EFFL- Proposed Waiver System for 2016

At the 3rd EFFL AGM we voted to change the current waivers system to a blind bidding system for the coming season. The exact details of the new system wasn’t decided on the night, but it gave me the opportunity and time to think about how we could implement it in a fair and reasonable fashion.

I think the first thing I need to narrate is the problems we’ve had with the old systems (NFL and MFL) before I move onto how we’re going to tackle those issues with the new system. Of course no system will be perfect for everyone, but hopefully we can implement a simpler system that is fair to all players (engaged or not).

First the issues…..

The free for all immediately after waivers closes and first come first served (FCFS) opens on Saturday and Wednesday mornings.
Dropped players are never locked.
The waivers order.
Planning for Sunday and Monday night games due to the FCFS window shutting at 6pm.
The complicated waivers rounds process.
Roster sizes, too small, too large, just right
Roster hoarding, too much, too little, ach it’s fine.

Unfortunately for me some of these issues are mutually exclusive and it means we need a system that balances individual player requirements with league balance. Perhaps in 5 years time the need to protect new owners will fade, but at the moment in the interest of the league it’s important we stick to this over-riding goal.

So that means rosters will stay at 15 players and the new waivers system will be designed to let everyone have a fair chance at players not on rosters. That means we won’t have owners disappearing into workplace bogs on Wednesday mornings or having to face the wrath of their families looking for wi-fi when their supposed to be shopping in Tesco on a Saturday morning.

It also means that everyone can have the time and space to research players on the waiver wire. Yes, that favours parity, but at the moment that’s what I’m (and hopefully you) are after.

So here are the proposals (add your comments or PM me)

There will be just 2 windows during each week of the season. A Waivers window and a First Come First Served window.
The waivers window will run from the Monday 6.15pm until Wednesday 9am.
The FCFS window will run from Wednesday 9.15am until Monday 6pm.
FCFS will run through all games except Monday night. This means you can add players to your roster at any time up until Monday 6.15pm to cover for injuries etc.
However, players will still lock at their respective game times i.e. can’t be added/dropped to/from a roster.
Players dropped from a roster will automatically lock until the next week (yes that means after the waiver resolutions any dropped players CANNOT be picked up until the next week). This is normal procedure for most fantasy leagues.
Players picked up during a week can only be dropped after 2 days on a roster.
Each team will be given a budget of $100 to bid for players during the waiver window.
For this season the waiver budget cannot be saved for next season or replenished. If you exhaust your budget you will only be able to add players during the FCFS window.
Bidding will be done in $1 increments with the highest bidder winning the player. The minimum bid for any player will be set at $1. Therefore no cash-no bid.
Conditional bidding will be allowed. Conditional bidding allows an owner to bid on player A and if not awarded, then bid on player B. This is a little bit more complicated than normal bidding in that you would enter players in multiple groups in order to receive several players, but the groups are merely place-holders for these bids and have no weighted value.
Waiver tie-breakers will be on a worst to first basis.
Waiver budgets CAN be traded.
By locking players who’ve been dropped until the next waiver window we will create the opportunity for unscrupulous owners to stash and drop players they feel their opponent may need in an upcoming game. Proposal 6, in my opinion tries to legislate for this type of tactic. I’d rather keep the current system simple rather than legislate for spirit of the game breaches.
If (14) does occur all the commissioners have the power to unlock players.