FREE AGENCY / DRAFT DATES 2024

[Goodell]

We're in a tricky situation scheduling-wise as I look through the check-in reported conflicts. Of course we're never going to be able to accommodate for 192 teams across 6 leagues to find perfect dates that nobody has conflicts with, but my aim in asking for that information is to try to keep those things in mind especially if they impact multiple people and just no internet access entirely. These days, people do have things going on but they also have the internet in their pocket most of the time.

April 1-15, April 19-30, May 4-5, May 11, and May 31-June 23 were all reported as conflicts for scheduling as I mark down all the various inputs. Times when no internet access at all was reported included April 6-15 and April 19-27.

That leaves April with very little free days if wanting to avoid no internet access at all conflicts from some GMs.

One option with that in mind might be to start free agency on April 15th and we can get in pretty much a week without conflict. As bids go 24 hours, nobody would be signed until 4/16 starting a stretch of days when nobody sent in any conflicts. Otherwise the reported conflicts are fewer in May where we could do free agency earlier in the month and then draft a couple weeks later before the holiday weekend leading into more summer plans for many. Free agency keeps going, but unless my memory is off I think much of the significant signings all happen within the first week and then it starts to taper down.

Last year Saturday was the most popular choice for draft start, so we'll factor that into options but many of the reported conflicts that month were also on that day. In recent years we've gone to the one round per day format that's been generally supported with undrafted free agents afterward.

The paid BRFL league may end up designating different dates as they do the draft a little differently and have less people/conflicts for scheduling to consider.

[Goodell]

Free agency front-runner definitely looking like Monday, April 15th, so plan on that.

The draft votes are kind of surprising given past year votes favoring weekend starts, but the May weekend vote is being split between two different Saturdays, which helps the current front runner on Monday the 13th. I believe it's set where people can adjust their votes if they wish.

If we do go with a Monday next month it possibly brings up more of a possibility of doing something social with that in the first round to kick things off. Maybe to be discussed between each individual league if there's some interest in that. I'm a fairly new player in our paid BRFL league, and have enjoyed their video conference first rounds on a week day night. There's possibility perhaps to do something like that in leagues that wanted to, or if not to that full video extent perhaps something with a more social chat and more pick commentary.

Years ago I did have another draft-related site with mocks/predictions/responses to NFL picks that I tested incorporating into here a bit during the NFL draft telecasts, but that got to be a little much and didn't quite get to where I wanted it. But could do something simpler to have a bit more interactive sim first round kickoffs if interest in that for those who want to, and those that don't wouldn't have to and just manually pick online or ranking list as usual.

[Goodell]

I added some calendar notes to the top of each league homepage. Per votes supporting the dates here in pretty strong numbers, we'll finalize these days.

• Monday, April 15th 9AM ET - Free Agency Starts (Tags/LTCs for pending free agents must be done before free agency starts)
• Monday, May 13th - College Draft Starts (one round per day)

Quick update on other activities. I have calculated the draft order in all leagues, but still working on about half of the league compensatory picks to get the full order. A couple of the leagues that are fully completed for draft order including compensatory picks have had trades turned on, partially so we can do a smaller test to make sure everything's working with that before turning trades on for all leagues. But will be doing that early this week for all across the board.