Rules Changes: 2015

Hey! Remember a year ago when we had a vote on possible new rules? Well, here we are, at the precipice of the 2015 season and all those new rules are about to go into effect! Let’s take a look, by order of how many “yes” votes each rule garnered. Remember, it was majority rule for something new passing, meaning it took nine votes to get something approved...

1. Flex Position: TE Eligibility (15 "yes" votes)
The flex position will now expand to include TE along with RB/WR. Trivia: Our one dissenter here was Oliver!

2. Use Fees for the League URL (13)
We still don’t have a URL, and we haven’t collected fees in awhile, but it’s good to know we’re mostly on the same page here!

3. First Overall Draft Pick is determined by Toilet Bowl (11)
Yes, a Toilet Bowl is coming after the 2015 regular season! That means no more lottery and it’ll take some real effort to win that coveted #1 overall draft pick. Wait, is the loser of the Toilet Bowl awarded the #2 overall pick? We should clarify Toilet Bowl rules and seedings. As an example, here is what we use in my other keeper league for Toilet Bowl rules. Mainly we have to decide if matchups are conference specific or if they re-seed according to power ranking or something. Regardless, hooray, a Toilet Bowl to prevent tanking and amp up owner engagement!

[Edit 12/12/18: Toilet Bowl is not conference exclusive, so we re-seed #9-16 regardless of conference. However, we keep the same matchups regardless of upsets, and don't re-shuffle each round. Ex) If #16 seed upsets #9 in RD1, they don't have to face #10 in RD2.]

4. 1/2 Point Per Reception (9)
Nine “yes” votes took us into PPR land, and then twelve “yes” gave us half a point per reception (rounded up or down?) when we asked the second part of the question: "If PPR is approved, half point?” So yeah, this is the rule with likely the biggest impact and it passed by just a smidge!

5. FG Scoring Change (9)
We will now adjust FG scoring to the following:

• FG from 0-49 yards = 3 points
• FG from 50+ yards = 4 points

Note: Previously the rule was that 50+ yarders got five points, and 40-49 yarders were worth four.

Moving forward, how do we change rules, is there a yearly review, bi-yearly? For the record, these were the rules that didn’t pass. Along with some suggestions below.

REJECTED:

• Add Starting Flex (8 "yes" votes)
• TD Pass Scoring Change (7)
• Fractional Scoring (6)
• Missed FG Penalty (6)
• Add Starting RB (6)
• Add Starting WR (3)
• Free Agent Auction Bidding system (3)

SUGGESTIONS:

• Using the Toilet Bowl to determine draft order for next year, but still keeping the lottery system for the first overall pick.
• Increasing the number of keepers. One owner proposed that if a RB or WR or Flex position is added, then we consider increasing the number of keepers.
• Another suggestion is that missed FGs 50+ yards do not count as negative, but all else do.