Even More World Cup Pool Group Features

I hope you liked the last round of changes to the pool group features of our World Cup 2010 Pool, including the abilities to better manage the people in your group. I’ve received some positive feedback on those, and from my own group management I haven’t noticed any issues.

Well, I’m here to announce yet another round of new features. This wouldn’t have been possible if not for my Mom taking care of my kids this past weekend – thanks Mom – which gave me some time Saturday to plug away at a couple things that should make inviting and getting people in to your group even easier.

Group Password Option

The first new thing is a password system for the pool groups. If you already have a group, or create a new one, then go to your pool group admin page (click the “Create Group” or “Invite Friends” link from the results page), and you’ll see below the pool group name box another box to input a password, if you so choose. It works this way:

• If you input a password and save it, then instead of sending out invite emails through the website like before, you can send a larger email to your friends with a link to the pool, and your group name and password.

  When they join the pool, all they need to do is select your group from the drop-down box at the bottom of the picks form, input the password, submit to join the pool and they’re golden. The other benefit of this is your friends can forward the info to their friends, so they too can join your group, as long as they know the password.

• If you do not input a password, then you as the group admin have complete control over who gets invited into the group. Just continue to use the invite system through the website. Making things easier now, people who receive what I’ll call “official” invites into the group will be prompted at the bottom of their picks entry form when they join the pool to select the group they want to join.

The two functions above can be combined, so even a group using the password option can still send out official invites, and those invitees can join the group without the password.

I think this all sounds a little more complex then it really is. All in all, it maximizes the ability to get people into your pool group, and if some people do happen to get in that you’d rather not be there, then you (group admins) have total control to boot those people from your group should that become necessary. You can do that using the features discussed last time.

Traditional MOP Pool Group

Given the MyOfficePool.ca history running a single pool in the traditional fashion of collecting twenty bones per entry and distributing the winnings to the top finisher or finishers, I can understand the confusion from some long-time members when that was no longer an option for the World Cup. Or, it was an option but it wasn’t as obvious, I guess, or automated.

From good buddy Cacciatorini, “so, can I still play for $20, or not?” The answer, is yes.

Again, as mentioned last time, I have my own pool group. It is $20 per entry, and we’ll pay out 1st/2nd/3rd like we do most of the past pools, 55%/27.5%/12.5%. 5% is held back to cover the cost of collecting the money. The group is called Unofficial MOP $20 Poolies.

I added some features to make this easier to join and pay for your entry. First, everyone is automatically invited to this pool group. Don’t have a group to join? Want to play for a little cash? Come on in and join mine. $20 per entry, must be paid up front, no exceptions. Payouts as above. Pretty fair setup, if I do say so myself.

Second, the MOP$ accounts are back online to help automate the payments for this pool. When you enter the pool, then you’ll see the options at the bottom of the entry form to join a pool group. If you click the option for Unofficial MOP…, then the payment options should appear.

After you submit your picks, and if you choose to pay via PayPal, then you will be redirected to that site to make your payment. When that is complete, your MOP$ account will be updated, your entry marked as paid, and you’re all set.

If you pay by INTERAC, then I will update the entry as paid after the money is received. Cheque/check payments are also okay, but they must be postmarked prior to the start of the pool and I have to receive them within 5 business days from the start of the pool. Really your best bet is to use one of the online options if possible.

Okay, that is it for the admin stuff regarding the World Cup 2010 Pool. If anyone has any questions then let me know, but that should be the last of the changes to the pool.

Just a couple weeks to go and we’ll all be ready for a month of soccer action on the world stage. Oh baby, hard not to get psyched, but in case you aren’t quite there yet, maybe the following video will do it. Enjoy!