Salary cap league

Vander · Post by **Vander** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:31 pm

Does anyone here know of a good salary cap league other than CDM? I really like the salary cap game, but it just doesn't pay to play cdm. Thanks in advance if anybody can help.

The Lollygaggers · Post by **The Lollygaggers** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:49 pm

Originally posted by Vander:

Does anyone here know of a good salary cap league other than CDM? I really like the salary cap game, but it just doesn't pay to play cdm. Thanks in advance if anybody can help. I don't know of any others besides CDM. Out of curiosity, what do you mean when you say "it doesn't pay to play cdm"?

Vander · Post by **Vander** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:52 am

I know you've won the whole deal and I'm sure your pretty happy with them. BTW we met at the main event last year although I was in another league. However, look at the payoffs for high rollers for instance. You play against 300 for the possibility, if you win the whole thing, of $25,000. NFBC you play against 360 for $100,000. Even in your league, you have to beat 20 for $4,000. NFBC you have to beat only 15 for $5,000. So, from my perspective, why not play another sat from nfbc instead of cdm? it makes more sense payoff wise. That's almost certainly what I'll do. I do like the salary cap game too though and would enter a team or more as I have in the past, if it made more sense. Diamond challenge is even worse. It costs at least $400 to play to win. If you win (beating 25 teams), you get what $600. After taxs you broke even. What sense does that make? I have played Diamond challenge for years and won my league several times. It's a money losing game, even if you win. You have to win the overall prize to really win beating thousands. Again, I know you've done it and Air Lar has done it twice. It just isn't likely.

The Lollygaggers · Post by **The Lollygaggers** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:06 am

Hey Vander,

Thanks for the reply, and congratulations on your league win last year. It may surprise you, but the payout ratios for High Roller and NFBC are actually very similar. Here are the numbers:

NFBC overall prizes = $144K, or $400 per team

NFBC league prizes = $204K, or $567 per team

Entry fee = $1300

Payout ratio ($967/$1300) = 74.4%

High Roller overall prizes = $58,750, or $235 per team*

High Roller league prizes = $123,750, or $495 per team

Entry fee = $950**

Payout ratio ($730/$950) = 76.8%

As you can see, the payout ratios are nearly identical. It may not seem that way because prize distributions are very different: The NFBC heavily compensates the overall winner, while High Roller is geared more toward league prizes (paying the top 5) as well as higher percentage payouts for second/third in league & overall.

I think Greg has done an excellent job establishing the NFBC as the gold standard for draft and auction games. But if you enjoy salary cap games, CDM (especially High Roller) is still the best, IMO.

* In the past, High Roller overall prizes were $235 per team and were set at the end of signups based on the number of entries. New regulations require CDM to set the overall prizes before the contest. This year’s prize level is based on 250 teams. Last year, High Roller only had 208 teams, so they’re actually assuming 20% growth just to get to 250. For whatever reason, CDM wrote in the rules that they can go as high as 300 teams, but I don’t think they’re expecting that to happen. Even if it does, that doesn’t affect the payout ratio too much: the payout ratio for 300 teams is 73% rather than 77% for 250 teams.

** Obviously, I’m assuming the $50 discount for signing up before Jan 31.

Vander · Post by **Vander** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:41 am

I won't do the 950 because I like to wait for the deadline to get all the updates. Must be worth an extra $50. So it's really based on 1000. Then will they gaurentee the $25,000 payout this year even if they get fewer entrants. They haven't in the past. The prize awarded was less than the advertized $50,000. Much less. In fact less than $25,000. I am glad they are not even advertizing the 50,000, since they've never paid it and never will. I have to be able to actually win something without winning the whole pool. Paying down to 5th place is nice, but not if it dilutes everything down, so that you don't really come out ahead if you actually win. I may yet consider it if they Gaurentee the $25,000 and don't get 300 teams. They've lost teams every year for at least the last 5 years and may lose me this year.

The Lollygaggers · Post by **The Lollygaggers** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:28 pm

Originally posted by Vander:

Will they guarantee the $25,000 payout this year even if they get fewer entrants?In short, yes. This is a clearly stated rule change both in the official rules as well as on the High Roller message board. Furthermore, if you check the “Anti-Gambling Bill” article on the back page of the latest Fantasy Sports magazine, you’ll see that fantasy sports operators are now required by law to fix the overall prizes prior to the contest and not adjust them based on “number of participants or total entry fee revenue”. So, for the first time, High Roller prizes are set in stone: $25K for first, $15K for second, $10K for third, etc.

Paying down to 5th place is nice, but not if it dilutes everything down, so that you don't really come out ahead if you actually win.I could maybe understand this argument for Diamond Challenge before league prizes were raised two years ago, but High Roller league winners have always made a nice profit: $4K for first, $3K for second, $1500 for third, and so on down to fifth place. Even if you insist on paying the $1K entry fee, you’re still coming out way ahead for first and second place and making a 50% profit for third in league.

I’m not trying to talk you into playing High Roller if you don’t want to. I’m just trying to point out that High Roller payout rates have always been comparable to NFBC. Before this year, that rate was 77% if you paid $950 before Jan 31 and 73% if you paid $1000. The payout rate will be about the same this year -- a little higher if there are fewer than 250 teams, a little lower if there are more than 250.

Vander · Post by **Vander** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:37 pm

Thanks Eric. I will consider it. I do like the game. It's always been fun.