Live (not online) draft... (1 Viewer)

[PRAE]

I have always done live online fantasy drafts because my buddies are all over the country. With that said, this year i am running a league at work and we may do a live in-person draft. Sooo...how are these usually ran? Whats the time limit? What is someone runs out of time (obviously with an online draft it picks for them)? Also, would I as the commissioner be entering the picks as we go in whatever site we are going to use (usually just use yahoo for work league)? Thanks Guys

 

[Zoomanji]

How its run depends on if you have a big board or not.

If so, some one has to put the picks on the board (and I guess you are also putting them in the CPU so I would skip the board unless you have a helper).

Otherwise I give between 1- 3 minutes per pick. Depends how slow and prepared your teams are.

If time runs out, the next guys keep picking until the slow guy decides who he wants.

 

[raven1911]

I have always done live online fantasy drafts because my buddies are all over the country. With that said, this year i am running a league at work and we may do a live in-person draft. Sooo...how are these usually ran? Whats the time limit? What is someone runs out of time (obviously with an online draft it picks for them)? Also, would I as the commissioner be entering the picks as we go in whatever site we are going to use (usually just use yahoo for work league)? Thanks Guys

I can only speak for myself. I have an online draft and a live draft. We have about 1-2 min per pick and the commissioner writes all picks down. We have never had a problem with people running out of time. If they go over their time limit then pressure is on and they usually pick, but never have had to make a pick for the individual. We order pizza and drinks and get together and just have a good time. All entry fees are due at the draft as well, no entry fee, no picking. You gotta be strict with this because it will bite you in the butt later if you don't collect money at the beginning.

 

[mozzy84]

we have some steep penalties for running out of time on the clock, but you can make whatever rule you want. I think its 3min for the first 5 rounds and then drops to 1 1/2 min for the rest. Yea commish enters picks on sheet or computer.

oh yea and buy a round for everyone if you pick a guy already choosen, thats always nice and happens every year.

 

[AcerFC]

We have a draft board that we use. Each team announces their selection and then puts the sticker on the board. We do not use time limits because we find it actually slows the process down. If a team has 2 minutes they will usually take the 2 minutes. With the no time limit thing, most picks come in within 30 seconds to a minute. There are some slow picks but it never goes over 3 or 4 minutes.

Just make sure you have some good one liners like when someone takes a flier in the 3rd round, say, are we in the 10th round already. It is much more fun then online drafts

 

[PRAE]

I actually do have a big board...sent to me by cbssportsline.com somehow. Anyway, so I could have someone posting the picks on the board...and me entering into the computer? Sound good? I like the 3 minute timer for the 1st 5 rounds...and then the drop. maybe a stupid question, but usually with an online draft all of the available players ranked in a default ranking are listed so its easy for teams to see whos available... Is it just up to individual owners to pick up a magazine or bring pick sheets??? Thanks for the response guys!

 

[Zoomanji]

maybe a stupid question, but usually with an online draft all of the available players ranked in a default ranking are listed so its easy for teams to see whos available... Is it just up to individual owners to pick up a magazine or bring pick sheets??? Thanks for the response guys!

 

[PRAE]

maybe a stupid question, but usually with an online draft all of the available players ranked in a default ranking are listed so its easy for teams to see whos available... Is it just up to individual owners to pick up a magazine or bring pick sheets??? Thanks for the response guys!

I might have to throw some "custom" sheets around the table then!!

 

[bjlmonster]

I actually do have a big board...sent to me by cbssportsline.com somehow. Anyway, so I could have someone posting the picks on the board...and me entering into the computer? Sound good? I like the 3 minute timer for the 1st 5 rounds...and then the drop. maybe a stupid question, but usually with an online draft all of the available players ranked in a default ranking are listed so its easy for teams to see whos available... Is it just up to individual owners to pick up a magazine or bring pick sheets??? Thanks for the response guys!

I commish two of these leagues myself. If you don't have help posting the stickers on your board, have each owner do it as they make their picks. Also, I use drafting software to help me draft and do not want to enter draft picks into the computer. I usually take the big board home and manually enter the rosters in the next day. These two steps take some time later, but allow me to focus on drafting my squad.In my work league, there is always some unprepared guys, so I bring my extra mags for them. Our league also sets aside some entry fee money each year for food. we get some chicken, pizza, etc. and make a night of it. No reason not to make it a celebration. Draft night is one of the best nights of the year and I think you will love in person drafts instead of online drafts.Good Luck

 

[PRAE]

I actually do have a big board...sent to me by cbssportsline.com somehow. Anyway, so I could have someone posting the picks on the board...and me entering into the computer? Sound good? I like the 3 minute timer for the 1st 5 rounds...and then the drop. maybe a stupid question, but usually with an online draft all of the available players ranked in a default ranking are listed so its easy for teams to see whos available... Is it just up to individual owners to pick up a magazine or bring pick sheets??? Thanks for the response guys!

I commish two of these leagues myself. If you don't have help posting the stickers on your board, have each owner do it as they make their picks. Also, I use drafting software to help me draft and do not want to enter draft picks into the computer. I usually take the big board home and manually enter the rosters in the next day. These two steps take some time later, but allow me to focus on drafting my squad.In my work league, there is always some unprepared guys, so I bring my extra mags for them. Our league also sets aside some entry fee money each year for food. we get some chicken, pizza, etc. and make a night of it. No reason not to make it a celebration. Draft night is one of the best nights of the year and I think you will love in person drafts instead of online drafts.Good Luck

If you are going to manually enter the picks in the site you are using what the piont in using "drafting software"? Couldnt you basically just type the names on an excel sheet and then enter them manually into the site?? maybe I missed something???

 

[red]

lives drafts are the best day of the year...like christmas in august!!!!

each owner brings food and/or drinks. we have a draft board where each owner goes up one by one and places the name of his pick on the board. there's no time limit per se, but usually if an owner is dawdling everyone starts to give him cr@p. there's a lot of ripping and good natured fun.

as commish, i track the draft using DD and then upload the rosters after the draft onto our website. (just makes it easier for me to track AND do my draft and not have to worry about a connection or anything like that).

 

[mozzy84]

I actually do have a big board...sent to me by cbssportsline.com somehow. Anyway, so I could have someone posting the picks on the board...and me entering into the computer? Sound good? I like the 3 minute timer for the 1st 5 rounds...and then the drop. maybe a stupid question, but usually with an online draft all of the available players ranked in a default ranking are listed so its easy for teams to see whos available... Is it just up to individual owners to pick up a magazine or bring pick sheets??? Thanks for the response guys!

I commish two of these leagues myself. If you don't have help posting the stickers on your board, have each owner do it as they make their picks. Also, I use drafting software to help me draft and do not want to enter draft picks into the computer. I usually take the big board home and manually enter the rosters in the next day. These two steps take some time later, but allow me to focus on drafting my squad.In my work league, there is always some unprepared guys, so I bring my extra mags for them. Our league also sets aside some entry fee money each year for food. we get some chicken, pizza, etc. and make a night of it. No reason not to make it a celebration. Draft night is one of the best nights of the year and I think you will love in person drafts instead of online drafts.Good Luck

If you are going to manually enter the picks in the site you are using what the piont in using "drafting software"? Couldnt you basically just type the names on an excel sheet and then enter them manually into the site?? maybe I missed something???

he uses the drafting software to help HIM draft, not keep track of the league picks, thats what the big board is for. He has nothing to worry about besides his team.

 

[Mt. Man]

I've been in a live (in person) draft for years now, usually as commissioner or co-commissioner. Here are my preferences; as always, YMMV.

Recording picks. I have an Excel spreadsheet ready, and a blank sheet (basically a big board in 11x8 form) for backup and historical sake. I wait until the draft's over to put all the rosters up at once. You may find something like the Draft Dominator here useful for tracking purposes (as well as possibly helping out your own team).

Since you have a big board, I'd recommend either owners putting up their own picks or having someone not in the draft handle it. You're likely to have your hands full as it is, and otherwise may be tempted to abandon it because it's slowing things down.

Timing/pacing. We don't have a set time limit, but I'd imagine at least 75% would fit within 3 minutes, once the commissioner(s) announce who's up. If people approach (say) 5 minutes, they start to feel pressure (what with every other owners' eyes on them) and often that's enough to encourage a pick.

Around halfway through, we generally offer a quick break, for people to grab a snack/smoke/etc. and catch up on who's available and what they need. Sometimes this even leads to trades, if only down the line. If things are going at a good pace we often delay or outright skip it.

Materials for others. I/we give owners:

1) A sheet to record each of their players' name, position and bye week. Yes, a printed list of bye weeks are included, partially to lessen excuses

2) A list of players listed alphabetically by position. Usually about 75 RBs/WRs and 40 of everything else but Defenses. This way they can keep track of who's gone, but it's up to them to rank players.

 

[The Kansas Comet]

In the past the league I commish has used a big board with player stickers - each owner puts his selection on the board. We have never done a time limit, but most of the picks are made in a timely manner (and any that take a while usually earn the owner plenty of abuse, along with the standard "we waited 5 minutes for you to take that piece of ****?"). I didn't enter the picks into the league site until after the draft. This year I am using Fandraft software, so we'll see how it goes - I'll be doing a few test runs between now and draft day.

As far as supplies go, I provide pens/pencils and a sheet for players to record the players drafted, but nothing else. If they need a list, they can make them on their own time.

Before the draft, I collect the fees and record the payments on a sheet I made prior to draft day and enter it into my computer later. I also discuss some topics that need to be addressed before the start of the draft (reminder of rule changes, determination of player positions, answering any questions).

As far as food goes, this is the first year I have hosted the draft, so I am giving the other owners a few choices as to food a week in advance (Mexican, Sandwiches, In-n-Out Burgers, Pizza) and then buying accordingly. I found in the past when the host went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of food and drinks that much of it went to waste, and I'd rather not have the league pay for food that goes uneaten.

Aside from that, make sure that you don't spend so much time as commish that your draft suffers and make sure you have fun.

 

[NoFBinLA]

Aside from that, make sure that you don't spend so much time as commish that your draft suffers and make sure you have fun.

The one live in person draft I am in has done it in bars often the last few years - talk to the owners ahead of time, we show up early, carve out a nitch and do our thing - people can buy food or beer as they like. Last year we had some regulars of the bar take an interest in the goings ons and chat us up. It was a good time.we use a big board (did software on a TV screen one year and it didn't work well) and have either asked for volunteers to man the board for a few rounds or had each owner go up to do their own picks.Best time of the year - I love the season, but there is nothing like hearing cries of outrage when you grab a player right before a buddy or the snorts of derision when someone reaches.

 

[YoUnG GuNz]

I have always done live online fantasy drafts because my buddies are all over the country. With that said, this year i am running a league at work and we may do a live in-person draft. Sooo...how are these usually ran? Whats the time limit? What is someone runs out of time (obviously with an online draft it picks for them)? Also, would I as the commissioner be entering the picks as we go in whatever site we are going to use (usually just use yahoo for work league)? Thanks Guys

The league that I'm in at work goes like this. There is a 2 Min time limit for each pickWe don't use a draft board although we may this year. What we usaually do is Everyone gets an excel sheet labeled like this on the side. R1, R2, R3 ETC for your draft picks. So the Comissioner can just read the sheets an put them into the computer because it has each teams roster on each piece of paper. In the past we do it at a bar but this year we are having it a some dudes house not decided yet.But this is a lot better then online drafts. It's a whole lotta fun and is christmas in the summer.

 

[Fishnic]

Materials for others. I/we give owners:1) A sheet to record each of their players' name, position and bye week. Yes, a printed list of bye weeks are included, partially to lessen excuses2) A list of players listed alphabetically by position. Usually about 75 RBs/WRs and 40 of everything else but Defenses. This way they can keep track of who's gone, but it's up to them to rank players.

any chance of helping me out finding this or maybe sharing the file?thanks in advance!!!

 

[Lowen1]

Been drafting live for 8+ years. We go to a local bar, sit around a big table and eat & get drunk. We bring in two babes from the office to "manage" the draft. They are responsible for writing down all the picks, timing the selections and making sure players don't get picked twice. They get to eat and drink for free. We get one group check and everyone pays for what they order and another 33% to cover tax, tip and the babes.

We started out with 3 minutes per pick for rounds 1-5, then 2 minutes for rounds 6-16. But that is way to long. Even for the idiots drafting out of a 4 month old magazine, that is to long.

So, we've cut the time down to 90 seconds for rounds 1-5, and 60 seconds for rounds 6-16. Works ok for us. If you run out of time, you can be skipped, ala the Vikings. Rarely happens.

We don't use a big board. Everyone is responsible for tracking their own picks and how has been taken, and whatever else you want to track.

As commish, I don't provide anything for the league, besides a warning to come prepared.