Originals League - forward planning

Fantasy Sports
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Merry Christmas all !
Some thoughts about future of the Originals League, in no particular order…

1. Commissioner
It has been a privilege to be running things this year, after the great job Noel did in getting this league off the ground and running the first few years.
I am happy to continue running things - would also be happy to hand the reins back to Noel, or to let someone else have a go at being commissioner. Just to confirm, if nobody else volunteers then I definitely will - so the league will run for a fifth season for sure.

2. Draft Location
If I end up being commissioner, the draft will be in or near Southampton again. And in a hotel function room again.
If someone else is the boss, it’ll be up to them.
But if you have any thoughts on what has or hasn’t worked well in a venue, shout now !!

3. Entry fee
We’ve been at £100 for four years now. Is there any appetite to increase the entry (and so also the prizes!). Not looking at anything huge, maybe £125 or so?

4. League set up
The 14 players seemed to work well, I’d happily do the same again. Or if there is particular demand from people wanting to join, we could go back to 16 that we had previously? I don’y think there is much appetite for the league to be smaller or larger than that, but let me know if you have a view

The flex spot has been RB or WR only to date, but people have constantly asked for it to be a RB / WR / TE spot. I’m in favour of making that change.

There is always a mad panic for running backs in the first round or two - are people fine with that, or should we attempt to tweak things (e.g. reducing the points for rushing yards. e.g losing one of the RB starting spots and replacing it with a flex spot??)

We had 16 rounds in the draft this year. Am tempted to go back to 15 to leave a little on the waiver wire and force people to manage their rosters carefully.

We can never seem to agree on a waiver system. (Order stays set, Order resets each week, WAB…)
By default, we will keep the system we used in 2017 i.e. WAB, but also using WAB points to bid for a draft spot… but I am more than happy to hear better suggestions.

5. Other
Any thought, comments, suggestions for improvement, not covered by the above? Fire away!!

6. This ain’t a democracy
I’ll take on board all comments. But I don’t plan on putting them to a vote. We tried that last year, and it was possibly a bigger source of arguments than Brexit! Whoever is commish needs to run the league as they see fit.

cheers!
Jon :football:

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1/2) Firstly great job, running the league, it had lost something after a great first year and was definitely back on the right track. Great venue to draft and was a fun day out which is a big part of a live league I think. You can’t beat the banter and pressure (in a good way) of live drafting.

  1. Easy either way on the entry fee £125 fine by me.

  2. 14 is great as it’s 1 division and everyone plays each other. 16 is great as you have a game every week even in the playoffs, so happy with either. Plus we have a few on the waiting list so that could suit increasing to a 16 man league.

Would happily endorse adding TE to the flex spot as it opens up further strategy and decision makin

The WAB system backfired for me as I blew the lot to get DJ who died week 1 but I knew what I was getting into so happy with that as again it adds strategy which I like, rather than luck of who is picked out of a hat getting an edge. Hate inverse order of standings other than that the others are fine by me.

Once again Jon thanks for running a great league!

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Hi @JonCartwright

Unfortunately I was unable to make this years draft so had to drop out of the league this season, but am very keen to re-enter next season if there is space? Please could I be put on any waiting list to the extent that I am not already?

Many thanks

James

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No worries - added you to the wait list - would be great to get you back after a year off!

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  1. Well done Jon! Really enjoyed the league this year, even though my team sucked. I’ll happily return next season if you are the Commish.
  2. Happy to return to Southampton again.
  3. I’m happy with £100, I’d be OK with a small increase (£125).
  4. 14 or 16 is perfect. anything smaller just isn’t as fun. I think teams are too strong in 10 or 12 leagues.
    OK with TE being added to the flex, TE position was poor this season so it wouldn’t have a big impact.
    I’d be happy with 15rounds. Increases the quality on the wire.
    I’ve heard of leagues having an IR designated spot, never played in one but could be an option if reducing rounds to 15…
  5. Good call, someone needs to be in full control!

Well done again!

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In all truth if you had not rescued this league I would have left it after this year.
No disrespect to noel but he is a great visionary but lacks the project managers mind to keep things building and moving forward.
So simply you should continue in charge of it with Noel’s support.
Te change must happen.
reducing to 15 rounds solves nothing in my view waiver wire is always thin pickings.
Increasing to £125 I’m fine with but automatically will want to do the same over in the challenger league.
The wab system hurt me by the playoffs and that’s a good thing. So keep it if that’s what everyone wants I’m good either way.

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  1. I’d like a sexier commissioner pls.

  2. Draft location worked pretty well I thought, no issues with where we were.

  3. I’ve been up for £150 for a couple years now so that would be my preference but am fine with whatever.

  4. 16 for me is ideal, having been one of the guys with a week 14 bye it was a pretty dead week and had I not also been in playoffs in the beast too I’d have had not much fantasy fun (and that’s why we all sign up)… all in all not a fan of byes. Would be interesting what Sam thought since he had a bye too.

I’m ok with WAB too, adds a new twist bidding in the draft.

  1. N/A

  2. Long live Kim Jon Un our glorious leader!

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Also, not a fan of the £100 toilet bowl prize. Would rather take that away and add it to top score prize or winner’s prize

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Fair comment. I will do my utmost to be sexier by next draft day :kiss:

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Maybe the consolation ladder prize could be lowered to £50 so you get something to play for but don’t get your money back

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  1. Having never played on a live draft league and with higher stake than normal really loved the way it was managed from draft day all throughout the weekly updates and the trades management, so wouldn’t change much there, really great job there Jon!!

  2. Loved the room of the live draft so wouldn’t really mind coming back to Southampton again for the same or a similar place.

  3. Would be ok with a higher fee - as for prize structure I do like the toilet bowl even if it’s for a smaller prize than this year, as it gives the bottom half something to play for (otherwise the season is sometimes just too short!!), also like some sort of weekly highest scoring prize if there is room for that.

  4. 14 teams or 16 teams sound good to me, and wouldn’t mind adding TE to the flex, I think it gives more alternatives for strategy - as for roster size, I prefer bigger rosters since it allows for some room in the team for your own hunches particularly on draft day so happy with 16 but am ok with whatever the majority decides

And thanks again Jon :slight_smile:

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  1. Commissioner
    Glad you see the position as a privilege, keep up the good work as we move into year 5.

  2. Draft Location
    Happy with that but need to be able to book rooms at reasonable rates if possible.
    Can’t you get us on one of those big ships in the bay, must be loads of empty rooms on those

  3. Entry fee
    Definitely time to increase

  4. League set up
    Needs to be 16 if possible

Adding TE’s to Flex’s seems like a good idea.

Agree on 15 rounds

WAB or queue okay with me (year 1 didn’t work).

Would like 0.5PPR which would increase WR & TE scores.

  1. This ain’t a democracy
    Good, we have guy capable of making all the right decisions.
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  1. Commissioner

You did a top job, i’m sure everyone was relieved & happy that you took control of a league which had stuttered.

  1. Draft Location

Thought is was excellent despite my initial fears of switching away from a pub environment which i actually quite liked (not Redhill, just a busy bar). I thought it would be like going into work as i see too many seminar rooms for my liking, but i’m glad to say it wasn’t.

  1. Entry fee

Happy with group consensus.

  1. League set up

Happy with 14 -16 and would be good to have familiar faces back, would like Flex to include TE after being the idiot that fell into that trap last year.

Not fussed about roster spots, seemed to be a tad thin for those that saved our WABs, but if the league expands then roster spots should definitely be reduced.

Waiver system worked perfectly imo, would stick with it.

  1. Other
    I’d be against adding an IR position, putting pressure on the bench rotation is all part of the decision making process. When DJ or AROD goes down, whatcha gonna do punk!

  2. This ain’t a democracy
    I put forward the motion that Jon assumes the role of Life President, if he should die in office this title passes to his children.

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Happy New Year all !

My replies…

1. Commissioner
I am happy for Jon to continue running things - or to let someone else have a go at being commissioner. I’m great at coming up with ideas but know my own limitations - not great at organisation and very indecisive - not best qualities in a commish.

2. Draft Location
Southampton again is fine with me. Hotel function room again also fine.
If someone else is the boss, happy to travel wherever - with enough notice.

3. Entry fee
Am happy at £100 but equally happy to go with the consensus.

4. League set up
I think we was better as a 16 team league - made deep reaches all the more valuable - also increased prize money. With 16 could defo fit back in a highest week score prize.

Edit - I actually forgot to say I liked the toilet bowl prize - once I was in the consolation bracket there was still a chance to get my entry fee back - not to be sniffed at and made post season for the also rans still interesting.

As for the flex spot always being RB / WR flex only, I just always decided to go with NFL.com’s default on Roster positions but I seem to be in a minority on this front so it doesn’t kill me or make me want to not return if this change happens. I just think it puts to much value on TE’s as now if teams can start more than one it really hurts other teams as there’s hardly enough decent fantasy points scoring ones for the fixed TE position - now if teams can start 2 makes even less likely to find any in FA though to be fair I suppose you could start selecting the one you haves back up as a handcuff (if you can find room to carry on ya bench just in case).

Again the RB spot is just the game - the premium ones are points heavy scorers - I don’t see the need to flex every spot which is why I always opted to go with NFL.coms default roster positions and only made a change when they did (assuming the game creators knew best). But again whoever is commissioner decides these things - it’s only fair and people commit or not on that basis once they know the rule set. I’m down pretty much how ever it flows.

I didn’t know we did an extra round drafting on previous years drafts this year - I’ve no preference as not sure how it impacts as waiver wire opens up almost immediately post draft. Though if league goes back up to 16 teams that’s like another 30 picks over the draft in itself.

Waiver system. I really liked WAB best of the three options especially allowing people to use points to bid for picking draft positions at the draft. I’d keep that - worked well.

5. Other
It would be nice if someone had contacts or knew a way to get a deal on accommodation - even better if we was all staying in the same place - make for a great post draft night out - we need a GM in the leisure industry / owns a hotel - lol. Perhaps we can get Drew to arrange to have his bosses ship dock in Southampton annually for the draft :stuck_out_tongue:

6. This ain’t a democracy - whoever is commish needs to run the league as they see fit.
100% agree.

Three cheers for Jon - it was a blast under your stewardship in 2017. :football:

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Great points and taken the advice well personally brilliant noel.