I've done some digging and calculating. I have discovered that everyone who participated last year was automatically renewed, meaning that, unless they have opted out, they are confirmed as in by Yahoo. This means that anyone who is not checking meme or the e-mail account connected to her or his or their fantasy team from last year is being counted as playing by Yahoo.
This obviously presents some issues for me, because I don't wish to delete the team of anyone who might like to play, but hasn't checked in here or that e-mail account in a while. But I want all of us who are playing to have a fantasy hockey experience that includes members who are actively playing their teams--at least to start out with. I also want to allow for as many new people as possible to join who wish to.
Primarily, what this means is that I need to hear from last year's GMs who have seen their e-mails or messages, whether they are in or out. I promise there are absolutely no hard feelings if someone wishes not to play this time. Opting out is as simple as deleting your team from the league and/or dropping an "I'm out" message on the message board or e-mail to me at DDHLCommish@gmail.com. So far, two people have officially bowed out, and that's totally cool in all the ways.
Conversely, nine GMs have stated they are in, which is also easily done via message board or e-mail (thank you all! I can't wait to face off with you again!).
In addition, we have five brave souls who have e-mailed me saying they want to play! Welcome, new GMs! I anticipate lots of fun (and the good, totally-meaningless-to-real-life kind of angst) in store for you! :D
As the leagues currently stand, that gives us enough to have two fully populated (if on the small side) leagues of 8 this season. (That's not a bad thing, necessarily. Small leagues are superstar leagues. Imagine the WCoH 8 teams--ALL SEASON LONG! It just means less variety in matchups week-to-week and less reason to dig deep to learn about new/undiscovered/sleeper players.)
I am mostly concerned with not cutting out any GMs from last year who might have taken a hiatus from hockey fandom in the off-season for any number of reasons (I myself was only reinvigorated last week, so I entirely know that story--and I'm a bona fide hockey maniac for the bulk of the year, according to anyone who knows me), but who still want to play. I am also concerned with allowing as many new folks as possible to join in, because it really is a lot of fun and adds so much to one's enjoyment in/knowledge of the game and the league.
Those issues have to be balanced with those of the returning GMs who are already enthusiastic about starting the new season and want their draft order as soon as possible so they can start draft research (which really is a good time--I promise! ;) ).
To that end, if you are a former GM on the fence--or you know a former GM who is on the fence and hasn't checked in here or to their fantasy e-mail in a while--please take a look (or prod them to take a look) and make a decision in the next few days. As we discussed in the Scheduling part of this thread, we're talking about locking the leagues this weekend. I need a day or two of certainty that someone is not returning to delete teams and shuffle the leagues, if necessary (our current setup had three leagues, two with 10 teams, one with 8). Shuffling leagues requires responses from people in multiple time zones with their own schedules and lives.
Therefore, if you are a GM from last year who has not yet stated your In or Out preference, please do so by Thursday, Sept. 22nd, at 6pm NA EDT. I will be off work and checking the league site/meme/e-mail that day, so I can make the necessary changes. Please be clear: I WILL DELETE last year's teams whose GMs have not responded (in any of the three provided ways) by that deadline shortly after that time.
If you are a potential new GM considering if you'd like to play, please use the time between now and then to ask any questions (here or via e-mail) about how this all works and make your decision. Adding teams to leagues will be much easier than contracting leagues, so the deadline for adding a new team will be later. Likely 12 midnight (NA EDT), Saturday (heading into Saturday, that is), in preparation for locking the teams and getting the draft order on Saturday, Sept. 24th, at 12 noon.
As always, I'm open to feedback and adjustments. Speak up and let me know!
(And to those who don't care one whit about fantasy hockey, I promise that all this admin stuff will be over soon. The day-to-day of league management goes entirely through the game environment once we're locked in, and it's just fun--or at least easily skippable--draft and player discussion after that. ;) Thank you for your indulgence!)
Re: Fantasy hockey--Roll Call
I've done some digging and calculating. I have discovered that everyone who participated last year was automatically renewed, meaning that, unless they have opted out, they are confirmed as in by Yahoo. This means that anyone who is not checking meme or the e-mail account connected to her or his or their fantasy team from last year is being counted as playing by Yahoo.
This obviously presents some issues for me, because I don't wish to delete the team of anyone who might like to play, but hasn't checked in here or that e-mail account in a while. But I want all of us who are playing to have a fantasy hockey experience that includes members who are actively playing their teams--at least to start out with. I also want to allow for as many new people as possible to join who wish to.
Primarily, what this means is that I need to hear from last year's GMs who have seen their e-mails or messages, whether they are in or out. I promise there are absolutely no hard feelings if someone wishes not to play this time. Opting out is as simple as deleting your team from the league and/or dropping an "I'm out" message on the message board or e-mail to me at DDHLCommish@gmail.com. So far, two people have officially bowed out, and that's totally cool in all the ways.
Conversely, nine GMs have stated they are in, which is also easily done via message board or e-mail (thank you all! I can't wait to face off with you again!).
In addition, we have five brave souls who have e-mailed me saying they want to play! Welcome, new GMs! I anticipate lots of fun (and the good, totally-meaningless-to-real-life kind of angst) in store for you! :D
As the leagues currently stand, that gives us enough to have two fully populated (if on the small side) leagues of 8 this season. (That's not a bad thing, necessarily. Small leagues are superstar leagues. Imagine the WCoH 8 teams--ALL SEASON LONG! It just means less variety in matchups week-to-week and less reason to dig deep to learn about new/undiscovered/sleeper players.)
I am mostly concerned with not cutting out any GMs from last year who might have taken a hiatus from hockey fandom in the off-season for any number of reasons (I myself was only reinvigorated last week, so I entirely know that story--and I'm a bona fide hockey maniac for the bulk of the year, according to anyone who knows me), but who still want to play. I am also concerned with allowing as many new folks as possible to join in, because it really is a lot of fun and adds so much to one's enjoyment in/knowledge of the game and the league.
Those issues have to be balanced with those of the returning GMs who are already enthusiastic about starting the new season and want their draft order as soon as possible so they can start draft research (which really is a good time--I promise! ;) ).
To that end, if you are a former GM on the fence--or you know a former GM who is on the fence and hasn't checked in here or to their fantasy e-mail in a while--please take a look (or prod them to take a look) and make a decision in the next few days. As we discussed in the Scheduling part of this thread, we're talking about locking the leagues this weekend. I need a day or two of certainty that someone is not returning to delete teams and shuffle the leagues, if necessary (our current setup had three leagues, two with 10 teams, one with 8). Shuffling leagues requires responses from people in multiple time zones with their own schedules and lives.
Therefore, if you are a GM from last year who has not yet stated your In or Out preference, please do so by Thursday, Sept. 22nd, at 6pm NA EDT. I will be off work and checking the league site/meme/e-mail that day, so I can make the necessary changes. Please be clear: I WILL DELETE last year's teams whose GMs have not responded (in any of the three provided ways) by that deadline shortly after that time.
If you are a potential new GM considering if you'd like to play, please use the time between now and then to ask any questions (here or via e-mail) about how this all works and make your decision. Adding teams to leagues will be much easier than contracting leagues, so the deadline for adding a new team will be later. Likely 12 midnight (NA EDT), Saturday (heading into Saturday, that is), in preparation for locking the teams and getting the draft order on Saturday, Sept. 24th, at 12 noon.
As always, I'm open to feedback and adjustments. Speak up and let me know!
(And to those who don't care one whit about fantasy hockey, I promise that all this admin stuff will be over soon. The day-to-day of league management goes entirely through the game environment once we're locked in, and it's just fun--or at least easily skippable--draft and player discussion after that. ;) Thank you for your indulgence!)