Do commissioners have a bigger advantage over the rest of the league?

[dollaMite 0]

It seems like commissioners usually do well in most leagues. One of my big money leagues this year the commish and his team dominated. He over course is in the championship game.

 

Do you feel they have a slight advantage? I think they do.

[Law 220]

The advantage I see, what I have personally experienced, is that they have a better understanding of the rules. But this is mostly true for me when I'm commish and I do well in every league I'm in. I think it comes down to understanding a league's specific scoring rules, the value of individual players and positions, investing the time to do well, and some luck.

 

A commish has a head start on the rules, but it's not like others can't learn them and do equally well.

[mzf5c5 0]

It seems like commissioners usually do well in most leagues. One of my big money leagues this year the commish and his team dominated. He over course is in the championship game.

 

Do you feel they have a slight advantage? I think they do.

 

The only advantage that I get in m league really, is that if I wanted, I could see who is doing what waivers and such before our deadline and I could make adjustments to what I was doing. But I choose not to do that, as I consider it cheating.

 

Other than that, Not sure what other advantage they might be able to use. They still draft where they draft.

[NewbieJr 540]

What possible advantages would they have?

[Flint5 4]

What possible advantages would they have?

A Commish could in some leagues make changes to his starting line-up after the games begin. Say a QB or RB is hurt on the 1st play of the game, the commish could possibly switch to another QB on his/her roster and no one would be the wiser. One should not cheat, but it is possible.

[dollaMite 0]

The only advantage that I get in m league really, is that if I wanted, I could see who is doing what waivers and such before our deadline and I could make adjustments to what I was doing. But I choose not to do that, as I consider it cheating.

 

Other than that, Not sure what other advantage they might be able to use. They still draft where they draft.

 

Hey that's a really good point. If a commish keeps a keen eye out for various pick up's - they know who might be making a good move.

 

I am commish of one league and have won it all a few times. I'm in two other leagues and I am always up at the top but the commissioners of those leagues are always finishing at the top as well.

[HeirCoryell 0]

If you are willing to be a commissioner, then chances are that it means you care more about Fantasy Football than the average Joe. That also means that you are probably willing to put in the extra time and do the research necessary to be better prepared than most of the other owners in a League. The guy that shows up just before the draft with a freshly bought magazine and fails to turn in a lineup 2 or 3 times a year isn't going to want to be commissioner. He just wants to draft a team and see if he can get lucky. A commissioner has to pay attention all season to make sure things are running smoothly for the League and this means he will in all likelihood keep up with the injuries, promotions/demotions, and the waiver wire players more than Joe Blow who sets his lineup just before game time and doesn't worry about it for the next week.

 

I will say that 10-15 years ago or so, before the boom of Fantasy Football and all the internet information that led up to it, commissioners had a real advantage if they had to actually figure out the scores for each game in their League. They were the ones that were able to see trends developing and notice the other finer points before the rest of the owners.

[bweiser831 0]

yeah, an honest commish won't have an advantage.

 

a dishonest commish could.

[HardTack 0]

If you are willing to be a commissioner, then chances are that it means you care more about Fantasy Football than the average Joe. That also means that you are probably willing to put in the extra time and do the research necessary to be better prepared than most of the other owners in a League. The guy that shows up just before the draft with a freshly bought magazine and fails to turn in a lineup 2 or 3 times a year isn't going to want to be commissioner. He just wants to draft a team and see if he can get lucky. A commissioner has to pay attention all season to make sure things are running smoothly for the League and this means he will in all likelihood keep up with the injuries, promotions/demotions, and the waiver wire players more than Joe Blow who sets his lineup just before game time and doesn't worry about it for the next week.

 

I will say that 10-15 years ago or so, before the boom of Fantasy Football and all the internet information that led up to it, commissioners had a real advantage if they had to actually figure out the scores for each game in their League. They were the ones that were able to see trends developing and notice the other finer points before the rest of the owners.

 

 

This exactly.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,592]

If you are willing to be a commissioner, then chances are that it means you care more about Fantasy Football than the average Joe. That also means that you are probably willing to put in the extra time and do the research necessary to be better prepared than most of the other owners in a League. The guy that shows up just before the draft with a freshly bought magazine and fails to turn in a lineup 2 or 3 times a year isn't going to want to be commissioner. He just wants to draft a team and see if he can get lucky. A commissioner has to pay attention all season to make sure things are running smoothly for the League and this means he will in all likelihood keep up with the injuries, promotions/demotions, and the waiver wire players more than Joe Blow who sets his lineup just before game time and doesn't worry about it for the next week.

 

I will say that 10-15 years ago or so, before the boom of Fantasy Football and all the internet information that led up to it, commissioners had a real advantage if they had to actually figure out the scores for each game in their League. They were the ones that were able to see trends developing and notice the other finer points before the rest of the owners.

 

perfectly put, I am commish in one league and I am always top 3 or so, I am constantly on the site, checking other teams lineups for errors, following scores closely, etc.

 

but being commish in one league lends me advantages in other leagues where I finished 2nd overall, but lost in week 15, I was ahead of the game on quite a few pickups

[Thornton Melon 544]

If you are willing to be a commissioner, then chances are that it means you care more about Fantasy Football than the average Joe. That also means that you are probably willing to put in the extra time and do the research necessary to be better prepared than most of the other owners in a League. The guy that shows up just before the draft with a freshly bought magazine and fails to turn in a lineup 2 or 3 times a year isn't going to want to be commissioner. He just wants to draft a team and see if he can get lucky. A commissioner has to pay attention all season to make sure things are running smoothly for the League and this means he will in all likelihood keep up with the injuries, promotions/demotions, and the waiver wire players more than Joe Blow who sets his lineup just before game time and doesn't worry about it for the next week.

 

I wouldn't call this an advantage, really - it just speaks to the type of player who wants to be a Commish. He's going to be more dedicated and involved, and generally more successful.

 

I will say that 10-15 years ago or so, before the boom of Fantasy Football and all the internet information that led up to it, commissioners had a real advantage if they had to actually figure out the scores for each game in their League. They were the ones that were able to see trends developing and notice the other finer points before the rest of the owners.

 

This I definitely agree with you on. Having to keep track of everyone else's teams and games gave the Commish more insights into players and teams compared with the other owners. The Commish had to do a lot more work back then, so I guess the extra insights he picked up were a kind of "payment" for him for doing all the heavy lifting.

[PATSSOX 22]

A Commish could in some leagues make changes to his starting line-up after the games begin. Say a QB or RB is hurt on the 1st play of the game, the commish could possibly switch to another QB on his/her roster and no one would be the wiser. One should not cheat, but it is possible.

 

 

If you play in a league where you suspect the commish is doing this than i would suggest you get the hell out of that league.

 

There is not one advantage a commish has. Like someone else said, the reason why most commish do well in leagues is because they are usually the ones who spend the most time on fantasy football and probably like it the most.

[Portis26 0]

the commish has the ability to change their lineup or anyone elses DURING the games... so I caught my commish cheating..

 

he had player A in the line up - I see it in the beginning of the game, then at the end of the first qtr... then when the game is over I see someone else is in his line up. I watched it happen a few weeks and called him about it... it hasnt happen since.

 

so watch closely to the commishes IMO

[NewbieJr 540]

Well obviously if you have a commish who would cheat, the, yes, he has an advantage. Otherwise, the commish has no advantage.

[HeirCoryell 0]

As the Commissioner, sometimes I tend to get questions asked of me or ideas bounced off me that tend to lead to a bit of information being divulged or at least enough to where I can sometimes see what an owner has in mind when it comes to the draft, transactions or trades. That can be an advantage I guess.

[Ambroc 0]

Huh?

 

Why are you still in this league?

 

 

the commish has the ability to change their lineup or anyone elses DURING the games... so I caught my commish cheating..

 

he had player A in the line up - I see it in the beginning of the game, then at the end of the first qtr... then when the game is over I see someone else is in his line up. I watched it happen a few weeks and called him about it... it hasnt happen since.

 

so watch closely to the commishes IMO

[PATSSOX 22]

the commish has the ability to change their lineup or anyone elses DURING the games... so I caught my commish cheating..

 

he had player A in the line up - I see it in the beginning of the game, then at the end of the first qtr... then when the game is over I see someone else is in his line up. I watched it happen a few weeks and called him about it... it hasnt happen since.

 

so watch closely to the commishes IMO

 

Now that type of commish has a BIG ADVANTAGE If you catch your commish doing something like that you need to tell everyone and i would either get a new commish or get out of that league. You should not have to watch your commish to try and catch him cheating.

[Foghorn Leghorn 0]

The commish of my redraft league (15 years now) has not only won exactly 0 championships but, if memory serves me correctly, he's only made the Finals once.

 

He's not a dullard or fantasy illiterate. He's had some brutal luck in general and specifically with injuries to his protectable guys, and has a tendency to take more sleeper risks than anyone else.

 

I think the trust factor is the biggest thing. He is in a position to tell people "I made the waiver claim before you submitted, sorry", or to pull a last minute switcheroo with his starting line-up. Luckily, in my case, I can't think of anyone in our league I'd rather have running the show. A straight-up and honorable guy.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Cheating commishes have an advantage. Otherwise, they don't. Most leagues now have automatic waivers and schedules, so there is not a ton that the commish has to do during the season that is different than everyone else.

 

In my main league, the commish has not won in 7 seasons. He is usually out of the playoffs, in fact.

 

If you play in a league where the commish changes lineups illegally, I have to question why you stay.

[Dan 59]

Our commissioner finished dead last this year.

 

Now granted, this is not the norm, but I think it lends to the idea that it has more to do with experience than the "finger on the pulse" thing. Our commish has had a busier than normal year, and didn't have the time to dedicate, and then his team got old and injured. Hey, presto! 12th place.

 

I think, back in the day, commissioners had much more of an advantage - when everything was done by phone and print media. The commish's advantage would be pronounced because he connected with everyone regularly and had a little more insight into their manner of thinking, etc. I know it was for our commish.

[dreadlocks34 0]

A Commish could in some leagues make changes to his starting line-up after the games begin. Say a QB or RB is hurt on the 1st play of the game, the commish could possibly switch to another QB on his/her roster and no one would be the wiser. One should not cheat, but it is possible.

Alot of the sites I have seen will timestamp these moves so anyone can see them and went lineups were altered. But I can't say for sure which do and which don't.

[De Novo 0]

If you are willing to be a commissioner, then chances are that it means you care more about Fantasy Football than the average Joe. That also means that you are probably willing to put in the extra time and do the research necessary to be better prepared than most of the other owners in a League. The guy that shows up just before the draft with a freshly bought magazine and fails to turn in a lineup 2 or 3 times a year isn't going to want to be commissioner. He just wants to draft a team and see if he can get lucky. A commissioner has to pay attention all season to make sure things are running smoothly for the League and this means he will in all likelihood keep up with the injuries, promotions/demotions, and the waiver wire players more than Joe Blow who sets his lineup just before game time and doesn't worry about it for the next week.

 

I will say that 10-15 years ago or so, before the boom of Fantasy Football and all the internet information that led up to it, commissioners had a real advantage if they had to actually figure out the scores for each game in their League. They were the ones that were able to see trends developing and notice the other finer points before the rest of the owners.

 

This is the correct answer.

[seattleslew 0]

I am a commissioner that created a 12-team league several years ago. I set up the league with people I know, the same 7-8 owners have been there the whole time, but as other owners have come and gone I plug in friends or co-workers. The only "advantage" I have found is knowing everyone in the league well. This helps in my own trade situations, and as some people have pointed out people come to me asking "what I think" since I am familiar with the other person, almost like a mediator. I am usually impartial, but naturally there are times I nudge an owner in a direction that I think helps me.

[PATSSOX 22]

Alot of the sites I have seen will timestamp these moves so anyone can see them and went lineups were altered. But I can't say for sure which do and which don't.

 

on CBS the commish can delete them. I did not know that until someone on here said so and i checked and you can

[TonyB1972 1]

I don't think so, I run leagues and I set it up so that I cannot see anything more than the players can, and the waiver wire order is what it is.

 

 

I would say that usually the commish is one of the most knowledgable players, and maybe more dedicated to doing research....hence they were willing to put the time in to run and set the league up.

[wild_and_crazy_guy 5]

Speaking as a commish, we usually remember to set our lineups each week. This helps.

 

We're smarter, too.

[joelmrut 4]

I've been a commish in at least two leagues for over ten years and most of the time I see it as a disadvantage. All the extra work, whiny owners and other BS that comes up year after year. I enjoy the leagues that I not a commish in more. And some times being the commish at a draft is beyond complicated when you are not only tracking your own draft but everyone elses too.

[Mephisto 15]

My 5-8 record and missing the playoffs this year would seem to indicate otherwise.

[PsychoBelichickFan 0]

It seems like commissioners usually do well in most leagues. One of my big money leagues this year the commish and his team dominated. He over course is in the championship game.

 

Do you feel they have a slight advantage? I think they do.

they have no advantage unless they cheat and modify other owners waiver requests.

[nocarbs 0]

Usually the commissioner of a league was the person that started the league. So most of the team owners in the league are all his good friends. So his advantage is that he has a good relationship with all the owners in the league which might make it easier to make trades.

[TD Ryan2 314]

If you are willing to be a commissioner, then chances are that it means you care more about Fantasy Football than the average Joe. That also means that you are probably willing to put in the extra time and do the research necessary to be better prepared than most of the other owners in a League. The guy that shows up just before the draft with a freshly bought magazine and fails to turn in a lineup 2 or 3 times a year isn't going to want to be commissioner. He just wants to draft a team and see if he can get lucky. A commissioner has to pay attention all season to make sure things are running smoothly for the League and this means he will in all likelihood keep up with the injuries, promotions/demotions, and the waiver wire players more than Joe Blow who sets his lineup just before game time and doesn't worry about it for the next week.

 

I will say that 10-15 years ago or so, before the boom of Fantasy Football and all the internet information that led up to it, commissioners had a real advantage if they had to actually figure out the scores for each game in their League. They were the ones that were able to see trends developing and notice the other finer points before the rest of the owners.

 

[redtodd 7]

I just won the league I run, so there must be something to that.

[robertd52 0]

I dont have the time (or the care) to read through the rest of these posts, but I do want to add my 10 cents.

 

Ive commished for years, I am always one of the best teams, this year looks like it will be my second title (out of a good 5 championships).

 

My advantage is one thing, and one thing only, I talk to ALL the league. So I often hear about trades in the works, or get a feel for teams percieved weakness and strenghts.

That IS an advantage, in that in negotiations, or even waiver pick ups, I know who may be looking at what.

 

That said, ANY other team could have the level of communication that I have with the rest of the league if they really wanted to go out of there way (and spend the time I do in doing it) and do it them damn selves.

 

Thats it in a nutshell, the point of this thread I believe.

[robertd52 0]

Usually the commissioner of a league was the person that started the league. So most of the team owners in the league are all his good friends. So his advantage is that he has a good relationship with all the owners in the league which might make it easier to make trades.

 

This too, def. But again, anyone else in the league could work into this role too if they wanted to take the time.

[shovelheadt 62]

There is not one advantage a commish has.

 

Incorrect. As mentioned, there's only no advantages if it's an honest commish. I can think of another advantage: he can see all trade offers. He knows what people are looking for and what they're willing to give up.

[mo' scores moe 0]

Heir Coryell's 1st post said it very well, especially overseeing all of the league transactions. That is a slight advantage as well as it should be. Doing all of the work with the draft and all of the transactional duties should have a payoff.