This is an idea that might be too big or complicated to work as a whole, but I thought I'd toss it out there, and see if maybe some parts would work.


Champs Worlds

In Simleague Baseball they created what are called "Champs Leagues". In order to play in these leagues you must have won 5 WS titles, IIRC.


I thought maybe there could be three types of HBD worlds. Public, Private and Elite (or whatever name you like).

To qualify for these Elite worlds, one must have a .500 or better HBD record and must have committed to a world for at least 4 consecutive seasons, which I believe would severely limit aliases.

Of course, these qualifiers are certainly up for debate, but I thought those were two good starting places.

If I stopped right here, we already would have one of the most challenging worlds ever created, by virtue of the qualifiers. However I would like to take an additional step that I think would not only make the worlds more attractive, but also a more viable, and successful type of world for WIS.


Cost Structure

The Elite worlds will not only require that owners meet the above criteria, but it will also require a much more serious committment to the world.
This is accomplished by a surcharge that will do, at least, three things. Encourage long-term ownership, weed-out the aliases, make filling much easier (explained below).

The initial cost to "buy-in" to the world would be TWO (2) HBD seasons, and would require a five season commitment. Only serious owners would pony up that fee, and I believe there are plenty that would do so.

The extra season would be reserving S2, (so the world is always full one season ahead), and would serve as a "team deposit" that is fully refundable when the five season comittment is met. Falling short of that 5 year committment would not,necessarily, mean you lose the whole deposit, but rather, you would be "vested" $5 for every season you complete.

So the owner who leaves after just one season, would only get $5 back, in the form of a credit. While an owner who leaves after completing 3 seasons would receive a $15 credit. These credits would be not be applied to your account until a replacement owner has committed to taking your team. Abandoned teams will be attractive to prospective owners, as they will be available at a discount. The discount will equal the "unvested" portion of the previous owner's deposit. So taking over a team whose owner bailed after 2 seasons would only cost $10, + the additional HBD seaon deposit, while a team whose owner leaves after 4 seasons would cost $20 + the deposit. A team whose owner leaves any season after the 5th will cost the full 2 HBD seasons, and will not be discounted. In this way, the new owner is actually paying the money that will be credited to the departing owner's account. WIS is always paid a season ahead, as they never really return the deposit.

In addition, an owner has until the end of the regular season to reserve S3. Once game 162 has been played, all owners who did not reserve S3 are done. New ownership may then apply for those teams, which means typically you would already be full before rollover each season. No waiting around each off season.

What is the "elite" part of this world?  All I see is a gimmick to loosely encourage a five-season commitment to the world.

Just a word.

That's why I said "Elite (or whatever name you like)."

The requirements would make it a world full of owners with a good track record of committment and success. The surcharge, or deposit would also mean there is seldom any wait after rollover.

I avoided using a requirement like # of Titles, as we all know many good owners who have no titles, as well as owners who tanked there way to many titles.

The worlds could also have mandatory MWRs. That would make the world even more competetive and free of tankers/ imbalanced super teams.

We sort of have worlds like that already(sans the pre-paid seasons).    As a commish of two, I can say they are pretty successful.