Join/Create Group
When your team is created, it is automatically an "independent team" -- meaning it is not associated with any other teams in a group yet. Team owners have the option to group themselves with friends, co-workers, or equally competitive and experienced fantasy owners by creating their own group or by joining one that has already been established. This is easily done on the main Group Directory page which details all the parameters for existing groups (see below). A group has anywhere from 1-10 members (a group with 10 members is considered "full") and at the moment the draft begins your group becomes a league. Groups MUST be full before their draft can take place.
Public Groups
Most of the groups in FFL '98 are public and looking for people of similar age, interests, geographical location, or competitive experience level to join them. Search the Group Directory to join a public group, or create a new one where you choose the name, draft date, and draft method.
Private Groups
If you want to play with a specific group of people you know, create a "Private Group." The creator of a private group sets the group password and can share it with anyone they want. Like creating a public group, the creator chooses the name, draft date and draft method. Anyone who knows the group name and password will be able to enter, until the group is filled. If a group has less than 10 teams, other teams will be added to fill out the league at the time of the group's draft.
Winners' Groups
If your team won its league last year, you are allowed to create and/or join "Winners' Groups" and compete against other 1997 league winners. In turn, champions of the 1998 Winners' Leagues will be given free teams in 1999 to participate against other Winners' League champions -- once you are in the Winner's Leagues, if you are the league champion you'll play for free!
Independent Teams
If your team remains independent (it is defaulted as such when first created), it will automatically be placed in a group with other independent teams. Many team owners choose to keep their team as independent because it offers more flexibility. As an independent team you don't choose a specific draft day - instead, your team's draft is processed the first draft day after you declare your team as "Ready" on your preseason clubhouse page. All independent teams use the multi-list draft method.
Changing Groups
Owners can change groups at any time before the group's draft is processed. To change groups, a team must go to the Group Directory and select a new group. A team that joins a new group is automatically removed from the previous group. If the previous group is left with no teams it is deleted from the Group Directory.
Group parameters
Each group is classified using four parameters: Activity Level, Draft Method, Draft Date, and Access.
