League Mission Statement:

The next generation of the DML is evolving.  This league will not be suitable for everyone.  If you are looking for a controlled gameplay environment, this is not the league for you.  Bitching, moaning and complaining about your opponent’s play style after every loss will not be accepted.  Welcome to DML.

Requirements For DML Admittance:
1. You must be a mature adult and respect all other members of the community.
2. You must understand that games will be simmed on occasion if schedules do not sync up, There will be no games played against the CPU unless falling under the guidelines specified below.
3. You must communicate daily and use GroupMe to schedule games.
4. You should be available to play the majority of your games from 9:00 PM to Midnight EST every day.

*Failure to comply with any of these requirements will result in dismissal from the league.  Depending on the circumstances, you may or may not be invited back.

League Communication:

All league communication will be centered around GroupMe.  If you don't use the GroupMe app, then you will not be able to play in this league.  It's free and it works both on your phone and on your computer.  Be active in GroupMe and you will know what's going on in the league and how to get a hold of your opponent.  If you are not active using GroupMe, you cannot play in the DML 24.

League Rules and Regulations:

Gameplay

Gameplay in DML 24 will be wide open.  This means that coaches can utilize their personnel and their play calling however they wish.  Want to throw 15 screens in a row?  That’s on you.  There will be no gameplay rules.  Whatever the game allows will be acceptable.  Just like in real life, you will have your own free will to call the plays you want and attempt to outmatch your opponent.  There will be no rules to complain about or to cause controversy.  It is an equal playing field for everyone.  There are no 4th down rules, onside kick or no huddle rules.  If the game allows it, WE allow it!

Playbooks:

To avoid the overuse of a few select playbooks, each team will have to use a unique playbook. Custom playbooks are not allowed. We will have a playbook draft in each season, including the first one, for those owners/users that wish to use a different than default playbook. The owner/user will declare that they are entering the playbook draft prior to the start of the season.  You may enter the playbook draft for either Offense, Defense or both.  An admin will compile a list of available playbooks to be viewable by the participants.  The draft order will be random for year 1 and the reverse order of the previous season’s final standings going forward. The order will “snake” from round to round.  All draft results are FINAL and you must use that playbook for the entire season it was drafted for.  Switching playbooks will not be allowed at any time between playbook draft periods. If you deliberately use the wrong playbook, you will be permanently removed from the league and will not be invited back.

Sportsmanship:

As far as being respectful to your opponent, there will be no name calling, slurs or personal attacks made.  We all get frustrated and angry when playing Madden.  It’s impossible NOT to at times.  However, most, if not all, guys in this community have gotten to know each other well.  Treat them as you would any of your other friends.  There are no rules about running up the score.  You continue to play as you wish.  Losing by 3 or 30 changes nothing about the outcome.  Do not complain about someone returning interceptions if you continue to throw down 40 in the 4th quarter.

League Schedule:

This league will operate on a true 24 hour advance schedule Sunday through Sunday at 9:00 am EST.  Everyone will miss games from time to time, but there will be many to be played and teams will be able to enjoy a game each day they get free time to come on the xbox.  If 2 owners cannot work out a suitable schedule the game will be a sim.  There is no possible way to determine whose schedule is more important.  If you are found to be avoiding opponents intentionally, you will be removed from the league.  If you do not attempt to schedule or provide notice to your opponent repeatedly, you will be removed from the league.
*Remember, this league is designed to move along.  No one is going to be able to play every game.  It is important to build and manage your team to compete in the occasional “SIM” game, because everyone will have to have games simmed from time to time.  This league is mainly designed to play each night after the advance.  If your schedule is not conducive to playing nightly, then this league is not for you.  We would like all teams to be primarily available to play at some point from 9pm to 12 midnight EST.  We do not expect owners to be able to play every game.

CPU Games:

M15 allows users to play the CPU under the following conditions:

If a user is unable to make a game and does not wish to sim, they have the option to set themselves on AUTO PILOT.  This is an optional task.  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL AN ADMIN PUT A USER ON AUTO PILOT.  This is to maintain fairness throughout the league.  It is the responsibility of each owner to work out the scheduling and the setting of auto pilot.  If a user has not set himself to AUTO PILOT and users cannot schedule the game, the game will be simmed by the cpu and it will be up to each user to make sure their team is managed the way they want in those situations.  These cpu rules apply to preseason, regular season and post season.

You will have ONE attempt at a CPU game.  If something happens and you disconnect from the game for any reason, it will be simmed.  This will eliminate users "pulling the plug" due to injuries or loss to the CPU.  If you are found to have multiple attempts on a CPU game, you lose your CPU playing privileges for the remainder of the league.

ADMINS WILL NOT SET ANY USER TO AUTO, FOR ANY REASON.  This falls under the same idea as scheduling, it is 100% on the users.  If your opponent does not set themselves to Auto on the console, the game will be a sim. CPU games are required to be broadcast via Twitch.

Team Management:

Free agents may be signed at any time.  You are permitted to sign a free agent during FA bidding and trade that player if you wish.  You may trade newly drafted rookies as well if you can strike a deal. First round draft picks cannot be traded, except during the draft when you are permitted to trade picks for picks. The reasoning behind his is to prevent users from trading with perennially weaker teams and stacking their teams.

All teams in the league MUST maintain a 53 man roster throughout the course of the season.  If you have to put someone on IR, then you must sign a FA to fill the roster spot.  If you play your game and you are under the 53 man roster, you will face suspension.  A second offense will result in coach firing.

Trade Rules

Trading is permitted, but each team owner will be limited to 3 player trades per season and unlimited picks for picks trades during the draft. (We will allow draft day picks trades to be carried out prior to the draft if you are unable to attend the draft itself)  Your trades can be used at any time the game will allow.  Unused trades may not be carried to the next season. Trading with a CPU owned team is not allowed.

Here is How Trading Will Work:

Owners will negotiate the terms of their trades in private, please do not use the public chat. You may use the public GroupME chat "DML Trade Block" to post your trade block and what you are looking for, but not for open negotiations with another owner. Once an offer has been negotiated and agreed upon privately, BOTH owners will submit the trade terms to  [ADMIN GT] via pm on GroupMe for verification. As soon as the trade is submitted to the Admins for approval, it will be considered OFFICIAL unless BOTH teams decide to back out of the trade or it is rejected by the Admins. We will no longer be voting to approve trades, we will instead be verifying  that you have not used up your trades. We will no longer evaluate the trade based on perceived value (unless ridiculous in nature), but verifying that you are able to complete the trade within the guidelines set forth in the trade rules. We will also not restrict the number of teams involved in a trade. Just know that each team can not have more than 3 players being received or sent away. When you send in your trades it is very important that the trade makes sense, so be diligent in the way you format the trades you send in. Here is a template you can use:

Team 1 Receives:
Player A, QB, Team 2
Player B, RB, Team 3

Team 2 Receives:
Player C, TE, Team 1
Player D, CB, Team 3

Team 3 Receives:
Player E, LT, Team 1
Player F, RT, Team 2

Trading While Draft is in Progress:

When it comes to the draft you are not protected, so it is suggested that you leave the draft if you are not attending to your team. (e.g. making your picks) If you are green during the draft you are considered fair game for trade offers and whatever happens as a result of it, is what it is. You may NOT trade with the CPU during the draft and all trades during the draft must be of the Picks for Picks variety.

*If you are trading picks (rounds 2-7) other than on draft day you will use “Draft Pick Round #” in place of the player format. Trading for draft picks during the draft will be handled differently because they will be happening on the fly while the draft is taking place. Trading during the draft is unlimited, but trades can only be of the pick for pick variety.

** Please remember to consider contracts, cap hits, and cap penalties before you submit trades. Make sure that you have the room under your cap to carry out the trade. If it is deemed that one of the parties can’t complete the trade due to cap restrictions, the trade will be canceled and the owner(s) who were at fault will be penalized one of their trades.

***Completing trades on the console with CPU teams and/or without verification will require an automatic reversal of the trade and you will be responsible for any cap hits that were incurred. Furthermore, you will also lose the ability to trade for the remainder of that season.

Quitting:

If you quit a game you will be permanently removed from the league and will not be invited back.  If you quit the league because you are angry at losing a game, you will not be invited back.