Most Creative League Idea Contest

[f.montoya]

Hello OOTP community!

I've long been looking for a good reason to give away a fully equipped website for a long time and now I've got it. I want to hear in this thread, your idea, historical or fictional, online league or dynasty, it doesn't matter, I want to hear your most creative idea. Based on other readers' and my opinions, I will select that most creative idea and give the winner an Upper Deck hosting plan for a full year completely free($84 value), domain name and all, and an AllSimBaseball.com rebate(how much is yet to be determined) for purchasing OOTP 11 next year. Use your website for an online league or simply for your dynasty tales and showing off your league reports and original articles, it's up to you.

If there are other impressive entries, I may consider some smaller prizes.

So there it is. Roughly a $100 prize. Let me hear your ideas!!

EDIT: The deadline for submitting your idea is November 30, 2009. I hope to give the prize away as a Christmas gift in December.

[TribeFanInNC]

Good idea montoya. Hope we get some creative ideas.

[kq76]

That's awesome! What a wonderful idea.

[Tony M]

Do they have to be commishable from within the game. I do all sorts of interesting things with solo leagues but alter things within the dats to get done what I want to do.

Would that be allowable if I made it an online one?

[spleen1015]

1 entry per person?

[Malleus Dei]

Great idea, Fidel. I'd have it in the bag but somebody else already thought of hobbit leagues.

[f.montoya]

Originally Posted by Tony M

Do they have to be commishable from within the game. I do all sorts of interesting things with solo leagues but alter things within the dats to get done what I want to do.

Would that be allowable if I made it an online one?

As long as you think it's something that you could entertain an audience with or maintain an online league with for a year, let it the idea fly!

[f.montoya]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

1 entry per person?

No limits. I only ask that each entry be a serious idea that, if chosen, would continue for at least a full year so that we can enjoy the winner's idea played out the way he imagines and portrays it.

[spleen1015]

I would like to get my dynasty hosted, but I don't want to let the cat out of the bag with what I have planned for the future.

I look forward to seeing lots of good ideas.

[ry1220]

This is a great idea.

I've been in a small-scale league for a few years that attempted to model college baseball, meaning no trading, all players contracts are $0. Thus, the focus is on scouting, drafting, and coaching (everyone's favorite aspects of OOTP, I know, but it's been fun.) I've always wanted to expand this league into a large-scale model of the collegiate system, with a professional league above it.

[kagnew35]

Started this once, but never got a roster set. To eliminate the need for a roster set, simply start in the near past, ie, 2000-2008. Real time to enjoy the full aspects of OOTP, sim a game a day, make exports as needed to stay ahead of injuries or roster moves. A year round lg using winter lgs setup to fill the off season. Will need to import real ammies each year so we never go to fictional players. Emphasis on GM's writing articles, specially in off season.

Starting in 2008 would allow us to use the in game roster set and just add the real life ammie pool each year, drafting in November stead of June.

Sims exports only required once a week or at GM's discretion.

I envision ALL options on.

[RMc]

I've enjoyed playing my Global League with 32 (fictional) national teams, complete with talent-appropriate feeder leagues (USA, Japan and Cuba get the best players; India and Phillipines not so much). The US has won 60 championships in 160 years.

Not all the best players are Americans, though: two of the top four players in all-time VORP are Frenchmen: Thierry Forest (818 HR) and Jean-Pierre Lefebvre (4,078 hits). And the all-time top pitcher is Pierluigi Bulgarini, winner of 310 games for Italy!

[Daern]

I would love to do a dynasty of an American Civil War league. It would start several years prior to the war as a friendly North-South league, and become an extension of the war. In my idea, after the Emancipation Proclamation, black players would begin to trickle into North teams.

The political climate would change based on successes in the league. For instance, multiple victories in a row by the South would lower the financials of the North teams, as well as causing European countries to gain interest, which would give the South a larger talent pool. At the end of the actual war, the victories, defeats, political changes would be tallied, and we could see what would have happened had the Civil War been fought with balls and bats.

Anyways, that's just what the history nerd in me wants to do.

[bailey]

Here is a league I've been thinking about for a long time. It is designed to be fast paced with minimal micromanagment and eliminates the problem of ownerless teams.

Commissioner: Doesn't own a team.

OOTP Required: Yes

Players: Fictional

# of Teams: Variable, minimum 6. --ownerless teams are contracted at the end of each season. New GMs can join each season with a team chosen from the ranks of AAA or Veterans league or can choose an existing ML team about to be contracted.

Playoffs: Top 4. Initially, all teams play in 1 league, no DH, but there will be a vote to change every 10 seasons. Playoffs are best of 9 with the team with better record getting home field advantage 6 of 9 games.

Franchise names: GM chooses from any professional MLB team 1876-current (or NFL, NHL or NBA team), except no duplication of cities or nicknames.

Sim speed: 3 week season. Season divided into 12 sims (1/2 month each) Playoffs every 3rd weekend.

Finances: OFF. No free agency, the reserve rules reign supreme.

Coaches and Scouts: OFF

Farm System: NONE. Minor leagues are independent.

Roster: 25 players. Injuries are OFF. You can never control more than 25 players.

Ratings: OFF. This is a talent only league. Other ratings: 1-10.

Other leagues: Veterans league, AAA prospects league, World league. These are maintained by the commissioner. Veterans league: unclaimed players with major league experience or 5 years minor league experience play here. AAA prospects league: just what it says. World league: Major league level foreign league.

Acquiring new players:
1) Draft: each week during the season each team will be randomly assigned 1 AAA team and the player will be allowed to select 1 player from this team.
2) Veteran Draft: you can post on the forum first come first served any player on a veteran league team or anyone lurking as a free agent. Limit: 1 player obtained this way per week, and you cannot claim a player this way if the game date is April.
3) Off season releases/retirements: You may release players after the playoffs and be replaced by established players generated by the game. The GM selects the position they play and LH or RH batting/throwing.
4) Foreign player draft: teams limited to 2 foreign players and are obtained as follows:
a) Longevity--Play 10 seasons and get a pick from the world league.
b) Discovery--each GM picks 1 lucky number when they join the league. If that lucky number is one of the bonus balls drawn in the NY state lottery, then that GM can pick one player from the world league.
These are tradable picks, if, for example, the GM already has 2 foreign players he doesn't want to release.

[lordchaos]

It's really simple. The commissioner designs ballparks with extreme dimensions/factors. The first round of the draft is for the ballpark. Each owner then drafts players to match his ballpark.

After the first season, the winner of the league gets to design and name his own ballpark for the next season. The commissioner designs the rest of the ballparks. All players are put back into the draft. All owners except last season's winner (if he stays) draft a ballpark first. Last season's winner uses the ballpark he designed. All players are redrafted.

All winner designed ballparks are permanent. Only non-permanent ballparks are redesigned by the commissioner. Eventually all ballparks will be owner designed and permanent.

It could be fictional or historical (or hysterical), but since I prefer historical that will be it. Starting year (TBD). The maximum and minimum dimensions / ballpark factors will be established by the commissioner to ensure reasonable results (but not too reasonable).

I haven't tried this but it sounds like fun.

[kagnew35]

20th century replay, a season every 12 days. 6 days for the regular season, 7th for playoffs, 8 awards, 9-10 free agency 11-12 spring training. "Monthly articles" on results. probably shud be done as a dynasty. Welcome comments, suggestions.

[f.montoya]

Thanks for your entries! Pretty good ones so far.

[pbar25]

Bankroll Baseball

OOTP: Required
Teams: 16
Players: Fictional
First Season: 1903 (open to debate)
Finances: REAL MONEY (OOTP finances off)
Status: An Idea

Ever played in an online league where salaries zoom out of control as unrealistic budgets & contracts seem to take over?

That's because when people play a game, realism goes out the window with regards to finances. "Obviously Pbar, since it's a game, nobody cares." But what that simple conclusion leads to, is this: The simulation of 'real' finances within a game can never provide 'real' results with humans at the helm.

While the baseball portion of games can provide wonderful & realistic baseball numbers with regards to human GMs, the financial portion can never work without the human emotions of greed, competitiveness, fear, etc, etc -- all the things that real money brings to the table. Finances can of course be simulated, but the results will never be 'realistic'. So, how is that fixed? Money!
_____________

Tidbits:
-Living/breathing, baseball free market
- OOTP financial system off
- Customized financial system designed to simulate real financial decisions*
*Equation created to scale historical contract amounts into payable amounts
Example: An average player might be signed to a 5 year, $2.36 contract
-Future promotion/relegation expansion, multi-tiered leagues
-No trading, players are bought & sold

Salary Cap: $100
Franchise Cost: $0 1st 16 teams, then $100 per

Gaming For Profit

-Every penny spent by GMs on their players, is placed into the league's pot. This number will be listed real-time on the website and can be checked at all-times by 'simply' adding up the league contracts

-Upon the crowning of a league champion each season, the league's total salary pot is distributed back to all players 1st through 16th. ($1000, $100, $75, $20, $19, $18, etc, or something similar)

-If successful, a waiting list will develop. Once 16 new teams are ready to go, a 2nd league will be added. All additional new franchises will incur a $100 franchise fee, and will enter the original 16 team league's universe; albeit in a '2nd Division' that would crown a champion to be promoted into the higher league

-Portions of lower league's salary pots would be distributed towards higher leagues in order to ensure higher payouts at higher levels. Champion of Champions would earn a far greater share and payout then any other league champion

-$100 salary cap would ensure that each league champion would earn $800-$1000 per season, this way one championship could cure 8 to 9 losing seasons.

-At any time an owner can put their franchise up for sale, and keep the amount it was sold for.*
*unless the league expanded past realistic expectations: then the original owners might add in a Franchise transaction fee down the line -- in the situation of 10,000 teams and sponsored by Yahoo!, prizes may exceed $50,000 -- therefore Franchises would be sold like stock. A franchise within the top 16 team league, would have a far greater value then a brand new franchise that starts at the bottom.

-Franchise fees for new teams after the original 16, would go towards hosting, development, OOTP & myself.

-The website (myself) would have a goal = profit
That's the only way it could possibly succeed. My goal would be to add as many franchises as possible : the only way I could do that is by running a great league; pretty simple stuff. If I run a great league, more franchises and more profit for all. As lower leagues are added, payouts will continue to increase. When payouts increase, more people will want to join....further raising the stakes. Repeat process and pay OOTP for their work.


While the MLB has the advantage of fans who pay money to see their game in order to help finance growth........
An online fictional baseball universe has one distinct advantage with regards to growth and potential : no players to pay, no need for fans

One day, we won't be alive for this one, an online fictional baseball universe will dwarf the finances involved in Major League Baseball. Will this be it? Probably not, because I'm really busy & kind of lazy...

[Cryomaniac]

Originally Posted by pbar25

Bankroll Baseball

OOTP: Required
Teams: 16
Players: Fictional
First Season: 1903 (open to debate)
Finances: REAL MONEY (OOTP finances off)
Status: An Idea

Ever played in an online league where salaries zoom out of control as unrealistic budgets & contracts seem to take over?

That's because when people play a game, realism goes out the window with regards to finances. "Obviously Pbar, since it's a game, nobody cares." But what that simple conclusion leads to, is this: The simulation of 'real' finances within a game can never provide 'real' results with humans at the helm.

While the baseball portion of games can provide wonderful & realistic baseball numbers with regards to human GMs, the financial portion can never work without the human emotions of greed, competitiveness, fear, etc, etc -- all the things that real money brings to the table. Finances can of course be simulated, but the results will never be 'realistic'. So, how is that fixed? Money!
_____________

Tidbits:
-Living/breathing, baseball free market
- OOTP financial system off
- Customized financial system designed to simulate real financial decisions*
*Equation created to scale historical contract amounts into payable amounts
Example: An average player might be signed to a 5 year, $2.36 contract
-Future promotion/relegation expansion, multi-tiered leagues
-No trading, players are bought & sold

Salary Cap: $100
Franchise Cost: $0 1st 16 teams, then $100 per

Gaming For Profit

-Every penny spent by GMs on their players, is placed into the league's pot. This number will be listed real-time on the website and can be checked at all-times by 'simply' adding up the league contracts

-Upon the crowning of a league champion each season, the league's total salary pot is distributed back to all players 1st through 16th. ($1000, $100, $75, $20, $19, $18, etc, or something similar)

-If successful, a waiting list will develop. Once 16 new teams are ready to go, a 2nd league will be added. All additional new franchises will incur a $100 franchise fee, and will enter the original 16 team league's universe; albeit in a '2nd Division' that would crown a champion to be promoted into the higher league

-Portions of lower league's salary pots would be distributed towards higher leagues in order to ensure higher payouts at higher levels. Champion of Champions would earn a far greater share and payout then any other league champion

-$100 salary cap would ensure that each league champion would earn $800-$1000 per season, this way one championship could cure 8 to 9 losing seasons.

-At any time an owner can put their franchise up for sale, and keep the amount it was sold for.*
*unless the league expanded past realistic expectations: then the original owners might add in a Franchise transaction fee down the line -- in the situation of 10,000 teams and sponsored by Yahoo!, prizes may exceed $50,000 -- therefore Franchises would be sold like stock. A franchise within the top 16 team league, would have a far greater value then a brand new franchise that starts at the bottom.

-Franchise fees for new teams after the original 16, would go towards hosting, development, OOTP & myself.

-The website (myself) would have a goal = profit
That's the only way it could possibly succeed. My goal would be to add as many franchises as possible : the only way I could do that is by running a great league; pretty simple stuff. If I run a great league, more franchises and more profit for all. As lower leagues are added, payouts will continue to increase. When payouts increase, more people will want to join....further raising the stakes. Repeat process and pay OOTP for their work.


While the MLB has the advantage of fans who pay money to see their game in order to help finance growth........
An online fictional baseball universe has one distinct advantage with regards to growth and potential : no players to pay, no need for fans

One day, we won't be alive for this one, an online fictional baseball universe will dwarf the finances involved in Major League Baseball. Will this be it? Probably not, because I'm really busy & kind of lazy...

Like the idea, not sure it would be legal in the US though.

[pbar25]

Originally Posted by Cryomaniac

Like the idea, not sure it would be legal in the US though.

hopefully it would fall under the Bingo License and Tax Act, or the Lottery Law, or the Raffles Act, or the Charitable Games Act, or the Pull Tabs and Jar Games Act, or maybe even the Riverboat Gambling Act.

Point is, the politicians have created so many loopholes for themselves to profit off of gambling.... there are now a bunch of loopholes.
Is it a concern? definitely. would it prevent this? probably not.
I can log onto a website right now and bet on football, then they'll send me a check if I win; should I pay taxes on my winnings the government is not only not upset, but pleased; while eagerly awaiting the next Sunday.