Change Head To Head Next Year

FFMadMan · Post by **FFMadMan** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 3:02 am

I am also concerned about teams "losing interest" as they are eliminated from the playoff hunt. I have seen this in other leagues, and it can ruin it for everyone else. Hopefully, the high stakes nature of this event will eliminate those that don't appreciate the fun of competition. Do we have any safeguards in place just in case?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 3:30 am

FFMadMan, we certainly took that into consideration when putting the contest together. Here's how we hope to keep teams involved for 16 straight weeks:

1) We are giving away an autographed memorabilia item each week from Upper Deck Authenticated to the overall high point team. That will give everyone something to play for each week no matter what their record is. Now I realize that if your team is struggling it's tough to win an overall prize, but we've seen it in baseball where a guy was actually 15th in his league and finished third overall one week, just missing the prize. So it's possible for any team to get hot in one given week and win a good item.

2) More importantly, though, no matter what record you finished with during the regular season, even if you miss the playoffs you enter the consolation round with the other 86% of teams that didn't get into the playoffs. Each team carries their weekly scoring average into the playoffs and the consolation round winner who scores the most points in Weeks 14, 15 and 16 (plus the weekly scoring average) wins $2,500.

So it's important to keep scoring well during the regular season to carry a good scoring average into the playoffs and then the team that gets hot during Weeks 14, 15 and 16 can still turn a profit. We pay four consolation round places, so you have a shot at getting some of your money back even if you had a bad regular season.

In our minds, this should keep everyone playing all year long and allows everyone a chance to earn money or win a prize throughout the year.

Dyv · Post by **Dyv** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 4:59 am

Hey FF - just to expand on how this actually works in practice... if a team finishes 300 points behind the leader and misses the playoffs. You start with the average score you put up and then add 3 weeks scores to that average to determine overall and consolation champs.

If the top team scores 1580 pts... and the last team going to the playoffs has 1300 pts. You divide those numbers by 13 for their average and the #1 playoff seed gets 121 pts. and the last playoff team gets 100 pts. So only 21 pts. behind with 3 full weeks to make up that ground. The regular season means a lot, but the point differential means all playoff teams are in the hunt.

For the consolation session - if your team that just missed the playoffs has 1240 pts. and the 'average' team in the contest has 1050, then the playoffs start with you having 1240/13 = 95.38 pts. and the 'average' team with 1050 pts for the year starts at 80.76. Just 15 pts. back and most everyone will be in the race to have a good final few weeks.

It's a great way for the scoring to work. Honoring the best finishers and giving them a 'lead' but also giving everyone a chance.

Dave

jsferenc · Post by **jsferenc** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:10 pm

I'm still trying to figure out how the playoffs work. Am I correct that you keep your original team so it is possible that you will be competing with other teams with the same players?

Josh

lichtman · Post by **lichtman** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:43 pm

It is possible, but very unlikely. Also, given differences in lineups during the year, it would be even less likely that you would have the same starting score heading into the playoffs.

The simplest way to explaing the playoffs (I think), is that each team that qualifies for the playoffs starts with the number of points that equals their average score per week during the season. So if you had an easy schedule and went 13-0 with a 100 point per week average you start at 100, whereas someone who won their league with a 9-4 record but scores 150 points per game starts with 150.

Then you simple add your score each week to the points you started with, and the best score wins!

jsferenc · Post by **jsferenc** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:47 pm

Thanks ICO.

Rattlesnake · Post by **Rattlesnake** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:24 am

Why not consider a form of "Sales Incentive" programs?
TWO top winners:
1) Best 13-week average
2) Best Total Score
This then rewards the 99 pt team vs the 100pt team. It is possible for the 99 pt. team to lose 7 or 8 games wks 1-13...by 1-5 pts...yet STILL be playing better than virtually EVERY OTHER TEAM on a pt/ave per week.

TamuScarecrow · Post by **TamuScarecrow** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:34 am

This is the way the rules are set up now, RS, if I'm catching your drift. Each league has two representatives to the main event championship, the team with the best record and the team with the highest points regardless of record. If the team with the best record also has the highest points, the team with the second highest points regardless of record goes to the big dance. Everyone else plays in the consolation.