I'm the commish for my league at the GW HQ in MD. I started playing Blood Bowl this year, and when I found out that there wasn't a BB league planned, I decided to just run one myself.
Over the last 5 weeks, we've had about 35 Coaches sign up, but already we're down to 21. Is this typical these days for a new up-and-coming BB League? Its discouraging to say the least, but the coaches who are still playing seem to enjoy themselves, which is why I keep working at it. Can I get some tips from the more experienced Commishes?
The way I decided to run my league was using LRB5.0. The length of the league is 11 weeks with one game a week. Since there were many new players (and I'm a new Commish) I started with a 5 week "preseason" which allowed Coaches to challenge one another for games. This let people discovering our league jump in without too much pain. Now, the preseason just ended, and I'm setting Coaches against each other in matched games. Finally, once those 6 weeks are over, we're meeting on a Saturday to play the two divisions against each other in a tournament. I don't know if this was the best way to run this league, but it was the only way I could think of getting the flexibility I wanted.
Typical League?
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Grumbledook
- Boy Band Member
- Posts: 10713
- Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2002 6:53 pm
- Location: London Town
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lerchey
- Emerging Star
- Posts: 344
- Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:37 am
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA - USA
Hi Chrispy!
I haven't actually RUN a league, but I love to kibbitz at the commishes in the leagues where I play.
I'm not sure of what kinds of suggestions you're looking for, but I have found that I would have benefited from a few things that I've not seen commissions do...
1) If you are going to use house rules, post them someplace and make sure that all players have them available.
2) If you dislike some rules (time limits, Illegal procedures, whatever), make it clear that you don't want them to be used.
3) Make sure that those who care have easy access to your scoring system, whatever it is, so that they can easily see how they're doing and see what they need in order to stay competetive. In some leagues, for example, you can "win" a match in standings in a low scoring game if you amass a huge lead in CAS.
4) Keep encouraging the players that show up. You can't please everyone, but *can* piss everyone off. They're there for the game, just like you are, 'cept that you end up doing more work by running it for them. Keep in mind that your goal is make the league a fun success for them all.
Hell, if I was in MD, I'd join. :) I think that Pittsburgh to MD for a weekly game is a bit insane though...
Good luck!
I haven't actually RUN a league, but I love to kibbitz at the commishes in the leagues where I play.
I'm not sure of what kinds of suggestions you're looking for, but I have found that I would have benefited from a few things that I've not seen commissions do...
1) If you are going to use house rules, post them someplace and make sure that all players have them available.
2) If you dislike some rules (time limits, Illegal procedures, whatever), make it clear that you don't want them to be used.
3) Make sure that those who care have easy access to your scoring system, whatever it is, so that they can easily see how they're doing and see what they need in order to stay competetive. In some leagues, for example, you can "win" a match in standings in a low scoring game if you amass a huge lead in CAS.
4) Keep encouraging the players that show up. You can't please everyone, but *can* piss everyone off. They're there for the game, just like you are, 'cept that you end up doing more work by running it for them. Keep in mind that your goal is make the league a fun success for them all.
Hell, if I was in MD, I'd join. :) I think that Pittsburgh to MD for a weekly game is a bit insane though...
Good luck!
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Smeborg
- Legend
- Posts: 3544
- Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 2:02 am
- Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
I'm not sure that there is such a thing as a "typical league".
You need to tailor the league to the tastes and requirements of the coaches that you have, for example:
- How often, and where, you play.
- Whether you have a fixed, semi-fixed, or open league. This is probably the biggest area of differentiation.
- How you decide league standings (for example, is it 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, or 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, do you get bonus points etc.).
- Whether to have a finals phase or not.
- Which ruleset to use (for example, we use LRB5 + experimental rules, in anticipation of LRB6).
- How long the league will run before it re-starts.
The most beneficial mindset, I believe, as league commish, is to try and run the league in a way that will cause the league to grow (or at least not to shrink!) by allowing the ready inclusion of newcomers (including during the league schedule). This is very important - I have seen leagues die through not paying sufficient attention to newcomers. You can expect coaches to drop out - if you do not add new coaches to replace them, the league will die (in time).
At the end of the day, your knowledge of the coaches and what works for them is what will help you make the league tick.
Hope this helps and all the best.
You need to tailor the league to the tastes and requirements of the coaches that you have, for example:
- How often, and where, you play.
- Whether you have a fixed, semi-fixed, or open league. This is probably the biggest area of differentiation.
- How you decide league standings (for example, is it 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, or 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, do you get bonus points etc.).
- Whether to have a finals phase or not.
- Which ruleset to use (for example, we use LRB5 + experimental rules, in anticipation of LRB6).
- How long the league will run before it re-starts.
The most beneficial mindset, I believe, as league commish, is to try and run the league in a way that will cause the league to grow (or at least not to shrink!) by allowing the ready inclusion of newcomers (including during the league schedule). This is very important - I have seen leagues die through not paying sufficient attention to newcomers. You can expect coaches to drop out - if you do not add new coaches to replace them, the league will die (in time).
At the end of the day, your knowledge of the coaches and what works for them is what will help you make the league tick.
Hope this helps and all the best.
Reason: ''
Smeborg the Fleshless
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Tarp
- Experienced
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 3:38 pm
my adwise would be to stick to the official rules, unless its something almost everyone thinks should be used/left out.
Making to many house rules will quickly screwup whatever balance there is, and make some teams way to powerfull.
Here are some leagues (their webpages) for inspiration
http://www.arosbb.dk/
http://www.clbbbl.dk/
http://members.lycos.co.uk/mexicobarbaro/
http://www.brawl.bloodbowlleague.com/
http://www.tybbl.org.uk/
Making to many house rules will quickly screwup whatever balance there is, and make some teams way to powerfull.
Here are some leagues (their webpages) for inspiration
http://www.arosbb.dk/
http://www.clbbbl.dk/
http://members.lycos.co.uk/mexicobarbaro/
http://www.brawl.bloodbowlleague.com/
http://www.tybbl.org.uk/
Reason: ''
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dr. evil
- Experienced
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 1:58 am
- Location: Surrey, B,C.
Check out www.tacklezoneradio.com. They did a really good segment on running a league in one of there podcasts.
Reason: ''