This isn't a formal league advertisement, but rather an idea I have been kicking around in my head for awhile and wondering if anybody would be interested. I think this basic concept has been done but it has been YEARS since I saw it so maybe that's a sign that there isn't interest or maybe it means that something new and fresh would be well received.

Anyway, here is the basic premise:

• Pick a starting year(s) that work for at least a 16 team league (I was thinking 1980 but that's mainly because at my age, the 80's were my beginning of following MLB)
• Hold a draft to distribute players
• At the end of the draft, each team can "sign" all of their players to contract lengths of one or more years
• The total number of combined years would be capped at around 75 (which averages to 3 seasons/player)
  • Obviously, the cap on number of years is to force some quality roster turnover each year
  • 75 was a number that I came up with but we could consider more or less based on owner input
  • We could also cap the number of contracts that are > 5 years to keep teams from protecting all of their top players for their entire career and then signing everybody else to 1-2 year deals
• Each off-season, players whose contract runs out become free agents (assuming they don't retire)
• Other players would see their contracts drop by one year
• Contract lengths would be fixed and players could not be "cut" before the end of their contracts
• Trades would be allowed as follows:
  • Contract lengths would carry over to the new owner
  • In-season trades wouldn't have to balance on net contract lengths (too hard to monitor)
  • Unbalanced trades would still have to comply with the 75 max rule that next off-season
• After the season, teams would "sign" free agents and rookies to new contracts while staying within the 75 max rule

It goes without saying that there would be a lot more work in something like this..... I would envision a commish and a co-commish/vice-commish having to partner to do all the normal progressive league tasks plus track free agents. However, if there were two committed owners who would be willing to put the effort in (or one owner who has the free time), I think this would be a fun league.

Please let me know your thoughts and ideas....good things, bad things, whether you've had experience with this, etc. Also, any ideas around how to feasibly conduct a "free agency auction" type of process would be appreciated.

Thanks in Advance!

Take a look at the NWPEE league (just below this thread)
They seem to be doing exactly the same thing.

Yes, the NWPEE (which I founded but am no longer involved with after taking a hiatus from WIS a while back) is based on exactly this concept. It works well and radically changes traditional progressive strategy. I strongly recommend joining it, or another league with a similar framework, before starting a new one. It will give you a really good feel for how things work, and will probably give you specific ideas about what to keep and what to change.

Cool thanks! I've heard of that league but didn't know the concept......

Razorhawk,

I still have access to the toddleduc FA progressive forums. If you like I can see if admin can give you access to it