I just had an idea, maybe a good one, about how we could dangle a carrot to GMs to encourage them to vote in every round of the ATD playoffs. Remember how we discussed this year letting GMs submit an ordered list of their preferred draft positions, rather than doing the whole thing randomly? Well, why not reward GMs who vote in every round of the draft by giving them the option to opt-in to such a system in the next draft?
I would recommend that the top-4 picks remain off-limits (that is, if you want a top-4 pick, don't opt in), but that GMs with perfect voting records be allowed to submit their preferences and be awarded spots in the draft order before the rest of the spots are allocated at random. The problem we've always had with playoff voting is that there is often not enough of it, but we have no stick, as punishing GMs would just cause them to leave. Better to offer a carrot, then, and I think this is a reasonable incentive.
Keeping track of who voted each round isn't a huge task, but its not a small one either. Basically, we'd need 1 person to volunteer to keep track of this thing, and have everyone who counted votes in every round send him a list of the names that voted that round.
A good idea, but I have one small change to suggest...
If the top 4 picks are going to be off limits, have a lottery with everyone for those 4 picks first. After that, let the GM's who earned it submit their preferred spots for the remaining picks. This way a GM doesn't lose his chance at a top 4 pick, but also doesn't have an advantage at getting one of those picks.
Keeping track of who voted each round isn't a huge task, but its not a small one either. Basically, we'd need 1 person to volunteer to keep track of this thing, and have everyone who counted votes in every round send him a list of the names that voted that round.
I can do that. But it wouldn't be that hard. Either a name stays or it's eliminated.
It's the first time I am working with a Co-GM: do we send one ballot as a team or two ballots?
Separate ballots. If you both vote, each vote counts for half a vote when you're ranking your own division in the regular season. Now that we're doing cross-divisional playoffs, is there any reason to have your votes count for half a vote in the division you meet in the first round?
A good idea, but I have one small change to suggest...
If the top 4 picks are going to be off limits, have a lottery with everyone for those 4 picks first. After that, let the GM's who earned it submit their preferred spots for the remaining picks. This way a GM doesn't lose his chance at a top 4 pick, but also doesn't have an advantage at getting one of those picks.
Separate ballots. If you both vote, each vote counts for half a vote when you're ranking your own division in the regular season. Now that we're doing cross-divisional playoffs, is there any reason to have your votes count for half a vote in the division you meet in the first round?
While I can see a small potential for strategic voting in this scenario, I don't think it is significant enough to get into half votes for cross-divisional rivals. You're going to have to beat the best (or be the best) in your double-division to make the conference finals, one way or another.
I like this idea...but why make the top-4 picks off-limits? (this may have been discussed elsewhere...i just don't remember seeing it)
I think the consensus is that the top-4 picks give at least a slight advantage in the draft. This is my opinion, at least. Making the top-4 picks off limits or subject to an initial lottery (very NBA style) before the rest of the picks are allocated would theoretically prevent any GM from getting an actual competitive advantage out of the proposed system.
Keeping track of who voted each round isn't a huge task, but its not a small one either. Basically, we'd need 1 person to volunteer to keep track of this thing, and have everyone who counted votes in every round send him a list of the names that voted that round.
