About the Relegation League
The Relegation League was birthed from a simple idea: Respect and shame are both fun motivators.
Let’s face it - one of the biggest limitations of fantasy football is that managers who don’t set their lineups or make poor decisions often wind up gifting victories to other teams, which artificially bolsters their season’s performance. Further, good fantasy managers deserve an opportunity to tout their prowess by sustaining their dominance.
In other words, fantasy football managers should be accountable and/or respected for their performance.
Enter, the English football (the other football) system. Good teams are promoted, bad teams are relegated, and natural selection works its magic.
In 2022, this wild idea took hold in an official form, leading to the creation of two tiers with twelve teams each:
Tier 1: Legacy Division
Tier 2: Mettle Division
After a year’s play, the bottom 3 teams from Legacy would be demoted to Mettle, and, in turn, the top 3 teams from Mettle would have the opportunity to be promoted the following year to Legacy. The bottom 3 teams in Mettle would be at risk for expulsion from the league altogether at the discretion of the commissioner.
As an added bonus, this system solves a few issues beyond the aforementioned. Have you ever been frustrated with the lack of fervor around the 3rd place game in the playoffs? Or the 9th place game? Now, they have meaning, as the 3rd secures promotion and the 9th is safe from relegation. Read: the fantasy season is no longer championship or bust. There is pride in building something successful over time.
This fantasy experiment is now moving into its third season. Join us and/or follow along the way.