Needs a few questions answered - Page 2

Bluenoser · 08-14-2002, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by XBL Commish 24
AIM will be requiered.

This may be trivial to some, but this turns me off of any league instantly when you are told you must have a specific messenger.

Communication is very important, but dictating the means is a turn off to me. I'm in a couple leagues now. Some owners have AIM, some have ICQ, some have MS............there are no communication problems at all. Good old email still works very well, and IMO is much more reliable than instant messaging anyway.

Another thing that turns me off, is a shoddy web site. Especially little things, like having a dark background and dark text on top of it makes it hard to read. If I have to squint my eyes to read what's going on in the league, then I stop looking. Colour adds a lot to a web site, but it's been a standard rule of text for a long time.

Light coloured text on dark background

Dark coloured text on light background.

Cooleyvol · 08-14-2002, 03:11 PM

Thanks, Spleen. I appreciate it.

I'll just add two things that has made a big difference in all of the leagues I've started and commished.

Listen to your owners; they make a league great or bad!! A good owner base will make a league strong!! Pick them with that in mind. Don't fill teams as guys email you. Ask for b/g and OOTP experience to see if they stick with something. Glory Days has 7 of 16 owners who are ORIGINAL owners after 17 seasons and two years real time!! Home Town Baseball, which I helped start just had its first vacancy after 11 seasons with the originals in place. Heritage Baseball has had its first vacancy after 4 seasons! So, you can see what being picky about owners can bring you.

Secondly, watch owners to see if you have potential Commishes in your midst. The BEST thing you can give back to the OOTP community, IMO, is cultivating new Commishes so that new, innovative leagues will arise.

I can count Matt Skutley (CDL), Andy Watkins (HHL), Dan Nichol (HTB), Joe Moore (HBL), Tony Darling (AFBL), and Bob Monroe (ABA) as Commishes that I like to think I had something to do with in their deciding to Commish a league.

Who knows, maybe I'll pull Spleen or Hammer out of ABA and they'll have leagues some day!!

Subby · 08-14-2002, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BruceM
This may be trivial to some, but this turns me off of any league instantly when you are told you must have a specific messenger.

Communication is very important, but dictating the means is a turn off to me. I'm in a couple leagues now. Some owners have AIM, some have ICQ, some have MS............there are no communication problems at all. Good old email still works very well, and IMO is much more reliable than instant messaging anyway.

Some leagues sim all of their games live. It makes sense that everyone be on the same client (such as AOL or Yahoo) so that they can attend the sim in one the aforementioned clients' chat rooms.

Specs · 08-14-2002, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Subby

Some leagues sim all of their games live. It makes sense that everyone be on the same client (such as AOL or Yahoo) so that they can attend the sim in one the aforementioned clients' chat rooms.

None of us use the same chat method, so we use a web-based Yahoo! Groups chat room. Works fine.

Specs · 08-14-2002, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by spleen1015
Baseball Maelstrom - Paul Woodworth, LivnLegend, JML, Specs
AFBL - JML again, Tresclub, Rizon
ABA - Hammer, LivnLegend again, RPM Bucs, asamford
GDBA - IatricSB, JML again!, Ankit
ORB - BruceM, I don't recognize most of the others.

I'm glad you consider me a quality owner -- but please do not consider me a top owner of the Maelstrom -- I have sent in about three lineups this far, very recently (mid-July) began my tenure, and just flew off for vacation. I feel bad being mentioned with all these people.

LivnLegend · 08-14-2002, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cooleyvol

Who knows, maybe I'll pull Spleen or Hammer out of ABA and they'll have leagues some day!!

Or LL?

Subby · 08-14-2002, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Specs
None of us use the same chat method, so we use a web-based Yahoo! Groups chat room. Works fine.

If that's what works for you, great.

I have found that having everyone on the same client enhances league communication immeasurably...

But our league is unique and what goes for us may not apply for everyone...

Total Nirvana · 08-14-2002, 05:18 PM

Uh.... Really depends on if i wanna use ICQ, or anything else. AIM is fine, because if have..... grrr.. don't wanna say it. uh... ah what the hell, ICQ or MSN is also allowed

SoxWin · 08-14-2002, 05:47 PM

Quote:

But our league is unique

Understatement of the year

Cheers

Rich

Qrashman · 08-14-2002, 06:03 PM

Quote:

There are plenty of good ones now (way, I mean way better than back then): The FOBL, Hickory, Maelstrom

Thanks for the compliment Treches. As the Co-Commish of the HBL (Hickory Baseball League), i'll add my 2 cents.

I don't think its been mentioned, but I believe that the forums of your league have a LOT to do with it. It could be the most important part of a league, IMO.

Small articles, little tidbits, TWIB notes and the like add a lot to a league.

Owners like visiting the forums and seeing new posts and new ways to get involved. I can say confidently that the activity on our forums keeps the HBL in business.

Rush22 · 08-14-2002, 10:09 PM

I thought 2cents was my word... but it's ok, I'll let it pass

Specs · 08-14-2002, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Subby
If you want to guarantee your league will fold within six months, do the following:
2) Host your web site and/or forums with a free service provider.

Didn't FOBL start out doing both of these?

Subby · 08-14-2002, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Specs
Didn't FOBL start out doing both of these?

Yes, we started at a free web site. We used ezBoard but paid to have the popups removed.

Two and a half months later we moved to our own web space and upgraded to YAbb.

Any other questions and I will have to direct you to my publicist.

Thanks.

crackpott · 08-14-2002, 11:00 PM

well, might as well throw my hat into the ring...

My league hasn't been mentioned because, well... it ISN'T a great league. I work my hardest to make it one, that 10...15... 20 hours? trust me, that's nothing. I spend closer to 30. I have no life.

I try to come up with innovative ideas and whatever, but still. Problems occur. As long as a league has a dedicated commissioner, which MANY do, the chances of success are still 50/50 at best, and the chances of it being classified an elite league is even lower. Owners are a HUGE reason why a league becomes great. OOTP veteran owners are like big name free agents... you go after them in the hopes they'll join.

Some of my best owners never post around here, but Joshuaaaaaaa is one of my best, and he does. I've had many vets tell me "I doubt I have time for another league, but if I did it would be yours." Which is probably bull****, but encouraging nonetheless. The reason I recruit for the FBBL so often is to TRY to cross that line from good to great. If an owner isn't great, the league can't be. So i'm endlessly searching for another owner that will contribute to the league. I'd say 1/20 that I've gotten from the board have been good owners... by my standards anyway. But I keep recruiting in the hopes of finding that one.

The commissioner can work as hard as he wants, but ultimately the league depends on the owners. How to GET these good owners? Don't ask me, I'm still working on it.

The problem is most of the time good owners want good leagues, and the good leagues are the ones with the good owners. So it's hard for an up and coming league to establish itself among the elite when it's hard to recruit owners. Maelstrom did it with an interesting concept. That's what it comes down to. You need something to REALLY set you apart from other leagues (The FBBL has a few things, but since other leagues have adapted the agents, college league, etc.) or you need to just work your ass off in the hopes someone will notice and a good owner will apply. That's what it all comes down to.

Total Nirvana · 08-14-2002, 11:07 PM

Uh... what if I can't spend on web space, because i'm pretty much broke on cash... So what you're saying that if i don't geta domain name, my league won't last. Really bad advice.

crackpott · 08-14-2002, 11:12 PM

your internet server may provide space for you. Or OOTPleagues can. Or, PowWeb gives a pretty sweet deal if you can afford $8 a month.

Specs · 08-14-2002, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Subby

Yes, we started at a free web site. We used ezBoard but paid to have the popups removed.

Two and a half months later we moved to our own web space and upgraded to YAbb.

Any other questions and I will have to direct you to my publicist.

Thanks.

Specs: Trying to rid the world of hypocrisy since 1992.

dappawit · 08-14-2002, 11:21 PM

One thing I've noticed from most of these responses is that a good loeague needs to have a special feature that sets it apart, like for instance Maelstrom does. I don't have plans for anything special for my league like that. The only thing that comes close is that I am planning on having a 25 year fictional simmed history before I actually start the league online. This has been done by another league so its not something that really will set my league apart.

However, I am also great a building web sites (don't mean to brag

) so my site will be darn good, but I know that the site is only a small part of the whole thing. And I am now definitely going to be careful in selecting owners, which didn't occur to me until reading this post (thanks XBL for starting it btw).

I guess my main question is this... Can you still have a good league with good owners (not necessarily the "name" owners but ones who consistently particpate) with a well organized and enthusiastic commish (thats me

) without haveing some sort of a "hook"?

Dave

crackpott · 08-14-2002, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dappawit
I guess my main question is this... Can you still have a good league with good owners (not necessarily the "name" owners but ones who consistently particpate) with a well organized and enthusiastic commish (thats me ) without haveing some sort of a "hook"?

Dave

That's what I was getting at. You CAN... but it'll be harder to get those good owners.

Subby · 08-14-2002, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Specs
Specs: Trying to rid the world of hypocrisy since 1992.

How is that hypocritical? We paid for our board. We switched to our own host after two and a half months.

I said that a league that uses free bulletin board software and free web hosting would probably be gone in 6 months. FOBL doesn't do either.

08-14-2002, 03:11 PM	#22
Cooleyvol Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Union City, TN Posts: 6,383	Thanks, Spleen. I appreciate it. I'll just add two things that has made a big difference in all of the leagues I've started and commished. Listen to your owners; they make a league great or bad!! A good owner base will make a league strong!! Pick them with that in mind. Don't fill teams as guys email you. Ask for b/g and OOTP experience to see if they stick with something. Glory Days has 7 of 16 owners who are ORIGINAL owners after 17 seasons and two years real time!! Home Town Baseball, which I helped start just had its first vacancy after 11 seasons with the originals in place. Heritage Baseball has had its first vacancy after 4 seasons! So, you can see what being picky about owners can bring you. Secondly, watch owners to see if you have potential Commishes in your midst. The BEST thing you can give back to the OOTP community, IMO, is cultivating new Commishes so that new, innovative leagues will arise. I can count Matt Skutley (CDL), Andy Watkins (HHL), Dan Nichol (HTB), Joe Moore (HBL), Tony Darling (AFBL), and Bob Monroe (ABA) as Commishes that I like to think I had something to do with in their deciding to Commish a league. Who knows, maybe I'll pull Spleen or Hammer out of ABA and they'll have leagues some day!! Last edited by Cooleyvol; 08-14-2002 at 03:15 PM.

08-14-2002, 05:18 PM	#28
Total Nirvana All Star Reserve Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 750	Uh.... Really depends on if i wanna use ICQ, or anything else. AIM is fine, because if have..... grrr.. don't wanna say it. uh... ah what the hell, ICQ or MSN is also allowed __________________ Total Hockey Commissioner Your Off-Topic Nightmare. Free Agent OT Player - Plays 1B/3B/OF, hits for power on all fields, great fielder, can hit .330 a season!

08-14-2002, 10:09 PM	#31
Rush22 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: May 2002 Location: Dallas Posts: 234	I thought 2cents was my word... but it's ok, I'll let it pass __________________ ESPN Asks President Bush what he would do if baseball goes on strike. President Bush thinks long and hard and here was his answer, "I'd be really mad." Dallas, GMC, 90-72 Boston (NL), ABL, 38-24 New York (NL), WSBL , 0-0 Minnesota, iMLB , 0-0 Stay Tuned...

08-14-2002, 11:00 PM	#34
crackpott Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,961	well, might as well throw my hat into the ring... My league hasn't been mentioned because, well... it ISN'T a great league. I work my hardest to make it one, that 10...15... 20 hours? trust me, that's nothing. I spend closer to 30. I have no life. I try to come up with innovative ideas and whatever, but still. Problems occur. As long as a league has a dedicated commissioner, which MANY do, the chances of success are still 50/50 at best, and the chances of it being classified an elite league is even lower. Owners are a HUGE reason why a league becomes great. OOTP veteran owners are like big name free agents... you go after them in the hopes they'll join. Some of my best owners never post around here, but Joshuaaaaaaa is one of my best, and he does. I've had many vets tell me "I doubt I have time for another league, but if I did it would be yours." Which is probably bull****, but encouraging nonetheless. The reason I recruit for the FBBL so often is to TRY to cross that line from good to great. If an owner isn't great, the league can't be. So i'm endlessly searching for another owner that will contribute to the league. I'd say 1/20 that I've gotten from the board have been good owners... by my standards anyway. But I keep recruiting in the hopes of finding that one. The commissioner can work as hard as he wants, but ultimately the league depends on the owners. How to GET these good owners? Don't ask me, I'm still working on it. The problem is most of the time good owners want good leagues, and the good leagues are the ones with the good owners. So it's hard for an up and coming league to establish itself among the elite when it's hard to recruit owners. Maelstrom did it with an interesting concept. That's what it comes down to. You need something to REALLY set you apart from other leagues (The FBBL has a few things, but since other leagues have adapted the agents, college league, etc.) or you need to just work your ass off in the hopes someone will notice and a good owner will apply. That's what it all comes down to. __________________ Abandoned Planet - Check it out. The photos don't suck anymore.

08-14-2002, 11:07 PM	#35
Total Nirvana All Star Reserve Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 750	Uh... what if I can't spend on web space, because i'm pretty much broke on cash... So what you're saying that if i don't geta domain name, my league won't last. Really bad advice. __________________ Total Hockey Commissioner Your Off-Topic Nightmare. Free Agent OT Player - Plays 1B/3B/OF, hits for power on all fields, great fielder, can hit .330 a season!

08-14-2002, 11:12 PM	#36
crackpott Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,961	your internet server may provide space for you. Or OOTPleagues can. Or, PowWeb gives a pretty sweet deal if you can afford $8 a month. __________________ Abandoned Planet - Check it out. The photos don't suck anymore.

08-14-2002, 11:21 PM	#38
dappawit Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 34	One thing I've noticed from most of these responses is that a good loeague needs to have a special feature that sets it apart, like for instance Maelstrom does. I don't have plans for anything special for my league like that. The only thing that comes close is that I am planning on having a 25 year fictional simmed history before I actually start the league online. This has been done by another league so its not something that really will set my league apart. However, I am also great a building web sites (don't mean to brag ) so my site will be darn good, but I know that the site is only a small part of the whole thing. And I am now definitely going to be careful in selecting owners, which didn't occur to me until reading this post (thanks XBL for starting it btw). I guess my main question is this... Can you still have a good league with good owners (not necessarily the "name" owners but ones who consistently particpate) with a well organized and enthusiastic commish (thats me ) without haveing some sort of a "hook"? Dave __________________ "The bases were drunk, and I painted the black with my best yakker. But Blue squezzed me, and I went full. I came back with my heater, but the stick flares one the other way and chalk flies for two bases. Three earnies! Next thing I know, skipper hooks me and I'm sipping suds with the clubby." - Ed Lynch