In my last Commissioner’s Corner article, we looked at what the job of a Fantasy Commissioner consists of. Through this, we came up with four pillars of responsibility: Organization, Engagement, Competition, and Harmony. Today we’re going to dig a little deeper into the first pillar; Organization, to help you get everything in order for your fantasy leagues.
Organizing Your Fantasy League
Rules
The easiest way to help keep your league organized is to write out your League Rules. All fantasy platforms have a summary of the rules somewhere on your league page. However, these rules are the basic settings like scoring, transactions, rosters, etc. If your league has any “non-standard” regulations covering components like roster construction, different standings tiebreakers, or how the league prize pool will be paid out, you should absolutely be notating such rules in a shared document. It is crucial that the entire league has access to this Constitution, Code, or whatever you label it as. The last thing we want is for a league member to break a rule, and then claim they were unaware and uninformed of the violation.
One other aspect to consider with putting the league rules on (virtual) paper is to try and be as detailed and inclusive as possible. The more regulations and procedures you include in your League Code, the better. There will always be things that slip through the cracks, or guidelines that you as the Commissioner and League as a whole, will not think about. We all attempt to manage our fantasy teams with integrity and fairness. However, if there is a loophole in the rules it will undoubtedly be exploited at some point. Documenting all rules makes it easier to close those loopholes in the offseason.
Important Dates
Along with establishing and distinctly stating league rules, another way to ensure your fantasy league is organized is to make certain every member of the league knows all the important dates. Game schedules are very accessible, and with some digging it’s not difficult to find your trade deadline. And of course, your draft date should be known by all, well in advance.
What if you play in a more complex or in-depth league? Are there certain rules that affect roster decisions or salary cap implications (if you play in a salary-cap league)? If you are the commissioner of a dynasty league, then you are well aware that commissioner responsibilities do not stop. It’s a year-round job. Clearly outlining all important dates is essential for league organization. This includes all dates for things that do and do not require some form of action from each manager.
Having a league calendar is not only imperative for your league mates, but it also is crucial to help you as a commissioner keep everything on track. We all have busy lives and countless responsibilities in the real world, and it can be easy to miss league due dates. Set up a calendar so you can always stay on top of things.
Resources
The last piece of advice to assist with organizing your fantasy league is to use your resources. There are plenty of tools available to help you stay organized. There is no need to re-create the wheel. A simple Google Doc or Sheet will go a long way. The type of data you track is up to you, but at minimum, your previously mentioned league rules should be written out and saved for easy access and sharing.
Fantrax Premium is a fantastic addition (and a must-have in my opinion) for any complex and/or dynasty league. There are many useful features that help you administer your most in-depth fantasy leagues. Personally, my dynasty league uses the salaries and contracts feature, which makes it incredibly simple to see and track that information. Prior to making the switch to Premium, we tracked all the information on a spreadsheet. It worked but was a bit more challenging. Salary and contract administration is just one of the many helpful features that can help you run your league efficiently. It comes at an additional cost but is highly affordable if split up amongst league members.
Lastly, if your league collects fees or a buy-in, Fantrax Treasurer can handle all of that process for you. It is free to use and takes the responsibility (and stress) away from you so you don’t have to worry about being a debt collector and constantly hounding your league mates for their dues. It is just another resource you can use to simplify your commissioner duties.