[PSUColonel]

with everything you like. For instance I only want to GM my Philies, and I want the league to use 20-80 scale and allow all MLB rules with full minors, and use scouts and coaches. Is this an impossible thing to do? I have tried joining leagues in the past, but the commishes never seem to get their **** together, and it usually fizzles out before it begins. It's funny, I've been playing OOTP since it's beginnings, and yet have never been able to find a good online league. It aslo seems like there are fewer and fewer of them...or at least fewer of those that are worth joining.

[Syxx34]

I got one running but the phillies are taken. I wouldnt mind a new league with the devil rays, my american league team.

[kq76]

When you start to have a long list of wants in an online league, it may be time to start your own.

[PSUColonel]

I would...accept I'm not very good at web design

[Afino]

Originally Posted by kq76

When you start to have a long list of wants in an online league, it may be time to start your own.

I agree with this, but a lot of people out there don't have:

- the time to commish a league, draft rules, deal with incidents that pop up in the league, etc
- the technical wherewithal to correctly set up a site, use the utilities, even set up the league for online play
- the patience that it takes to set up the league and to get a stable owner base

It's tougher than you think,

[kq76]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I would...accept I'm not very good at web design

Eh, you probably have better reasons than that (mine ATM is time). I myself only have maybe passable web-design skills yet I put next to no web-design into the site I help admin. For awhile now, the CBL site has just been a forum with a portal mod which really doesn't take that much technical know-how. Or you could go with Fidel's service and use the online league template he made for his online league clients. Sure, it won't look very unique or flashy, but IMO a cool looking website isn't necessary for a good online league.

Originally Posted by Afino

I agree with this, but a lot of people out there don't have:

- the time to commish a league, draft rules, deal with incidents that pop up in the league, etc
- the technical wherewithal to correctly set up a site, use the utilities, even set up the league for online play
- the patience that it takes to set up the league and to get a stable owner base

It's tougher than you think,

Oh, believe me, I know it's not the easiest thing in the world. And I certainly wouldn't recommend someone to just go and throw one to together or anything. I was just saying that it might be time for him to start his own. I think a lot of us who have ended up starting one one day got to that point where we decided we wanted something either very specific or at least much better than what they could find so we finally jumped in.

I suppose the tone of "commishes never seem to get their **** together" also got to me a bit so I suppose I was trying to say in a polite way, "instead of complaining about how others are doing things, just go and do it yourself". But I've certainly been there to and sometimes you'd like to, but there's a myriad of reasons why it might not be a good idea.

Anyway, I'm glad he replied because if a lack of web-design skills is the only thing holding him back then I don't think he need hold himself back any longer.

[molarmite]

I think it's the exact opposite. It's tough to find owners these days. There always seems to be new leagues opening up and I haven't been able to find many owners lately. I can't remember the last time my league was filled.

[Bristolduke]

I think finding owners is the problem. I responded to three requests for a commish and got no takers. I have put a concept out there, with no response and I have an OOTP 8 league which still has an open slot. It's not like we are turning them away. But on-line leagues are a marriage of sorts. It takes likes from the commish and the owners. That means it may take time.

I fall in the very weak web skills, but as has been stated, that is not the harder part of the job. So if you are going to spend time doing something you should enjoy it. But the life of the league is more owner based. The commish is not going to write a lot of articles and is limited into how much activity there is. The owners need to provide that. Almost any theme gets dry and it is hard to maintain that initial enthusiasm.

For the owners to participate, they have to be enthused as well. So if you only want to manage the Phillies, then that's what gets you excitied. You have to be patient and find that situation.

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

with everything you like. For instance I only want to GM my Philies, and I want the league to use 20-80 scale and allow all MLB rules with full minors, and use scouts and coaches. Is this an impossible thing to do? I have tried joining leagues in the past, but the commishes never seem to get their **** together, and it usually fizzles out before it begins. It's funny, I've been playing OOTP since it's beginnings, and yet have never been able to find a good online league. It aslo seems like there are fewer and fewer of them...or at least fewer of those that are worth joining.

There's a couple issues here, but I am going to focus on one point, the 20-80 ratings scale.

I recently polled a long series of questions concerning OOTP option configuration for my online league. I had a total of 54 replies so far. I found that the 20-80 ratings scale had virtually no support, so I used 1-10.

[Afino]

Originally Posted by kq76

Eh, you probably have better reasons than that (mine ATM is time). I myself only have maybe passable web-design skills yet I put next to no web-design into the site I help admin. For awhile now, the CBL site has just been a forum with a portal mod which really doesn't take that much technical know-how. Or you could go with Fidel's service and use the online league template he made for his online league clients. Sure, it won't look very unique or flashy, but IMO a cool looking website isn't necessary for a good online league.



Oh, believe me, I know it's not the easiest thing in the world. And I certainly wouldn't recommend someone to just go and throw one to together or anything. I was just saying that it might be time for him to start his own. I think a lot of us who have ended up starting one one day got to that point where we decided we wanted something either very specific or at least much better than what they could find so we finally jumped in.

I suppose the tone of "commishes never seem to get their **** together" also got to me a bit so I suppose I was trying to say in a polite way, "instead of complaining about how others are doing things, just go and do it yourself". But I've certainly been there to and sometimes you'd like to, but there's a myriad of reasons why it might not be a good idea.

Anyway, I'm glad he replied because if a lack of web-design skills is the only thing holding him back then I don't think he need hold himself back any longer.

I don't disagree, and I'm kind of in the same boat.

Not only that, if something happens in my life that I suddenly cannot devote the significant amount of time necessary to commish a league, I'd feel horribly if the league died due to that reason.

It's "easier" for me to be an active participant in a league that suits my needs and then if life gets in the way and I need to leave, I can. My one current league is more than enough for me, and I'm keeping my eyes out for another one that comes close to filling my needs, because as you said, my long list of wants is probably going to be unfulfilled forever unless I start my own

The GUBA doesn't have a flashy site. It doesn't need it because the heart of the league is the message board and the 36 active owners that populate it. Things work differently in different leagues

[satchel]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

[It's tough to find a league] with everything you like.

Yes, it is. Out of all the currently operating online leagues, there was only one that met all of my ideal criteria. If you want join a league that fits your exact preferences, you need to work hard to find that league, and then you must be prepared to wait for an opening.

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I have tried joining leagues in the past, but the commishes never seem to get their **** together, and it usually fizzles out before it begins.

Many leagues fizzle out, but there are also many solid leagues that have been around for years.

I'm in five online leagues:

1. FOBL: founded 2001 (8 years old)
2. NPBL: founded Dec. 2002 (6+ years old)
3. TCBA: founded June 2008 (15 mo. old)
4. JL: founded July 2008 (14 mo. old)
5. FL: founded January 2009 (8 mo. old)

Check out this thread on long-running online OOTP leagues. There are at least a dozen leagues that have going strong for 5+ years. Leagues that are at least a year old are fairly common.

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

It's funny, I've been playing OOTP since it's beginnings, and yet have never been able to find a good online league.

Considering all of the great, long-lasting, healthy online leagues out there, I'm shocked that you've been unable to find one that suits you.

Originally Posted by kq76

When you start to have a long list of wants in an online league, it may be time to start your own.

Being an owner in a league and being a Commissioner of your own league are two vastly different things. Commishing certainly isn't for everyone. But, since there was no league that was exactly, in every last detail, what I wanted, I started my own, just as KQ said. I'm no computer programmer, but I've learned enough to run my league and maintain a website. It's not an impossible task. If you want to run a league, being "good at web design" is not a requirement. Loads of leagues don't even have websites, beyond having a forum, and having league reports posted (although I intensely dislike that approach, and strongly recommend against it).

[GeoWar]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I would...accept I'm not very good at web design

yes check Asahi2 league run by Fidel. He will assist you in sitting up the league -- Would you be interested in starting a league in !970 ..... I would be interested in Yankees or San Diego .

[GeoWar]

Can we get a simple thread that the league commisher can post site location and open team .... they must be updated weekly or they are deleted.