Running a league is quite an experience. Most times fun, sometimes a little challenging. Here are some things that have worked for the league I run. Hopefully, you can get some ideas that will benefit your league. We use Yahoo for our league service, choosing the plus option which provides stat tracker. I have played ESPN leagues and CBS sportsline leagues, but I prefer Yahoo's setup and stat tracker service much more than the other sites. Definitely not perfect, but it's the best that's out there right now. Your opinions may differ.
Setting up a website/blog for our league has probably been the single best move I have made as commissioner. We started it in 2008 and it has done several things that have benefited the league. First, it has given us a place where teams can instantly check our league rules. Since we have added some things over and above the standard Yahoo settings, a year round place for the league rules to reside was needed. Prior to the league site, our league rules basically resided in various emails that were sent out from time to time as each new rule/amendment was adopted. Having all the rules reside in one easily accessible place has definitely cut down on any confusion. Secondly, it has given our league some legitimacy especially as it pertains to prospective new owners. When you have a money league or a regular league even, people are cautious about putting up cash to join a league and/or commiting their time when they don't know everyone personally. If you have a league site they can check it out and see the history of the league. We have had a few new owners join our league who really didn't know any of us personally. Having a league site really helped with this.
All of our keepers from year to year with their restictions are handled through our blog. We have historical finishes, past champions, previous rosters, and some other things posted on the site. It has also provided a place pass along things we find interesting. I have also had some fun with it, doing some silly interviews, etc. Although only a few members have actually posted so far, I believe the league blog will gain in popularity through the years.
I used Blogger to set up our site. It is free, and has only moderate learning curve. Squarespace, which is how I built this site, is also a solid option and is a more robust platform. I prefer Squarespace, but it is a paid service whereas blogger is free. The good thing is, you don't have to do it all at once. You can start the league site and just build on it as you go until it becomes something you are satisfied with.
You can check out our NOLA FBA to get some ideas if you like. There is some silliness on the site, but trust me these guys know what they are doing. And hey, you gotta have a little fun every now and then.
Our League Constitution
Yahoo League:
Live Online Draft
Maximum of 12 teams
Rotisserie Scoring
Batters Stat Categories: Runs (R), Home Runs (HR), Runs Batted In (RBI), Stolen Bases (SB), Batting Average (AVG)
Pitchers Stat Categories: Wins (W), Saves ( SV), Strikeouts (K), Earned Run Average (ERA), (Walks+Hits)/Innings Pitched (WHIP)
Roster Positions ( 24 total players)
- C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, OF, OF, UTIL
- SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P
- 8 bench spots
- 5 DL spots
Maximum innings pitched is 1650, minimum innings pitched requirement is 1000. ** If you finish in the money and have not reached the minimum innings pitched your place will stay the same, but your prize money will be split between the other 3 teams who have placed in the money.**
Daily Moves
New players become available as soon as Yahoo adds them
Waiver time 2 days
Waiver type: FAAB w/ continual rolling list tiebreak
No maximum on moves or trades
Trade Deadline: August 28, 2011 **or the latest setting that Yahoo will allow each year**
There is no can't cut list
Entry Fees:
$100 per team
League Payout (11 teams in 2012)
- First Place: $550
- Second Place: $275
- Third Place: $175
- Fouth Place: $100
All league finances are handled by leaguesafe.com. Commissioner holds no cash, but is responsible for designating payouts in leaguesafe at the end of the season.
Developmental Player Rules and Draft:
Developmental player acquisition begins August 15th each year. It is optional, meaning you can choose to abstain, or simply not choose during your slotted time. There are no grace periods, if you do not choose a player during the time limit for your team you lose your right to pick a player.
Acquisition order is based on league standings as of the order that comes out on the morning of August 15th each year.
Acquisition period is for 10 days starting on 8/15 at 7am. The team in the last spot has 24 hours to post their acquisition. Each team is slotted a 24 hour period consecutively starting 8/15. Once the team ahead of you chooses, you may post your acquisition immediately after or you have up until your team's deadline as determined by the league standings to post if you choose so.
Once you acquire a developmental player, your team has the rights to that player from point of acquisition to the end of that year and the next 2 years (years 2 and 3). Year 4 - You have to put the player on your roster to retain his rights. To roster him you can designate your last spot in the draft and pick him up then. He does not have to take up a top 5 keeper spot. However, at this point the player does have to be available on Yahoo so that you can choose him to fill the spot. Prior to this time, his spot could be reserved on the developmental player list, whether Yahoo had made him available or not. You have to declare that you are going to roster him prior to the draft using the same deadline as the top 5 keepers. Year 5 - your developmental player is treated like any other player.
No other team can touch this developmental player during the time you own the rights to him. Your team can trade developmental players as part of a deal, or dev player for dev player. So you many wind up with the rights to multiple players, but their protected time frame remains the same. Also you have one developmental slot a year. As of this time, no trading of future rights is allowed.
No extra roster spots are being added. You can pick these player up and drop them at will filling any bench spot you have open or replacing a current rostered player. However, you are limited by Yahoo for picking them up again for 2 days or whatever the current waiver time is. No other teams can touch these players while they are protected by your team, even if you drop them from a current roster spot during their protected time.
Developmental player eligibility: Any minor league or MLB player which can be verified through yahoo.com, milb.com, mlb.com, or baseball-reference.com with NO MLB EXPERIENCE prior to August 15th of that year. No college or japanese league players allowed.
A list of these player will be maintained in the Commissioner's note on the Yahoo league page each year and on the NOLA FBA blog.
For a spreadsheet of the rules click: HERE
Keeper Rules:
Each team must keep 5 players each year. The exception to this rule is when a new team comes into the league and either starts fresh or picks up an existing team.
Any one player can only be kept for 3 consecutive years. This only pertains to your keeper list. If a player has been on your keeper list for 3 straight years, then you cannot keep that player for a 4th year. That player can however, become a part of your roster by any other means .... trade, FA pickup, whatever. They just cannot be on your keeper list for more than 3 years in a row.
Keeper Declaration:
This must be completed one week prior to the set draft time. An email will be sent by the commissioner each year to everyone with the exact date and time of the keeper deadline so it is clear.
There will be a $50 deduction fine for any team violating the keeper deadline. If the violating team/teams place in the money that year, then $50 will be deducted from their winnings and shared equally with the other teams that placed in the top 4 that year. If, by chance, all placing teams have violated the rule that year then $200 will be placed in the following year's pot for whoever places in the money that next year.
Any keeper can be changed after it has been officially posted if, and only if, that player has sustained an injury which can be documented on any injury site list such as espn, rotowire, etc. and/or an owner made a mistake in posting. If a change is requested for a erroneous keeper post. Than must be done within 24 hours of the original post is made. Only one change can be done to your keeper group in the case of a mistake. You must post a statement that you are doing this to let everyone know. This change must be reported to the commish asap so that the league can be notified. Also, this change must be made at least 24 hours before draft time.
Once all keepers are in, Da Commish will enter them into draft que for each team. Yahoo will designate them as a keeper. Each team is responsible for double-checking their teams' keepers to make sure they were entered correctly prior to the draft.
Off-Season Trades:
Off-Season trading period is from January 15th until 2 weeks prior draft time. An email will be sent by the commissioner each year to everyone with the exact date and time of the Off-Season trade and keeper deadline so it is clear. **Any player involved in an Off-Season trade must be on the Keeper List for the upcoming season.**
Miscellaneous:
Draft order will be in reverse order of the previous year's finish. Waiver priority also will be in reverse order of the previous year's finish.
Teams can never be benched in order to attain a higher draft pick for the following year.
Trophée du Sergent (The Sergeant's Trophy)
This is the league trophy that is awarded to the league champion each year. Named in honor of it's founding father..Conrad..owner of The Bullets.
