Would Aaron Rodgers be the top pick in an Empire League? (Photo: Icon SMI)
The term “dynasty” in dynasty leagues is a misnomer. What happens when a dynasty is achieved in a dynasty league? Nothing!
That ends now.
I’ve created a new kind of league, a league that actually ends when someone actually has a dynasty. It’s called an Empire League.
What’s an Empire League? It’s a dynasty league with two unique twists:
1) Each year, half the pot goes to the year’s winner, and the other half is set aside in a rolling Emperor pot.
2) When someone wins an Empire League in consecutive years, they win the rolling Emperor pot. And the league disbands.
I can hear what you’re thinking: “Disbands?!? Oh, no! That’s just wrong!”
First, every league will come to an end eventually, right? Disinterest could end it. A dispute could end it. A freak dirigible accident could end it.
Why not prescribe the end of your league on your own terms? And is there a better way, than by crowning the ultimate champion?
And when it disbands, if the owners want to keep playing, they can just start fresh the next year with the same owners. And, everyone would draft/auction new dynasty rosters.
The strategic ramifications alone will make The Empire league a fascinating one. Imagine what happens when you win the first time. You’re going to be a marked owner the following season. Everyone will be gunning for you, doing anything possible to keep you from a second victory. Would anyone dare trade a good player to you? Free agent bidding would be furious and competitive. Even the last-place team is going to make moves designed explicitly to defeat you and make your repeat run impossible.
Draft strategy would also be fascinating. Do you play it as if it’s a two-year league and attempt to win it all in the first two years? Or do you assume it’s going to last at least 4-5 years and take a longer-term approach and build with young players that will potentially allow you to win two seasons in a row at some point down the road. And if you do manage to repeat? The pot could be huge, and who doesn’t want to be crowned the Emperor of their league?
For just one example of how the Emperor Pot could grow, assume a 10-person league with $150 entry fee, with $75 going to the Emperor Pot each season. You’ve got $750 in the pot for the current year, plus an additional $750 going to the Emperor Pot each season. If someone manages to repeat in years 5 and 6, they’ll take home the single season champion’s portion for each of those years, plus a whopping $4,500 for becoming the Emperor! Think that might make for an intense league?
Would you be willing to play in an Empire League? Express your interest in our Forums.
Thinking of starting an Empire League? Don’t do anything until you read this follow-up article “The Empire League Strikes Back.”
If I was taking your money, Paul, count me in!!
Awesome idea. One area I would be concerned is collusion if the pot is large…several scenarios there I can see people cutting deals / splitting the cash. But with the right people, it’d be great.
I’ve considered the “pot” idea in another way before. A triple crown of sorts…3 different style leagues…once somebody wins a championship in all 3 (doesn’t have to be in the same year) then they win the pot. Each league puts a portion of their fees into the Triple Crown pot each year. Obviously some logistics to be worked out here too, but feasible I think.
I love it
W-O-W. UN-F-ING-BELIEVABLE. Charch you’re a f-ing genius. The rollover pot idea is crazy good. One more thing that it does is to motivate owners to keep coming back year after year, as the pot gets bigger and bigger. It can also be applied to any redraft league, and still get the same defending-champ-against-the-world effect. In fact if you don’t mind I’m gonna steal that for one of my leagues. If the winner is a Fantasy Football Emporor, Char you’re the Fantasy Football Mad Genius. HAIL CHARCH!
Love this Idea, I’m adding it to our League this year
Neat idea for a league…AMAZING idea for the owner of LeagueSafe.com…CHA CHING!
I think it’s ideally suited for a dynasty league, but you can certainly use it for a redraft. The part about it disbanding after the winner is declared also is ideally suited for a dynasty league, but can be used for redrafts.
i would be curious to what the rules/legalities would be if a member of your league happened to pass away or for some reason wanted to leave. would a family member be able to take over, if they left do they just forfeit their money, could you bring somebody else in for a large fee to take their place, etc.
just thinking out loud on this, dont know the answers.
It’s a valid question. I don’t see why a member in good standing couldn’t bequeath his/her team.
How cool would it be for someone to put the rights to their fantasy team in their will?!
I already have. I have a dynasty League for each of my Nieces and Nephew.
Paul,
I have the Vikings blog that I gave you the business card for the other day. You told me to reach out to you about writing on here. Wondering if this could be a possiblity.
Thanks,
Daniel House
I like everything about it but the part about having to disband. Not sure why you would have to do this? I’d wanna keep playing. I may work on a variation of this with my guys for this season. Our league has been around for about ten years and no one has ever won it twice.