FF playoff structure

[headfirst22]

I play in a 10-team league. In past years our regular season ended week 13 with the top 2 finishers in each division playing week 14. The winners then played each other in our Super Bowl week 15. We did this to avoid the late-season top-player resting by teams that have clinched.

This year our commish decided that we will have the top 4 division finishers make the playoffs, with the 1 seed playing the 4 seed and the 2 playing the 3. The problem is, what advantage, if any, should the 1 and 2 seeds have in the 1st round of the playoffs?

I think about 10% of an average score would be a fair advantage.

 

How are other leagues structured??

Thanks for any help.

[stevegrab]

I think in most leagues you have the top seeds maybe getting a bye (top 2 when 6 make playoffs) and/or they get to play the lower seeds.

 

We went from 2 to 3 divisions, with 6 teams still making the playoffs. A division winner no longer gaurantees a bye.

 

All 6 of our teams making the playoffs win something. Top 2 win their full entry fee back, other 4 get half, and the winners in those 2 games get the other half (so all 4 advancing to semi final get the same amount).

 

Not sure I'd be in favor of giving the higher seed some sort of point advantage. I do recall somebody talking about a home field advantage that did something like that.

[Big John]

Not sure I'd be in favor of giving the higher seed some sort of point advantage. I do recall somebody talking about a home field advantage that did something like that.

Home Field Advantage should be no more that a tiebreaker. Otherwise no extra points to the home team.

[Big Country]

Agree with others, no advantage to higher seed. Their advantage is a theoretically better team.

[stevegrab]

Home Field Advantage should be no more that a tiebreaker. Otherwise no extra points to the home team.

 

I think the post I'm recalling had something like team with HFA got to designate 2 players on their bench, and if those guys outscored a starter at the same position they got the higher score of the bench player. That's more than a tie breaker but less than just adding extra points.

 

Even during the regular season we have some owners saying we should do something for HFA. Or "How come I had to play team X on the road twice". My usual answer is "next year you can play them twice at home and have the advantage."

[Big Country]

Another case where the distinction has to be made that this is FANTASY FOOTBALL.... there really is no "Home" or "Away".

 

I know some leagues give X amount of points for a HFA or as that other thread said allows them to make a substitution after the fact. More power to them, I personally think it is a crap rule.

[flemingd]

I think the post I'm recalling had something like team with HFA got to designate 2 players on their bench, and if those guys outscored a starter at the same position they got the higher score of the bench player. That's more than a tie breaker but less than just adding extra points.

 

Even during the regular season we have some owners saying we should do something for HFA. Or "How come I had to play team X on the road twice". My usual answer is "next year you can play them twice at home and have the advantage."

Here

 

- It's only used in playoffs

- HF team can only swap out ONE of the two players if they score better. One could, of course, set it up however they wanted.

 

In the NFL the "better" team plays at home and gets more emotion or crowd noise and involvement (ask the Saints about that one) so we wanted to give something that's worth a few potential points without handing out an auto-win. It has also prevented shennanigans like teams losing on purpose or making lopsided trades to help someone else win.

 

It has meant the difference between a win and a loss three times in 14 years, and a different HF decision could have changed 9 more games.

Edited November 29, 2011 by flemingd

[Ice1]

How are other leagues structured??

Thanks for any help.

 

This league is a 14 team league and probably one of the oldest if not the oldest league still in existence in the country. This is our 28th season...Yea no need for old jokes. Amazingly, we have no turnover and hold a live draft every year in Austin. Our 25th anniversary draft was in Vegas. This is a pretty big BML as we charge $15 for each loss and 25 cents per point in case you are wondering about misery payouts and toilet bowl payouts. Trades and transactions are pretty expensive as well. Our scoring system drives up the pot as well but that is a different topic.

 

Many years ago we changed the format to ensure you could not win any prize if you didn't at least win a playoff game. A little tough to follow but in order to win a team must win a playoff game.

 

Here is the rule. We find it a much more entertaining way to have a playoff system.

 

 

Additional Rules:

Playoff system in detail: First, rankings are determined by, in order, record, divisional record, total points. Divisional winners get a bye. Next top 4 teams play the wild card weekend, 1 vs 4, and 2 vs 3. Winners of the wild cards play the divisional winners, losers play each other Winners of those games go to the super bowl, loser of the wild card losers is out Losers of divisional games play each other, the loser of this game is compared to the score of the winner of the wild card losers game. Winner of that matchup gets 4th place. Winner of divisional losers gets 3rd. Loser of Super Bowl gets 2nd. Winner gets 1st obviously. Cuts are 40, 30, 20, 10 after Misery Index winner gets his $100 and Toilet Bowl winner (all non-playoff teams on a cumulative point total in the three week post season) get his $100.

 

For the playoff system, I will number games and abbreviate teams by division winners (D), and wild cards (W) G1 - W1 vs W4 G2 - W2 vs W3 G3 - Winner of G1 vs D2 G4 - Winner of G2 vs D1 these could flip flop depending on the rankings of the wild cards that win their playoff games G5 - Loser of G1 vs Loser of G2 G6 - Winner of G3 vs. Winner of G4 G7 - Loser of G3 vs Loser of G4 Super Bowl Winner = Winner of G6 Runner Up = Loser of G6 3rd Place = Winner of G7 4th Place = Winner of (Winner of G5 vs. Loser of G7) That should do it. I have created a document on my hard drive so that we can have this from now on playoff System in detail:

_________________________________________________________

Most leagues today, the bye week team is assured of at least 4th place. We felt you should have to win a game to make any prize money and this change makes it happen.

 

Obviously the Bye week team as a one game advantage but they must still win to get to the ship if not they are also playing in the losers bracket so basically two losses and you are out.

[archiebonker]

I know this might not help.

 

We have a 16 team league with 4 Divisions. Top team in each Division get in the playoffs and win $$ and get the top 4 positions in the playoffs. The next best 4 records make the playoffs and the bottom 8 teams play in the B side playoffs. (Better you do in this playoff, the better draft position you get next year and if you win this bracket you win $$)

Now for the 8 that make it, Top 4 win money and bottom four (better you do, better draft pick for next year).

 

I don't think anyone should get an advantage for home teams. I know it's not exactly fair, but FF is alot of luck anyways. So as long as everyone is entertained till week 17 and beyond. It's all good with us.

 

Oh.... team with the Top points of the year wins $$ too.