Fantasy Football Draft
Throwing A Fantasy Football Draft Party
Author: Jonathon Hardcastle
When a bunch of guys get together to talk football usually all you need to keep everyone happy is pizza and beer. But, since it actually involves work, a successful fantasy football draft party has a few more important parts.
Set up a large space with enough seating for everyone in your league. Comfortable seating like recliners or couches is a plus, but kitchen chairs will do in a pinch. If you're planning to seat your members in a living room or den rather than at a table, provide clipboards to serve as writing surfaces. Be aware that some of your members may arrive with laptop computers so providing work surfaces like portable tables is a good idea. Of course you'll also need adequate outlets nearby in case anyone needs to plug in.
Collect enough pencils for everyone in your league plus a few extras. Someone always shows up with nothing to write with. Small pads for taking notes can also be helpful. Print out enough draft sheets for each member, being sure to make a few extras.
Music, while an important part of a normal party, should be turned off or kept very low so that members can hear one another's selections. If your draft day coincides with a pre-season game, keep the sound turned off so that people can watch but not get distracted by the play-by-play.
If you have members who are unable to make the draft in person, you will need to set up either a conference call or an instant messaging session so that they can make their selections. Consider using a landline for your conference call since cell phones may lose the connection at a critical moment. Agree ahead of time what instant messaging software you will use and test your connection before everyone arrives.
Pre-order your food and decide when you'll have it delivered. Because some leagues are large enough that the draft lasts all day, some hosts like to provide food throughout their party, starting with breakfast and ending with lunch and snacks. Small leagues might consider taking a break halfway through the draft to have lunch. Finger foods like sandwiches or pizza are easy to eat while working. Load up a cooler with beer, soda and ice and bring it into the draft room. That way, members won't miss out on the action going back and forth to the refrigerator.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/throwing-a-fantasy-football-draft-party-61950.html
About the Author
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Football, Recreation, and Games
February 8, 2012
6:12 pm
Depends on how many roster spots there are. Also depends on the rushing stats vs. passing stats for your league. You will need probably 4 running backs. (2 starting RB’s, You’ll start an RB in the RB/WR spot probably). You need 2 QB’s, and 3 WR’s. K, DEF.
Start with running backs. I’d go first two picks as RB. (Unless Peyton Manning is sitting there in the 2nd round and you have a mid to late pick.) Then I’d go QB in the 3rd round. You’ll be able to have pretty much anyone in that round. Take WR’s or RB’s in rounds 4-6. (Don’t go TE unless Gates or Gonzalez is still floating around in round 4 or 5.). Then just fill out your roster and the DEF and Kicker should be last rounds. Now if say a Chicago D is sitting there like 3 rounds before the end, You can jump early for that. But i’d stick to that plan. You really don’t need to waste roster spaces on extra DEF and K, cause you can easily pick someone up on waiver wire during their bye weeks and find someone adequate enough to replace them with. Go with your gut and trust instincts.
That is just how I usually run drafts, and I’ve finished Top 3 the last 3 years I’ve done fantasy, I always seem to lose in the Championship Games, but I feel getting there shows I kinda know what i’m doing.
February 8, 2012
6:12 pm
I have done this for a number of years. You need to get a draft board with labels of each players name. When a player gets drafted the label gets put on the draft board in the appropriate teams column. I make sure I have help running the draft, I have one person who is the “Vanna White” who puts the names on the draft board. Another person is a “score keeper” who keeps track of each players picks.
Every player should have their own cheat sheet and cross players off as they are drafted.
February 8, 2012
6:12 pm
This is the method I use every year. I am the commissioner for my league so I can walk you through it. When you set up the league make sure you select ‘offline draft.’ Then invite all the team managers who plan to play in the league. Have your offline draft as normal. As commissioner there is an option to input the draft results, just click on that and you’ll be able to add every player to every team, just make sure you write down all the draft results so you can transfer them over (I know that seems obvious, but some people do forget). Its really fairly easy to do, and live drafts are so much more fun than online ones.
February 8, 2012
6:12 pm
Hold your draft at place where you can all kick back and have a drink or two. Go htrough baout five rounds or so and then take a break order some food. My league usually picks names out of hat a month before the draft to see where everyone picks at. We hold ours at a local resturant sports grill type place and reserve a room with plenty of seating and space. We have a two minute time limit on picks, when someone is on the clock the commishner of our league will state that so and so is on the clock. They will call out their selection. We print up a roster form and a pick by pick selection form to write down everyone that has been drafted(we also have a five dlooar charge to anyone who trys to select a player that has already been picked. Good luck.
February 8, 2012
6:12 pm
email sports-fantasy-feedback@cc.yahoo-inc.com and tell them everything you say here.
I had a similar problem and called a yahoo 800 number I found online somewhere. They said there was no phone support, only email support. This was the email they gave me.
I successfully got my draft time changed. I did not get a response for about 10 hours. Be patient and persistent. Use a detailed description in your subject line.
Good luck.
edit – dont know why but yahoo answers is editing the email address I put in. sports – fantasy-feedback @ cc .yahoo -inc .com take out the spaces.
July 7, 2007
2:22 pm
How do I conduct a successful Fantasy Football draft?
I have a fantasy football league with 8-10 family members that we’ve been running for a few years now. We generally use the Yahoo Sports Draft online to select our teams, but this year we’re going to draft in person and add in our selections afterwards. I have never conducted a draft in person before and was wondering if anyone could give me some tips on time limits for picks, displaying choices, and generally how to make this a success.
August 31, 2007
11:14 pm
When should you pick a given position in a fantasy Football draft, and how many of each position?
Hello. I am a complete rookie to Fantasy Football, and I was wondering if I could get some advice on what round is best to draft particluar positions in my Fantasy Draft. I am playing in a league that plays 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 RB/WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DEF. Also my league awards 6 points for a passing TD.
I know to start with Running Backs, and end with Defense and kickers, but beyond that I am lost. Also is it important or even desireable to have a back up Defense or kicker? What am I supposed to do on a bye week for a position I do not have a back up for? Thanks for the help!!!!
Also, there are 6 bench spots, for a total of a 15 man roster.
September 4, 2007
8:35 pm
Fantasy football draft test was successful but actual live draft failed. How do we have a draft before week 1?
Our live draft was scheduled for 9 PM Eastern tonight (9/4/2007), but when the timer ticked down to zero nothing happened. I talked to several of the league managers who clicked the “Test” button and no one had a problem. It seems that the draft just failed to start! At this point there are no available time slots to have our draft before the start of Week 1.
Does anyone know how to get support from Yahoo! so that we can reschedule our draft before the start of the NFL season?
We paid for the Plus league because it offered “improved technical support.” The problem is that there is no information about how to contact the technical support team now that we actually have a problem!!!
The next best option that we have come up with is to switch to Autodraft (which for me takes all the fun out of fantasy football, but that is a different matter). Even with this option there is no guarantee that our draft will be completed in time for the start of the NFL season.
Any suggestions?
June 4, 2008
12:29 pm
What is the best way to have a live fantasy football draft with an internet league?
Our group typically uses yahoo for fantasy football. The ability to do everything online is great. But how do we have a live draft and then put our players into the teams ourselves and then carry on with the season as usual? Is there an internet league out there that allows you to have live drafts and then put the players in yourself?
To be sure, I dont want to have the live draft online. I want it to be live as in people in a room picking players on a board.
August 21, 2008
5:11 pm
How to run an offline fantasy football draft?
I am running an offline fantasy football draft for the first year with some family and friends. After the draft I am going to enter the results on yahoo. I’m not asking if I should do it at a bar or if I should have activities or anything. I’m just wondering how I should keep track of who has been drafted and how I should let everyone know who is available. Like, should I have a cheatsheet and just cross people off?
Leave any extra details you may think will be helpful.
Thanks