Online Drafting

[Sack]

The online drafts conducted since STATS has come on board have been the best in regard to the NFBC/NFFC.



Because so many drafts are now conducted online at various price points and need to have different draft MONITORS it becomes very important to have a clear plan in place on how picks go forward when somebody gets knocked offline and/or claims that a name the computer selected was NOT the player they wanted.



Personally, I experienced this handled in two different manners last season by NFBC representatives online last season. Here is an example:



First round, clock runs down on TEAM #12 and the computer makes a pick for this team. The draft goes forward and Team 13 - 14 - 15 actually make 2 selections as they made there second round selections as well. Now, TEAM #12 is back on the clock and is carrying on that his first round selection wasn't the player he chose. The draft gets stopped and the draft is BACKED up to allow TEAM #12 to re pick his first round selection. This has a ripple effect. Teams 13 -14 -15 have shown there hand. This should NEVER be allowed and should be written into your rules.



The way to HANDLE this is simple. All players are provided with a phone number at the start of each draft for moderators and a help button at the draft site. If any team acts in a manner fast enough to select a player during a draft, that player should be OFF limits. In the above example, Teams 13-14-15 should never have to lose a player to TEAM # 12 after that player was properly taken. However, if TEAM 12 can re-select any player not taken on the draftboard. So, now what do you do with the player TEAM #12 tossed back into the pool? In proper draft order TEAMS 13-14-15 should be asked if they have any interest in said player.



I had a second round player taken from my roster last year in a situation described above. I found it very frustrating, but I let it go so that the draft could go forward. However, it is something that can be improved upon going forward by having something written into the rules and moderators prepared to handle a similar situation.

[Tom Kessenich]

Ken, we have our procedure explained in our rules and will continue to provide it there but I'll go over the way we run the online leagues here as well:



1. We do provide a phone # for the moderator for every online draft. We've always done that and will continue to do that.



2. At this time, the only way for us to correct an incorrect pick is to roll back the draft back to the person who had the issue. We're looking into whether we can simply remove and change individual picks but at the present time that option is not available. However, no player who was subsequently drafted will be made available to the person who had the technical issue. If that occurred in one of your drafts I am sorry and we will do a better job of enforcing this rule going forward.

[Sack]

Tom:



Thanks.



"However, no player who was subsequently drafted will be made available to the person who had the technical issue. If that occurred in one of your drafts I am sorry and we will do a better job of enforcing this rule going forward."



Yes, this happened. I lost Mark Teixeira as my second round pick last season after the guy tossed Ryan Braun back into the hopper. The moderator removed Teixeira AFTER I had selected him. Turned out nobody wanted Braun - so he became my second round selection.



While it worked out in my favor, it was my last draft of the 2011 season and it really bugged me that a player already selected could be taken off my roster after I showed my hand. Promised myself i would point this out when you guys started looking for ways to improve the 2012 NFBC experience. With an explanation on HOW to do this. I know you like that type of feedback.



All is good, the Bengals are 6-2!