From Snake to Auction (1 Viewer)

[ImTheScientist]

I have run a local league for 10 years now. We have always done a snake draft. For the first time this year I participated in 2 auction drafts. I LOVE THEM! I am fighting against huge resistance in my local league and I don't understand why they want to fight it. Snakes are not a fair way to draft.

Who has had similar experiences and how did you convince your league to switch over? Are there any strong points that others who have experience in both would use to persuade hard core "snake drafters"?

Please help.

ImTheScientist

 

[pollardsvision]

i can't be much help. i've never found too many people who were resistant to them. every league i'm in has switched over, without any resistance. the decision seems very simple to me.

i've never known anyone to do an auction, then say they prefer drafts.

what reasons are they giving you for not wanting to change?

 

[pollardsvision]

i would think you'd have to challenge their manhood.

i can only think of one reason not to want to do an auction: they are scared of completely screwing themselves.

it's pretty hard to screw yourself in a draft. it's very possible in an auction.

are these the kind of people that respond to being called pansies?

 

[eric rymer]

My favorite selling point to an auction is that you can have any player that you want. That's all I need. Good luck.

 

[LionsFan78]

Convince them to have the snake draft, then the following weekend, talk everybody into participating in a free/low buy-in auction draft. Make it fun, go to Hooters or something. No reason they won't want to at least try it, and you can still have your snake draft. Then promise them that if they don't want to try it after that, you'll never bring it up again.

Pressuring them the way you're doing won't work at all; people like sticking with what they know, especially if it happens to be the only league they play in. They have to try it once. Either they're hooked at that point, or they're not, but that's about as far as I'd take it as the commish.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Two pro auction owners in my league started subtly offering the various advantages of auctions one season in the league email. A couple others, including me, were immediately onboard. The next season we recruited other owners one at a time. For a brief period we were known as the Auction Lobby. That summer it became a friendly debate and we went for it, never to look back. I recommend a similar approach.

 

[Balance]

once you've gone Auc, there's no going bauc.

 

[Polecat]

Are you running this league? Just do it. If you lose anybody, replace them. Do not give them a choice. What's the use in being commissioner if you cannot make arbitrary decisions anytime the urge strikes?

 

[PatsFan72]

When my league switched over a few years ago I was resistant. I'd never been to an auction, never read anything about them, didn't know how they worked, and didn't want to learn a whole new system. After doing it, I see why so many people like it. Some of the top reasons are...

Being able to get any player you want

...Those deep sleepers, the top pick, as long as you want to spend the money, you get 'em.

Being able to make someone else pay more for someone then they want to

...By bidding on players that owners are in love with, you get to screw with them a little more and make it harder for someone else to build a good team

It keeps everyone involved longer

...No more waiting for an hour between pick 02.01 and 03.10, everyone is involved with every player put up, even if you don't want them, you can still watch the fun as other vie for them.

And the first year, most everyone else was new to it also, so it's not like you're the only newbie looking lost.

 

[FairWarning]

Love auctions. Tell them that EVERYONE has a chance at Adrian Peterson and not just the first two picks. Make it a non-keeper league (12-teams) where the top 6 teams make the playoffs and the bottom 6 make the Toilet Bowl.

 

[LionsFan78]

Are you running this league? Just do it. If you lose anybody, replace them. Do not give them a choice. What's the use in being commissioner if you cannot make arbitrary decisions anytime the urge strikes?

That's not a good approach to handling any league matter as a legit commish

 

[Ray]

As mentioned above:

- More Flexibility: Everyone has a shot at their favorite player/sleeper

- Less Downtime: Everyone is involved 90% of the time

other points that might sway some:

- More dynamic/fun: rush of bidding up and up on a guy you want, throwing out names of guys you know other owners love

- More fair: nobody lucks into LT; nobody is stuck with a bad pick; the #1 pick in a snake draft is often worth as much as the 12th & 13th picks combined...

- More strategic: Spend big for studs vs. tons of value picks; when to nominate players you want vs. when to nominate chaff

 

[pollardsvision]

When my league switched over a few years ago I was resistant. I'd never been to an auction, never read anything about them, didn't know how they worked, and didn't want to learn a whole new system. After doing it, I see why so many people like it. Some of the top reasons are...Being able to get any player you want...Those deep sleepers, the top pick, as long as you want to spend the money, you get 'em. Being able to make someone else pay more for someone then they want to...By bidding on players that owners are in love with, you get to screw with them a little more and make it harder for someone else to build a good teamIt keeps everyone involved longer...No more waiting for an hour between pick 02.01 and 03.10, everyone is involved with every player put up, even if you don't want them, you can still watch the fun as other vie for them. And the first year, most everyone else was new to it also, so it's not like you're the only newbie looking lost.

this is a good post.now that i think about, my league had more resistance at 1st than i first recalled. in addition to what patsfan mentions, some in my league were also concerned that it would take forever (for that, let them know it goes by faster b/c you must stay involved the whole time).in addition to other reasons mentioned, i think the issue of exploiting value is more relevant in an auction. for example, this year if someone thought LT and ADP were going to bust and that marion barber was going to be the best back in the league, what are they to do if they get the #1 pick? they could draft LT and then trade for barber, but those trades are rarely easy to make work. an auction offers the chance to exploit variance in percieved values. drafts do not.in drafts, what you think about players is secondary to your draft position. all the preparation in the world can get wasted if your draft position doesn't line up with how you value the players.auctions offer the chance to literally build the exact team you want. drafts force you to build the best team possible based on an arbitrary draft position.imo, auctions are like poker. drafts are more like uno. i think a 4 year old could grab a cheat sheet and have a good draft.again, when all else fails, don't be afraid to challenge their manhood.

 

[plymkr]

The poker comparison is interesting. That would work in my league as far as swaying a few individuals and challenging their manhood.

 

[Varmint]

I find that the staunchest defenders of the draft format are those are afraid to try, what they fear is, the complexity of the auction format. It's like forcing your kid to learn to drive a stickshift if she don't wanna learn it. They'll defend the automatic transmission as the best thing around....because they know it.

I took...I mean...I DRAGGED my league into the auction format about six years ago.

I say "dragged" and I mean...DRAGGED 'em...kicking and screaming!

I had memebers threatening to quit. There was a move to oust me as Commissioner. They cried, #####ed, moaned, and whined about moving to the format because they didn't want to have to follow the "complexities" of it all.

Fear was the #1 reason NOT to move it...

"Don't fix it if it ain't broke" was the battle cry.

As soon as I felt I had enough support to move it...I explained to them that I wasn't an elected official....I was a benevolent dictator. We were moving to the auction.

Well, we did an auction and not one member of my 14-team league would go back to a draft if I tried to drag it back.