Poll: H2H Playoffs

[Rounders Block]

In a league like this, I would hope that extra incentive/motivation to manage your team through the end wouldn't be necessary.

Fantasy hoops is entirely different than the NBA. There is far more variance and luck involved in a week-long fantasy matchup than there is in a best-of-seven series. The better team almost always ends up winning a best-of-seven series; the same cannot be said in a fantasy matchup. I get the notion of giving managers some hope and something to play for, but I'm even more diametrically opposed to giving the final three weeks far more weight than the previous 20.

[bokzg]

I've been trying to think of a way to have the standings affect the next season in some way under our settings and format, but haven't been able to. With a snake draft, I really liked the original idea of a draft order going from 7-12, 6-1, but the auction every year takes away that option. I'm not sure how to give teams a boost in an auction draft, as the only real carry-over from the previous season would be a player's dollar value going toward a team's keeper budget.

I recall suggestions that we make players more expensive to keep for the top finishers, but I don't really like the idea of a straight handicap like that which would last all season long and carry over to each subsequent season after that. The only way I think it'd work is if we make it so that the additional keeper cost penalties are not cumulative, i.e. don't carry over season to season.

As for how much more expensive keepers would be, I guess we could have a tiered system that such as +$2 per keeper for teams that finish 1-4, +$1 per keeper for teams that finish 5-8, and no additional cost for teams that finish 9-12. I think the penalties would be low enough to not be a big handicap, but it would at least be some sort of evening-out process.

Example:

• Season 1: RedHopeful drafts Lebron for $90 and finishes in 3rd place.
• Season 2: RedHopeful can keep Lebron for $92 (+$2) and does so, then finishes in 9th place.
• Season 3: RedHopeful can keep Lebron for $90 since the penalties are not cumulative and don't carry over.

Thoughts?

P.S. This would have no effect on the decision to have an H2H playoff or not, but I left this post here because the issue came up.

[Rounders Block]

I don't think we should mess with player dollar values. If we were set on a system that is weighted according to standings, I'd rather make adjustments to each team's keeper cap total. Even then I'm not too crazy about it. The keeper cap itself should serve to somewhat even the playing field.

To add, I'd imagine there will be a few teams who choose to rebuild for the future from the get-go, sacrificing short-term results for long-term potential. Don't see the real need to reward those types of teams.

[RedHopeful]

I've read your post 3x and still not sure I get the point you're trying to make, Oleh.

If you're referring to Red's post, I think he's pointing out a difference in strategies between playoffs and no playoffs. Red, correct me if I am wrong, but what I see is that with the playoff system, you provide GMs with the hope of simply getting in and being able to win it, not matter your overall record. On the other hand, with no playoffs, finishing 5th is as good as finishing 10th, especially in an auction league. There doesn't seem to be incentive to hold onto players to help win now without a playoff, and can make it easier to decide to punt in a given year. No?

Even if I completely missed the boat with your comments, I do think it is important to incentivise standings in some way. Draft order and bragging rights are pretty standard, but going auction every year removes one of those options. And in a non-playoff format, some seasons can end earlier than others. Now, make no mistake - this group is a full of highly motivated players, so I don't think it'd be an issue setting line ups every day. But one of the goals of the league (Bokzg - correct me if I am wrong) was to provide extra incentive for finishing out the season. Maybe we don't need extra incentive, but the extra reward for finishing 5th instead of 7th might be nice.

Haha, reading it back, it does come across a bit convoluted.

Barrec basically got the jist. I just feel that we'd be better off doing any other format besides H2H no playoffs. Will explain in further detail a bit later - no time right now.

[bokzg]

I feel like the poll has been open long enough, and we only had 4 of the 12 people in the league vote for no playoffs. As a result, we'll be sticking with standard playoffs, at least for the first season. We can always adjust in later seasons.

Thanks to those who voted.