Microsoft accepting loyal fans into the “First League” program, inviting them to a special event

Dennis Bednarz

The Microsoft First League program is a project by Microsoft to support their most hardcore fans. The announcement was made a few months ago together with the release of the accompanying website and it appears that fans residing in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Poland, Hungary, and Greece are eligible to participate. No word yet if this program will be expanded to other countries.

The program is supposed to bring some exclusivities and luxurious privileges to the most extreme Microsoft fans out there as a thank you from the company for their efforts and loyalty. Some of the privileges include:

  • Direct Connection: Microsoft’s First League is a fan program created for you. It’s managed directly by Microsoft employees. This means you will have first-hand information regarding latest product news and exclusive Skype Calls with our Microsoft team.
  • Exclusive Device Preview and Testing: You will be amongst the first to test and review the latest Windows devices, including high-end PCs from Asus, HP, Lenovo, and Microsoft.
  • Free Software: You will get a free Office 365 license for the duration of the Microsoft First League program.
  • Exclusive events: You will be invited to join exclusive fan event throughout the year, previewing all the latest Microsoft products and technologies in your home market.
  • Publicity + Status: You will get the appreciation you deserve. Because we will share your opinion and stories with other Microsoft fans. That’s why you will receive our official Facebook badge, showing everyone that you belong to Microsoft’s First League.
  • Professional Profit: You will be able to accelerate your career. Just like many participants of past programs that went on to build a career in IT or directly at Microsoft. We will provide you with all the support you need to get an even better understanding of Microsoft products.

People who submitted their applications around two months ago have now started to receive their confirmations and congratulations for getting accepted into the program. I tweeted about the event and about getting accepted a short while ago, showing a part of the email that Microsoft’s Jakub Rzany has sent out to the lucky winners residing in Poland meanwhile members from other supported countries received their emails from the corresponding Microsoft employees.

As you can see in the tweet above there is a date that says 17.12.2016. Assuming you don’t understand Polish, the email is not only a confirmation of getting accepted into the program but an invite to an event in Warsaw on the 17th of December 2016.

The email continues with the schedule, address and time for the event which I, unfortunately, cannot show because of privacy concerns but I can reveal the content of the event itself:

  • Introduction: The guests will be welcomed and some tea and coffee will be served
  • Product Presentation: Part one
  • Break: Lunch
  • Product Presentation: Part two
  • Transport: Preparation and the trip for Wind Tunnel activities
  • Briefing: Preparation, equipment and a small course for the Wind Tunnel activities
  • Activity: Wind Tunnel Activities
  • Summarise: Summarising of the event
  • Transport: Transport back to the Microsoft Poland headquarters
  • End: Closure of the event

As you see, Microsoft has prepared an awesome day, free of charge, for their beloved fans. They even pay for the transport to and from the event and for the parking fee.

This is a very unusual schedule as the Product Presentations include no information or details other than they will happen. Keeping in mind that the Microsoft First League (MFL) has a “Loan Program” which will allow the members to test out different hardware before everyone else, this event may include some secret reveal which we don’t know about yet, or it could simply include products like the Surface Studio, HoloLens, Windows 10 Creators Update and other recently announced Microsoft products.

The aerodynamic Wind Tunnel activities are actually a huge surprise. This part of the event isn’t related to Microsoft’s technology and is included purely for entertainment purposes which are very welcome but also very unexpected.

I will be there to attend the event, proudly representing our brand and will make sure that everything even remotely interesting will be reported on.