Must every online league contain 30 teams?

[playshogi]

I'm wondering if there is any interest in having smaller leagues.
I don't see why EVERY online league HAS to be structured like MLB. I think it's unfair to have 6 teams in NL central and only 4 in AL West. It also might be easier to keep a 24 team league filled. I can understand having the ability to expand and contract at will might pose a significant programming problem, but why not have different league structures available at the start? 6 4-team divisions might be well received especially if combined with an all fictional start. Eliminate all the 6 smallest market teams with a schedule like 22 games within division and 12 vs other 2 divisions and no interleague play OR 18 games within divison 12 vs other 2 divisions and 3 vs 1 other league division with interleague play.

[takaplan]

I think it might be possible to allow a 24 team league along with the fake player feature that we are working on. However, I'm not sure how much programming it really would take, as it might make things very complicated. I'll talk to James...

[professor]

for the next upgrade.

Maybe we can get 24 people to stick with a league for more than 2 sim years.

[Adam22]

I like this idea as well. Gives people a chance to create leagues that have a small number of people, but still have more human owners then computer.

[malpits]

I like this idea as well it means leagues would be more competitive.

[williethebasset]

How about the teams could be expanded or contracted depending on the voe of the players?

[playshogi]

I just read Bob Costas's book and he had a suggestion for a 6 division league: give the team in each league with the best record a bye into the LCS. That would create 6 pennant races whereas now the wild card effectively destroys the pennant race. The only possible "race" is between the 4th and 5th best team for the last playoff spot. Assuming the fictional league with 24 team league may be a reality soon at Sports Mogul, perhaps we could give this idea a trial, also.

[nysteinbrenner]

I'd personally advocate a few different versions of BBMO as it pertains to league sizes...

- A 12-team version with two 6-team leagues. The champs of each league would meet in the World Series (no LCS or LDS).

- A 16-team version with two 8-team leagues. Each league would have two divisions of 4 teams each. The division champs meet in the LCS, with the winners going on to the WS.

- A 24-team version with two 12-team leagues. Each league would have two divisions of 6 teams each, and a similar playoff format to the 16-team version.

- The current 30-team version with 3 divisions, a wild-card qualifier, etc.

I think that if these options were available the overall interest in the game would grow and player retention would increase. Personally I don't think that if I had the option I'd ever create another 30-team league, but would rather have a 12- or 16-team circuit.

[edeutsch77]

Originally posted by playshogi
I just read Bob Costas's book and he had a suggestion for a 6 division league: give the team in each league with the best record a bye into the LCS. That would create 6 pennant races whereas now the wild card effectively destroys the pennant race. The only possible "race" is between the 4th and 5th best team for the last playoff spot. Assuming the fictional league with 24 team league may be a reality soon at Sports Mogul, perhaps we could give this idea a trial, also.

The wildcard does not destroy the pennant race. In Mogulers, the Wildcard made the whole race interesting. SF and myself(LA) were neck and neck going into the final week of the season. The Mets were right there with us. In a twist, NYN got lucky, and had an easy schedule. SF and I played each other 7 times in 11 days. I wound up missing the playoffs by a game because of it. But it made the whole experience that much more exciting.