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Basics
Is there a fee to play Jockstocks?
NO. We hope to keep Jockstocks FREE to our members. Times are tough these days for a free site, tho.
So if you appreciate our game, we have provided a donation link. If you would like to help us remain
free, any and all donations are greatly appreciated. In addition, we would obviously appreciate our
members clicking our banners, considering our advertisers' offers, bidding on auctions, and otherwise doing the things
that help us to KEEP the game free.
I registered but never received my confirmation email. What do I do?
You have to list a legitimate email address or you will not be able to be activated to play. If you did not
receive the confirmation email, fill out a help request by clicking the help link on the bottom toolbar on
any page or email us at nick@jockstocks.com.
Why should it matter if I use my real information or not?
We make security a very high priority; so your information will be kept private. Therefore there is no reason
not to list your correct name, address, etc. None of that information is accessible by other members; only
your username is. After all, if you win a prize you'll want to be able to receive that prize, right?
Are there prizes available?
YES. While we would love to have more prizes available (and hopefully will, eventually), members finishing in the
top 3 in our monthly, quarterly, and yearly competitions earn prizes. Currently our competition winners receive
their choice of a replica jersey (or something of similar value) while our 2nd and 3rd place finishers receive
an official Jockstocks shirt for all to admire.
What if my password doesn't work or I can't remember what it is?
If your password does not work or you've forgotten what it is, use the 'forgot password' form on the login page.
If you still have problems, email us at nick@jockstocks.com.
What if I have a problem with something or someone on the site?
For most any problem you have regarding the site, fill out a help request by clicking the 'Contact us' link on
the bottom toolbar on any page or email us at nick@jockstocks.com.
If your problem is with another member, please try to resolve the issue yourself or report them to one of our
moderators; but failing that we will always do what we can to resolve any and all issues.
In other games I've played I ended up signing up for multiple accounts.
Will it be the same here?
NO. While that may have been true at other sites, Jockstocks will be set up so that there is little or no reason
to EVER sign up for more than one account. In fact we greatly discourage it.
Wouldn't I need more than one account to play the various competitions?
NO. Why? Because each account has more than one portfolio! If you're just starting out, you'll want to concentrate
on playing your total value portfolio. That is the ONLY one you'll just continue to build throughout your time at the
game. Your other portfolios, tho, are handled differently. You'll have a fresh new $100,000 monthly portfolio on
the first of every month. Your monthly portfolio from January, April, July, and October will be converted to your
quarterly portfolio. Other months it will simply be reset to $100,000. Your quarterly portfolio for the first
quarter will be converted to your yearly portfolio on April 1st. In other quarters it will simply be reset to $100,000.
Your yearly portfolio will be reset at the end of each year. While this may sound confusing, you'll find it makes
sense once you start playing. The main thing to remember is that whether you play a portfolio or not, at some point
it will reset; the exception being your total value portfolio.
This sounds complicated. Where can I get more help?
We have a great community of members; many more than willing to help you with whatever questions you might have.
Our forums are very active. If you have a question, no matter how silly you may think it is, ask away on one of
our many forums. The Newbie Questions forum might be the place to start- and while you're there, let us all know
a little about you by introducing yourself on the Welcome New Members forum. Our chat is another great place for
questions because there you can get your questions answered in 'real time' as well as get to know some of our
members. A guided tour is 'on the way'; but until then, utilize all the help the forums and chat can be for you.
Of course, our forums and chat aren't just for finding help. They're also a great place to just kick back and
enjoy talking sports...or whatever you'd like to talk about.
What if I'd like more private help? Or just want to personalize some settings?
If you would like to ask a question privately, or just contact one of our members privately, we have an internal
mail system that you can access by clicking the Messenger link at the bottom of the page. You'll know YOU have
a message waiting when you see an envelope icon in the upper right of the page. The messenger area is also where
you can change your password or some of your other profile information. To change your time settings, add an
avatar, etc you'd do that via the usercp button on the forum page. You'll note also that there is a calendar button.
This is where we schedule various upcoming events like projection updates. If you so choose, you can even use the
calendar to schedule your OWN upcoming events privately.
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Stock Game
What IS this game called Jockstocks?
Jockstocks is uniquely different from the typical fantasy
game. Most games deal with one sport at a time; Jockstocks combines
no less than SIX different professional sports in competitions
that bring fans of all of those sports together. How? Jockstocks
is a stock simulation; buy and sell ficticious shares of real
athlete's stock so that your portfolio outperforms that of your
competition. Each active stock will see its price rise or fall
for 2 reasons: 1.) by other members buying and selling (you'll see
members use the slang terms 'moo' and 'antimoo' for this) and
2.) by the daily dividends it receives.
What would stop me from just buying and selling as I please?
Just like in real stock markets, there are commissions
to be paid for every transaction. When stocks are bought, there
is a commission fee. When stocks are sold, there is a commission
fee. The fees are 1% of the total transaction when you make a purchase;
1% of the total transaction when you sell stocks. Those fees are not
large enough to kill your profit potential- but they are large enough to
discourage you from making quick or careless decisions without
losing money in the transaction.
Is there a limit on the number of shares available?
There is an unlimited number of overall shares available for any one
stock. However there is a limit on how many shares an individual
portfolio can purchase. The maximum number of shares one can purchase is
10% of your portfolio's total value up to a maximum of 10,000 shares.
You may hold more than 10,000 shares, but you can't buy more
than 10,000 shares. How could you end up with more than 10,000 shares if
you can't buy that many? That would happen when a stock splits.
What do you mean by a stock split?
A stock split occurs when the share price reaches a ceiling. That ceiling
here is currently at $1,000 per share and the ratio is 10:1. Stock splits here
are done automatically at dividend time. Once dividends are calculated, our
system looks to see if any stocks are at or above $1,000; if there are, the
price is divided by 10 and the number of shares are multiplied by 10. Thus,
while your total dollars invested will not have changed, the number of shares
you now own is 10 times what it had been. For example: A stock reaches $1,000
per share. You own 10,000 shares. Your total investment is worth $10,000,000.
After the split the share price would be $100, but you would now own 100,000
shares! The total value of your investment would still be the same $10,000,000.
This is why we say you can't buy more than 10,000 shares (unless it's amnesty),
but you can hold more than 10,000 shares. You may notice that, if you're holding
over 10,000 shares of a stock, it is highlighted in your portfolio. Deactivated stocks
are highlighted in a different color. In your early days of playing, however,
there is only a limited need in concerning yourself with stock splits.
Dividends? What are they?
Each day at approximately 9am eastern time, active
stocks will have cash added to their stock price based on the
actual performances of the players those stocks represent. Dividends
released at 8am will be based on performances from the previous
day. Finding those stocks who have outperformed their projections
by the largest margin, then, is the key to increasing your portfolio's
value the quickest.
Do I have to sell to receive my dividends?
Your portfolio will increase (or decrease) according
to the performance of the stocks it contains (referred to as stock
dividends). Dividends are added directly to a stock's price so, while
your portfolio value may have increased, you would gain no extra cash
unless and until you sold that stock. This is not to suggest that you DO
sell when dividends are released- but the most active, competitive
players will make a habit of completely turning over their portfolios
(selling all they own after receiving their dividends then using
that cash for the next day's best buys) on a daily basis.
Remember, though, that stocks also gain or lose value when shares are
bought and sold. So as active traders are selling stocks that
have received their daily dividend, the value will drop some.
BUT..as opposed to previous games you may have played, at Jockstocks
you will have until 12pm eastern (3 full hours) to sell any stocks
and receive the SAME selling price as someone selling the moment dividends
are released- that is as long as you were holding that stock
when dividends are released.
I see something called autosell on my portfolio page. What is that?
Autosell is yet another innovation we've created to make the game more
convenient for you to play. If there are stocks you would like to sell
after the dividends are released, but you don't expect to have the time
in the morning, you may want to utilize autosell. To do so, check the box
beside the stock(s) you'd like to sell, then click the 'move to autosell'
icon. Those stocks will now be automatically sold for you immediately after
dividends are released at 9am eastern; you don't have to even be online!
*Note*: Autosell does have a 'cost'. In order to use this feature, you must
first have an autosell ticket. How do you get a ticket? Simply go to our offers
page and click each of our daily offer banners. Once you have, the autosell feature
is unlocked and ready to use. Tickets do not accumulate, tho. They expire at divi
time the day after the ticket is earned- so, if you use autosell regularly, you may
want to be in the habit of clicking these banners around the same time each day. Remember,
too, that you'll also earn free money for your active portfolio by clicking these banners
each day. So it's free money and the use of a great feature for you..while helping Jockstocks
remain free at the same time.
What is the long term section for?
The long term section may not be something you would utilize in the beginning
of your time here; it will, however, be a feature you should utilize eventually.
The long term section is where you can store stocks you've purchased, but would
prefer not to accidently sell. Stocks in the long term section cannot be directly
sold; they would first have to be moved back into the short term section or, if
you were just wanting to sell one stock, you could go to that stock's profile
page and sell from there. To place stocks in your long term section, simply
check the box beside the stocks you want to move; then click the 'move to long
term' icon. Especially once you have stocks that have split and you're holding
over the maximum share limit, you'll appreciate the long term section.
What happens if a stock gets deactivated?
Periodically we opt to deactivate stocks(remove them from the open market). Sometimes we do
so because the player retired, sometimes it's because they've suffered a season and
possibly career ending injury, and sometimes it's because they simply don't appear as if they
will ever get much, if any, playing time or even remain on a roster. Some members choose to
buy/hold shares of deactivated stocks for posterity or whatever reason. Once a stock has been
deactivated, it can be held or it can be sold but it cannot be purchased nor will it receive
any dividends. Remember, however, that occasionally we REactivate stocks so bear that in mind
when making decisions on selling a stock that you may own split shares of.
I've seen people talk about achievement dividends. What are they?
*Achi-divis have been suspended for the foreseeable future* The vast majority of dividends are based on stats from actual games. We felt that left
an aspect of sports out. So we give out these special dividends (nicknamed Emmitts
because Emmitt Smith received our first achievement dividend when he broke the all time
NFL rushing record). These dividends are given out at 9pm eastern the day after the
achievement or award happens. Should an award or achievement be in connection to or because
of a game that ends after midnight eastern, the date the game started shall be considered the
date of the award. To get an idea of what kinds of things could earn an 'Emmitt'
check out the criteria list. This isn't to say the items on the list are the ONLY things
that may be eligible- but it gives you a strong idea.
Projections? What are THEY now?
Each athlete that gets IPOd will have performance expectations
placed on them; projections that are based on statistics that
athlete has put up in the past. Therefore, the best 'buys' at
Jockstocks are quite often NOT the 'big names' because those
'big names' are EXPECTED to put up large stats. Each sport will
have its own group of statistical categories to follow. Simply
seeing who hit the home run or scored the touchdown won't give
you the complete picture on who has surpassed their projections
the most and therefore may get the highest dividend.
Now you've thrown out another term I'm not familiar with. What is an IPO?
IPO stands for Initial Public Offering- a typical term
for when a stock is first 'listed' (placed on the market and made
available to be bought and sold.
I hear people talking about something called amnesty. What is that?
Amnesty was created as a way to allow members to occasionally buy split shares of stocks
they don't have, for whatever reason. Normally, of course, you could never buy more than 10,000
shares of a stock. During a sport's amnesty, however, you are allowed to buy up to that stock's
maximum SPLIT shares as long as you have the cash and port size to do so. These amnesties occur
during a sport's all star break. NHL and NBA breaks are generally in mid-February, MLB in July.
Any PGA or NASCAR splits would be included in the MLB amnesty and any NFL splits would have their
own amnesty in the middle of their season. Amnesty ONLY involves TV ports.
What if there are MORE terms I'm not familiar with?
It may take awhile to become familiar with all the
terminology used at Jockstocks; especially if you've not played
a game like this before or haven't at least dabbled in the stock
market. There will also be various abbreviations used as column
headers, etc., that may require explanation. We believe an informed
investor is a happier, more successful investor and so we have
created a glossary of terms and abbreviations.
Do exhibition or all star games count?
No, they do not. The market is open all day every day, but stats from
exhibition and the various all star games will not earn stock dividends.
Along similar lines, only PGA sponsored tournaments will receive dividends
in golf and only official points races will receive dividends in NASCAR.
Playoff stats, however, DO receive dividends; those dividends being based
on each stock's current projections.
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Pick 10/PrePick 10
What is Pick 10?
Pick 10 was created to provide a way for people with less time to be
competitive without having to worry about being among the first to buy
a stock. Simply put, you pick the 10 stocks you believe will receive the
largest dividends in the morning. Make picks as you find them, or wait until
all games are over. Since you're not buying the stock, it doesn't
matter if pick your stocks at 8pm or the next morning at 8am. There are,
however, commission fees for making changes, so you'll want to limit them.
How does the scoring work?
The scoring system for Pick 10 is based on the stock game's dividend system.
Whatever dividend each stock you pick receives is converted to a dollar amount
via a multiplier. For example, if a stock received a 10.05% dividend and the
muliplier is $1,000, you'd receive $10,050 for picking that stock. This is done
for each stock you pick that day to give you your daily score. Pick 10 dividends
are released at 9:45am eastern.
Do I have to play every day?
As with any game, the more active you are, the more competitive you'll be.
However, your 'lineup' of picks will remain intact until you change them. It's
just unlikely that the same stocks will be top picks in consecutive days.
What if I like the idea of Pick 10, but I'm not good at finding top performances?
A second version is on the way, if it's not already available as you read this. It's called PrePick 10 because,
while the concept and scoring is basically the same, picks can only be made BEFORE games start for the day.
Changes to your picks after noon eastern would effect the NEXT day's lineup. Some, then, would refer to Pick 10 as
a 'no moo' competition and PrePick 10 as a 'prebuy' competition.
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Pick'em
What is Pick'em? How do I play?
Pick'em was originally set up to give our members a taste of
competition while the "real" game was being built. It will,
however, remain a part of Jockstocks ongoing. To play, you will
simply be asked to make choices on such things as who you think
will win a particular game. You will earn points for each correct
choice you make.
When can I make my picks for the day?
Picks for the coming day will be available at noon eastern time
for the next day's games and will continue to be available until
noon eastern on the day of the games. So you will have a full
24 hours to make your choices each day. Always check the date
at the top of the pick page so you know which day's games you
are making choices for. These times were chosen to allow members
maximum flexibility in making their picks while never being
allowed to make picks for games already in progress.
What are the points I earn good for?
Points earned playing Pick'em are called feature points. Feature
points can be 'spent' on things like personalizing your view
of our site and finding out 'inside' information about when
an IPO will be released. We think we have some creative things
in store for you that will make you want to earn these points-
but those uses should not give more active members any undue
advantage for other competitions to come.
What happens in the case of a tie or a game is rained out?
In the case of a tie or rainout, the default method of handling
this is that all members will receive points regardless of the
choice they made. If a rainout causes a previously unscheduled
doubleheader for the next day, the team you chose would need
to win both games for you to earn your points. If a different
tiebreaker is used, that method will be listed on the pick page.
What if I think I wasn't given the right number of points?
While this does happen, we've found that in many cases the discrepancy
actually comes from members who either remembered their picks
incorrectly, looked at scoreboards incorrectly, misunderstood
tiebreakers, or simply did not get their picks properly submitted.
If you feel there is a discrepancy that does not fit any of
those possibilities, fill out a help request by by clicking the Contact Us
link on the bottom toolbar on any page or email us at
nick@jockstocks.com.
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