-O-Matic logo is instantly recognizable to any true sports fan, and the name still brings a smile to the faces of the millions who have played the games over the past five decades. We here at Strat-O-Matic couldn’t be more excited about this year’s Opening Day/Anniversary Celebration and look forward to seeing all of you there to pick up your games and enjoy the day’s festivities. Check below for more details!
  
Location:
Community Church of New York
40 East 35th St, New York, NY 10016 (between Park and Madison)
 
Date and Time:
Saturday, February 12th
7:30am to 6:00pm
(Registration is 7:30am to 8:30am)
 
Schedule for the Day:
7:30am             -Registration Opens
 
7:30 to 8:30      -Coffee and Donuts in the Game-Room/Partner        Expo   
               
8:30 to 9:00     -Welcome and Keynote Address
                       -Bill Daughtry (Sports Media Journalist), our Master of Ceremonies, welcomes Hal Richman
 
9:00 to 9:45     -Research Panel: Ask Hal and the Experts
-Panelists: Hal Richman, James Williams, Steve Barkan, Len Schwartz and Glenn Guzzo
-Moderated by Bill Daughtry
 
9:45 to 10:00    -15 minute Break
 
10:00 to 10:30  -The Statistical Analysis Panel
-Panelists: John Dewan (Baseball Info Solutions) and Rick Peterson (Bloomberg Sports)
-Moderated by Glenn Guzzo
 
10:30 to 11:15  -Computer Panel: Ask Bob and the Experts
-Panelists: Bob Winberry, Len Schwartz and Gary Brook (Questsphere)
-Moderated by Bill Daughtry
                         
11:15 to 11:30  -Introduction of the Semi-Finalists in the Ultimate Strat-O-Matic Fanatic Contest
                        -Hal Richman
 
11:30 to 11:45  -Break
 
11:45 to 12:30 -Doug Glanville
                      -The Game from Where I Stand: A Ballplayers Inside View
       -Book Reading and Questions
        -Introduced by Bill Daughtry
 
12:30 to 1:15    -Pros Panel: How Strat-O Has Influenced Your Career
                        -Panelists: Hal Richman, Doug Glanville, John Dewan, Glenn Guzzo
-Moderated by Bill Daughtry
                         
1:15 to 1:30      -Announcement of the Ultimate Strat-O-Matic Fanatic Winner
-Hal Richman and Len Schwartz
                       
-Closing Remarks, Hal Richman
 
1:30 to 2:00      -Lunch Break
 
2:00 to 6:00      -Game-Room/Partner Expo Opens      
                        -Partner Tables Open
                        -Doug Glanville Book Signing and Purchase
 The Game from Where I Stand: A Ballplayers Inside View   (until 3:30)
                        -Glenn Guzzo and Hal Richman Book Signing and Purchase, Strat-O-Matic Fanatics
                        -Product Purchase Table Opens (select products for purchase with cash or check)
                        -Filmmakers continue select interviews with fans
 
2:00 to 5:00      -Product Pick-Up Room
                        -2:00 to 3:00 Orange Group
                        -3:00 to 4:00 Green Group
                        -4:00 to 5:00 Yellow Group
 
(Please note: The earlier you arrive, the earlier product pick-up group you will be assigned to.)
 
Registration and Product Information:
Advanced registration is closed for the event. However, stand-by guests are welcome. We recommend you come anytime after 10:00am to the location for the best opportunity for admittance.  However, admission is not guaranteed.
 
Advance product purchase is also closed for the event. However, we will have select products on sale at the event in limited quantities. Cash or check only.
  
Featured Guests:
    We are thrilled to announce self-proclaimed Strat-O-Matic Fanatic Doug Glanville as a featured guest! Doug will be speaking about his new book The Game from Where I Stand: A Ballplayer’s Inside View and also how Strat-O-Matic has influenced his career. Doug will also sit on a morning panel to be announced and will be having a book signing in the afternoon
    The rumors are true! Rock star sports broadcast journalist Bill Daughtry is hosting the day’s events! The voice of the NY Knicks and long-time Strat-O-Matic Fanatic will be emceeing the discussions, guest lectures and panels for the event. One of Strat-O-Basketball’s biggest fans, we are certain Bill will have some exciting thoughts on the world’s greatest Basketball stats/simulation game! 
    Does anyone know more about Strat-O-Matic and baseball stats than STATS Inc., creator and former President and owner John Dewan? We don’t think so! We are thrilled to announce that John will be a featured guest at the Anniversary Celebration. John’s company Acta Publications is also the publisher of the best-selling book Strat-O-Matic Fanatics!
   Speaking of Strat-O-Matic Fanatics, author Glenn Guzzo will be on hand to sign copies of the book with Hal Richman. Glenn is also a recent addition to the Strat-O-Matic research team and will be participating in panel discussions during the celebration!
   Bloomberg Sports, a leading provider of baseball statistical analytics, will also join the celebration. Bloomberg will share its unique baseball analytics with the captive audience and provide all attendees with a special discount on Front Office 2011, the leading online fantasy product for draft preparation, roster management and trade analysis. In addition, Bloomberg Sports spokesperson Rick Peterson, who spent more than a dozen years as a pitching coach for the A’s, Mets and Brewers, and was a pioneer among baseball pitching coaches in the use of technology, will participate in a panel discussion.
                                                                               
 
Partners Attending:                                                       
We are thrilled to list our friends and partners who will be joining us for the celebration with booths at the event to discuss/give out materials and products about their various organizations:
   Baseball HQ: The #1 site for fantasy baseball information offering fantasy baseball news, rankings, projections, sleepers, and much more
   Bloomberg Sports: A leading provider of baseball statistical analytics, Bloomberg Sports will have its own table at the event. In addition, company spokesperson and former MLB Pitching Coach Rick Peterson will participate in a panel discussion.
   John LamannaSOM’s strategy guide guru will be on hand with some great tips!
   Scott Simkus/Outside Baseball BulletinOurcrackerjack research partner on our top-selling Negro League products will be on hand with his latest venture, Outsider Baseball Bulletin.
   Seamheads.comOur awesome baseball podcast partner! They will be broadcasting a live podcast from the event.
   SOM Hoops: Our official Strat-O Basketball partner site will be on hand to convert some of you baseball fanatics to hoop players.  SWISH!
   SOM TourAn all new Strat-O tournament organization will be touting their upcoming events.
   Sporting News: Our online game partner is in the house! Look for special discounts for our online games at thesportingnews.com
   STAR Tournaments: The classic Strat-O tournament organization will be on hand to discuss upcoming events and projects. 
 
Free Strat-O-Matic Collectable:                             
Certain fans attending the event will receive free collectable reprints of Strat-O-Matic Concept Cards from an early set in Hal Richman’s development process.  These individual cards are only available at this celebration and will only be given out to those registering at the event between 7:30am and 9:00am. Registration opens at 7:30am on February 12th, so make sure to get to the event at its start!
 
 
Parking:                                                            
Icon Parking will be our parking provider for this event. They have safe and inexpensive garages located within just a block or two of the event. Below are locations and prices:  
                                                           
32nd St between Lexington and Park Avenues: $15.00/all day Saturday
34th St and Park Avenue: $15.00/all day Saturday
 
Cross Town Option:
35th St between 5th and Broadway: $15.00/all day Saturday
 and Park Avenues: $12.00/all day Saturday
 
Check out the Icon Parking website for discount coupons for parking (Murray Hill).
 
Public Transportation:
While parking is available for a reasonable price, we encourage you to also consider taking public transportation into New York City. Penn Station (Amtrak, NJ Transit, Long Island Railroad) is just a twenty-minute walk and even shorter subway ride to the event.   Grand Central Station (Metro North) is just a ten-minute walk to our location.
 
Hotels: 
Check out http://applecorehotels.com/locations/ for reasonable rates on hotels in the Midtown area. This is a busy weekend in New York, with Valentine’s Day and the start of Fashion Week, so we recommend you book as soon as possible! 
 
Restaurant/Lunch Information for Day of the Event: 
   Austin’s Café (deli). 10 Park Avenue, corner of 34th Street. 15% off everything when you mention Strat-O-Matic.
   Gigi Café (deli). 64 East 34th Street, between Madison and Park Avenues. 10% off everything when you mention Strat-O-Matic.
   Moonstruck Diner. 244 Madison Avenue (corner of 38th Street). 15% off everything when you  mention Strat-O-Matic.
 
Strat-O-Matic: The Movie
Strat-O-Matic has just announced a deal to produce a documentary film about the company! An important shooting day for the filmmakers will be at the 50th Anniversary Celebration/Opening Day 2011. This is YOUR chance to be a part of the movie! During the event, the documentary filmmakers will be looking to interview numerous die-hard Strat-O-Matic fans about their love, passion and fondest memories involving the game. Click here for more information about the documentary. 
 
Please note: this event is completely FREE as a thank you to our loyal fans over the years. 
 
 
 About our 50th Anniversary:
 
           1961 was a year to remember for baseball. Throughout the summer, fans watched with rapt attention as Yankee teammates Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle chased Babe Ruth for the single-season home run record. Ty Cobb, the legendary Detroit Tigers outfielder passed away and Don Mattingly, future star first baseman for the New York Yankees, was born. Meanwhile, one young man in New York was launching what would become an iconic game that would define sports simulation, fantasy sports and for many young people growing up during the coming decades, sports themselves. Hal Richman created a brand and a community uniting sports enthusiasts that continues to flourish to this day. The Strat-O-Matic logo is instantly recognizable to any true sports fan, and the name still brings a smile to the faces of the millions who have played the games over the past five decades. As we approach our 50th anniversary, we invite you to celebrate with us in true Strat-O-Matic style. Be on the lookout for promotions, contests and special events that will remind long-time players why they love Strat-O-Matic and inspire a new generation to grab the dice and roll.
 
 
 
 

Get ready for the next 50 years of Strat-O-Matic!

  

The ORIGINAL Fantasy Sports Games!