Advice for a Wannabe Commish?

[theta31]

I want to start a dynasty league this year. I have most of the particulars (scoring, number of teams, playoffs, waivers, etc.) in place.

What I am seeking is advice on timing and cautions. When is the best time to have the inaugural draft? Just after the NFL Draft, early summer, or preseason?

And as far as cautions go, what should I beware of when running a league? What caught you off-guard your first season or two?

And from non-commissioners, what do you like to see from a commissioner?

Thanks for any and all replies!

[tstafford]

As a commish, here are my suggestions:

- Get the rules straight, written out and distributed
- Do a rookie only draft right after the NFL draft
- Do a free agent draft late August

[wizo1fan]

Let the league vote on when they want to do the draft. I let the owners in my league vote on everything (scoring, payouts, etc.) and we've had no problems. Each offseason we vote on rule changes that any owner can propose.

The only thing that really caught me off-guard the first season was one owner's constant complaints and lack of people paying in a very timely manner. Worked itself out when the slow owner dropped out of the league though. Just be prepared to replace someone if you need to.

Other than that, have fun with it!

[skip]

If you implement a veto system, consider the league a failure from the outset. Implement an integrity rule. If there is a trade which is so ridiculously unbalanced that it is clear collusion you call the owners to the carpet and don't allow the trade. Aside from that, all bets are off.

[dabearsfan]

I want to start a dynasty league this year. I have most of the particulars (scoring, number of teams, playoffs, waivers, etc.) in place.

What I am seeking is advice on timing and cautions. When is the best time to have the inaugural draft? Just after the NFL Draft, early summer, or preseason?

And as far as cautions go, what should I beware of when running a league? What caught you off-guard your first season or two?

And from non-commissioners, what do you like to see from a commissioner?

Thanks for any and all replies!

I think the timing of the inagural draft is personal preference. I don't think there is a time that is necessarily "better." In my league we do our rookie drafts in May right after the NFL draft.

Make sure you have sound rules in place and make sure you have a method for resolving disputes. For example, will it be commissioner's decision or will you take a league vote and if so how many votes are required to pass something.

Another suggestion I would have is to eliminate any rules changes for the first 2-3 years of the league. In one of the leagues I started, we decided to change a couple of things and then more suggestions came in and then we had some disputes because people felt that some of the proposed changes (such as adding another spot to our starting line-ups) weren't fair to implement after the league had started (I guess some felt they would have drafted differently). Anyway, we got it all squared away but I would definitely have a plan for how you are going to handle rules changes.

Another thing my league does is we require a prepayment for the following year. We did this to discourage owners from dropping out of the league. We also don't allow future draft pick trading unless the owners have paid for that season.

Good luck!

[jthirteentimes]

If you implement a veto system, consider the league a failure from the outset. Implement an integrity rule. If there is a trade which is so ridiculously unbalanced that it is clear collusion you call the owners to the carpet and don't allow the trade. Aside from that, all bets are off.

I completely agree with you. Out of curiosity, though, how do you handle trades involving the commissioner?

[brice587]

If you implement a veto system, consider the league a failure from the outset. Implement an integrity rule. If there is a trade which is so ridiculously unbalanced that it is clear collusion you call the owners to the carpet and don't allow the trade. Aside from that, all bets are off.

I completely agree with you. Out of curiosity, though, how do you handle trades involving the commissioner?

I'm not sure about his league, but I'd say if you have to worry about the commissioner when it come to collusion, the league is doomed anyway.

[Jimi Hendrix]

If you implement a veto system, consider the league a failure from the outset. Implement an integrity rule. If there is a trade which is so ridiculously unbalanced that it is clear collusion you call the owners to the carpet and don't allow the trade. Aside from that, all bets are off.

good advice

[jthirteentimes]

If you implement a veto system, consider the league a failure from the outset. Implement an integrity rule. If there is a trade which is so ridiculously unbalanced that it is clear collusion you call the owners to the carpet and don't allow the trade. Aside from that, all bets are off.

I completely agree with you. Out of curiosity, though, how do you handle trades involving the commissioner?

I'm not sure about his league, but I'd say if you have to worry about the commissioner when it come to collusion, the league is doomed anyway.

I understand your point, and you are right. Having said that, I do not think its right to set the precedent that the commissioner is above the law. The goal should be to have a commissioner that everyone trusts, but that is no reason not to have a system in place with checks and balances. If the commissioner is involved in a trade, he/she is inherently less likely to be objective about it. Its human nature. So why not have something in place to control for situations in which there is an inherent conflict of interest? If nothing else, it sends a good message, in my opinion.

In the leagues that I am commissioner, only trades involving me are subject to the veto process. I was just wondering if anyone had another way of doing it.

[moneyballer]

I completely agree with you. Out of curiosity, though, how do you handle trades involving the commissioner?

I'm not sure about his league, but I'd say if you have to worry about the commissioner when it come to collusion, the league is doomed anyway.

I understand your point, and you are right. Having said that, I do not think its right to set the precedent that the commissioner is above the law. The goal should be to have a commissioner that everyone trusts, but that is no reason not to have a system in place with checks and balances. If the commissioner is involved in a trade, he/she is inherently less likely to be objective about it. Its human nature. So why not have something in place to control for situations in which there is an inherent conflict of interest? If nothing else, it sends a good message, in my opinion.

In the leagues that I am commissioner, only trades involving me are subject to the veto process. I was just wondering if anyone had another way of doing it.

All you need to do is have a co-commish. His job will be to look over a trade involving the commish and decide if it meets the criteria everyone else is following.

[skip]

If you implement a veto system, consider the league a failure from the outset. Implement an integrity rule. If there is a trade which is so ridiculously unbalanced that it is clear collusion you call the owners to the carpet and don't allow the trade. Aside from that, all bets are off.

I completely agree with you. Out of curiosity, though, how do you handle trades involving the commissioner?

I'm not sure about his league, but I'd say if you have to worry about the commissioner when it come to collusion, the league is doomed anyway.

Completely agree. My main league has only the integrity rule. There is no co-commish ad there is no veto process apart from the commish's ability to handle the integrity rule. Any league with a commish willing to consider himself above the law and make any kind of trade which otherwise would not fly past such scrutiny is also going to fail.

[hosler427]

I completely agree with you. Out of curiosity, though, how do you handle trades involving the commissioner?

I'm not sure about his league, but I'd say if you have to worry about the commissioner when it come to collusion, the league is doomed anyway.

Completely agree. My main league has only the integrity rule. There is no co-commish ad there is no veto process apart from the commish's ability to handle the integrity rule. Any league with a commish willing to consider himself above the law and make any kind of trade which otherwise would not fly past such scrutiny is also going to fail.

I agree...leagues live and die by the quality of commissioner. If you questions his moves and/or motives the league will fail anyways.