Free or Pay League?

[areblues]

Just looking for some feedback. Do the majority of people on here prefer to join a free league or one with an entry fee and payout?
Also, if people want a "free" league, how does the league site hosting fee get paid? Is the commish expected to pay for the league and NOT get compensated for it? That doesn't seem fair.
Any feedback is appreciated as I'm starting my own league, but having trouble getting owners beyond the initial interest email.

[Verdun Barbarians]

Being a student, I go for free leagues!

[CoolNerd]

I play in both types of leagues. Some people feel that pay leagues force people to commit to the league because they have an investment of more than the time it takes to say yes and draft players. Others like the "excitement" of having something on the line.

Free leagues are seldom totally "free." I am in one league where the commish paid the site fee and invited people he trusted and had experience playing with. Despite this we still had two or three people who stopped submitting line-ups. I would recommend not to do this.

In most "free" leagues the players divide up the cost of the site and any awards that you may. Usually this is no more than 10 dollars or so which is not much for a year's worth of entertainment.

[dream_017]

I have pay league that are local leagues with friends/co-workers. I will not join a pay league with people I do not know(over the internet). I am also in free leagues, mostly here at the cafe, and generally they use the free hosting sites for the league.

[Sixxgunn]

I would guess you use Yahoo instead of a pay site. Then if people drop it's not so bad (although it does suck).

[onnestabe]

I have pay league that are local leagues with friends/co-workers. I will not join a pay league with people I do not know(over the internet). I am also in free leagues, mostly here at the cafe, and generally they use the free hosting sites for the league.

This is my thinking as well.

[Arlo]

Is the commish expected to pay for the league and NOT get compensated for it? That doesn't seem fair.

Well, some commishes like it that way (or perhaps they just don't like the bother of collecting league fees from everyone ). I think the norm, however, is for everyone to pitch in equally.

You'll also find leagues, usually ones where the commish puts in a lot of work, where everyone except the commish pays for the league. A free ride might not be much compared to the hours that some commishes put in, but it can be a nice gesture.

Go with what works.