Plan ahead in case of a lost season?

[Wascawy Wabbits]

We don't seem to have anything in the bylaws or any past discussions about lost seasons... So I thought I'd just throw this out there for discussion.

The NFL seems to be going ahead and trying to remain on track with a season, but should we try and plan ahead and figure out how our league might handle a lost season instead of scrambling in a few months if it does get cancelled?

I think the main things that would need to be determined are

• What will happen with existing contracts?

• How would the 2021 picks be determined?

• Would league fees returned or would we just roll it over to next year?

[trojanrl39]

I think the main things that would need to be determined are

What will happen with existing contracts?

vote 1 (by Cowboy Up): I say push all contracts back one year. I.e. if they expire after 2020 and there is no 2020 season, then it would then expire after 2021

How would the 2021 picks be determined?

vote 1(by Cowboy Up): either random draw by commish or by the 2019 finish. obviously the teams at the bottom of 2019 will most likely still need more help than playoff teams of 2019.

Would league fees returned or would we just roll it over to next year?

vote 1(by Cowboy Up): just roll it over to 2020.

teams can add their votes to this by copying and pasting into the next thread. Thanks Wascawy!

[braven112]

Thanks for starting this thread Wabbits, I've been thinking about this as well.

• What will happen with existing contracts?

My thoughts would be handle the 2020 season as though it happened. Contracts go down by one year and salaries increase like normal. I'm sure many of us factor in the player age when assigning contracts. In this scenario, even though the season didn't happen, all the players did get older.

• How would the 2021 picks be determined?

Probably randomized somehow? Any future draft pick trades complicate this a bit. Could be a weighted system based off 2019 result, something similar to the nba lottery?

• Would league fees returned or would we just roll it over to next year?

I would expect we roll these into next season unless someone wants a refund or they don't plan on returning.

[Wascawy Wabbits]

Thanks for starting this thread Wabbits, I've been thinking about this as well.

• What will happen with existing contracts?

My thoughts would be handle the 2020 season as though it happened. Contracts go down by one year and salaries increase like normal. I'm sure many of us factor in the player age when assigning contracts. In this scenario, even though the season didn't happen, all the players did get older.

I think this is probably the easiest way to go about doing it, but it would suck for MWC where we made a trade involving draft picks. Gurley was tagged this year and would see a 20% increase to be tagged again next year, otherwise he'll have traded those picks and not gotten a chance to have Gurley play for him. Would also suck to lose those cheap a contract year

What about a lowered drop penalty for next off-season? Roll-over the current contracts, but in the event of a lost season the drop penalties are reduced by 1 year for the players you wouldn't want to retain in 2021? It would mean a bit more manual tracking, but this hopefully wont have to happen, and if it does it'll hopefully only be this one time.

• How would the 2021 picks be determined?

Probably randomized somehow? Any future draft pick trades complicate this a bit. Could be a weighted system based off 2019 result, something similar to the nba lottery?

Randomizing and weighting it could be a good idea. I think BTP and MWC are the only teams that have traded 2021 picks? Could do a combination of this along w/ snaking the rookie draft as opposed to a traditional draft order? That way the teams that didn't win the lotto don't lose out as much and get a 2nd pick sooner?

• Would league fees returned or would we just roll it over to next year?

I would expect we roll these into next season unless someone wants a refund or they don't plan on returning.

[Achon44]

Thanks for starting this thread Wabbits, I've been thinking about this as well.

• What will happen with existing contracts?

My thoughts would be handle the 2020 season as though it happened. Contracts go down by one year and salaries increase like normal. I'm sure many of us factor in the player age when assigning contracts. In this scenario, even though the season didn't happen, all the players did get older.

The problem here is newly acquired 1 year big ticket players as well as 1 year tagged players. Obviously IF the scenario of a lost season happens happens we will have plenty of time to discuss, but IMO we definitely should discuss and not just be forced to cut or tag these players.

[dangsters]

What will happen with existing contracts?

If we are mimicking NFL and not the MLB, here is their definition of a accrued season: (cliff notes: 6 games = a contract yr)

An accrued season is any season that a player is on a team’s roster (both active and inactive), Injured Reserve or Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list for more than six games. The above lists qualify as full pay status for an NFL player, and six games under full pay status count as an accrued season.

If no season, I’d like to stand pat in contracts. Moves/signings made this offseason to need to be played out in order to reward owners for their risk/reward choices made to present.

I hope you guys got the MLB reference


How would the 2021 picks be determined?
Reverse order of this yr and snaked

Would league fees returned or would we just roll it over to next year?
Indifferent...I would love to go double or nothing style 2021 if 2020 is canceled.

[braven112]

Thanks for starting this thread Wabbits, I've been thinking about this as well.

• What will happen with existing contracts?

My thoughts would be handle the 2020 season as though it happened. Contracts go down by one year and salaries increase like normal. I'm sure many of us factor in the player age when assigning contracts. In this scenario, even though the season didn't happen, all the players did get older.

The problem here is newly acquired 1 year big ticket players as well as 1 year tagged players. Obviously IF the scenario of a lost season happens happens we will have plenty of time to discuss, but IMO we definitely should discuss and not just be forced to cut or tag these players.

Yeah that isn't ideal, speaking purely from a fantasy football perspective I think that all of these ideas are terrible, because having the season go on as normal is the only good idea.

Obviously we are discussing this right now but in the grand scheme of things this one seems relatively minor. If you pay let's say 10 million on one player and don't want to tag them. You still have 10 million in cap space to do it again if you want. If the choice is a bigger auction with more big names available vs more way's to keep players, I'd rather lean into a bigger auction next season.

[braven112]

What will happen with existing contracts?
If we are mimicking NFL and not the MLB, here is their definition of a accrued season: (cliff notes: 6 games = a contract yr)

Assuming we don't have a season, wouldn't that essentially mean we don't have an auction in 2021? We just keep our teams, as is, until the NFL starts playing again?

[Achon44]

Thanks for starting this thread Wabbits, I've been thinking about this as well.



My thoughts would be handle the 2020 season as though it happened. Contracts go down by one year and salaries increase like normal. I'm sure many of us factor in the player age when assigning contracts. In this scenario, even though the season didn't happen, all the players did get older.

The problem here is newly acquired 1 year big ticket players as well as 1 year tagged players. Obviously IF the scenario of a lost season happens happens we will have plenty of time to discuss, but IMO we definitely should discuss and not just be forced to cut or tag these players.

Yeah that isn't ideal, speaking purely from a fantasy football perspective I think that all of these ideas are terrible, because having the season go on as normal is the only good idea.

Obviously we are discussing this right now but in the grand scheme of things this one seems relatively minor. If you pay let's say 10 million on one player and don't want to tag them. You still have 10 million in cap space to do it again if you want. If the choice is a bigger auction with more big names available vs more way's to keep players, I'd rather lean into a bigger auction next season.

The problem is that punishes a team like MWC for making the Gurley trade as he'd either have to lose him or pay a premium after trading away 1st round picks. My initial thought on what would be fairest is allowing each team to choose between losing a year or keeping a year on each player. Yes, I understand that involves work, but it gives every team the equal choice and their will be plenty of time to take care of it.

[braven112]

The problem is that punishes a team like MWC

You say it like it's a bad thing (Hi, Nate )

My initial thought on what would be fairest is allowing each team to choose between losing a year or keeping a year on each player. Yes, I understand that involves work, but it gives every team the equal choice and their will be plenty of time to take care of it.

That may also work. If we don't have a season, time won't be a major factor. My Sunday's would open wide up.

[Wascawy Wabbits]

My initial thought on what would be fairest is allowing each team to choose between losing a year or keeping a year on each player. Yes, I understand that involves work, but it gives every team the equal choice and their will be plenty of time to take care of it.

That may also work. If we don't have a season, time won't be a major factor. My Sunday's would open wide up.

If the season ends up getting cancelled and we end up going this route, how do we think drops may work? Would it be considered as a non-season and they count 50% towards the cap + whatever penalty for 2022? Or would it be considered an offseason coming up and they account as to what a rolled over season may be and just have the future penalty?

[bocious]

Funny, I didn't see this thread until Brandon mentioned it in the GroupMe. Wabbits, thanks for sticking up for me in my absence.

My inclination is to follow the NFL on this, which may screw me over or may give me some sort of compensation for my losses.

• Player contracts: It seems like the NFL is on track to give all the players an accrued season, so unless something changes let's stick with that.

• Tagged players: Based on the above, I assume tagged players will have their real-life tags fall off at the end of this year, so let's plan on doing the same unless the NFL changes their policy.

• Traded picks: If the season doesn't happen, let's see what the NFL does for teams like the Seahawks who traded away draft picks for a win-now player. If those NFL teams are given some sort of compensation, let's find an equivalent compensation to give BTP and me. If those NFL teams aren't given some sort of compensation, then BTP and I will have to accept that we got screwed.

• Draft order: Again, let's see what the NFL does and copy it.

[Cybergeek]

I'm of the mindset to use our existing rules as much as possible.

For player contracts, no matter how many games are played, existing rules apply. Salary is raised the following season, contract years reduced like normal. Tags expire.

We've had games postponed in the past and the players were classified as bye week.

Players who are out for Covid are injured and can remain on active roster or placed on IR. No special salary compensation.

My preference for players who opt out would be to treat them as a hold out player. They are not injured, they decided not to play.

No special dispensation for trades. Caveat Emptor.

Nothing in the rules cover a scenario for a canceled or shortened season, but All-Play seems a reasonable way to determine a Champion and Draft Order if games are played. If the season is canceled, a random weighted draft order based on 2019 Draft order.

[braven112]

I'm of the mindset to use our existing rules as much as possible.

Me too, the other "north star" for our league is when in doubt do what that NFL does.

For player contracts, no matter how many games are played, existing rules apply. Salary is raised the following season, contract years reduced like normal. Tags expire.

This is likely to be the case unless the whole season is cancelled or we all agree that something like X number of games or less counts as the whole season is cancelled.

We've had games postponed in the past and the players were classified as bye week.

If it's an isolated game or two that is how we'll have to handle it as well.

Players who are out for Covid are injured and can remain on active roster or placed on IR. No special salary compensation.
My preference for players who opt out would be to treat them as a hold out player. They are not injured, they decided not to play.

For this one we are going to follow the NFL's lead in some way but we can discuss the details here
http://www.theleague.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2606

No special dispensation for trades. Caveat Emptor.

I agree.

Nothing in the rules cover a scenario for a canceled or shortened season, but All-Play seems a reasonable way to determine a Champion and Draft Order if games are played. If the season is canceled, a random weighted draft order based on 2019 Draft order.