Current Rule: After the conclusion of the season and before the rookie draft, the commissioner will hold a lottery using the information provided through Rule 15.2. For each game played as a substitute, the member who volunteered will be given one credit. Credits earned will be entered into a random lottery to distribute rookie draft choices given up by teams penalized for non-participation. Rookie draft choices given up by a previous owner through penalty will be retained by the new owner but will be added as supplemental picks in each applicable draft round for the purpose of the non-participation lottery. Example: A number two pick in the second round (draft choice 2.2) forfeited by a previous owner will be retained by the new owner. The penalized pick will be added to the round as pick 2.25.
Proposed Rule: Add the following: A league member does not receive a rookie draft pick as a result of the non-participation lottery described in above (either because no draft picks for penalized teams were available to be awarded in the lottery, or the the member did not receive a pick in the lottery) would receive an extra rookie draft pick for each game he served as a substitute coach. These picks would be at the end of the last round (current the 7th round) of the rookie draft with a max of three picks per season. These picks would not be tradable. Draft order of these picks will go according to draft order if multiple teams qualify for this extra pick.
Explanation: Right now a member who substitutes may not receive anything other than the enjoyment of playing the game for being a substitute. In the 2014 season there were five substitute coaches, and only one draft pick was awarded. So four of the five members who substituted received nothing for substituting. I know we don't have a big issue with members needing a substitute coaches, but when they do , I'd like to propose this change to provide additional incentives for substitute coaches and make it easier for a coach who needs a substitute to find one quickly.
I understand the impulse but I think the current lottery might be enough. One thing I like about moving from 10 rookie picks to 7 (as we did last season) is that more potential players are available in the FA Draft. I'm reluctant to award extra draft picks even though I tend to sub more often than most. Besides, I'm wary of a competitive rush of sub volunteers trying to secure extra draft picks without any governor on which team gets chosen to play as a sub.
Have ths subs arranged by the Commish or a 3rd party assigned to do it. This guarantees all teams interested would get a fair chance to sub. It works very well in the AFC.
