Running an online league..

marcmoustache · 11-17-2005, 12:32 PM

How easy is it to run a league where the commish is the only one with the game? I run a FOF multiplayer league, and some of the people who are involved in that may be interested but it might be easier if they didn't all have to buy the game.

Any views would be appreciated.

Cheers

Marc.

ifspuds · 11-17-2005, 12:49 PM

Depends on how many bells and whistles you enable. If it's a no-financials league, it's much easier. You have to process all the roster movement, but you don't have to worry about free agency, extensions and so on. Waivers and 40-man rosters are very difficult to run effectively if your owners don't have the game to do their own micromanaging.

Personally, I find it exhausting. I ran a league where 3 or 4 of my 15 other owners had the game and the rest didn't, and I was burned out after 2.5 seasons. So consider how much time and effort you're willing to put into doing a lot of the work for your owners before you take it on.

Best of luck to you!

Viva Los Expos · 11-17-2005, 04:38 PM

It's doable, but I would recommend (1) keeping the league small, at least to start; and (2) not doing more than 2 sims a week. Entering changes manually for every team in the league can really add to your time committment as commish. I can't imagine what a headache it would be to enter changes for every team in a 30-team league.

When my league began, I was the only one with the software. (Like you, I started the league with people I know.) It's worked out because there are only 12 teams, we only sim twice a week, and as time went on most of the more active owners ended up buying the software so they could tinker on their own, and encouraged the new owners they recruited to get it, too. Now I only have one owner who doesn't have the software, though occasionally others will send me changes via email.

Good luck.

marcmoustache · 11-18-2005, 07:23 AM

Thanks for the advice fellas. I'd definately do it on a limited scope basis if I did, although I'd be tempted to have a full 30 team league and let the AI run the non-human teams - you can do that right?

I might wait until OOTP 2006 in the spring before committing.

Viva Los Expos · 11-18-2005, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcmoustache

I'd be tempted to have a full 30 team league and let the AI run the non-human teams - you can do that right?

You can. I guess some leagues do it; maybe those commishes can tell you how it's worked out.

The one issue you'll have to decide on if you do that is how to handle trades with AI teams. Not having played my solo league much, I have no idea how much the trade AI has improved, but assuming it still has exploitable flaws, you need to figure out how to prevent the league from degenerating into a game of who-can-rip-off-the-AI-the-best. Maybe you need to ban all trades with AI teams, or limit teams to x offers per season/team/whatever, or only allow humans to accept AI proposals but not make their own. Again, maybe commishes of AI/human mixed leagues can advise you.

11-17-2005, 12:32 PM	#1
marcmoustache Bat Boy Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 15	Running an online league.. How easy is it to run a league where the commish is the only one with the game? I run a FOF multiplayer league, and some of the people who are involved in that may be interested but it might be easier if they didn't all have to buy the game. Any views would be appreciated. Cheers Marc.

11-17-2005, 12:49 PM	#2
ifspuds Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 2,117	Depends on how many bells and whistles you enable. If it's a no-financials league, it's much easier. You have to process all the roster movement, but you don't have to worry about free agency, extensions and so on. Waivers and 40-man rosters are very difficult to run effectively if your owners don't have the game to do their own micromanaging. Personally, I find it exhausting. I ran a league where 3 or 4 of my 15 other owners had the game and the rest didn't, and I was burned out after 2.5 seasons. So consider how much time and effort you're willing to put into doing a lot of the work for your owners before you take it on. Best of luck to you! __________________ Jeff Watson Former dynasty writer and online league player, now mostly retired

11-17-2005, 04:38 PM	#3
Viva Los Expos Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67	It's doable, but I would recommend (1) keeping the league small, at least to start; and (2) not doing more than 2 sims a week. Entering changes manually for every team in the league can really add to your time committment as commish. I can't imagine what a headache it would be to enter changes for every team in a 30-team league. When my league began, I was the only one with the software. (Like you, I started the league with people I know.) It's worked out because there are only 12 teams, we only sim twice a week, and as time went on most of the more active owners ended up buying the software so they could tinker on their own, and encouraged the new owners they recruited to get it, too. Now I only have one owner who doesn't have the software, though occasionally others will send me changes via email. Good luck. __________________ Commish/Cleveland Spiders GM, New Federal Baseball League http://www.newfederalbaseballleague.com

11-18-2005, 07:23 AM	#4
marcmoustache Bat Boy Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 15	Thanks for the advice fellas. I'd definately do it on a limited scope basis if I did, although I'd be tempted to have a full 30 team league and let the AI run the non-human teams - you can do that right? I might wait until OOTP 2006 in the spring before committing.