Let's talk turkey, MBWBA

[recte44]

So here's the situation as I see it. We currently have six MBBA franchises on autopilot and pretty much all the EBA teams. I'm spending almost 6 hours a week to run this league.

So, is this a league that we want to keep going? If you're an "autopilot" GM, why? What can we do to get you to spend a couple minutes three times a week to post something, or to stop by the forums each day and participate?

Is there a MBBA GM out there who is willing to step into a leadership role?

Talk to me, people. Help me to understand why we have "half a league" right now.

[mrbornac]

I love the old/new MB(W)BA. While I don't have the energy/time to do the old standard "Huge" team news articles I did before, I would be a very sad panda to see this league disappear.

I would say that right now, you are in a growing stage of the league - the owners will shake themself out - you have seen this before - people will leave - and with the pedigree of this league, you will get some old stars back, and some new ones as well. The "old" MBBA was great - with a great group of owners - and you have a good group of owners now - and some will either say "this is not the league I want to be in" or will step up and give the 15 to 40 PP you are expecting...

This is all just my guess....

If you could not tell from my posts about sim day, this is how I feel about the league.

[LambeauLeap]

Ebbs and flows that every league encounters. Took awhile for OOTP12 to get off the ground and people fled for leagues that either held on to 11 (they didn't want to upgrade) or they felt the need to move on (too many leagues, etc).

For some, they're involved in other leagues that are a bit tighter knit in terms of community. The league secondary almost to the social aspect. Not a knock at all, just a fact.

Do people lose a bit of interest in BBall in the winter vs. recruiting ownership when the new season is about to start? I would like to think so but I have no empirical evidence to prove it.

I personally preferred business-week Sims (M-W-F) vs. one on the weekend. I know that schedules make that more difficult, but it's my preference.

IF we need to take a break for a bit I'm fine with it. Got so much going in IRL right now that a break would be fine. IF we don't break and keep going that's fine as well with me. I do some solo sims as well that can get me the little "fix" that I need regardless.

[LambeauLeap]

i still think the EBA is a good idea. Nothing happens tomorrow with this league stuff. Having been around it online since '95 we know that.

[recte44]

I'm not talking about taking a break at all. I'm just wondering why 25% of the league has turned quiet this season?

[LambeauLeap]

I'm not talking about taking a break at all. I'm just wondering why 25% of the league has turned quiet this season?

"So, is this a league that we want to keep going?"

Sounded like it to me.

[recte44]

Eh, mis-worded.

What I'm wondering is there seems to be a handful of GM's who have become "exporters" this year instead of "participators". For a league that advertises itself as an "active, writing league" that is somewhat frustrating.

[LambeauLeap]

I getcha. I think the long layover between seasons hurt (not picking on anyone, just stating what I think is fact). May have to see how things play out during this upcoming offseason where there aren't any crazy upgrades People being first-year owners can then start to make a mark on their team with Free agency, trades, etc.

I think though it's important for people to state their intentions. Sh*t or get off the pot.

[7teen]

From my point of view, the lull this off-season killed some of my enthusiasm early on. But I have gradually gotten back into the swing of things. I missed a few of the Beatings features and just decided it wasn't worth trying to back track on those to get caught back up. It seems that we never have more than 3 or 4 teams missing an export.

I have not been as engaged throughout other TN forums this season, I think partly, due to my lack of interest early on. I can't speak for others though.

Overall, I'd like to think we're still good on moving forward. It seems every league has this trend at some point, but I think we'll get through it.

[LambeauLeap]

I think the extended down-time was the major contributor here. New ownership is always hit-n-miss. You get new owners who are active and some who jump in and just can't click. Nothing against them, I've done it with other leagues in the past, including the MBBA when I was with Chicago for about 35 minutes.

[JohnC]

I am not a big writer myself, however I am pretty sure that I have a 100% export rate since I joined this league and I am very active in the forums. Not sure if that is the kind of GM you want here or not. I can make an effort to try and write some more articles in the future.

For me, it sounds like the EBA is more work then it is worth.

[LambeauLeap]

I found that by reading the articles I get a better understanding of all the players in the league, not just my own. Granted, I didn't really focus "outward" until I had a better grasp of what I had when I took over.

There is a PPT requirement here that you can get with team news (or equiv. other articles). Writing helps spark interest, it's infectious (my Brooks and Jackson articles were written after reading Matt's on Vince Valient) and it helps spur discussion and activity.

[elligator]

Speaking honestly from my experience so far. I'm having trouble getting into the Calgary team. I spent so much time and effort on building Madison a few seasons ago that I burned myself out.

I like to rebuild, but what I've found is that there are very few "good to great" prospects in the league. I don't know if that is because the league is trying to offset the original "talent glut" that we had and has thus been producing lesser quality players in the drafts, or if there is some other reason. I wanted to gut Calgary and start over, but I can't find anyone worth trading my stars for. So, I'm kinda stuck in neutral at the moment, wondering where I'm going to get inspiration from. I think if I could get interested in my team, I would be happy to participate in the boards.

[recte44]

Gates- a classic chicken and egg argument. Perhaps writing about your players, giving them personalities and storylines, will help spark your interest rather than waiting for a spark to come.

[JohnC]

I wasn't implying that I don't understand the point of articles. I do. I have been in online leagues since OOTP6. That doesn't change the fact that some GM's are just not big writers.

[jumpmancol]

I would definitely have to be in the group that has been mainly exporting. For me, I know the long off-season really set me back, especially since I was just getting ramped up with my team. That being said, right about the time we started back up, I found out I was moving to Colorado for a job. Ever since then, I have been going a little insane trying to get everything wrapped up to get moved out there by Dec. 1st.

I have no intentions of abandoning the league...the new file is one of the few bright spots in my week right now. I just don't have the time to contribute much more than what I am at the moment. I do fully plan on getting caught back up once the move is complete though.

[recte44]

True enough, but to be fair, the MBBA is and has always been advertised as a "writing league". We have Participation Point minimums. I'm not asking anyone to be the second coming of Buster Olney here, but team news and forum participation are mandatory per the league Constitution (which you all indicated as read when filling out your league application).

[elligator]

Gates- a classic chicken and egg argument. Perhaps writing about your players, giving them personalities and storylines, will help spark your interest rather than waiting for a spark to come.

I don't disagree with you, Matt. And that thought has occurred to me. However, I've been feeling more chicken than egg.

[aaronweiner]

Matt, I've been insane with ten thousand different things. It's been a big hassle around here - and I've still written a few press releases and I'm not absolutely dead.

It's going to quiet dramatically after Thursday and be GREAT during the holidays. But I'm still around, for sure.

[aaronweiner]

Incidentally, I think that the league also quieted down a BIT as the league was basically on annoying hiatus for two months. I'm not saying that's your fault (it's NOT - OOTP owes us ALL an apology) but the slowdown really did slow everything down.

It's partially my fault, too. I just haven't had the time to write lately what with me running 15 hour days half the time - I get it in when I can.