Season Nine – A New Look BFFA?

Proposal: A New Format

Hello! I’m keen to make a couple of changes to the League and I’d like to know what you think.

One of the main things that I would like to change is – I’d like to get rid of those two extra games against random opponents at the end of the season. Some people get tough matchups, while some get very easy games. I would really like to end the season after Game #36, when we’ve played each other exactly four times, and then use the last two weeks for something else.

My main aim is to keep everyone engaged right into those final two weeks, regardless of where they end up, and I think it would be good to give everyone something else to play for.

If we ended the season after GW36 there are a lot of things that we could use the last two weeks for, and here’s what I’d like to do. Firstly, a Champions Cup for the League Winners. A simple four-team bracket, whoever wins both games would be crowned Champion of Champions (and earn themselves a few extra dollars).

Secondly, in an attempt to keep the bottom sides active, I suggest that we set up a wooden spoon, or, for fans of The League – a Sacko. The bottom two teams from each league play in GW37 and the worst two scores then play in the Sacko Bowl in Week 38. Worst score ‘wins’. And dare I suggest – a forfeit?!

Thirdly, and this is the one I would really like to implement, I’d like to do a Bundesliga-style Pro/Rel play-off. Instead of a plain 3-up/3-down, I’d like to have a play-off match in the end-of-season finale just like in the real leagues. And as we’re only playing in 10-team divisions, I think the German/Scottish version would suit us better. Eighth-Place would get a final chance to keep their spot and Third-Place from the league below just have to win one more time to go up.

Next, the extra two weeks give us a chance hold a Champions League Qualification Round. The top three in each league still qualify for the CL (as marked in light blue). This way, the other two spaces don’t automatically go to whoever finishes fourth in the Prem and the Champ. This way, ALL the fourth-placed teams get two games to earn themselves a place in next season’s CL.

Another thing I’d like to change soon is that I’d like to reduce the number of teams going into the Intramural League – from eight to four. There’s already sixteen teams going into the Champions League, having eight more qualify for something is a bit too much, four would be far better. So, I’d like to use the spare two weeks to let the remaining unqualified teams (green) play for a spot in the following season’s IML. A little bit like the off-season Europa League qualification matches.

And then finally, there are those remaining teams heading for the following season’s Champions League. Let’s give them something too. The #1’s are, in this arrangement, already playing for a bonus in the Champions Cup. I suggest that the other ten (which will include the CL and the BFFA Cup Winners, or their reserves), play two weeks in an old-fashioned most-points-win league. For something small, maybe $25.
And of course if we can start that Pro/Rel Play-Off game then three teams here would have twice as much to play for!

Please tell me what you think.
This works with a 5-league set-up too, if we get that going again this summer.

So, how do you like the look of this?
1st Place: Champion of Champions
2nd & 3rd + Cup & CL winners: Runners-up mini tournament
3rd (Ch, L1 & L2): Promotion Play-Off
4th: CL Qualifers
5th, 6th, 7th (+8th L2): IML Qualifiers
8th (PL, Ch & L1): Relegation Play-off
9th & 10th: Wooden Spoon

Thanks for your help.
— Starmer