Seeking feedback on a new setup to keep the end of the year competitive for everyone. This plan keeps non-playoff teams active, even if you are out of the hunt for the John T. Buckley Championship Trophy.
Right now, if you miss the playoffs, your keeper TFV locks at Week 14. Your season ends there. To keep all 16 managers engaged through Week 17, we want to start a weighted draft lottery for the top three overall picks.
This system gives every team a reason to play during the playoffs. Here is how the eight non-playoff teams will earn their lottery odds on the field.
1. The Urinal Cake Game Gets High Stakes
The two teams with the worst records still play in the Urinal Cake matchup. Now, the winner gets a major prize. You must win this game to secure the best odds for the first pick.
• Urinal Cake Winner: 28% chance at the #1 overall pick
• Urinal Cake Loser: 22% chance
2. The Lottery Shootout (Weeks 15-17)
For the other six non-playoff teams, Weeks 15 through 17 are no longer dead games. Over these final three weeks, these teams enter a Total Points Shootout. Just set your best lineup each week. Your total points across those three weeks determine your lottery odds:
- Shootout 1st Place (Most points): 15% chance at the #1 overall pick
- Shootout 2nd Place: 11% chance
- Shootout 3rd Place: 9% chance
- Shootout 4th Place: 7% chance
- Shootout 5th Place: 5% chance
- Shootout 6th Place (Fewest points): 3% chance
- Picks 4 and up: The TFV Strategy Remains
Our standard draft mechanics will not change. The non-playoff TFV discount remains in place. After the lottery determines the top three picks, the remaining teams slot into the remaining pick slots. We will base this order on your locked keeper TFV, from lowest to highest.
Why The Change
1. Play until the end: Every manager has a goal during the playoffs. You are either fighting for the Buckley Trophy, the Urinal Cake odds, or the Shootout odds.
2. Draft day reveal: Adding a lottery element to the top three spots brings a clean, NBA-style reveal to the offseason. This makes draft preparation clear and competitive.
The Zoom Lottery Event
To keep the selection transparent, we will run the lottery live on a Zoom call.
Every manager can log in, watch the drawing, and react as the picks fall into place. This live reveal brings the NBA lottery feel to our league.
