Do FF leagues need divisions? (1 Viewer)

[jeter23]

We are currently having this discussion in one of my leagues and I can see both sides of the topic. Should FF leagues have divisions?

In our league, we play every team once, along with one extra game versus a "rival." We do not play the teams in our division any more than non division teams, although I realize some leagues play other division teams more than once. With a schedule setup like ours, is there any point to separating teams into divisions?

 

[netnalp]

my 14 team had them for a couple of years. We don't any more and it's better, no more teams with bad records getting in the playoffs due to being a division leader of a bad division. Each team plays each other once.

 

[basher]

what you end up with in division leagues is sub par teams getting seats at the playoff table when it isn't warranted

 

[Dr. Doofenshmirtz]

I tried to make this point in Hyper 2 last year. No one wanted to hear about it

No need for divisions

 

[jamil]

agreed with what was said. absolutely pointless. IE in my one league: the division leader is 6th in total points but the rest of his division is garbage.

 

[Northbound Train]

Love Divisions and the rivalries it builds.

I've heard the arguement before of a weak team getting into the playoffs undeserved. Well, guess what...somebody is goinf to represent the NFC West in the Playoffs this year and we try and keep things as consistent with the NFL as possible.

MOre often than not the "right" teams get in...I have no problem of a 7-6 team getting in with an 8-5 team in a tough division missing....that willl balance out over the years.

Only way to go IMO!!!

 

[jeter23]

Love Divisions and the rivalries it builds.I've heard the arguement before of a weak team getting into the playoffs undeserved. Well, guess what...somebody is goinf to represent the NFC West in the Playoffs this year and we try and keep things as consistent with the NFL as possible.MOre often than not the "right" teams get in...I have no problem of a 7-6 team getting in with an 8-5 team in a tough division missing....that willl balance out over the years.Only way to go IMO!!!

I get what you are saying, but why do we really need them. In many of my leagues, divisions are rotated every few years, so that eliminates the rivalries. One reason the NFL has divisions is geographic, and that is certainly not a concern in FF> I am just not sure there is any good reason to have divisions.

 

[KentGraham10]

Love Divisions and the rivalries it builds.I've heard the arguement before of a weak team getting into the playoffs undeserved. Well, guess what...somebody is goinf to represent the NFC West in the Playoffs this year and we try and keep things as consistent with the NFL as possible.MOre often than not the "right" teams get in...I have no problem of a 7-6 team getting in with an 8-5 team in a tough division missing....that willl balance out over the years.Only way to go IMO!!!

Totally agree, the rivalries that divisions create are one of the best parts of the game!

 

[jdgsatx]

You can have the same rivalry in local leagues where you have the same guys in it every year. The guys I play against create the rivalry more so than the divisions. I'd rather ensure the highest scoring, most deserving teams make the playoffs than try to create some rivalrys based on divisions.

 

[Falon]

I am in a similar situation, as a GM i have decided to take our 4 division league down to a 2 or 1 division league. I put a poll up to see what owners wanted and it was almost unanimous that they wanted a 2 division league over a 1 division league. I like both arguments, a 1 division league keeps scrub teams out of the playoffs, while a 2 division league will keep rivalries going.

 

[fsufan]

i think it helps with scheduling

for 13 game scheduling

10 team league, 2 divisions of 5, play division opponent twice, play other teams once

12 team league, 4 divisions of 3, play division opponent twice, play other teams once

14 team league, one division, play all teams once

 

[FUBAR]

If you're rotating divisions they only provide a way to get lesser teams into the playoffs and an additional "championship".

They only matter in large leagues with steady ownership.

 

[Dentist]

they make it seem more like real football, but in reality they aren't needed.. there is no benefit.

it's just another thing that increases the luck factor.

they shouldn't have them in real football either... with the advent of private jets for teams I'd rather see something different.

the NBA should REALLY ditch them

 

[Football Jones]

Divisions are my pet peeve of FF. All it does is increase the luck factor.

I see teams who should make it get left out time & time again. We put too much time into this hobby not to have a good way to get the best teams in the playoffs.

Another of my pet peeves is not reserving at least 1 spot, preferably 2, for a points wildcard(s). The league will still be mostly H2H, but having the top 4 W/L records get in plus the 2 top scorers is the ideal way to play (& no divisions). That almost always gets the best teams in the playoffs, which should be the goal of the league.

 

[Runningman]

Need? No. Fun? You decide. I like them and have 3 in my main 12 team league. I can't think of the last time I thought a division winner did not deserve a playoff spot.

 

[Choke]

I prefer them.

I don't like rotisserie style.

I understand the fairness (same as an auction) quality of getting rid of them.

But I prefer interaction. And the occasional foibles is wonderful seasoning.

 

[PolishNorbi]

Divisions are my pet peeve of FF. All it does is increase the luck factor.I see teams who should make it get left out time & time again. We put too much time into this hobby not to have a good way to get the best teams in the playoffs.Another of my pet peeves is not reserving at least 1 spot, preferably 2, for a points wildcard(s). The league will still be mostly H2H, but having the top 4 W/L records get in plus the 2 top scorers is the ideal way to play (& no divisions). That almost always gets the best teams in the playoffs, which should be the goal of the league.

I wish my main money league was this way. 3rd in overall scoring but have 10% more points against than anyone in the league. Out of my 7 losses, I have faced the #1 scorer 5 times, #2 1 time, and the 1 close game.I'm at 5-7 and no way I get in.

 

[theoneandonly]

3 divison 12 team really makes you care about what the other teams in the division are doing

 

[iix]

We have two conferences with two divisions each. The only benefit for this is scheduling. We do not use div/conf records in figuring out who gets in the playoffs. Once the regular season is done the bottom four teams pack it up and the top eight stay and play. It really makes for a nice rivalry when you get to see a couple of teams twice instead of just a random one here and there. We also have money for each finisher at the top of their conference. We couldn't be happier with them.

 

[barooooooo]

I'm in a ten team league with divisions and I hate it! There is no reason for it! Rivalries...Hell, I have that every week with each owner I play!

 

[lazyike]

I like the divisions. In our 12 team league we keep the 1st and 3rd place teams in the same division the following year and bring in 2nd and 4th place teams from another division.

I like watching what your division opponents are doing the last few weeks. In leagues without divisions you end up randonmly playing some teams twice and some end up complaining that you didn't have to play 1-2 of the better teams twice, so that can offset compaints about weak divisions.

 

[DoubleG]

I like divisions. My dad, BIL and I are all in a dynasty league - and by random determination (by the commish) - the 3 of us are in the same division and have been since the league started 7 years ago. Those games are even more fun - and being in the division they happen twice as often.

Teams with better/worse records in HTH is a poor argument anyway. We have a team that is out of the playoffs and at 3-9 - and is 3rd in the league in total points. We have another team that is 8-4 that is near the bottom in total points. H2H records in fantasy football are over blow anyway.

 

[nysportsfan]

I'm thinking of splitting my 12 team PPR league into two 6 team conferences. We send 6 to the playoffs, so I would like to put the top two from each conference in the playoffs, then the remaining 2 teams as wildcards based on points. Both WCs could come from on conference to ensure it's not totally screwing the total points criteria.

 

[ChromeWeasel]

We are currently having this discussion in one of my leagues and I can see both sides of the topic. Should FF leagues have divisions?In our league, we play every team once, along with one extra game versus a "rival." We do not play the teams in our division any more than non division teams, although I realize some leagues play other division teams more than once. With a schedule setup like ours, is there any point to separating teams into divisions?

It depends on what you're doing with your divisions. There's no need to give a division winner a playoff birth, or any other special treatment. You can just use divisions to build your schedule.We have 3 divisions of 4 teams each in our 12 team league. The divisions are re-built every year based on the previous season's performance. The top 4 teams are seeded in the "Ace's High" division, the middle 4 teams go into "Run of the Mill," and the bottom 4 teams go into "Toilet Bowlers." You play division opponents more often than non-division, so how you finish affects your schedule.Playoffs are seeded by record and points scored without regard to what division anyone came from. Winning your division really doesnt mean anything. A 6-7 division winner is seeded lower than a 7-6 team that didnt win its division.Divisions are fine in my book. It's the fact that leagues make them important for playoff reasons that messes things up.