Using Divisions

[Berge20]

I am in a redraft league that uses divisions (12 teams, 2 6-team divisions) and I'm trying to understand the justification.

3 from each division make the playoffs.

The divisions are so unbalanced, the top 5 scoring teams in the league are in division A. I'm in that division and I'm sitting with the 5th best record overall (with 2nd most in total points scored overall), odds are I'm not making the playoffs.

The 4th best team in Division A has the same record as the 1st best team in Division B.

So....
1) What are the reasons for having divisions
2) If the group is intent on having them, is there any way to balance them out in a redraft league?

Appreciate it - Just a frustrated owner who doesn't get it.

[Matthias]

Divisions add another level of interest and mimicry of the real game. Generally you have an unbalanced schedule: 2 games against everyone in your division and 1 game against everyone else. And, especially in a redraft, it shouldn't really matter since the quality of the teams should be randomly dispersed.

I wouldn't sweat it. Your complaint is really no different than the people who post here that they have the most or 2nd most points in their league, but with their schedule, are going to miss the playoffs. Whatever. It happens. Best thing to do is just to talk trash about that other division and let it go.

[jbones733]

i love having divisions it makes it more fun, 1 thing you can do is use the divisions just for 2 division champs & then have next best 4 or 6 whatever teams make playoffs

[Berge20]

I guess that would be my only suggestion if divisions are required (which i personally don't understand, but...)

Give each division winner a bye and then give the next 4 best teams playoff slots regardless of division.

[Matthias]

Actually, that doesn't really work if you play an unbalanced schedule (I don't know if you do).

Because if you have 2 or 3 really bad teams than all the teams in their divisions will get 2 cracks at them, padding their records. Whereas if you have a division that is all solid teams, they might all finish just barely over .500 because they've been beating up on each other.

One of my leagues is a 2-div 12-teamer and we have 4 playoff spots. I explained the pluses/minuses of having div winners and top two teams or just top two teams from each division and everyone agreed they just wanted the top two from each to go. So that's what we have.

[Berge20]

Guess I just don't understand the division thing. Thanks for the input.