Had an exodus in 16-team keeper league--now have three open teams. (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Ashcraft]

Hey guys,

Long story here, but hang in there. I need some help. This is partly seeking advice as the commish of this league going into it's 12th season--and partly looking for potential replacement owners.

League details

16 Teams

Keep 9 each season with in-season roster of 18. Re-draft portion is held every Labor Day

$20 entry fee per team

Lineups are QB/RB1/RB2/WR/WR/TE/FLEX/K/DEF

PPR scoring...nothing too crazy.

We have a full constitution

The Problem

Last September, two owners left the league due to getting their feelings hurt regarding a league vote. The primary offended party gave a nice middle finger to the rest of the league on his way out the door by drafting eight defenses during the draft last season. It was ugly. Way too much drama for a couple guys in their thirties.

As commish, I was able to fill the two of the openings back in January. However, their other three buddies that all voted together as one regardless of logic left the league in the last two months. All three of their teams are open now. One of the open teams made the semi-finals in 2013 and since they dealt draft picks for this season, has already paid.

I'm unsure how to proceed here. It's new territory for me. Some of the guys on there three open teams are legit players. Here are the rosters.

Team 1 - went 8-6 in 2013; just missed playoffs

Rodgers/Ponder/Cassel

Charles/Stacy/L. Miller/Woodhead

Megatron/Wheaton/Hankerson/N. Washington/Simpson/Doss

Gronk/D. Walker

Dallas/Denver

Team 2 - went 11-3 and made the semi-finals; has dealt away the 1st round pick in 2014.

Ryan/Flacco

Peterson/Forte/Whittaker

Welker/Steve Smith/Boykin/A. Caldwell/A. Sanders/L. Moore/M. Goodwin

Gates/H. Miller

Arizona/Atlanta/Washington

Team 3 - went 5-9 and was mostly checked out

E. Manning

J. Bell/A. Brown/Turbin/Scott/Dwyer/Ogbonnaya

Roddy/Tavon/Hilton/Hopkins/Stevie Johnson

Eifert/Celek/Winslow

Frisco/Tennessee

Do I try and commish-run one of these for a season and throw the other two teams' player into the draft pool?

Do I try and get three new owners?

Do I scrap the whole setup and do a redraft with 11 or 12 owners?

Do I just give everyone their money back (of those that have paid for 2014 via draft pick trades), and just close up shop?

I've never been in this situation and could use some advice. Thanks in advance!

 

[bigums]

Have you tried to get new owners yet? I could see the first two teams easily finding takers, but that third one you might have to let play for free to get someone to bite.

Edit: Even the third one isn't horrible in a 16 team league. Not great, but Tavon/Hilton/Eifert is a decent young core to build around.

 

[jandyt]

Id guessing since its a small money league that you can find owners for all 3 teams without too much difficultly. Being that its a pretty long standing league I think that beats a total redraft or a fold up.

 

[sbonomo]

Just have a dispersal draft of player and pics....give the three teams a $7 discount for year I (paid by the owner that left) and go from there. Between the three teams and picks available you should easily be able to fill.

 

[adrenaline]

Just have a dispersal draft of player and pics....give the three teams a $7 discount for year I (paid by the owner that left) and go from there. Between the three teams and picks available you should easily be able to fill.

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