First, I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and helping me out with your opinions.
I am a commissioner of a 12-team long-running league and I have a tie-breaker question regarding a situation that has never come up before. Our league tie-breakers are as follows:
1. Overall Record 2. Head-to-Head Record 3. Divisional Record (only used when determining division winner) 4. Total Points Scored 5. Total Points Against (i.e. strength of schedule)
For the first time in our 18-yr league history, it’s possible that we could have a 3-way tie at 7-6 in one of our divisions. Here is the breakdown of how things could finish:
Div Record vs. Team A vs. Team B vs. Team C Team A 4-2 n/a 1-1 2-0 Team B 4-2 1-1 n/a 1-1 Team C 3-3 0-2 1-1 n/a
So, from a H2H standpoint: • Team A is 3-1 vs. the other two teams • Team B is 2-2 vs. the other two teams • Team C is 1-3 vs. the other two teams
From a Total Points Scored standpoint, it’s very likely Team C could have the highest Total Points Scored of the three teams.
The reason I’m struggling with this is that, up until this point, we’ve always ruled that in order to use H2H as a tie-breaker, one team in the tie-breaker scenario had to have a clear advantage (or disadvantage) over each of the other teams in the scenario in order to select or throw-out one of the teams. So, for example, if there are 3 or more teams involved in a tie-scenario, if two of the teams in the scenario didn’t play each other (there’s always one non-divisional team we don’t play each season), or if two teams in the scenario split their H2H games 1-1 (we play two games against each divisional opponent), then we automatically went to Total Points Scored as the next tie-breaker since no single team had a clear advantage/disadvantage over each of the other teams.
This methodology works fine if we’re talking about awarding Wild Card spots, and that’s always when this has been used. We’ve never had to use this methodolgy to award a Division Winner before, so I’m unsure if I should continue to follow precedent, or make some new rulings?
If I follow the previous precedent as described above, since none of the three teams is 4-0 or 0-4 H2H against the other two, we wouldn’t use H2H as a tie-breaker. Or, would it be fair to “break precedent” to say that since each team played each other twice in the division, that Team A – being 3-1 vs. the other two teams H2H – wins the H2H tie-breaker, and thus wins the division?
If we stick with precedent and throw-out H2H as a tie-breaker per above, the next tie-breaker would be Divisional Record. Would Team C be then “thrown-out” of the scenario due to a weaker divisional record, leaving the decision as to the winner of the division between Team A and Team B based on Total Points Scored? Or, would we “throw-out” Division Record as a tie-breaker since no ONE team has a clear advantage over the other two in that regard?
If we throw-out the first two tie-breakers (H2H and Div Record), we’re left with Total Points Scored being the final tie-breaker (most likely), which means Team C could win the division, despite having the worst H2H record and worst divisional record between the three teams. For some reason, I think that would be the most unfair result of them all.
I’m very strict on doing things as fairly as possible in this league, so I don’t want to make a mistake here. Secretly, I’m hoping the 3-way tie doesn’t happen, but if it does, I want to be able to make a fair ruling. This is unchartered waters for us, and I just don’t know if I should proceed as has been done before - which could result in what I think is an unfair result.
How would you handle this situation, and how would you award the division?
No, that's not what I'm saying. Sorry for the confusion.
The data and records I showed are what the final regular season numbers would be in my worst-case tie-breaker scenario:
Team A 7-6 overall, 4-2 Div Record, 3-1 vs. the either two teams H2H Team B 7-6 Overall, 4-2 Div Record, 2-2 vs. the other two teams H2H Team C 7-6 overall, 3-3 Div Record, 1-3 vs. the other two teams H2H
Team C is likely to have the highest points scored.
This is the final regular season data from which I'd have to make a decision as to who wins the division, while also trying to maintain an ethical ruling and hopefully not institute any drastic new tie-breaker rules which apply to division winner selections only. I'm afraid proceeding as we have in the past could yield a pretty unfair ruling, if things turn out like shown above, after Week 13.
Thanks for the interest and the help. I look forward to your thoughts.
The H2H among the three should be used. They played each other twice each and one team has a clear advantage of 3-1. A clear advantage does not have to be 4-0.
don't understand why you have "clear advantage" language in your rule? In the NFL, as in my league, 3way ties automatically throwout head to head. You go straight to division record. Other fantasy leagues will go straight to points.
You should never use h2h when tiebreaking 3 or more teams, IMO.
I am always in favor of using total points scored as a tie breaker because that is the stats that a fantasy owner has the most control over. H2H and divisional records can be tricky and don't always show who has the best fantasy squad or who has had the best fantasy season. The second stats to me is points against (or as you put it strength of schedule). I remember one year having the highest points scored in the league but every week the other teams scored their highest totals of the season (crazy season).
If you are not comfortable with that and wish to come up with a new option a suggestion would be using a formula combining the season win percentage (in decimal format), the total points scored, and total points against. Then divide by three to get the average. Whoever has the highest number gets the top spot. I call this the F.T.R. (fantasy team rating). With this formula you are taking wins, total pts, and pts against into consideration. If you want to get fancy you can combine the win percentage of the season, divisional record percentage, and head to head record percentage, along with the total pts and pts against. Divide them by 5 and use the final number. That may be a little much but it would be fair and it seems that is what you are aiming for. This is just a suggestion though. Hope things work out for your league this year.
dgan wrote:don't understand why you have "clear advantage" language in your rule? In the NFL, as in my league, 3way ties automatically throwout head to head. You go straight to division record. Other fantasy leagues will go straight to points.
You should never use h2h when tiebreaking 3 or more teams, IMO.
The above is not correct. The NFL does use H2H with a 3-way tie.
THREE OR MORE CLUBS (Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).
TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION
1.Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs). 2.Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division. 3.Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
Note above that there is nothing about having to be a "Clean Sweep". In your case, the 3-1 team would win the tiee-break
dgan wrote:don't understand why you have "clear advantage" language in your rule? In the NFL, as in my league, 3way ties automatically throwout head to head. You go straight to division record. Other fantasy leagues will go straight to points.
You should never use h2h when tiebreaking 3 or more teams, IMO.
The above is not correct. The NFL does use H2H with a 3-way tie.
THREE OR MORE CLUBS (Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).
TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION
1.Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs). 2.Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division. 3.Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
Note above that there is nothing about having to be a "Clean Sweep". In your case, the 3-1 team would win the tiee-break
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by CommishScott » Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:26 pm 
