OOTP Grand Championship League: Year 3
 

After two years of running the GCL we wanted to change the format up a bit. Quite frankly, running an inaugural draft is just something I hope I never have to do again in my life!

Everybody participating in this challenge has their own league to worry about. My goal is not/was not to make this a long-term commitment for league reps.

So this year we have 32 league representatives from some of the best online leagues utilizing OOTP.

All of our league reps are currently constructing a roster with hopes that sims will begin next week should everything go according to plan.

Here are the rules:

Full League Name (Initials): OOTP Grand Championship League
Web Reports: Home
OOTP Version: 15
Game Needed: Required
Players: Real
# of Teams: 32
First Season: 2004
Current Season: 2015
Fatigue: On
Scouting: Off
Designated Hitter: On
Player Development: Off (after the 2014 season is simmed)
Injuries: Off (after the 2014 season is simmed)
Personnel: Off

Draft Format:

Similar to DraftKings fantasy format – every Grand League rep will be given a budget that is equal to all other opponents.

You get to select an entire roster of 25 players, but must remain AT or BELOW the salary cap which is $90,000,000.

After the final season was simmed, the Commissioner will dump all of the players into a draft pool.

It is then up to each representative to create their own team within the budget. The players individual draft demand will serve as their “cap hit.”

So for example, Joey Votto’s demand is $21million – if you choose him on your team you then have $69million remaining to build your roster.

It is POSSIBLE and potentially LIKELY that more than 1 team selects the same player (similar to DraftKings). That player will merely be duplicated and added to each roster.

Your goal is to build the best 25 man roster you can within your budget.

Ballparks:

Every team will be able to select an MLB ballpark as their home park. They will inherit all of the park factors/home city info for that park.

This could be crucial to determining how you build your roster as well as potentially build a true home field advantage.

This is also due by Feb 7th at 8pm est.

Regular Season:
The regular season will be 62 games long and will be simmed in 7 game increments.

This will be the fastest part of the league, and will be completed in 9 straight days of simming. (See export deadlines below).

The expected schedule will be February 9th through February 17th

Every team will play every team twice – once at home and once on the road.

The regular season record will be used to determine tournament ranking as well as home field throughout the tournament.

Grand Tournament:
Regardless of the regular season, every team will have a chance to compete for the championship.

After the regular season, teams will be seeded 1-32.

Every series will be a best of 9 series with TWO games simmed per sim. If there is a Game 9 needed, Game 9 will always be it's own sim.

Regular Season Sim Schedule:

During the 62 game season. We will sim 7 games at a time using 9 straight sim nights.

Your exports will be due at 8pm est, with sims expected to reach you no later than 9pm.

Tournament Sim Schedule:

We will sim the tournament on Monday-Wednesday-Thursday-Sunday. With 2 games per sim unless Game 9, then that will be one sim.

Round 1: Ends at the latest on February 26th
Round 2: Ends at the latest on March 5th
Round 3: Ends at the latest on March 12th
Round 4: Ends at the latest on March 19th
Title Schedule: TBD

Note: If no series’ go 9 games, then the schedule moves up.

Some Misc League Info

Right now, all teams are assigned to MLB franchises. Except for Jacksonville & Omaha which were teams 31 and 32 added to the league after the sim.

The reason for this is so that teams can compare player stats based on park factors. So the Baltimore Bears players played in Camden Yards OOTP Model etc.

Once we draft teams, your team names will change to be representative of your league.

There is no reason to draft based on potential. So don’t do it – player development is Off, so these players are what you think they are (Dennis Green).

I deleted almost 2,000 players from the draft pool in hopes that would help you sift through the draft pool quicker.

The minor leagues will be deleted once the year begins.

The best of 9 series is 2-3-2-1-1

Fatigue is set to Normal.

Let's go ULB Eagles!

I love the Denny Green shout out...so great.

The NBL is sending our most successful franchise GM over the past 4 years, Anthony T. His San Francisco Sharks have been a dominant force but they haven't been able to seal the deal, losing in the Championship Series in the past 2 seasons. Luckily for him our winning GM was unavailable for the GCL so now Anthony gets an even bigger stage to try and exercise his demons. ;)

Go everyone! I like the format.

Asahi2 All The Way!!
 

Asahi2 is ready to roll!!

AFBL is looking to move the league in to OOTP 16 with style

The TTWB is sending one of its most successful franchises, the Iowa City Stalkers, in its debut in the Grand Championship League.

When's the next GCL?

Since I stepped away, Rich Grisham has taken over. The main issue with the GCL was that it was fun for the leagues involved, but it didn't get much traction beyond that, so I think my successor decided to devote energy to something else. Thanks for asking.