How The Game Is Played

Each League has 14 teams divided into 2 Divisions.

Each Fantasy team will play one game per week against another fantasy team according to the league schedule.

A win is awarded to the fantasy team that finishes with more fantasy points than their opponent for that week. A loss will be given to the other team. A tie is awarded to both teams if their score is tied in fantasy points for that week. See "Scoring" section below for how points are awarded.

Schedule

We play a 20 week/game regular season, followed by 4 rounds of playoffs (6 weeks).

Each team will be randomly assigned to a division each season. If you are joining as a group and would like to stay together, please let the commissioner know at signup. We will do our best to accommodate.

Each of the leagues 14 teams play every other team in their division 3 times and 2 random teams outside their division once for a 20 game regular season.

Team Rosters

Each Fantasy roster will consist of 24 players. You may draft your team from any positions that you choose but you must fulfill the "starting" or "active" roster requirement each week.

The weekly "starting" or "active" roster will consist of:
1 Catcher
1 1st Baseman
1 2nd Baseman
1 3rd Baseman
1 Shortstop
3 Outfielders
1 Utility Player (Any Position but Pitcher)
4 Starting Pitchers
2 Releif Pitchers

Four Injured Reserve spots are available for any injured player after the draft. These players must be on the Injured Reserve list in order to put them on your IR. No players are allowed on Injured Reserve until the draft is finished.

As soon as the player plays a game, he must be removed from the IR spot. If that same team owner picked up a replacement while that player was on the IR, the team owner must make a roster move and drop a player in order to get back to the roster maximum.

The Draft

All Drafting will be done using the Draft Utility on your league page. Drafting will begin using our Pre-Draft format to speed the draft along. Once the Pre-Draft portion of the draft has been completed, the draft will be finished at the date determined before the draft began. (See our Pre-Draft Page for more info on this).

Drafting will be done using the serpentine method (1-14 for Round #1 and 14-1 for Round #2 etc) of drafting.

Draft Order will be determined at random when all entry fees have been accepted

Weekly Starting Lineups

Each week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday

The weekly "starting" or "active" roster will consist of:
1 Catcher
1 1st Baseman
1 2nd Baseman
1 3rd Baseman
1 Shortstop
3 Outfielders
1 Utility Player (Any Position but Pitcher)
4 Starting Pitchers
2 Releif Pitchers

Each Fantasy team is responsible for submitting a starting lineup before midnight Sunday each week. This lineup will be used for the week starting the following day.

If a roster is not turned in, the previous weeks roster will be applied for the current week. The exception to this rule is as follows:
Opening Night: If you do not submit a lineup for opening night, your starting lineup will be your first 14 picks of the draft that meet the starting roster criteria. This will be the case regardless of injury.

Please submit your roster as you will want to try to avoid this.

Important: It is the responsibility of all team owners to make sure that weekly changes get accepted via the website on time (if you make any). The league commissioner will not be responsible for any changes being late, lost or misdirected as a result of any computer malfunction, delay, etc. If you are having computer problems, contact the commissioner before the deadline and he will enter your desired changes for you.

Playoffs

All 14 teams make the playoffs in 4 rounds to determine a champion

Rounds 1+2 (2 weeks each): A 2-week-total-points format is used. The team to win 2 games advances. If both teams win a game, total points for the 2 weeks will decide who advances.
Round 3: One Game/Week, Single Elimination, Winner advances
Round 4: One Game/Week, Single Elimination, Winner is champion

Each division winner in the regular season will be seeded #1and #2 respectively according to the "Tiebreak Rules" section and receive a bye in Round 1. The other 12 playoff teams are seeded 3-14 by wildcard using the Tiebreak Rules.

PLAYOFF BRACKETS: View here

Transactions, Free Agents

In all transactions (add/drops, free agents, trades), all players acquired are not eligible to play until the beginning of the week following the week the transaction was made. Likewise, any player who is removed from a roster will not be removed until the beginning of the week following the week it was made in. Therefore these players may play out the week for the team releasing them.

A team roster may never have more than the 24-28 players allowed. Therefore, in order for any owner to pick up a player, they must release another to keep their roster legal.

Waivers

We will use a 48 hour waiver process for any player dropped by a team owner. During this time, if a player is placed on waivers, team owners will have 48 hours to make a claim for that player. The player may be claimed provided your team is highest in the waiver order of those interested. See "Waivers" in our "Tie-break Rules" section for how to determine waiver order. (This rule is to help the teams at the bottom of the standings have first choice on dropped players to hopefully improve their teams)

If nobody makes a claim for that player in that 48 hour period, they will return to the free agent pool where they can be chosen by anyone on a first-come first-serve basis.

Trades

Trade Deadlines and Restrictions Timeline:

1.) From the end of our draft through the end of Week #13 (Trade Deadline is the end of Week #13): unlimited Trades or Transactions
2.) Week #14 to the start of our league playoffs: any traded players must pass through waivers in order to complete the trade. (See Waivers)
3.) Playoff Roster Freeze: No transactions or trades allowed beginning the 1st day of the fantasy league playoffs. All rosters are frozen for the remainder of the season.

All trades shall be approved by the league commissioner. When submitting a trade, both teams must submit the trade to the league commissioner for approval, and if you wish, provide information as to why this trade benefits all teams involved. If a trade is rejected, you may go back and change the deal, if parties are interested, in order to get the trade accepted. The league commissioner will do what he can in order to accept the trade, however, the best interest of the league will come first.

Tiebreak Rules
Waivers	Playoff Teams	Playoff Game	Playoff Series
1.) Worst Overall Record	1.) Overall Record (Reg. Season)	1.) Total Bench Points	1.) Total Bench Points
2.) Worst Head-to-Head Record	2.) Head-2-Head-Tied Teams	2.) Highest Starters Game Points	2.) Highest Starters Series Points
3.) Least Fantasy Points	3.) Total Fantasy Points	3.) Next High Starter	3.) Next Highest Starters Series Pts
4.) Lowest Division Record	4.) Division Record	4.) Continue using all starters, then Bench Points using 2-4 above	4.) Continue using all starters, then Bench Points using 2-4 above
5.) Least H-2-H Fantasy Points	5.) Head-to-Head Fantasy Points

Preseason-Schedule

Here is the schedule of pertinent dates for our leagues for the pre-season:

Early February (tentative): Leagues begin forming by order of waiting list (first-come, first-serve basis) Team owners will be notified at this time.
When a League is full: Entry fees will be due for the upcoming season
After Everyone in the League has paid their entry fee: Pre-Drafting will begin and draft day will be announced (if the draft is not completed)

More exact dates will be given for your league as it moves through this process.

Scoring
Hitting				Pitching
At Bat	-.5 Points	Strikeout	-1 point	Win	6 points	Effectiveness	(2 x IP) - (R + ER)
Single	2 point	Run Scored	1 points	Loss	-1 point	Walk Allowed	-0.5 points
Double	3 points	Stolen Base	2 points	Save	6 points	Strikeout	0.5 points
Triple	4 points	Caught Stealing	-1 point	Blown Save	-2 points	Hit Allowed	-0.5 points
Homerun	5 points	Hit By Pitch	1 point	Complete Game	5 points	Wild Pitch	-1 point
Run Batted In	1 point	Error	-1 point	Shutout	5 points	Balk	-1 point
Walk	1 point	Grand Slam	4 points	No Hitter	10 points	Hit Batter	-1 point

Cost to Play

What you Win

$49 per team per season
Champion: $200

Entry Fee is due when your league is full
2nd Place: $100

NO ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR TRANSACTIONS OR TRADES

3rd Place: $50

Division Winners (2): $25 Discount Towards Next Season

LEAGUE EXAMPLE #2

Sports Fantaz Leaue Player Drafts

2004 Baseball Fantasy Draft Rules

The 2004 baseball fantasy draft will open for entries on March 1st.

The entry deadline was Saturday, April 10th, 2004.

Our prize money is GUARANTEED and is not dependent upon the number of contest entries we receive.

Player Selections

Contestants select 16 players from the list provided on the entry form. First select one player from each of the 12 groups in the list. Next select 4 wild card players from the list. Wild card players can not duplicate any of the previously selected players or other wild cards. These 16 players consitute your starting roster.

Scoring

One point will be awarded for each run, hit, and RBI. You receive points that the players on your roster score during games played during the regular season, starting opening day thru the end of the regular season. A player playing for a team other than listed on the original entry form or for more than one team during the season will receive points they accumulate on any team. No compensation will be made for players injured, released, on the DL, or retiring. You may, however, trade these players. Scoring is retroactive to opening day.

Tie Breakers

Ties for any prizes will be broken by applying tie breakers in the following order:

Most Points
Most Hits
Most Runs
Most RBI's

In the event a tie still remains, prizes for those places will be added together and divided equally. Example: A tie for end of season first and second places would be the $10,000 first place prize and the $5,000 second place prize divided equally at $7,500 each.

3 Entry Choices:

Gold: 14 trades for the season, 1st entry $40 each additional entry $35

Silver: 6 trades for the season, 1st entry $30

Bronze: NO TRADING, $25 for each entry

You may upgrade each or any team, any time during the season for $20 each level of upgrade for each entry.

Enter at least 3 Gold entries, then the first entry you posted will be your special entry,
if your special entry wins wins one of the top 50 end of season prizes we will add $500 to that prize!

Example:If your anniversary special entry is in 50th place you win $550, instead of only $50.
When entering the minimum required 3 Gold Entries or more, only your first entry posted on the web site is eligible for the $500 anniversary special.
The anniversary entry must be selected by the entry deadline of April 10th.

Past contestants will be mailed entry forms with in mid March.

Past contestants from 2003 and 2004 will be mailed entry forms with discounted entry fees in mid March.

Trades

Trade forms will be mailed with the April reports so they will be available for use to make trades effective on May 16th. The online trade form will be available on May 10th.

There are maximum of 14 trades per season no additional trades may be purchased. We do not believe in allowing additional purchased trades as this would allow contestants to buy an advantage in winning prizes.
Trade forms may be sent through the Postal Service or faxed.
Trades may also be made via the trade form on this Web site or by Email. When making trades via Email, be sure to include the same information as on your trade forms.
No trades will be accepted by phone.
For trades sent via the Postal Service, postmark dates, which controls trade activation dates will be strictly enforced, so be careful that you get your trade form envelopes postmarked correctly. (metered mail dates will not be accepted as they can be set arbitrarily by the sender; only US postal service post marks will be recognized)
For trades made by FAX, Email, or our web trade form, the date/time they were sent will be considered the same as a postmark.
You accumulate points your players score only while they are on your roster. However if you trade away a player you retain the points he scored while on your roster.
You may trade across groups; however your roster must always contain at least one player in each of the 12 groups. This means that if you have only one player in a group, you can trade him only for another player in the same group.
You may reacquire a player involved in a previous trade as players may be involved in more than one transaction.

Trade Periods

There will be 2 trading periods a month - the 1st through the 15th, and the 16th through the end of the month. Trade activation dates become effective on the 16th when sending a trade postmarked between the 1st and 15th of the month, or the 1st of the following month when postmarked the 16th through the end of the current month.

Examples: (A trade form postmarked in June the 1st through the 15th will activate the new player the 16th of June.) (A trade form postmarked the 16th thourgh the end of the month of June would activate the new player the 1st of July.)

The eight periods in which trades can be made are:

May 10th-15th . . period 3
May 16th-31st . . period 4
June 1st-15th . . period 5
June 16th-30th . . period 6
July 1st-15th . . period 7
July 16th-31st . . period 8
August 1st-15th . . period 9
August 16th-31st. . period 10

The players you draft originally will be kept from the beginning of the season through May 15th. No trades will be allowed in September.

Your first trade form (ONE) is at the bottom of your trade sheet, so work from the bottom up. This is done so you may retain the example and keep our address at the top of the trade sheet.

Example for filling out trade forms:
                           Trade Away  Player# 8 in Group# 2 for Player# 9 in Group#  2
                           This would mean you traded away G Anderson and aquired new player B Boone.

We are not responsible for trade forms filled out incorrectly. Invalid trades will be returned and you may reaquire invalid trades for a $2 service fee.

Prizes

All monthly prizes will be mailed out by the fifth day of the following month with your monthly reports. All end of season prizes will be mailed out with your last report the first part of October.

Note: Several other contests send out winner's checks several months after the end of the season.

Your six monthly reports will include your player points, team score and ranking, winners, and a players report.

Past contestants were mailed entry forms with a discounted entry fee in mid March.

All decisions made by the judges of Sports Fantaz Leaue PLAYER DRAFTS are final. Not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Void where prohibited. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate.