MADDEN 25 RULES
**Rule 1: FEES AND PAYOUT**
To participate in the league, a $20 seasonal fee is required. With 32 participants, the total prize pool amounts to $640. The playoff participants will each receive a $10 payout, while the conference championship loser will receive $20 (covering the seasonal fee). The Super Bowl winner will receive $390, and the runner-up will receive $90, provided that all 32 teams remain in the league. Kindly ensure that your $20 payment is received before the conclusion of the Super Bowl; otherwise, your team will be placed on auto-pilot for the off-season until the payment is settled in full.
**Rule 2: 1ST SEASON FREE AGENCY**
During the inaugural season, the acquisition of free agents will follow the order in which teams were selected. Each team will be entitled to select one free agent. Once all 32 teams have made their selections, the remaining free agents will become available to all participants. Additionally, teams will be permitted to acquire players from opposing teams' practice squads during the first season.
**Rule 3: TRADING AND DROPPING PLAYERS**
Each participant will be permitted to engage in a maximum of two (2) trades per season. Each trade transaction will consist of six (6) slots, which can be utilized to trade one (1) player or up to three (3) players/picks. Regardless of the number of slots utilized, each trade will be counted as one (1) trade. In the event that a trade requires two (2) transactions (utilizing six (6) slots plus one (1) slot), this will constitute both trades for both parties involved, and no further trades will be permitted for the remainder of the season. Trades involving future draft picks that are not currently held by the trading parties are strictly prohibited. Only draft picks currently in possession may be traded. Consequently, trading all first-round picks for future seasons (i.e., no fifth, sixth, seventh, etc., first rounds) is not permitted. It is essential to ensure that the trading partner has remaining trades before engaging in any transactions. Trades should be approached with prudence, as they are a valuable resource in this edition of Madden. Finally, please note that individuals who have not settled their dues for the upcoming season will be ineligible to participate in any trades until payment has been received in full.
In addition, it is no longer permissible to release high-caliber players with the intention of having a teammate acquire them to bolster their playoff roster or circumvent the two-trade restriction. The definition of a high-caliber player is well-known (e.g., releasing Patrick Mahomes or CeeDee Lamb during their prime). This practice will not be tolerated. Any trades involving the release of high-caliber players will be reversed. Furthermore, each team is limited to a maximum of three first-round selections per season. There are no restrictions on the number of second, third, or subsequent round selections. League members and I will be closely monitoring the transaction log.
**Rule 4 : Draft**
The draft will commence the day after the Super Bowl concludes, regardless of whether it falls on a weekday or weekend. The draft will commence promptly at 7:00 p.m. PST. The off-season schedule is as follows:
- Super Bowl concludes to 3:00 p.m. PST the following day to resign your players
- 3:00 p.m. PST to 6:30p.m. PST: Free agency
- 6:30p.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST: Player scouting
- 7:00 p.m. PST: Draft commencement
Please note that rounds 5-7 of the draft will be simulated to expedite the process.
**Rule 5: Open Playbook**
All players will be permitted to utilize any team-specific playbook for both offense and defense. However, the use of custom playbooks, including the West Coast Offense or Multi-D, is strictly prohibited. Additionally, adding audibles is not allowed, as this would automatically classify the playbook as custom.
To ensure that your opponent is adhering to the rule of using a team-specific playbook, both players must display their playbooks upon reaching the helmet screen. If any modifications or attempts to rename the playbook have been made, it will be indicated as a custom playbook on your screen. In such cases, the opponent must revert to the original playbook. If they refuse to show their playbook or make the necessary changes, you have the right to decline the match and will be awarded a force win.
**RULE 6: 48-Hour Rule, Disconnections, and Chew Clock**
You are allotted 48 hours from the time I advance the week to play your opponent. Therefore, ensure that you contact your opponent to schedule a suitable time before the 48-hour deadline. If you are unable to establish contact with your opponent or they are unresponsive, please inform me, and I will attempt to facilitate communication. Should these efforts prove unsuccessful, you will be awarded a force win.
Furthermore, beginning in week 16, if a matchup is deemed irrelevant, with neither team in contention for the playoffs, you will have 24 hours or until the conclusion of the last relevant matchup, whichever comes first, to complete your game. Force wins or fair sims will be handled appropriately if no game is played. For playoff games, you will have only 24 hours to play. If you anticipate being out of town or otherwise unavailable, please notify me promptly so that I can inform your opponent accordingly.
In the event of a disconnection during a matchup, the winning party shall have the sole discretion to decide whether to forfeit their points and resume the game from the remaining quarter and time. If the game was tied or had just begun, you may opt to restart the game. However, if you are losing by a significant margin in the fourth quarter with limited time remaining, you may choose to concede and allow your opponent to claim the force win.
Please adhere to these guidelines to ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming experience for all participants.
No chewing the clock unless the person losing says it’s ok or they choose to do it.
**RULE 7: PENALIZED RULES/ 4TH DOWN & BROADCASTING**
Please be advised that there are new restrictions on going for it on 4th down. You may only attempt a 4th down conversion if you are on or past your 40-yard line and it is 4th and 1/inches, if it is the 4th quarter or overtime, or if you are losing by 21 points at any time in the game. Once you pass the 50-yard line, you may go for it regardless of the yardage on 4th down. However, you must be past the 50-yard line and not on the 50-yard line if it is not 4th and 1/inches. As always, you can always go for it in the 4th quarter or overtime.
In the event that a team goes for it on 4th down, please ensure that you take a screenshot of the play result (either a successful conversion or a turnover on downs) from the highlights after the game has ended. You can also try to resolve the matter immediately by pausing the game and informing your opponent they must punt.
Broadcasting will be mandatory for all playoff games. Additionally, starting in week 4 of every season, the Game of the Week (GOTW) and all primetime games will be broadcasted. The visiting team is responsible for broadcasting the game. If the visiting team's connection is poor, the home team must broadcast the game. The person broadcasting the game must send me a text message indicating that they are kicking off. Furthermore, the person broadcasting the game must not conceal their online status during the broadcast.
**Rule 8: Maintaining Player Positions**
Under no circumstances should there be any changes to a player's position. This includes, but is not limited to, moving a left guard to right guard or a kicker to punter. Any such transactions will result in severe consequences.
For players with a development status of X-factor, a violation of this rule will lead to a downgrade to Superstar status, Superstar to Star, and Star to Normal. For normal players, a violation will result in a discretionary reduction of 5 overall rating points.
To ensure a smooth and enjoyable season, please carefully review all rules and regulations. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me for clarification before taking any actions that may violate the established guidelines.
Let us approach this season with a spirit of sportsmanship and fair play. By adhering to these rules, we can create a positive and competitive environment for all participants.