We need to decide if we want to stay with 3 divisions of 4 or go to 4 divisions of 3. Not sure how the playoffs will work 3 division winners and 3 wildcards?

Also 13 weeks play everyone in your divison 3 times and 4 teams out of your division once

or
13 weeks play everyone in your division 2 times and 7 teams out of your divsion once

do we want to go for 14 weeks - I think we run into problems with playoff weeks -championship being played during week 17 when teams rest their studs?

I currently have it set for the first option but it can be easily changed. We can keep track of who you play outside your division and then each year make sure you play someone else - so you get a chance to play everyone every two years???

Let me know your thoughts people!

Three divisions of four, play division twice, everybody else once. Have a double-header (another feature that is easy to set up) on one of the weeks after the bye weeks are complete (around week 11), thus avoiding having to play week 17. Just another thought I figured I would throw out there... it makes for an even schedule, and the bye week isn't as bad as some people think it would be, considering everybody is at "full strength" when it takes place.

Otherwise, four divisions of three, play division twice (4 games), and everybody else once (9). That gives you the perfect number of 13 regular season games. The downside, with such small divisions, is that the chances of a team winning a division (and making the playoffs) with a losing record increase because there are more divisions than teams in each division.

Personally, I prefer the bye-week with only three divisions, but either works.

If we have a double header week, I would rather have it before the buy weeks.
Less chance of a key player on your roster being injured.

Not a bad idea... Maybe week 3.

HOw does the double header work - I've never played that way before - sounds interesting and doing it earlier rather than later makes sense to me.

MFL has the double-header as one of its standard scheduling options. Basically, you play two opponents that week... could go 0-2, 1-1, or 2-0. MFL also gives you the option of counting that week's points once or twice in calculating the season's cumulative total points... we've always chosen to count the week only once for this purpose. I wouldn't say it's the "perfect" solution, but I prefer it to a schedule in which everybody misses out on playing one other team in the league. Also, whether it's week 3 or week 11, we always set it up where you play one division opponent and one non-division opponent on the DH week. For example, in a three division 12-team league...

Play division opponents weeks 1-3 (no byes).
Play non-division during the bye weeks (4-10)... that's seven of the eight non-division games.
Play division again weeks 11-13.

Stick the 8th and final non-division game on week 3 or week 11 as a double-header, or leave it off altogether and have the schedule be slightly unbalanced... Either way, you play the most important games, within the division, during the non-bye weeks (since they're going to have the most impact on standings and playoff tie-breakers).

In the 12-team 20-man roster keeper league that I run, it took me about 20 minutes to set up the entire schedule, using the above format, on MFL.

+1 on Gopher's schedule

doubleheader on w3 or w11 (either is fine to me)
3 Divisions of 4 teams
3 Division winners & 3 Wildcard teams (top-2 Division winners get first round byes)

I know this will come up sooner or later... Tie-breakers for the playoffs. I'm a big fan of using total points... It's easy, it's the best way of determining which team has been better throughout the season (HTH focuses on one week only), and it makes sense when determining who should make the playoffs between teams from different divisions.

When it comes down to division winners, I'm OK with placing HTH ahead of total points only because, if you play divisional opponents twice during the season, the only way HTH comes into play is if one team swept the other. After that, just like with wild cards, I like total points.

Not sure how I feel about half the league qualifying for the playoffs...I could go either way.

But the money doesn't have to paid out to 1/2 the league - go to say 1st & 2nd and best total points maybe. Makes sure you have to go all the way to get some money. ?? Just a thought

How about 50% to the winner, and 25% each to regular season champ and playoff runner-up. It could go 60/20/20, or whatever breakdown we want. 50/20/20/10 (with 3rd place getting the 10) would be another option. I'm a big fan of giving something to the team that was the best during the regular season, no matter which way we break it down.

I'm also fine with eliminating the bye-week idea and just going with three division winners and one wild card spot, meaning the playoffs are held in weeks 15/16 only. That actually makes the most sense, in a way... If we go that route, I'd propose simply paying all four teams that make the playoffs, based on playoff results... something like 50/25/15/10 as far as percentages go, or in dollar amounts... Assuming $900 total (12 x $75), minus whatever for MFL/graphics, etc., let's say we're left with around $800:

Give 4th place the $75 back.
3rd place $125
2nd place $200
Winner $400

Just my thoughts... however it's broken down is fine by me. Let's draft!