Madden 12 League Structure

Here's another I've pitched to Suszek and Todd, who both failed to respond to it. I was going to wait and iron it out before presenting it to the masses, but here it is: It's not far from what Ryan the Lou was suggesting:

I like the way this is going.

Better yet, especially given the time that we have left in the league, maybe we should do this:

FIRSTLY - You can be in only 1 league. For the purpose of this e-mail,
there are 2 leagues, the Foundation League (Current League) and the
Expansion League

1 - Get all the leaguers we have right now in the league, to commit that they are coming back in M12.

2 - Nominate the team that want to play as the most (only 1 team), whether it be
favourite team or just want that team for Madden (EAGLES FUCK ME!).
Alternatively, owners can nominate themselves for the mega-draft
instead. The Bonus of nominating for the mega-draft straight
away is that you can guarantee yourself a spot in the 4th String
Foundation League (as opposed to the Expansion League)

3 - All the single ladies (unique owner-favourite teams) get their teams
straight away, no Q's asked, in the Foundation League (but only people
who are CURRENTLY in the league, so this doesn't count for John and
Zach)

4 - All the team's with 2 owners as faves, we be offered a place in
either league. This is a bit of a crucial step. We need to work all of
this out in little steps, because current owners may prefer a spot in
the Foundation League as ANY team, over a spot in
the Expansion League as their favourite, but others may prefer the
opposite. Neither owner gets preference in this system, but a dialogue
should open up between the owners and the SC or league-building
committee (us three).
EG If Cmonks and Jeff can't come to an agreement, we essentially step
in, and do a coin flip. The loser has the choice of taking the favourite
team in the Expansion League, or joining the mega-draft.

5 - All the team's with 3 or more owners nominating it as favourite,
enter a round-table discussion and try to hash it out like gentlemen.
HOPEFULLY, it will emerge that one leaguer is gifted the Foundation
League team, one is happy with the Expansion League
Team, and the rest are happy to be put into the mega-draft.
If this isn't the case, then again, it's worked out using fair coin-flip scenarios, and we can work it out between us all now.

6 - We do the mega-draft for the current leaguers.

7 - Once ALL of the current leaguers have been accounted for,
team-trading can begin, but you CAN NOT trade players as part of the
trade, and you can only trade teams once (maybe twice, in a Solomon
type, 3-team arrangement).

8 - Next we get in former-league players, and do the same process,
although we can be a little bit more cut-throat in terms of chucking
them in the Expansion League.

9 - All newcomers are thrown in with the former-leaguers in a 2nd and
final mega-draft, and a 2nd and final round of team trading can occur!

DONE!

Hope this reads as simply as it should be.

The great thing about this, is we can start it NOW, and nobody should
feel shafted, as all decisions that need to be made, will come down to
luck instead of preference of length in the league of our CURRENT league
players.

Let me know what you think.


Todd's response:

I don't like the "hashing it out" bit.


"I want the Broncos."
"Me, too."
"Uhh, what do we do?"


I think it's a drawing at the start for that.



My next Explanations:

Well Todd, my solution.

"Todd, you have the Broncos. I Would prefer to be in the same league as
you and Suszek than have the Broncos. They are yours, at least until
Madden 13"

Done. The Broncos are sorted.

The options that we have for these teams:
1 - Get your team in the Foundation League
2 - Get your team in the Expansion League
3 - Choose your league with a new random team (that you can team trade)
4 - Stalement between current leaguers results in us stepping in.

I've looked at the wiki for teams that have a couple of fans. Here's what I got.

Teams with No Fans:
Jets (Shit, I'll take them!)
Ravens
Steelers
Texans
Jags
Titans
Chefs
Cowboys
Redskins
Panthers
Saints
Cardinals
49ers (Except Fitch)
Rams.

Teams with 1 Fan:
Buccs (maybe 2?)
Pats
Raiders
Colts
Chargers
Falcons
Bills
Browns (Zach)
Bears (John)

Teams with 2 Fans:
Dolphins
Bengals
Eagles
Broncos
Lions
Giants

Teams with more than 2 Fans:
Vikings (3)
Packers (4)
Seahawks (4)

So really, it shouldn't be that hard.


AND FINALLY

Nobody who is currently in the league takes precedence over another.
Todd, you and I would be started our 'negotiations' on level-terms. We
both go into it having a need and a want, and movement to be open to new
teams/experiences in Madden 12.

For me, I'm going to be the Broncs in offline Franchise, and that will
do me just fine. I like the challenge of a new team in each new Madden

Your idea shares a lot of the same ingredients as the thoughts that I've brought up. The only differences (big picture-wise, anyway) that I see is that you're thinking that everyone should just pick one team, and you're wanting the owners to "negotiate" who gets the team. I'm fine with all of these things.

I like the 3 teams thing, though, because it has the potential of being a little less random. Also, I was thinking that everyone could add one team that they absolutely WILL NOT be and they will be guaranteed not to have that team.

I like the idea of voting rather than hashing it out because it rewards people who are involved in the league and encourages people to participate and add flavah to the league AND it prevents stalemates. ALSO, I like your idea of options for negotiating...maybe there could be a hybrid of the two.

It sounds like we're getting away from complete randomness, which will probably make most people a little more on board.

In addition, I think it might be cool to have 2 tournaments peppered into the season and off season. I don't want to add too many more games to our already busy schedule, but I think it would be pretty cool to roll like soccer leagues do: Have the 64 team mega tournament, but then also have a league v. league cup where the elite teams from each league (or the basement dwellers) battle it out.

So, you would have your two league games a week and then maybe one extra game a week that is part of one of these tournaments. Just an idea.

There are 2 problems though Ryan the Lou:

1 - Nominating 3 teams could get really messy. Instead of having 32 team preferences (and like I have shown, only really an issue with 10 teams or so) we end up with 96, or rather, 64 and 32 Eagles fans. Fuck that. Unless you want to do the highly complex system of working our if Person A doesn't get Team B, then we need a re-vote on Team D, with Person Y. It's overly-complicated. Whatever system we use, it needs to be simple.

2 - Voting sucks - it always has, and I don't really want to vote for one leaguer over another. MAYBE we could institute this for the final way of separating two dudes who want 1 team, but we are essentially telling the other guy to fuck off, which ain't too nice. A die roll is so much more civil.

And in all seriousness, if we can't just hash it our amongst ourselves, in a fun and playful manner, why are we even playing videogames.

I've already gifted Todd the Broncos, because to me, being in the league is about being in the league, not playing as the Broncos. I intend on being one of those teams without a fan in M12, just like I did in M10 (Rams) and M11 (Titans/Ditans).

Plus, if you don't get your team, then you essentially get to be thrown into the lucky dip, and can trade your team away until your heart is content.

As for the tournaments, fucking love it. The 64-team mega-tourney HAS to be in the off-season, and it has to be played with the intensity and speed of the regular season games. I think we can organise mini-tournaments regularly and often with different rule sets and stuff, but lets wait until the game comes out before we start organising them.

My vote is a combination of these things.

1. Ryan is right about people putting down multiple teams, but I say we limit it to two. We do three and I think people get too much choice and start encroaching on others' favorite teams. If you don't get your top two, at that juncture you may as well settle for the dice roll.

2. We still do the dice roll/random draw for all new leaguers, and those that "enlist" in it.

3. Current leaguers AND select returning leaguers (different than new leaguers, and there are a few!) are included in point one. "New leaguers" strictly refers to those brand new to our leagues.

4. No league-wide voting. See AC's point. I just don't think it's a good idea, can lead to some messy BS, and it takes far too long.

5. I think it makes sense for people to hash it out amongst themselves. BUT:

Y'all are assholes. Let's face it. Fandom runs DEEP for us. John's been around forever, and he'll be a dick about giving up the Seahawks. Scott deserves to be a dick about giving up the Pack. Todd's grasp is firmly around his Broncos. Any owner that has their team, like Cmonks, Ford, and so on, GENERALLY DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THEM.

There's little we can do that's "fair" about this. It's not fair to force anyone to move teams. It's not fair that some people are punks about keeping their teams (say what you want guys, but it's 100% selfish in the end, you can't get around that). It's not really fair to trade teams AND players to "even things out." It's not fair to enforce a huge random draw where nobody gets what they want and actually makes everything more difficult. We care, even to the slightest degree about "who deserves what."

It all sucks. So if we can all, for once, adopt a single mentality of "do it for the league," then this will be a smooth process. If that means all the current owners get to keep their teams then fine, but I'll be damned, if come Madden 13 we're still doing this, that they don't move their asses aside for some fresh blood to take over.

RULE #1: BE REAL.

I think we're getting closer. I don't know about the new guys having to be in a random draw. We want to be inviting and make sure that we can accommodate people...as long as they are at least moderately vetted.

Other than that, though, I think this is getting more solid. One huge important thing that is still unclear, though, is the league distinction. This is something we really need to think about. CMonks has a rivalry with Ford that is fulfilling. Suszek has a huge rivalry with AC. There are others that won't play in a league without their friend(s)...like David and Nick. At least some of these rivalries/friendships need to stay intact.

The mentality of keeping all of the veterans in one league and having new people in another league is basically saying, "how quick do we want this other league to fall apart?" We need to have a mix. This will be tough for most of us, but the process needs to be even. I just don't want all of the people who put a ton of love into this league to be in one league and everyone else is in another. This is something that will need to be addressed.

Mike?!? I have actually said I will give up the Hawks. I did say I would want a decent team. I moved Seattle to Spokane I can do it with another team. I do get the point most people are douchers about it though

Just remember I am a flexible member of the league. I love the tournament ideas though. Maybe we should table this for the moment until we have reps. I will be sending out an email in the next few about that though.

I like how this is less seemingly random than previous iterations. I'd also like to say I agree with the 2 team thing. Dolphins first, but Cmonks is saying things like "I'd rather die! than give them up" (not an actual quote) So I would like to jump on the Jets, stay in the AFC east and put the hurt to the Pats and Phins (whatever Bills).

I imagine it would kill Kat to play in the north as the packers, but I think she, like me, would rather play int he division she hates than outside it.

My idea was to pair up two teams. Lets say the best team with the worst team, the 2nd best team with the 2nd worst team etc. The best team then rolls a dice, If its even they go to league 1 if its odd they go to league 2. (the worst team travels to the new league with them). The 2nd best/worst then go to the opposite league and we continue to do that until we have 16 guys in one league and 15 guys and 1 girl in another. That way we have veteran league members in both leagues. Granted I may not get to be in the same league as Babyseat but it would be for the good of the community. I'd still be playing with 15 other great players (besides Kris is probably tired of losing to me! HA!)

After we get into the leagues we then choose our teams by favorite/most wanted, once we're settles with that we bring in the n00bs to fill in the holes. What do you guys think of that?

There's no way in hell we'll be able to please everybody, but we can try to please the majority. Some people may have to suck it up but thats how life goes sometimes and after all it is just a video game.

#LTL it's goooooooodddd!!!!!!!!!

Mike was speaking generally, but he knows that I'm not being stubborn with giving up the Packers. I offered them to him for Madden 12 before any of this 2nd league stuff came about (that I knew of)

I want to play in the best damn Madden League on the planed (IMO) and if that means I have to play as the Bears, so be it.

Personally I really enjoy the division I'm in with the rivalries. Granted the Raiders and Chefs have seen a few owners, but now the matches with Nick and Ryan have been close games and as always the matches with Todd's frenchfaqing broncos is always great. I don't know if that is how everyone feels within their own division, but perhaps to help expand the league into two leagues we split up divisions with the current members.

For example say we have League A & B. League A keeps AFC East/North and NFC West/South of the current league members while league B has AFC West/South and NFC East/North of the current league members. That way we can keep rivalries going, somewhat within conference, allow for team changes and most importantly equally split the current members so that interaction with new players can be vetted on their play style. But this would only work if people on a whole like the division they are in. There would be room for adjusting/trading teams but might make it a bit more complicated perhaps.

I think that after today, Im done with being the Cards. They're not going to be amazingly better in '12 - I'm going for the Giants or nothing.

I wonder if we can start arranging the teams soon because we don't need to wait for 12 to come out to do that. I think that Errol is the only other Giants fan...not only in the league, but in the world as well. But not really. Anyway, I'm just wanting to see how this process works. You should be able to have the Giants.

Yeah, Ryan. One of the reasons I started this thread in the first place was to get this all underway, and to get he league EXCITED about Madden 12, rather than scared because the rookies will all die (Farewell Shaquille McCorkle, you will be missed). The 2 team idea could work, but ONLY if we did it in 2 stages.

Team's nominate their 2 favourite teams, but ranked 1 and 2. We go through all the 1st ranked favourites first and then the 2nd.

My two: Bengals (1), Titans (2)

My 2: Bills(my favorite team)

Saints(because I played with them in Madden 11)

Hmmm, not the place to list there here guys.
This isn't official yet, and not everyone reads the forums, unfortunately. I'm sure we'll get an e-mail sent out and work it out fomr there.

Not sure where this is going to net out for a 1st year player.

But so everyone knows - Die hard fan of the Packers.

2nd team pick: The Bears (which I am using right now).

Thanks all

Will there be a 4th String PS3 league this year?


Is there anymore news on what will be the set up for the league yet? Or are the SC and others still talking it over?

I honestly don't care who I am in madden 12. Ill turn any team around and take them to the Super Owl and beat you all!!! Mwahahahahahahaha!

In all seriousness, I would like to play a bigger role in the league. Im not the most tech savvy guy but I am a good problem solver/idea creator/pot smoker/fancy dresser/stupid joke sayer. Some even might consider me an idiot savant.

Is the Madden 12 league already set? I'm a first year player looking to join with the Giants if they're available but I'll take any team. On last week's episode of the podcast it sounded like the 2 leagues were already set up. If anyone could let me know I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

That's awesome, thanks!