Current Rule: 5.1 Determination of Draft order for KRFL teams is based on the record and playoff finish by each team in the previous season. The selection order is based on each team's win-loss record in the previous regular season and whether the team reached the playoffs.
Teams that did not reach the playoffs the previous season are ranked in reverse order of their records (so the team with the fewest wins is awarded the first selection).
Proposal: Change this rule for the free agent draft. Rookie draft would stay the same. The rule would read -
5.1 The selection order for the free agent draft is based on each team's win-loss record in the previous regular season and whether the team reached the playoffs.
Teams that did not reach the playoffs the previous season are rank in order of record (so the non-playoff team with the most wins is awarded the first selection).
Explanation: Once again, I want to incentivize teams to try to win, rather than become instant sellers if they don't feel like they can win it all. Changing the free agent draft order is another way to do this. Teams are rewarded for trying to win games.
In previous years, if you were not a great team, you would try to trade your best players for anything you can get. With this rule, now you have to make a decision. Do you trade players to try to load up on rookie picks? Or, do you try to win games and improve your free agent draft position (and in combination with my other proposal, try to increase your salary cap).
I don't believe we have a big issue with people trying to lose games on purpose or not trying hard enough to win games. Having said that, I agree we should have rules that motivate teams to win games and not lose games. So this would be something I would consider but need to think about it some more.
Other possible options are:
+ Establish a salary floor each team must exceed. For example, set a minimum salary at $20mil (below the salary cap, or $73million. We had three teams finish the season below that last season, and one of those teams actually made the playoffs. I actually think this might be a better option.
+We could move the final deadline for trades from week #8 of the season to something earlier in the season like week #4. I actually like that better than my salary floor idea.
+Use a lottery system for seeding the FA picks of the non-playoff team.
I am in no way saying people are intentionally trying to lose games. Not at all.
However, it is clear to me that people are willing/wanting to make trades because there is no value in keeping their players. As mentioned, a 10 rated player netted a 4th round rookie pick. Why? There is no incentive to keep that player - no incentive to have that player help you win.
If you got to add to your salary cap because you won a few extra games and/or got a better free agent draft spot, I think these lopsided trades would either A) disappear or B) teams that decided to make these types of deals would then face some implications - worse draft pick.
Again, I would not support this idea, no disrespect meant to Jeff. Sure tanking is a problem in every league, but you can't inhibit the chances of a genuinely poor, rebuilding team, or of a new owner that inherits a disaster from another coach. You start doing this and it will lead to more turnover. Guys will just say screw it, there is no way to rebuild this team in a reasonable amount of time and will look for other leagues where they can. I think Mark B's suggestion of a salary floor and eliminating or greatly reducing in season trading would go far in helping this sort of thing.
+ Establish a salary floor each team must exceed. For example, set a minimum salary at $20mil (below the salary cap, or $73million. We had three teams finish the season below that last season, and one of those teams actually made the playoffs. I actually think this might be a better option.
I like some version of this as it reflects an NFL rule.
+We could move the final deadline for trades from week #8 of the season to something earlier in the season like week #4. I actually like that better than my salary floor idea.
Wasn't the trade deadline week 6 for the longest time?
OK, so I posted the proposal of moving the trade deadline to week #4 as a separate proposal for you all to discuss.
After thinking about it, I am not going to propose the salary floor. It probably does not make sense since we already have the fine system in place for releasing a contract player and we also do not allow teams to go below 22 players at the Cut Down Date. The 22 player minimum is a quasi salary floor.
