Slow Drafting- Help Please

[wgolds]

We have an 18 team keeper league that plays all 4 major sports.

Having a live draft 4x a year is simply impossible with that many people from many different time zones.

This past year we conducted the draft on a message board with mixed success. Some owners were prompt about making picks once they were on the clock. Others consistently failed to check in more than once every 48 hours. We were only able to get 3 rounds done in a typical week even once we instituted a 12hour deadline (you were skipped if you did not pick in 12 hours after prior pick).

I am trying to find any suggestions from you who have better luck.

One idea is to force one round every day. Each GM must submit their top 18 preferred picks for the day to the commish by 9AM. Picks progress throughout the day in order, with a 1-hour deadline per pick or something.

[Bobbleheadrusty]

We have an 18 team keeper league that plays all 4 major sports.

Having a live draft 4x a year is simply impossible with that many people from many different time zones.

This past year we conducted the draft on a message board with mixed success. Some owners were prompt about making picks once they were on the clock. Others consistently failed to check in more than once every 48 hours. We were only able to get 3 rounds done in a typical week even once we instituted a 12hour deadline (you were skipped if you did not pick in 12 hours after prior pick).

I am trying to find any suggestions from you who have better luck.

One idea is to force one round every day. Each GM must submit their top 18 preferred picks for the day to the commish by 9AM. Picks progress throughout the day in order, with a 1-hour deadline per pick or something.

We do 24 hours per pick for the rookie draft, via message boards. I don't like anything under that because it punishes people too much for having a life.

We did 4 things to keep it flowing.
1. Everyone had to subscribe to the message board via email. No excuse not to know it was your pick.
2. Every message board topic had to include the next teams name
3. If you missed your window the next team could go. If more then 72 hours passed without a pick you forfeited that pick.
4. Most people had a draft buddy, someone not right next to them who they could have pick for them if they were going to be away/out of town/away from a computer.

[fast dogs]

We do 3 of these per year & they can be frustrating. Communication is essential, if someone is going to be gone a certain part of the day or week let everyone know in advance. We use a buddy system as much as possible, if you are 3 picks away & need to go have a life for a few hours, give the guy picking behind you a list of 3 to take a player for you. 3-4 is much easier than 18, which will work too.You can have guys post their schedules ahead of time, ie I check before work 7:30 AM & after I get home 5:30 pm & have no chance to check in between, that kind of thing. Also have phone #'s & times to call & not to call when their pick is up. We use the CBS draft room for our slow drafts & at least you get an e-mail when it is your pick. They also have the draft robot that you can check & uncheck to make picks for you now & then.There are usually a few guys who are very active during the draft & can ease the load on the commish, having guys make short lists & subit to them or commish as the draft nears their pick is the best way to get players you want & keep the draft moving. I actually enjoy the slow drafts now that I've done them a # of years. Know going in you are going to get stopped right before your picks lots of times, its just going to happen. Preperation & continuous communication makes it alot more enjoyable.