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Fair way to set divisions


GoNads
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I've been commissioner for two leagues for over 10 years a piece. I usually set up the divisions for the next year by splitting up the playoff teams from the prior year (top three teams split into 3 separate divisions, etc). However, we had a 1/3 turnover in one league so that may not make sense this year. Do you split by draft order 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, pick out of a hat, or what?

 

Thanks in advance for any responses.

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In one of my leagues we change divisions every year based on finish. We run a 12 man league with four divisions. They are set by order of finish 1, 5 and 9 in one; 2, 6 and 10; 3, 7 and 11 and finally 4, 8 and 12th place or last place. Our league runs 6 playoff teams and 6 toilet bowl teams with the toilet bowl winner as the # 7 team and the runner up in the toilet bowl as the #8 team and so on... This makes the divisions different every year with no one having to choose who goes into what division.

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I've done it like Steeltown D, spreading them out to balance the divisions in one dynasty league (and now we just leave them the same to create rivalries), but for redraft, I'd say random is as fair of a way as any. Each team is brand-new for the year, and either the savviest or luckiest owners will win in the end, so I wouldn't stress it much.

 

Divisional alignment/realignment seems much more of a discussion for dynasty/keepers than redraft, IMO.

Edited by delusions of granduer
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In my re-draft league, I have the same teams in the same divisions year in, year out. It helps that I haven't lost an owner in 5 years.

 

For me, it sets up rivalries, just like the NFL. There isn't any dominate players in the league; although there are the same bad owners year in, year out and guys who make the playoffs every year.

 

I used to be in a league that would have divisions based on where you drafted. So, picks 1-4 would be in one division, picks 5-8 in another, etc.

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10 teamer and we do a random draw for draft order every year. Odd #'s go in 1 division, even in the other... never been an issue.

x2

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We have some turn over. But this year we are going to try a 16 team and 4 Division league. I ended up making it very important to win your Division games by having double headers five weeks out of the 13, which helped allow each team in a division to play each other twice.

 

Wasn't easy, but I put my Divisions together based on the best rivalries. Guys who knew each other best or teams that might compete against each other the hardest. Top team in each Division made the playoffs plus the next 4 best records in the league. So more then one team in each Division can make the playoffs.

 

It's all about the fun and even though we have 3 keepers each year. It's a whole new draft each season, so things can change.

 

In my word, have fun with it. Look at match ups that could make for the most fun and best rivals each year and don't change them if you can help it.

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Honestly, I wonder why people even have divisions in FF. They make sense in real football, because you're selling tickets to watch, so rivalries are important for fan interest.

 

But this is not the case in FF and is certainly not the case if you change them year to year.

 

Further, divisions make it harder to reward the best teams with play-off births. If you want a real-life example, look at the NFC West. Some scrub team makes it to .500 every year for their trip to the play-offs at the expense of a more deserving team. Sure, they've taken advantage of that birth a number of times of late, but like they say, On any given Sunday...

 

Again, in the NFL, this is worthwhile because of the benefit they get at the gate by creating division rivalries. It makes the regular season more interesting for the fans.

 

Why do you want to keep a team with a better record out of your FF play-offs and give that spot to a team who compiled a worse record?

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Why do you want to keep a team with a better record out of your FF play-offs and give that spot to a team who compiled a worse record?

Why do you play H2H and not total points? Because it's fun...

 

Though this is why as I said in the playoff seed thread, that I like our 3 division winners, 1 total points scorer (of remaining) and 2 wild cards. It tends to make sure that the best teams make it into the playoffs as well as some potential fluky H2H record.

 

Though yes, the flaw of it of course is that you play each team twice in your division, making them more important, perhaps needlessly... So that's where you have to decide if you really think this is desirable... I like it alot in my dyansty league (especially now that we have set divisions with competitive rivalries), but in redraft, I kind of tend to agree, what's the point?

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Why do you play H2H and not total points? Because it's fun...

 

Though this is why as I said in the playoff seed thread, that I like our 3 division winners, 1 total points scorer (of remaining) and 2 wild cards. It tends to make sure that the best teams make it into the playoffs as well as some potential fluky H2H record.

 

Though yes, the flaw of it of course is that you play each team twice in your division, making them more important, perhaps needlessly... So that's where you have to decide if you really think this is desirable... I like it alot in my dyansty league (especially now that we have set divisions with competitive rivalries), but in redraft, I kind of tend to agree, what's the point?

I like H2H despite the fact that it's not the "fairest" way to determine the best team. Like you said, because it's fun. But I don't see how that applies here. And especially if you change up the divisions every year. Division bragging rights only go so far and I can't imagine anyone even remembering who won the division the next year. They'll remember who won it all, and that's it.

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I've beena commish in one league going on 5 years. We do random drawings each year for divisions. The two division winners get a bye and their league entry fee back. The rest of the playoffs are decieded by best overall records regardless of division. Tie breaker is most points during the season. Seems to work good, every team is pretty competitive so really no need to purposely split up them up and it keeps a team with a losing record from making the playoffs just because he is in a weak dvision.

Edited by Tyler
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I like Divisions and we try to keep the same four teams in each Division. So rivals happen and it's fun. And yes, we do have each team playing each other in their Division twice ( on the first 3 weeks and the last 3 weeks). And we also have a cash prize to go along with a playoff birth for winning your Division. Also you get the banner for winning the Division put on your team page.

 

As commish, I really tried to set up the Divisions that suited each member. This way you are much less likely to trade away your future to a team in your division, even if your good friends with them. I also think that the chance of more teams other then the Division winners getting into the playoffs. Gives the chance of teams that just missed out on winning the Division to make the playoffs and with the cup.

 

Every league is different, this is just how we've been doing it. I hope with 16 teams this year, it turns out. for us.

Edited by archiebonker
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