How do you handle semi-disgruntled owners (1 Viewer)

[In The Zone]

Ok, 1st let me give you a brief history. Our league is going into it's 8th season and back in May we had our 1st annual coaches meeting. Everyone was invited and encouraged to attend. I, as commish, sent out numerous e-mails to everyone in the league with invites. I also let everyone know that if they couldn't attend then at least give me some ideas on things to discuss or change for the upcoming season and seasons to come. I also let everyone know that the biggest topic of discussion was gonna be changing to a keeper league.

This One guy stated he was coming to the meeting but didn't show. Only 4 of the 12 owners showed so we made the decisions. Now this One guy finally signs up to the 2007 league yesterday(final day to do so), reads the new rules for the 1st time and starts a post wanting to change things. Here is his post:

4 keeper players being done in one draft is definitely not fair to the people in the lower half of the draft order. That's half of your starting team for the next three years being decided at one draft. I got no problem with new rules but you should ease into them not just jump off the cliff. That the same as a NFL team having 11 franchise players. I have heard of 1 player and two player keeper league but 4 is kind of unusual but even though. There are definitely other alternative ways of getting to 4 player that would make it fairer to the whole league and make the league more competitive, isn't that the object anyway? Two that immediately come to mind:

1) Every team is the same as last year so allow each team to keep two players off of last year team and draft two more this year

2) Draft two keeper players this year and then draft two more keeper players next year when the draft order will be done by reverse order like the NFL does so that the weaker teams have a chance to catch up and make the league competitive.

Thoughts everyone

Now he does make some decent points but he is 3 months to late in my opinion. I don't want to piss him off as he is a good, active owner but at the same time I can't cater to procrastinators. Oh yeah, guess what draft slot he has.

You got it, 12

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

this is why you should use auction contract leagues for dynasties =P

 

[Sea Bass]

He doesn't come off as disgruntled to me. He probably didn't expect a drastic change from a minority of ownership representation. With small numbers at the meeting an email should have been sent for the entire league to vote on the changes.

 

[obxlegends]

We go through this in our league about every 5 years or so. From expereince this is what I've found...

You either have to have a majoity vote on things to work or you have to lay out a plan and say "take it or leave it." I know it's blunt, but you eliminate a lot of the mess that way. I like the majority way myself. Having only 1/3 of your league coming up with the structure doesn't appeal to me much like it probably doesn't to this guy. Anything big like this can always be done through email. I don't know exactly what steps you took. Maybe you did do that, but from what I read it doesn't sound that way at all to me.

Was the draft order determined before the keeper plan was come up with? If so, not cool. At the very league you should of re-picked the draft order randomly after coming up with the keepers. You can't ADD value to a previously existing pick without having people feel slighted. As I said I'm not sure the order of how you did things.

My 2 cents.

 

[mozzy84]

don't you love owners who don't respond to anything until it actually affects them, this guy would not be whinning if he had the first pick. I would tell him take it or leave it and he missed the chance to speak up about it.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

Your commish, u do what u need to do, if he wasn't there and you gave him fair opportunity, its his fault..........

plus if he quits get someone else.........

 

[IM666]

I hope this helps in some way. The League I am in is notorious for not having owners participate in meetings and such. I know our Commissioner loathes the draft because he is not sure how many owners will show up. Last year, an owner called 15 minutes before the draft and said he couldn't make it because his kid was taking a nap. He was unceremoniously dumped and the reserve that lived closest to the draft sight was called in.

I am partially to blame as well. I failed to make the end of the year rules meeting just because I was to drunk; but that being said; I fully understood and accepted that by not being there I had no say as to what rules to change.

I think that needs to be fully acknowledged by every owner. YOU dictate your level of participation. The owners that choose not to attend, forfeited their right to vote and cry about it. If they don't like it attend the next meeting and try to have the rule changed.

 

[turnit643]

If it was clear to everyone that a vote was going to take pace at the meeting and the majority of votes at that meeting would make the rule, then I don't think he has a good case, he should have shown up or at least expressed his opinion in some way before the meeting. If that wasn't made clear prior to the meeting, then I think you need to present it to the entire league in another vote before the change gets put into place.

 

[j3r3m3y]

If it was clear to everyone that a vote was going to take pace at the meeting and the majority of votes at that meeting would make the rule, then I don't think he has a good case, he should have shown up or at least expressed his opinion in some way before the meeting. If that wasn't made clear prior to the meeting, then I think you need to present it to the entire league in another vote before the change gets put into place.

Agreed, if I had a situation where an owner who choose not to attend the meeting wanted to change the outcome I would tell him that if he wants his voice to be heard he needs to be there, it would be too late now, and it would be unfair to the owners who took the time to participate in the process.I am good friends with most of the owners in my league, but if a someone wanted to leave I would replace them. It sets a bad precedent to bend things around to placate one owner. The overall integrity of the league has to come first.

 

[In The Zone]

Thanks for the post so far. 1st let me say that I agree with the auction format but I can't get it to pass. I've tried for 2 years now. Everyone gets a chance at everyone.

Our draft order was randomly selected 3 months ago at the coaches meeting. It is still a serpentine draft so this guy will actually have 1st choice at a possible 2nd keeper.

The keeper talk began 1 1/2 years ago in our league and was talked about extensively last year during the season. All 12 owners knew it was a strong possibility.

I don't want to come across as a dictator commish or an ####### but I guess being the commish I may have to do just that. I think I will respond to his post explaining to him my thoughts and see how he reacts. He is a good, active owner(moreso than some others) so overall he is an asset to the league. However we do have a small waiting list to join so he can be replaced.