The Ghetto League

Article I: General League Setup

Section 1.01: Commissioner

• Commissioners: Tony & Joe Hickey
• Role: The Commissioners ensure all Bylaws are enforced to maintain smooth league operations.
• Dispute Resolution: In disputes, the Commissioners will gather evidence and rule based on the Bylaws and the league's best interests. They may poll the Board of Governors for input at their discretion.
• Issue Reporting: Franchise owners must report issues to the Commissioners via email.

Section 1.02: Teams

• Number of Teams: The league consists of 14 teams.

Article II: Fees

Section 2.01: League Entry Fees

• Annual Fee: $400 per team (as of August 7, 2023).
• Fee Adjustments: A league vote may be held at the season's end to consider raising the fee for the following season if proposed by members.
• Payment Deadline: Fees are due before the start of the next season.
• League Activity: The Commissioners may postpone league activities until all fees are paid.

Article III: Seasonal Payouts

Section 3.01: Regular Season Payouts

Based on $400 per Team, Total $5600

Section 3.02: Payouts Explained

• Championship Playoff Wins: $125 awarded per win en route to the championship, including bye weeks. The championship game does not award an additional $100.
• Loser Bracket Playoff Wins: $50 awarded per win en route to the Loser Bowl, including bye weeks. The Loser Bowl winner receives the additional $25.
• Trip Rival Week: $25 awarded to the winner of each matchup during Trip Rival Week. A win is awarded if the opponent does not attend the trip.
• Bad Beat: Awarded to the highest-scoring team that loses in a given week ($105 total).

Section 3.03: Beer Bitch

The team finishing last in the regular season standings is designated the "Beer Bitch" for the entire league trip and the draft.

Article IV: Regular Season

Section 4.01: Schedule

• Alignment: The regular season aligns with the NFL schedule.
• Duration: 14 weeks, from NFL Week 1 to Week 14.

Article V: Standings

Section 5.01: League Standings

Standings are based on the following criteria, in order:

1. Win-Loss Record
2. Points For
3. Points Against

Article VI: Playoffs

Section 6.01: Championship Playoffs

• Qualification: 7 teams qualify for the championship playoffs.
• Bye Weeks: Top team receives a bye week.
• Payouts: $125 awarded per win en route to the championship, including bye weeks.

Section 6.02: Loser Bowl Playoffs

• Qualification: Teams ranked 8th to 14th compete in a 7-team playoff.
• Payouts: $50 awarded per win en route to the Loser Bowl, including bye weeks.

Article VII: Rosters

Section 7.01: Active Roster (Regular Season)

Roster Composition (17 Total Spots):

• 1 Quarterback (QB)
• 1 Running Back (RB)
• 1 Wide Receiver (WR)
• 2 Wide Receiver/Running Back/Tight End (WRT) flex positions
• 1 Wide Receiver/Tight End (WT) flex position
• 1 Kicker (K)
• 1 Defense (DEF)
• 1 Individual Defensive Player (IDP)
• 8 Bench spots

Position Eligibility: Players may only be started in positions for which they are designated.

Section 7.02: Position Limits

There are no restrictions on the number of players per position.

Section 7.03: Injured Reserve (IR)

• Available for players already on the roster who are designated as OUT or IR by SleeperApp after Week 1.
• If an IR-slot player plays and scores points in a week, they must be removed from the IR slot for the following week.
• Players must be on the roster and active on their NFL team to be eligible for the IR slot.

Article VIII: Scoring

Section 8.01: General Scoring

• Scoring System: Fractional scoring, calculated automatically.
• Standard scoring (no PPR)
• 6 points for QB passing touchdowns
• Defensive touchdowns worth 4 points
• Kicker extra points worth 0.5 points

Offense Scoring

Kicker Scoring

Defense/Special Teams Scoring

Individual Defensive Players (IDP) Scoring

Article IX: Draft

Section 9.01: Annual Draft & Draft Order

• Date: The draft is held the Saturday before Labor Day each year, with Sunday as a fallback if necessary.
• Draft Order: Randomly determined, as the league is a full re-draft.

Article X: Transactions

Section 10.01: Trades

• Trade Approval: No league-wide voting on trades except in cases of suspected collusion.
• Collusion Process:
  • A single owner may challenge a trade for collusion by emailing the league with an explanation.
  • The accused parties may respond with one email defending the trade.
  • The league will vote on the challenge.
  • Each owner may issue one collusion challenge per year without penalty.
• Commissioner Intervention: Commissioners may intervene if clear and obvious collusion is evident.

Section 10.03: Waivers/Free Agency

• Blind Bidding Budget: Each team receives $1,000 for the season.
• Waiver Schedule: Waivers process on Wednesdays during the regular season and playoffs.
• Non-Playoff Teams: Teams eliminated from playoffs have their FAAB set to $0.

Article XI: Owner Requirements and Ethical Expectations

Section 11.01: Suspended or Scrapped Games

• Before Trade Deadline (Week 12): Suspended games are finalized as is, per SleeperApp, with no substitution points.
• After Trade Deadline (Week 12): Competing players in the matchup determine the winner.
• Other Scenarios: Governed by SleeperApp rules (e.g., most points, scoring calculations).

Section 11.02: Conduct

• Expectations: Owners must act in the league's best interests at all times.
• Issue Reporting: Owners are responsible for reporting Bylaw violations to the Commissioners.
• Score Verification: Owners must verify scores and lineup legality for themselves and opponents, notifying Commissioners of disputes.

Cheating

Definition:

• Tanking
• Collusion (transactions benefiting one team to the detriment of others or roster pooling)
• Circumventing Bylaws
• Actions undermining league integrity

Consequences: Confirmed cheating results in removal from the league with no refund.

Additional Requirements

• Commissioner Authority: Commissioners may impose penalties, including loss of draft picks or dismissal, for conduct detrimental to the league.
• Lineup Requirements: Valid lineups must be set weekly.
• Trade Responses: Owners must respond to trade offers in a timely manner, though trading is not mandatory.
• League Votes: Owners must participate in league votes on important issues.
• Departure Notice: Owners must provide one month's notice if leaving the league to ensure a smooth transition.

Article XII: Pleading Ignorance

Section 12.01: Know the Rules

• Responsibility: Owners are expected to know the Bylaws.
• Ignorance: Not a valid excuse.
• Bylaws are provided to all owners, accessible on the league website, and available upon request.
• Owners must read and seek clarification before the season starts.

Section 12.02: League Calendar

• Responsibility: Owners must review the league calendar for key dates.
• Commissioners will make best efforts to communicate important dates.
• The league calendar is final, and no retroactive adjustments will be made for discrepancies.

Article XIII: Issues Not Covered in the Bylaws

• Commissioners will amend Bylaws to enhance the league or hold a league-wide vote at their discretion.
• Majority vote decides the issue; the Commissioner's vote breaks ties.

Article XIV: Questions/Concerns and Contact Information

Contact Commissioners:

• Email: josephehickey@gmail.com, Pquentanas@yahoo.com
• Phone: 201-281-5255, 201-697-7364

Article XV: Amendments

• Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed annually via the Commissioner's email.
• Changes require a majority vote or Commissioner approval, as outlined in Article XIII.