Any Interest In Fantasy Basketball?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:38 am

Okay, this is a VERY informal poll, but how many of our NFFC guys also play fantasy basketball? More importantly, how many of our NFFC guys would be interested in a high-stakes fantasy basketball league?

I haven't proposed this idea yet internally because we still have to show a profit on the NFBC and NFFC first, but I've always felt there was enough interest to run a high-stakes fantasy basketball contest in the future. A few guys asked me to pursue that this summer, but there just wasn't enough time to get it done.

If somehow I could form an online draft and contest yet this year, would anyone be interested? Would you be interested at $650 a pop? Or $1,000? Or $1,250? I'd form leagues of 12 and run a 5x5 setup like we do in baseball with individual league prizes and an overall grand prize. And maybe even yet this year.

Okay, so it's a late idea and more likely I'll wait until next year to do it. But any input ASAP from our loyal customers would be helpful. Thanks everyone.

lichtman · Post by **lichtman** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:13 am

I would be interested, but only at levels below the $650 you are talking about. Maybe $300 or so max.

nnoy · Post by **nnoy** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:39 am

Greg,

I would be in next year, but would have to pass on the 2004 season at anything close to four figures.

One concern I would have is the format of the draft. I know the UFS guy has some verifiable data on this as well: a regular serpentine draft does NOT create a balanced league. The teams with the first few picks REALLY DO gain an unfair advantage. To counter this UFS (like my local league) goes 1-16 (or however many teams) in round 1, then 16-1 in all subsequent rounds. The only serpentine round is round 2. Then team 16 gets the first pick in all remaining rounds.

Another thought is to run a low-stakes satellite league or two this year. Offer a free entry into the NFBC, NFFC or the basketball event if there is one next year. Not a ton of profit in this for you, but if STATS does the statistics for you I’m sure there are 20-30 of us that would help you get the kinks out this year.

One final note: I’ve never been a fan of 5x5. I am in a local league with a fabulous format that I believe could be scaled to a national contest. The highlights are: 16 team league, 2 conferences, each with 2 divisions of 4 teams. The schedule is 40 head-to-head games (4 in division (12), 3 in conference (12) and 2 non-conference (16)). Points ONLY. 5-man starting line-up (2G, 3F.) C’s are considered to be an F. There is also a Swing (S) position for players like VC. We play on the 40 nights when a majority of the NBA teams play. The home team gets a 7-point spot, which creates a home/road won/loss record very consistent with the NBA.

I’d be more than happy to fax you a copy of the league constitution and rules. I think if fantasy basketball is ever going to be big it has to mirror fantasy football. The game must be marketable to the casual fan, and maintaining a consistency to something everyone is already familiar with would be a huge plus.

[ October 13, 2004, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: nnoy ]

Diesel · Post by **Diesel** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:38 pm

In at $300 max.

Dyv · Post by **Dyv** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:05 pm

I'd play.

Roto is great, although I'm not familiar with what categories you would use to call it 5x5. There is no variance between 'pitchers and hitters' to call it 5x5, so you'd be saying 8 category roto. (FG%, FT%, 3PT, REB, ASSIST, STL, BLK, PTS)

I don't have any issue at all with serpentine draft - I think it's silly to think that Garnett and Steve Francis crushes Ray Allen and Elton Brand in value, etc. Obviously someone needs to draft well regardless of position.

The simple way to counter that would be to make it an auction draft, but then you're talking about a moderated live chat as I do not know of any internet site capable of handling a hoops auction.

Greg - it really depends on what you want, but I'm all in for a Hoops fantasy game.

Dave

nnoy · Post by **nnoy** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:25 am

Originally posted by Dyv:
I'd play.

Roto is great, although I'm not familiar with what categories you would use to call it 5x5. There is no variance between 'pitchers and hitters' to call it 5x5, so you'd be saying 8 category roto. (FG%, FT%, 3PT, REB, ASSIST, STL, BLK, PTS)
Dave The ten I’ve used include:

(1) Total points; (2) STL; (3) BLK; (4) Boards; (5) AST; (6) FG%; (7) FT%; (8) 3pt %; (9) 3 pointers made; and (10) Turnovers (obviously least is better.)

ronaldrogers · Post by **ronaldrogers** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:01 pm

Count me in.

LB Big Richards · Post by **LB Big Richards** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:38 pm

Yes. And a friend or two is interested also.

ultimatefs · Post by **ultimatefs** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:34 pm

Originally posted by nnoy:

One concern I would have is the format of the draft. I know the UFS guy has some verifiable data on this as well: a regular serpentine draft does NOT create a balanced league. The teams with the first few picks REALLY DO gain an unfair advantage. To counter this UFS (like my local league) goes 1-16 (or however many teams) in round 1, then 16-1 in all subsequent rounds. The only serpentine round is round 2. Then team 16 gets the first pick in all remaining rounds.

One final note: I’ve never been a fan of 5x5. I am in a local league with a fabulous format that I believe could be scaled to a national contest. The highlights are: 16 team league, 2 conferences, each with 2 divisions of 4 teams. The schedule is 40 head-to-head games (4 in division (12), 3 in conference (12) and 2 non-conference (16)). Points ONLY. 5-man starting line-up (2G, 3F.) C’s are considered to be an F. There is also a Swing (S) position for players like VC. We play on the 40 nights when a majority of the NBA teams play. The home team gets a 7-point spot, which creates a home/road won/loss record very consistent with the NBA.

I’d be more than happy to fax you a copy of the league constitution and rules. I think if fantasy basketball is ever going to be big it has to mirror fantasy football. The game must be marketable to the casual fan, and maintaining a consistency to something everyone is already familiar with would be a huge plus. I do have data on this, and it's brutal. About 7 years ago, we made the switch and have not had one complaint since.

We have 15-team leagues. 1 to 15, then every round after that is 15 to 1.

This really does balance out the draft quite nicely.

Roto hoops is just plain horrid. It makes lesser players great, and great players marginal.

UFS uses 1 pt for each pt, reb, bs, asst, stl.

I would love to run a test/satellite league for Greg using my rules. Like all my games, they are realistic in many ways, especially hoops with our backup rules. 82 game schedules.

Basically, your starting 5 (PF,SF,C,SG,PG) have all their games count for the week.

Backups come into play to get a total of nine games fron each of the F and G positions.

EX: PF plays 4 games, SF plays 3. Backup (any F) plays 2, to get to 9 total.

SG plays 3 games, PG plays 3 games. Backup (any G) plays 3 games.

When backup games count, the first games they appear in during the week are used.

Center position plays 5 games.

Like real life, basically it's your starting 5 and 3 backup players, and the system weighs the backup players about the same weight as you see in the NBA.

You can start 2nd backups at each position in case injuries occur, which is the only time these players play in real life also. Sometimes, we do see a 2-2-4-1, or 2-2-3-2, at a postion though, if a team has a light schedule that week.

Here's Top 15 from last year:
K.Garnett PF/SF/C 46.7
T.McGrady SG/SF 41.5
T.Duncan PF/C 41.4
A.Iverson PG/SG 39.3
S.O'Neal C 38.9
B.Davis PG 37.4
P.Pierce SG/SF 36.9
E.Brand PF/C 36.8
K.Bryant SG/SF 36.7
D.Nowitzki SF/PF/C35.8
J.O'Neal PF/C 35.5
L.James PG/SG 34.7
S.Marion SF 34.4
R.Allen SG 34.3
V.Carter/Peja/CWeb 34.2

Usually see 4-8 top 40+. Last year was down a bit.

[ October 15, 2004, 12:36 AM: Message edited by: UFS ]

Dyv · Post by **Dyv** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 2:01 am

I'm not sure I follow why roto hoops 'is just plain horrid' ?

I am 100% positive that you like your own game, John - that goes without saying.

But I see no reason why a 'traditional' roto hoops game wouldn't be used for Greg's format?

I don't mind some variant to the draft order, but I see no need for that either.

A traditional, serpentine draft, 12-14 team league with 8 or 10 roto categories and starting rosters that are large, but not outrageous would be fun and deep and would reward the best owners. Allow roster changes once per week, run FA once per week, etc.

Sounds like fun to me.

Dave