Why use blind bid waivers? (1 Viewer)

[NattyDread]

I'm commissioner in a couple of leagues, and each season we consider owner ideas for tweaks to league rules. Something I've been thinking about for a while is proposing a switch from the typical worst-to-first waivers, to a blind bidding system.

For those of you who play in such system or have similarly considered a switch, what are the pros and cons of a blind bid waiver system? Do you prefer it? Dislike it? Are there particular league formats or owner types that you think such a system would work better or worse for? If I were to propose a blind bid format, what parameters would you suggest?

 

[JohnnyU]

I'm commissioner in a couple of leagues, and each season we consider owner ideas for tweaks to league rules. Something I've been thinking about for a while is proposing a switch from the typical worst-to-first waivers, to a blind bidding system.

For those of you who play in such system or have similarly considered a switch, what are the pros and cons of a blind bid waiver system? Do you prefer it? Dislike it? Are there particular league formats or owner types that you think such a system would work better or worse for? If I were to propose a blind bid format, what parameters would you suggest?

I play in both and like both equally. One of the drawbacks to BB in dynasty leagues is that it doesn't give the worst team first dibs to a player, which can be a bad thing for dynasty leagues.

 

[Moonlight]

I think BB is favored by sharper, more successful owners or those that think they are. It allows another opportunity to outmanuever and obtain access to players that you otherwise would not such as when you are # 10-12 in waiver order and a player is likely to go 1-4 in the waiver run.

As a result BB makes it harder for a bottom dweller to rebuild in dynasty as they only receive a preference in the rookie draft.

BB does have attraction for all owners in that you can shoot you wad and greatly increase your chances of getting a player you covet.

But I think BB leads to less parity if you are into that.

 

[pizzatyme]

I like worst to first in dyno. Otherwise, BB.

 

[Bronco Billy]

The draft rewards teams that suck. FA by its nature shouldn't do the same thing. If a guy has a tremendous in-season upswing in value, all teams ought to have an opportunity to obtain that player. Simply being the worst team in the league - and perhaps a really lousy owner - shouldn't be the criteria for that opportunity.

Worst to first could actually promote tanking. There is incentive in stronger teams fielding crappy lineups in the first week or two in an effort to get unfettered access to the top FA, which could easily positively impact their ability to win the league.

 

[northern exposure]

My intention isn't to sidetrack this thread. But, for leagues that have "worst to first" waivers are you resetting them every week based on the standings or do you simply start the season's waivers with worst to first rankings and then let the waivers roll?

 

[Kitrick Taylor]

I prefer the BB system. Gives everybody the same opportunity for players. The non-serpentine draft in dyno's is enough of a reward for the bad teams.

I've changed my attitude about being able to trade for BB dollars however. I used to be for it, but in practice, it just seems to be another avenue for the wolves to attack the sheep. Suddenly a small number of teams have significantly more BB dollars than everyone else. When that happens, you've got a Daniel Snyder in your league with few restrictions on his salary cap.

 

[chad in Indy]

BB is more fair to the league, even while thinking of the worst place teams. Just because my team starts out 2-0 doesn't mean I have the best team. I may have only won because the teams I played had an "off" week. Or vice-versa. I may have a loaded team, but lose the first two weeks from crazy head-head matchups.

Waiver pickups shouldn't go by ranking because it may not actually be indicative of who has the strongest team from a whole season's perspective. BB eliminates this scenario and gives everyone an equal shot.

 

[Hu-Tang Clan]

When that happens, you've got a Daniel Snyder in your league with few restrictions on his salary cap.

Yeah but Dan Snyder doesn't put a winning team on the field.

 

[Hankmoody]

BB is more fair to the league, even while thinking of the worst place teams. Just because my team starts out 2-0 doesn't mean I have the best team. I may have only won because the teams I played had an "off" week. Or vice-versa. I may have a loaded team, but lose the first two weeks from crazy head-head matchups.

Waiver pickups shouldn't go by ranking because it may not actually be indicative of who has the strongest team from a whole season's perspective. BB eliminates this scenario and gives everyone an equal shot.

That

 

[NattyDread]

Once decided on a blind bid system, what are some important governing rules? For example, the comment about trading bid dollars is something I hadn't considered. Does anyone have any language in their league bylaws about their blind bid system that could be used?

 

[Jello_Biafra]

Once decided on a blind bid system, what are some important governing rules? For example, the comment about trading bid dollars is something I hadn't considered. Does anyone have any language in their league bylaws about their blind bid system that could be used?

This is how we do it:

8.1 You can submit your BB waiver requests starting Sundays 8pm. We will have several automatic bid processing days during the week. The waivers will process: Thursday 12:00 am (Wednesday night), Fridays 12:00am (Thursday night), Saturday 12:00 am (Friday night) with the tiebreaker being 1. worse record, 2.least amount of pts. FCFS will start after waivers run until kickoff of the 1st Sunday game of the week. FCFS pick ups will cost $0 . The waiver period will end after the week 16 games, and will resume during the offseason, with one round of bidding one time per month after season's end.

Once a player is dropped, he is "locked" until the following waiver period.

One week before the rookie draft we will all get $100 BB bucks. Before that time, if you have no money left, the only way to pick up free agents would be to trade for bucks. (This is for off-season waivers only)

BB Bucks

You can trade BB Bucks. BB Bucks will carryover from season to season.



Some leagues run BB waivers once a week then FCFS, we do it 3 times per week. Also we carryover money from year to year, so right now we have someone with over $300 while most are hovering around $100.

 

[ShamrockPride]

I do a BB dynasty. Like it a lot more than W2F. In this format, it really allows owners to set a tangible value on how much they value a guy. If the 0-4 team loses out to the league's defending champ on a guy...maybe he should have valued him a bit more if he really felt he would improve his team. Now the defending champ gets it, in return for a large portion of his budget. That seems very fair to me. Like another guy said, the draft is for biasing poorly performing teams, not FA.

 

[sontzu]

Blind bid waivers is definitely the way to go. As mentioned above, it gives everyone a chance to acquire a player. In addition, it adds an element of strategy to the waiver wire process. I always look forward to the auction results with anticipation.

 

[ghostguy123]

Blind bid waivers are the best because they are fair for everyone with no exception.

If they "favor" the better owners, well, so be it. The draft technically already favors the lesser owners/teams, so now the waivers should also??? Nah

 

[bagger]

I'm commissioner in a couple of leagues, and each season we consider owner ideas for tweaks to league rules. Something I've been thinking about for a while is proposing a switch from the typical worst-to-first waivers, to a blind bidding system.

For those of you who play in such system or have similarly considered a switch, what are the pros and cons of a blind bid waiver system? Do you prefer it? Dislike it? Are there particular league formats or owner types that you think such a system would work better or worse for? If I were to propose a blind bid format, what parameters would you suggest?

we are moving from traditional to blind bid in my league this year.The biggest reason is that teams who start slow but may have a good team get such an advantage early on over those with similar talent. It may keep everyone closer to 0.500 from what I have seen but I think we are in he agreement in our league that we'd like to see some additional strategy if you really want a player.

 

[Jedi Knight]

We use a combination of BB and FCFS waivers. The first window is blind bid for one player only and closes Wednesday at midnight. After that, it FCFS the remainder of the week. Just for some thoughts regarding the "fairness"- I got CJ Anderson in week 8 for a $1 bid. I got Odell Beckham for free in week six during the FCFS window. Those two players alone were a big reason I won the championship. I guess it really doesn't matter what the format is, the owner that is paying attention and rolling the dice early enough usually gets the free-agents that make a difference.

 

[Tool]

Once decided on a blind bid system, what are some important governing rules? For example, the comment about trading bid dollars is something I hadn't considered. Does anyone have any language in their league bylaws about their blind bid system that could be used?

This is how we do it:

8.1 You can submit your BB waiver requests starting Sundays 8pm. We will have several automatic bid processing days during the week. The waivers will process: Thursday 12:00 am (Wednesday night), Fridays 12:00am (Thursday night), Saturday 12:00 am (Friday night) with the tiebreaker being 1. worse record, 2.least amount of pts. FCFS will start after waivers run until kickoff of the 1st Sunday game of the week. FCFS pick ups will cost $0 . The waiver period will end after the week 16 games, and will resume during the offseason, with one round of bidding one time per month after season's end.

Once a player is dropped, he is "locked" until the following waiver period.

One week before the rookie draft we will all get $100 BB bucks. Before that time, if you have no money left, the only way to pick up free agents would be to trade for bucks. (This is for off-season waivers only)

BB Bucks

You can trade BB Bucks. BB Bucks will carryover from season to season.



Some leagues run BB waivers once a week then FCFS, we do it 3 times per week. Also we carryover money from year to year, so right now we have someone with over $300 while most are hovering around $100.

The league i'm in does not carry over $ from year to year. It can be traded though at any time during the season (b/f trade deadline). I personally do not like the idea of being able to build up a huge bank.

 

[Loan Sharks]

As a league that was traditional waivers to BB. BB is a interest and action stimulator. BB really pumps up league participation as opposed to people just sitting in position waiting for their one pick up of the season.

 

[Shutout]

I used to lobby for BB in leagues but I've come to hate it.

I play mainly in dynasty so I'm speaking mostly from that angle when I say it's ridiculous to spend some random amount guessing what others will or won't do. A WR that would cost $5 in an auction might cost you who knows how much in BB. The worst teams in the dynasty league don't get any help and, long term, there should be parity-incentive programs in place because when you end up with 3 super teams in a dynasty, 75+% of the league isn't having much fun.

Also, with BB, it's really a LONG LONG term implication thing because unless all owners (and all owners that come into the league and inherit teams) are all paying for what happened a long time ago if owners aren't smart. You got a guy you desperately need for right now and you blow your funds on a guy and guess what? Leaves the door open for somebody who was asleep for 3 months to pick up quality guys cheap and reap rewards for years. That's fine and good as a strategy piece for leagues but to be honest, most owners aren't invested as a whole (entire league) to care about what happens 3 years from now and forward.

I think a worst to first or at least an auction makes more sense. At least that way you KNOW the value of any player at any given time is reflective on a large group and not just one loose cannon.

 

[Don Quixote]

I like blind bid in both redraft and dynasty. Worst-to-first is just frustrating in redraft. I remember starting off a pyrric 4-0 in a league once, which ended up killing me because I couldn't pick up any of the waiver wire gems (I think I won one or two games the rest of the season). Blind bid gives everyone equal opportunity for those players, and requires skill to manage your account.

In dynasty, my leagues do a modified blind bidding -- the team with the worst record from the prior year gets marginally more money in their blind bidding account. Just enough to give a bit of a boost.

 

[BYRK75!]

BB is the best way in any league.. Why reward teams that don't put in the effort and time???

 

[Stealthycat]

everyone has the same opportunity at players

its why salary cap leagues rule - nothing sucks more than knowing there is no way to get a certain player either by draft position or waiver system

salary cap rules

 

[Warrior]

When that happens, you've got a Daniel Snyder in your league with few restrictions on his salary cap.

Yeah but Dan Snyder doesn't put a winning team on the field.

Dan Snyder has a salary cap...

 

[Bruce Hammond]

I used to lobby for BB in leagues but I've come to hate it.

I play mainly in dynasty so I'm speaking mostly from that angle when I say it's ridiculous to spend some random amount guessing what others will or won't do. A WR that would cost $5 in an auction might cost you who knows how much in BB. The worst teams in the dynasty league don't get any help and, long term, there should be parity-incentive programs in place because when you end up with 3 super teams in a dynasty, 75+% of the league isn't having much fun.

Also, with BB, it's really a LONG LONG term implication thing because unless all owners (and all owners that come into the league and inherit teams) are all paying for what happened a long time ago if owners aren't smart. You got a guy you desperately need for right now and you blow your funds on a guy and guess what? Leaves the door open for somebody who was asleep for 3 months to pick up quality guys cheap and reap rewards for years. That's fine and good as a strategy piece for leagues but to be honest, most owners aren't invested as a whole (entire league) to care about what happens 3 years from now and forward.

I think a worst to first or at least an auction makes more sense. At least that way you KNOW the value of any player at any given time is reflective on a large group and not just one loose cannon.

BB is the way to go. I don't think systems shoud be in place that buffer people from their ignorance and reward them for their failure. We all pay the same league fees. Better to let them fail and weed them out, replacing them with more competent and competitive owners.

Though I've never begun a dynasty league from scratch, if I were to start such a league I'd not only have rules in place that would avoid propping up losers, I'd set standards whereby owners could be removed from the league for extended incompetence. There would also have to be procedures for new incoming owners to pluck players from other rosters to help make the loser roster decent again, but that's a much better way of promoting long term health and competitiveness of a league than merely keeping terrible owners in place year after year and feeding them players in free agency.