On-Line league overload

[RobertoClemente]

Funny thing....

It seems (though it is probably always this way) that there seems to be an on-line overload.... Plenty of decent leagues, all seem to be well run and responsible.

Most have decent to outstanding web sites, Most use some form of utilities...BUT (wait for it)

There seems to be more leagues opening and fewer people to fill them.. Is it due to the wealth of leagues, a drop-off of interested managers or fewer people playing in general...

I think in reading a lot of "backstories" that most angles have been approached as a philosophy for the leagues existence. Some people like historical (super accurate) some historical (less stringent), some like fictional, some like a combination of both - (real teams, fictional players etc..)

But what I am curious about is:

1.) Are GM's drying up ?
2.) Is there too much to choose from ?
3.) What would make a "prospective" manager join one vs. the other ?

A good league is only as good as it's founders. Regular sims and updates - Prompt issue resolution and having events occur as laid out - No league can survive if this basic premise does not exist.

I think secondly is the "information vehicle" (ie..forum, site etc..) It needs to be able to convey all the league information in an easy to navigate fashion, Lots of "features" do not always mean "ease of use". And it has to have a solid up-time to allow users to feel comfortable that the site will always work

Community - without a active contributing community, You are doomed. Though not every GM writes all the time, And some write every day. You need a balance of regular postings to keep others interested. Sure it's great to get your exports done like clockwork - But if no one writes it will get boring and people will just stop showing up (once the novelty - See below wears off)

And lastly - The "WOW" factor - Nicely done, highly modified websites with tons of graphics, bells, whistles and utilities - The Novelty Factor... This is what draws people in the "new car smell" it is what makes most inagural seasons work - But after a while it becomes, well the same and if the things listed above are not happening than this one will eventualy no longer suffice

In short a well run, active, informative league (with some user interactivity features) should be succesful.......

But are they, You built it, Did they come ?

What are you the T.V. viewers at home looking for if you are thinking about a league or is there just a glut of leagues now and managers are just spread too thin ?

[satchel]

Originally Posted by RobertoClemente

It seems (though it is probably always this way) that there seems to be an on-line overload....

There seems to be more leagues opening and fewer people to fill them...

...is there just a glut of leagues now and managers are just spread too thin?

This would be hard to quantify. The Hardball Heroes league recently filled 80+ teams in two or three days. Different owners do prefer different types of leagues, so in the short-term, a certain style of league might take longer to find owners. For example, that Hardball Heroes league might have temporarily siphoned up those owners looking for its particular mix of ingredients.

The supply and demand of leagues and owners is a competitive free market, and I don't think there's a surplus of good leagues; quality leagues should always find quality owners.

[ptwarr18]

The World Baseball Hierarchy has 72 Owners right now, and we expand to 88 in a couple of weeks (all teams have been filled). Clearly, this league, like Hardball Heroes (mentioned above), has something that other leagues do not.

As a member, I think what draws me most above everything is the solid Commish and Asst. Commish as well as other executive board members. Everyone has a role whether it be managing the league, running sims, tracking finances (we use a custom finance system), or keeping track of league history. Its great to have people running the league that put so much into it because I know I will put in a lot of work on my team. I know the league is going to be around for a long time and I know if there are problems they will be resolved quickly and efficiently. That makes me happy and willing to commit my time to running a team to the best of my ability.

Most of the other GM's feel the same as me, and it becomes a part of our daily lives. I look forward to every sim and export like clockwork. I check out the forum everyday at all hours of the day because it is so active. The interaction among owners is greater than anything I've been a part of and its fun to interact, makes the league come to life for me. Not only the players, but each GM has their own personality and while I have never met the other GM's, I feel like I know them from forum interaction and talking on AIM just about the league happenings.

Finally, the original concept of promotion and relegation. It's simple to understand for new GMs and the novelty never wears off. I also liked being able to pick my city, team name, and logo.

That being said, key ingredients to a successful league in my opinion....
1) Outstanding Commissioner
2) Fun, Active Forums
3) Original Idea that differentiates the league from others

[Corsairs]

There's actually another way to look at online league overload: that being from the perspective of owners who join numerous leagues at once. As a commissioner, that's something that has really jumped out at me. When we've brought on owners who are playing in just our league or perhaps one other, most often these people settle right in and become productive and participatory members. When we've brought on owners who are playing in a number of leagues at the same time, on the other hand, it's been a different story.

I think this relates to the "shiny new toy" syndrome you mentioned. Some people are always looking for the "new thing" and that has them jumping from league to league. The problem is they're spreading themselves too thin; you rob yourself of the ability to really get invested in any one league. There's no time to write articles or post on the forums, for instance, not when you have 5 different export schedules to manage.

In my opinion, this really lessens the experience both for the individual owners and for the leagues that are receiving less than 100% from these owners. I'd certainly recommend that owners keep their participation to a reasonable number of leagues and focus on getting as involved as they can in those leagues. I have to believe it would be a more rewarding experience for everyone involved.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by RobertoClemente

A good league is only as good as it's founders.

A good league is only as good as its founders and members. You can have the greatest commish in the world, but if the league doesn't have good members, then it isn't going to be a good league.



I don't think there's overload at all. Every year around this time leagues have an increase in vacancies. It's summer, people go outside and do things like play real baseball, and garden, and vacation, etc etc. In the fall, it picks up again.

Also, another thing that happens every year around this time. A new version of the game is released, and a whole bunch of new leagues start up. Only a few survive while the rest quickly fold.

[Recte44]

Originally Posted by BruceM

A good league is only as good as its founders and members. You can have the greatest commish in the world, but if the league doesn't have good members, then it isn't going to be a good league.



I don't think there's overload at all. Every year around this time leagues have an increase in vacancies. It's summer, people go outside and do things like play real baseball, and garden, and vacation, etc etc. In the fall, it picks up again.

Also, another thing that happens every year around this time. A new version of the game is released, and a whole bunch of new leagues start up. Only a few survive while the rest quickly fold.

+1

Great point, Bruce. Just like clockwork when April/May rolls around someone posts "there are too many leagues". Then once the new game comes out, and there are "new" owners to spread around, you don't hear too much about there being too many leagues.

I know I've had my struggles filling the MBWBA but I'm being patient and filling one league at a time. There's a lot to choose from, be choosy when picking and the best leagues will stand the test of time.

[johnnybourbon]

Originally Posted by ptwarr18

The World Baseball Hierarchy has 72 Owners right now, and we expand to 88 in a couple of weeks (all teams have been filled). Clearly, this league, like Hardball Heroes (mentioned above), has something that other leagues do not.

As a member, I think what draws me most above everything is the solid Commish and Asst. Commish as well as other executive board members. Everyone has a role whether it be managing the league, running sims, tracking finances (we use a custom finance system), or keeping track of league history. Its great to have people running the league that put so much into it because I know I will put in a lot of work on my team. I know the league is going to be around for a long time and I know if there are problems they will be resolved quickly and efficiently. That makes me happy and willing to commit my time to running a team to the best of my ability.

Most of the other GM's feel the same as me, and it becomes a part of our daily lives. I look forward to every sim and export like clockwork. I check out the forum everyday at all hours of the day because it is so active. The interaction among owners is greater than anything I've been a part of and its fun to interact, makes the league come to life for me. Not only the players, but each GM has their own personality and while I have never met the other GM's, I feel like I know them from forum interaction and talking on AIM just about the league happenings.

Finally, the original concept of promotion and relegation. It's simple to understand for new GMs and the novelty never wears off. I also liked being able to pick my city, team name, and logo.

That being said, key ingredients to a successful league in my opinion....
1) Outstanding Commissioner
2) Fun, Active Forums
3) Original Idea that differentiates the league from others

Right. As an online noob, I checked what was available, and rather than jump into one with openings NOW, I put myself on the waiting list for something unique and well run, the heirarchy. There are a lot of good leagues out there, but theres a distinct difference between the online players. Some are looking for specifics (historical or fictional) and others just want to play, others are a combo of both.