MOVFSA RULEBOOK
Updated August 12, 2004OBJECTIVES
FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP
FRANCHISE ROSTERS
PLAYER POSITION ELIGIBILITY
ACTIVE LINEUPS
SCORING
PLAYERS DRAFT
PLAYERS SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT
SCHEDULE & STANDINGS
PLAYOFFS
RULES CHANGES
AWARDS &FINANCES
1. OBJECTIVES
- The object of a Mid Ohio Valley Fantasy Sports Association franchise owner, is to assemble a roster of 17 to 20 National Football League (NFL) offensive players (QB, RB, WR, and PK) and a defensive/special teams, (DT) in order to participate in a weekly head-to-head match with a fellow league member.
- Before the first kickoff of each week, every franchise supplies an 8 player lineup out of their 17 to 20 player roster. Based on points awarded for performance statistics of active players, a win, loss, or tie is determined as the result for that week's scheduled games.
- Following a regular season schedule, those franchises qualifying enter their Conference's championship playoffs to determine which franchise will represent their Conference in the League Championship.
- Those franchise which do not qualify for the Championship Playoffs enter into a League Toilet Bowl. Each franchise picks their opponent’s lineup and the loser advances.
- Each franchise, at the end of the season is given an opportunity to reserve their franchise through the offseason upon payment of $25 to the League Commissioner. The $25 deposit reserves your franchise upto the Hall of Fame Game Business Meeting, during the first week of August.
- Each franchise must have fifty percent of their franchise fee paid to the League Commissioner by the "Hall of Fame Game Business Meeting" in order to reserve their franchise for the present year . Those franchise owners which do not reserve their franchise by the "Hall of Fame Game" deadline, place their franchise "UP FOR SALE". New franchises are "first come, first serve", based on availability. If a franchise withdraws their franchise before August 15th, all funds will be returned. Any franchise backing out after August 15th will forfeit any funds in their league account. It is the League Commissioner’s responsibility to account for all franchises come draft night. Any openings the night of the draft will be drafted by a person appointed by the League Commissioner. These teams will play in the regular season and all winnings will remain in the league account. These spoiler teams can only play during the regular season, with no playoff potential. A "bye" will be used in their slot during Toilet Bowl parings.
- The league commissioner will assign all teams to a Conference based on space, length of time in the league, draft convenience, and preference.
- If a proxy will attend the draft or supplemental drafts, advance notice must be given to the League Commissioner prior to the particular event.
- No franchise owner will be allowed to hold a vested interest in more than one franchise.
- A franchise owner does not have the ability to run for a league representative position until their franchise has been through one season and is in good standings with the league. Good standings are defined as having a franchise balance of 25$ by July 15th, 50% paid by the Hall of Fame Game, and paid in full by draft night.
Each franchise holds a roster of upto 20 players designated in positions as follows:
Quarterbacks (QB)
Running Backs (RB)
Wide Receivers (WR)
Place-kickers (PK)
Defensive/Special Teams Unit (DT)
Franchise rosters can be comprised of both NFL American and National Conference players.
A player may only be assigned to a position for which he is qualified as set forth in Rules Section 4 (Player Position Eligibility).
No retained or protected players are allowed from year-to-year.
There is no limit to the number of players at each player position, which make up a team roster.
4. PLAYER POSITION ELIGIBILITY
- A player is assigned to the position for which he is published as eligible or reassigned upon a judgment during the draft.
- The Commissioner will be final judge in all matters concerning position eligibility.
- The Commissioner will list a player only at the primary position which he is openly recognized to play. Such recognition will come from the "MyFantasyLeague.com" computer on-line service over the Internet. A player who is listed at multiple positions will only be qualified at his primary position.
- Recognition DOES NOT come in the form of a player lining up at a different position during a game.
- A player’s position is final at the draft and will not change throughout the year.
- Each owner shall be required to call-in to the League Scorekeeper and their weekly opponent by that week's Closing Time, an active lineup comprised of the following positions:
1 QB (Quarterback)
2 RB's (Running Backs)
3 WR's (Wide Receivers &/or Tight Ends)
1 K (Place-kicker)
1 DT (Defensive/Special Team Unit)
- During the regular season only the eight (8) players submitted in the active lineup shall be considered ACTIVE for scoring purposes. Only this active lineup can score points for a given team. The Playoff games may consider a ninth man, see ruling 10d.
- Weekly closing times are final upon the start of the first NFL game's Sunday kickoff for that week, unless there is a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday game. For these odd games, those players must be posted by the start of each game. YOU MUST POST ALL PLAYERS FOR THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY GAMES.
- Owners who want to use the same active lineup as the prior week are still required to notify the League Scorekeeper and their designated opponent that the prior week's active lineup should be used.
- If no active lineup is submitted by Closing Time, the prior week's active lineup shall be assumed, unless the lineup contains players which played in a Thursday, Friday or Saturday game. These players must be called in. No Exceptions!
- If an active lineup is submitted which is incomplete, the prior week's active lineup shall be used to fill in the missing positions.
- If an active lineup is submitted which contains TOO many players (e.g. 2 QB's listed), then only the first one(s) listed shall be considered ACTIVE (i.e. the League Scorekeeper will not "guess" which one(s) the owner actually intended).
- Any roster discrepancies will be decided first by the franchise's weekly opponent, then by the MOVFSA League Representatives. The League Commissioner is responsible for collecting all weekly lineups for scoring purposes, he is not responsible for giving out lineups. It is the responsibility of each franchise to call their scheduled opponent and trade lineups.
- WWW.MOVFSA.com is the website for the MOVFSA. Upon an emergency, the MOVFSA Commisioner's answering machine is reached by calling (304) 375-6144.
6. SCORING
- The results of each week's head-to-head match shall be determined by awarding points for the NFL game statistics compiled that week ONLY by those players/teams on the franchise's ACTIVE lineup as defined in Rules Section 5. Point earnings for specific stats are as follows:
1. Did Not Play (Bye Week) 0 points
2. Offensive Touchdown Scored By:
Passing 4 points each
Rushing 6 points each
Receiving 6 points each
Offensive Fumble Recovery 6 points each
3. Two Point Conversion Scored By
Rushing 2 points each
Receiving 2 points each
Passing 2 point each
4. Point After Touchdown 1 point each
5. Field Goals Made
39 yards or less 3 points each
40-49 yards 4 points each
50-59 yards 5 points each
Over 60 yards 6 points each
6. Total Rushing Yardage
75 yards 3 points
Each 25 yards over 75 yards 1 point each
7. Total Receiving Yardage
75 yards 3 points
Each 25 yards over 75 yards 1 point each
8. Total Receptions
Every 5 receptions 4 points
9. Total Passing Yardage
250 yards 2 points
Each 25 yards over 250 yards 1 point each
10. Defensive/Special Teams Scoring By
Interception returned for TD 6 points each
Fumble recovery for TD 6 points each
Safety 2 points each
Each interception and/or fumble recovery 1 point each
Each sack 1 point each
Kickoff or Punt returned for TD 6 points each
Total Points Scored by NFL opponent
Shutout 4 points
Held to 2-6 points 3 points
Held to 7-10 points 2 points
Held to 11-14 points 1 points
Total Yardage Allowed (Rushing and receiving yards only, not return yardage)
200 or less yards 4 points
201 to 225 yards 3 points
226 to 250 yards 2 points
251 to 275 yards 1 points
- Offensive players (QB, RB, WR, and K) may score points by any of the methods indicated in Rules Paragraphs 6a2 through 6a9 above. Defensive/Special Teams (DT) may score points by any of the methods indicated in Rules Paragraph 6a10. An offensive player who also plays on a Defensive or Special Teams unit may NOT score points by any of the methods indicated in Rules Paragraph 6a10.
- The MOVFSA will use only official NFL game stats as compiled by the "MyFantasy League.com" service to determine scoring. These stats may have differences from those reported by news organizations and published as box scores.
- Weekly stats published on the MOVFSA website, will be determined as "FINAL", if no complaint is filed with the Commissioner before the next weeks closing time.
- Games ending in a tie shall remain ties and be recorded as such for the purposes of REGULAR season standings. All winnings are split upon a tie in the regular season. In the playoffs, the tiebreaker ruling 10d prevents ties.
- A player draft is conducted for each Conference separately during the days between the last roster cut and the first game of the National Football League regular season. The drafts are usually scheduled on the last Tuesday, Wednesday and/or Thursday nights of August. The League Commissioner and/or designated helpers will conduct each draft. Be sure to check that your schedule does not conflict your Draft date.
- A Player Eligibility list will be provided in advance of the draft.
- The Draft proceeds until all teams have filled their 17 player/team rosters.
- Team owners may add any available player by announcing their name, position, and NFL team, within the allotted time, 2 minutes, during their franchise's draft turn. During the Draft, if your two minutes runs out a fifteen second grace will be given. If no player has been selected the Franchise will be forced to utilize their pass detailed in Section 7g.
- Draft order will be selected by each franchise drawing a number, 1-12, from a hat at the League's Hall of Fame Game Meeting. If a franchise owner is not present the Commissioner will designate someone to draw there selection. A draft position may be traded prior to the start of the draft. All trades are final upon approval of the Commissioner and is binding through the final round of the draft..
- Draft order will rotate 1 through 12 in all odd rounds and 12 through 1 in all even rounds.
- A franchise may pass their turn during any round, or be forced to pass their turn if over the time limit. If a franchise utilizes a pass, they will have two minutes to select a player after the last selection of that round. If after two additional minutes no player has been selected, that team will forfeit that rounds draft selection.
- No franchise is permitted to aide another franchise during the draft. It is upto the Commissioner to decide what is unfair assistance.
- The drafts are open to anyone with interest. Any disturbances will be promptly dealt with by the Commissioner. The draft dates will rotate from year to year not to give one Conference an advantage.
8. PLAYERS SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFTS
- Two Supplemental Player Drafts will be held. The first prior to the fifth week of play, the second prior to the eighth week of play. Each supplemental draft will be a League event, with all Conferences present. Times, dates, and locations will be posted on the website prior to each Draft.
- For the First Supplemental Draft, three additional players may be selected to make the total players on a team roster at twenty. For the Second Supplemental three additional players may be selected but for every selection, one player must be waived, maintaining a total roster of twenty.
- Draft order will be posted prior to draft, based on the each franchise’s Conference Standings described in section 9e. The last place franchise will have the first selection in each round.
- All waived players must be dropped thirty minutes prior to the draft. All waived players will become available for the supplemental draft.
- If a franchise owner is not able to attend the supplemental draft, a designated proxy or may draft for the absent owner. The franchise owner may provide the Commissioner with a list of waived players prior to the supplemental draft and pass all rounds. That franchise may then select the designated amount of players needed for a roster of seventeen players, notifying the Commissioner and Scorekeeper prior to the next week's closing time.
- No franchise is permitted to aide another franchise during the draft. It is upto the Commissioner to decide what is unfair assistance.
- Based on a four week playoff schedule, the regular season will have thirteen games.
- A head-to-head schedule will be provided prior to the first week of play. Each franchise shall will compete a weekly opponent, from which a Win, Loss or Tie shall be determined based on scoring methods presented in Rules Section 6.
- Such Win-Loss-Tie (W-L-T) record shall be the sole determining factor in standings (save the tiebreaker procedures described in Rules Paragraph 9e below). For the purposes of standings determination, ties are counted as 1/2 win and 1/2 loss. Thus an 8-4-2 record is equivalent to a 9-5-0 record.
- The Divisional alignment for each Conference will be randomly drawn at the Hall of Fame Game Business meeting or Players Draft, by the League Commissioner.
1. Divisional alignment of a 10 franchise Conference will have 2 Divisions of 5 franchises. Each franchise will play all Division franchises twice (8 games) and all of the other Division franchises once (5 games).
2. Divisional alignment of a 12 franchise Conference will have 2 Divisions of 6 franchises. Each franchise will play all Division franchises twice (10 games) and three of the other Division franchises once (3 games).
- All ties in the standings, playoff seeding, and draft seeding shall be broken by the following steps in succession:
1. First, by best total W-L-T record in head-to-head matchups against all other tied teams in REGULAR season games. In three or more way ties, winning percentage is used if all tied teams have not played an equal number of games. Winning percentage is calculated as: (Wins + [Ties / 2]) / Total Games.
2. Second, in the event of a continued tie, best divisional W-L-T record shall be the next determining factor. (If the tie is between two or more teams of different divisions, step 9e2 and 9e3 do not count.)
3. Third, in the event of a continued tie, best division total points scored shall be the next determining factor. (If the tie is between two or more teams of different divisions, step 9e2 and 9e3 do not count.)
4. Fourth, in the event of a continued tie, best conference total points scored shall be the next determining factor.
5. Fifth, in the event of a continued tie, the tie will be broken by a random draw conducted by the League Commissioner.10. PLAYOFFS
- Following the completion of the regular season, a Conference Championship Playoff shall commence to determine a Conference Champion to enter the League Superbowl.
- The championship playoff procedures for seedings are as follows:
For each Conference the two Division Champions will be seeded #1 and #2 along with the Runner-up's seeded #3 and #4, based on tiebreaker rulings in 9e. The four next best franchises will be seeded #5 through #8 based on tiebreaker rulings in 9e. These seeding numbers are retained throughout the playoffs. The final week of the League Championship all Conference Champions will play in a common League Superbowl game where the highest score wins.
- The Playoff schedule will follow
1. First Round Playoff Games are held NFL week 14. The #8 franchise plays at the #1 franchise, #7 plays at #2, #6 plays at #3, and #5 plays at #4.
2. Second Round Playoff Games are held NFL week 15. The winners from the first round are paired as follows: The highest seeded franchise plays at the lowest seeded franchise, the next-to-highest seeded franchise plays at the next-to-lowest seeded franchise, etc.
3. Conference Championship Playoff Games are held NFL week 16.
4. The League Superbowl Championship Game is held NFL week 17.
- All Championship Playoff game ties shall be broken by the following steps in succession:
1. First, by a ninth man's score. A ninth man should be presented on the active lineup for all playoff games.
2. Second, in the event of a continued tie, best total roster points for that week.
3. Third, in the event of a continued tie, the tie will be broken by a random draw conducted by the League Commissioner.
- Franchises not qualifying for the championship playoffs will participate for the MOVFSA Toilet Bowl Championship. The franchises will compete based on lowest score wins.
1. To ensure that the loser advances, or gets demoted in a since, each franchise picks their opponents lineup for that week. The idea being, that anyone could pick their own lineup to score zero. Giving your opponent the opportunity to pick your best players, allows the worst team to move on fairly.
2. The tiebreaker for the Toilet Bowl games will be the same as the Championship series specified in 10d.
3. Toilet Bowl Franchises are seeded #1 to #16 based on WORST regular season W-L-T record, i.e., the franchise with the worst W-L-T record is seeded #1, the franchise with the best W-L-T record is seeded #16.
4. Toilet Bowl first round is held NFL week 14. The #16 franchise plays at the #1 franchise, #15 plays at #2, #14 plays at #3, and so forth.
5. Toilet Bowl second round is held NFL week 14. The losers from the first round are paired as follows: highest seeded franchise plays at the lowest seeded franchise, the next- to-highest seeded franchise plays at the next-to-lowest seeded franchise, etc.
6. Toilet Bowl Semi final games are held NFL week 16 and the MOVFSA Toilet Bowl Championship Game is held NFL week 17.11. RULES CHANGES
- Proposals will be solicited and discussed at the year end Awards Banquet.
- All proposals received by July 1 will be placed on a ballet and mailed to each franchise general manager.
- Each franchise is allowed one vote on each proposal.
- Each franchise is to call their votes into the league answering service by the designated time on the ballet.
- The League Representatives will decide which proposals need to be voted on by the league.
1. Proposals which deal with the setup or operation of the league will be voted on by the League Representatives.
2. Proposals which constitute a change in the manner of play will require a two thirds vote of the registered franchise owners.
- A franchise does not gain voting privileges until their franchise has been through one season and is in good standings with the league. Good standings are defined as having a franchise balance of 25$ by July 15th, 50% by the Hall of Fame Game, and paid in full by draft night.
Trophies will be awarded for the following placements:
Regular Season Division Champion
League Champion
League Runner-Up
Toilet-Bowl Champion