Commissioner Handbook

[Anthony]

Commissioner Guide

GETTING STARTED

The concept of my league has been approved, what do I need to do now?

Step one is to begin fleshing out the rules. If you want your league to be successful your rules section should be clear and comprehensive. The best way to learn is to explore the rules of those leagues and others. ProFSL staff will be available to assist you and will perform a check to identify any potential oversights.

What site should I use to score my league?

ProFSL does not make you score you league at one specific place. You may score the league at any site you choose. Yahoo, CBS, ESPN and fantrax all have there perks, for more help on what site is best for your league. Reach out to Help desk to get more clarity.

Do I have to process transactions on ProFSL or can I do it on my league's scoring site?

Using ProFSL for transactions is obviously essential for contract leagues but there are several advantages for other types of league too. Firstly it's far simpler to avoid having first come first served by having free agency budgets on ProFSL. The usual protocol is to have a 48 hour clock (team wins player if no-one raises their bid); remember to ensure that GMs are aware if they will need to post a corresponding drop for their roster to remain legal.

If you choose to have transactions solely on your scoring site then you can of course still seek advice as to how best configure this.

How do I get people to join my league?

First create a sign-up thread asking for all the information you require; as a minimum you'll need the e-mail address/username they have registered at the site where the league will be scored, although it's usually good to get to know people's names (or even where they come from). It saves time to have people choose their team in this thread too.

Next create a topic on the League Openings board explaining the key points of your league (what sport, number of teams, is it free or is there a buy-in, is it a dynasty/keeper etc.) as well as recruiting off site. Good places include but are not limited to. Of course you can also invite your family, friends and work colleagues if they are keen fantasy players. Finally the chat room is a good place to post a link to your league along with a basic description such as 'New free NFL league'. ProFSL was made by commissioners wanting to run leagues and ProFSL staff recruiting members to help those commissioners succeed. Once creating your new league, post at the helpdesk that you want ProFSL's help recruiting for your league. 

It's also a good idea to have a League Introduction post on the main board outlining the key features of the league along with a Q&A topic where you can address any questions.

How do I send a group PM to all the members in my league?

Click on Leagues, followed by Send PM.

How do I add the league to member's profiles so they can access it by hovering over 'Leagues'?

Click on Leagues and then the name of the league in question and fill in the 'Username' box (auto-complete function means you only need to type the first three characters). Adding the relevant icon or team name ('Additional Teams' box) will identify to others which team the member controls in your league if they click on 'toggle leagues'. Changing owners and/or team names can be done at any time.

If my league has a buy-in how should these be handled?

For money leagues we advise either using a facility such as leaguesafe or contacting Colby (crs245) for details of how to use the ProFSL paypal account. If you send money to an individual's paypal account you should be confident in their trustworthiness and ProFSL will bear no liability.

If my league has contracts how should these be handled?

Fantrax premium leagues allow for contracts but most leagues tend to use either googledocs or excel based spreadsheets. At ProFSL we have a comprehensive excel template for each major sport that is available to all our commissioners. All you need to do is fill in the specifics of your league (such as team owners), enter the contracts in a formatted tab and then use the posting function. Here's an example here) of the result. Assistance will be provided should you have any problems.


CUSTOMIZING YOUR BOARDS

How do I add links to the league header?

Click on Leagues (furthest right on the top banner) and then Modify. Scroll to the 'Header Block' section and next to Link#1 type what you want to appear in the 'Text' box and paste the link into the 'URL' box. As with all modifications click on the save button at the bottom for changes to take effect.

Click on more to add additional links though be aware that each new link is preceded by a separator | which will remain even if the link is removed, thus don't add more than you will need.

How do I add an image to my league page?

Upload the image to tinypic. Then copy the img code. Then click on leagues, modify league, scroll to 'Header Block' and paste the code underneath where it says append text before saving.

Re-sizing/cropping (edit), removing white background (edit; transparent) and adding text (draw; text tool) can be done at lunapic if quick and basic modifications are all you want.

How do i add team logos that link to rosters?

Once again click on leagues, modify league and scroll to 'Header Block'. Hit the 'more' button that is situated underneath the icon section until you have the desired number of icons, then click save. The first dropbox selects the icon type (sport) and the second selects the actual icon (team). <b r> (without the space) in the append text box will put the following icon on a new line and :: can be used to separate icons on the same line. To remove an icon click on blank from the icon type dropbox.

If you want to add an image to the header and have it above the icons then make sure to leave the first icon blank. If you already have an image then in the append text box use then you'll need to use the <b r> command (after the IMG code) to keep it above the icons and centered.

How do I make changes to the boards?

You can alter the default settings by entering league modification and scrolling to where where it says boards. You can re-name any board (text box), alter it's position (first two drop-down boxes) or change the board type (third drop-down box). Boards can be deleted by ticking the check-box and then saving. New boards can be also be added.

MAINTAINING LEAGUE HEALTH

Am i expected to run the league all by myself?

We would always advise that at least one other person in the league has moderation abilities on the boards and commissioner status on the league's scoring site just in case of a personal or family matter taking priority. At Profsl we are a community and helping out is both encouraged and rewarded.

How should i handle trades in my league?

Typically commissioners will invite owners to join a Trade Committee (another method is to have the entire league act as the TC) which will vote on any agreed deals with a certain number of vetos rendering the trade invalid. Owners should post their reasoning where applicable in order to aid the TC, who should nevertheless primarily evaluate the deal based upon value and should explain their decision when approving a major trade or vetoing any deal. One option that has proved to be successful is to have a separate board for Trades, in most cases this has proved to be way more beneficial and more timely voting.

What if i or other members of the league believe that rule changes are needed?

As commissioner you have the discretion to make changes you believe to be in the best interest of the league. The main thing to be cognizant of is that teams will have made decisions based on the initial set of rules (this applies double for money leagues).

For this reason there should always be a dialogue with the entire league which is best done via a discussion topic (or topics) on the league board with a group PM being sent to alert members to the issue (polls can also be created if a vote is required). Some commissioners elect to have a rules committee (RC) which periodically brainstorms tweaks to the league.

How can i check to see who is still active in my league?

By clicking on Leagues and then the name of the league in question you can see when the member was last active on Profsl. If the league is scored on fantrax you can go to 'Other' and then 'Send an email' to see when the member last logged in. Checking activity is strongly advised, especially in money dynasty leagues.

How can i ensure my league remains active?

As above, regular activity checks are encouraged to find out if any GMs need replacing. You should PM anyone you are concerned about to ascertain whether they want to remain in the league. If a member is persistently inactive to the detriment of the league you are within your rights to replace them. Most commissioners have a league check-in on the boards a couple of weeks before important dates such as drafts and the opening of free agency.

To keep members engaged you should send updates via group PMs (such as announcing that the trade deadline is coming up or highlighting your league's playoff races towards the end of the season). You can also have discussion topics such as season predictions (who'll win your league or which players do people think could take a step forward this season), pennant battles/playoff chat or anything else you can think of. A novel concept introduced to Profsl was a media section containing blogs, hot topics and awards. More activity on your league's boards will obviously improve your ranking too.

MESSAGE BOARD FUNCTIONALITY

How do i add (or remove) someone as a board moderator?

Click on leagues, followed by 'Board Moderators' (located on small black banner) and then 'Add moderators'.

What abilities do board moderators have?

What abilities do board moderators have?

In a topic there are several options at the bottom of the page. You can move the topic to another board  which you are a moderator of (for example moving a transaction to completed), lock a topic (so no-one can edit their posts or reply unless they are a moderator), set the topic as a sticky (pin to top of board) or merge the topic with another on that board.

For individual posts you can modify or split that post from the topic (for example if someone makes an illegal bid in a transaction thread).

How do i change the commissioner of the league or add a co-commissioner?

Click on 'Leagues', then 'Modify' for the league in question. This option can be found in the 'General' section at the top.

How do i edit the description of the league that members see when browsing that sport?

As above.

How do i set up e-mail notifications for a particular board?

By clicking on the notify button near the top (will then change to unnotify). You can also do this for individual topics.

How do i post hyperlinks?

To create a hyperlink; copy the web address of the page you want to link to, click on the 'globe' icon, then hit right arrow followed by the = key and then paste. Hit the left arrow and then enter the text you want to appear. Quote this post and see the example above if you're having trouble.


PROBLEMS WITH LEAGUE MEMBERS

What should i do if i suspect collusion and/or cheating in my league?

Please contact the helpdesk immediately with the necessary details and we will investigate straight away.

What should i do if a member is abusive?

As a commissioner at Profsl you are expected to maintain a high level of personal conduct. It is advisable to ignore minor sleights (or politely ask that the member doesn't resort to insults) but when the abuse is persistent or crosses a line then you should contact ProFSL member Corey and the necessary action will be taken; usually a formal warning for first time moderate offences up to a permanent ban for serial offenders or the most extreme cases.