APFL Constitution

[APFL Commish]

ALL PRO FOOTBALL LEAGUE (updated 11/17/23)

This is a living Document and is subject to change at any time without notice, but will be noted above.

The league is run on the Front Office Football simulator.
In order to join the league, you must have Front Office Football 8.
GMs must join our Discord Server - https://discord.gg/yVeAkkcjur
We will play a 16 game season, playing head-to-head against the other teams in the league.
We have full-length statistics, box scores, and standings all available.
Click on the appropriate link on the homepage to access these.
The playoffs will begin at the end of the season, with 12 teams making it, six from each conference.
This works the same as the NFL, with the division champions and two wildcards from each conference making it.
You will have the opportunity to trade players, sign and release players, and customize your own team to your desire.

League Settings -
Game version: FOF8
X-factor was not used
Injury Setting: 50
Combine Accuracy: 50
Scout Tracking: On
Level Economic Playing Field
Personality profiles and team chemistry are on.
FOF8-generated amateur drafts will be used, with RL player names every April or May.
Games are simmed 3x per week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) unless otherwise noted
The off-season will move quicker and sims days may change, so be aware of the posted season schedule.

APFL CONSTITUTION

Rules of Conduct
1.0 - Owners will be expected to heed the following rules involving fairness and good behavior.
Fairness and good behavior is not something directly enforced.
It is simply expected. We are adults and should behave like it.
This does not mean we cannot joke around with each other good-naturedly.
1.1 - This Rule also covers Cheating, exploitation of known bugs and tanking.
1.2 - There's a theory in our Community that there is an advantage to using a 3-4 defense with a 4-3 coordinator and vice versa. I'm asking all GMs to refrain from doing so from this point forward. (3/27/19) I am not going to scour and/or monitor the logs after each game, but if a GM brings it to my attention and it is confirmed that the glitch was used, there will be some type of penalty at the discretion of the Commissioner. This could range from a warning, a loss of a draft pick, or even expulsion, depending on the severity of the infraction. Therefore, I will entrust you all to abide by this new rule. If you discover that a 3-4 defense is being used with a 4-3 coordinator, or a 4-3 defense is being used with a 3-4 coordinator, please bring it to my attention. If a clear explanation of the logs is provided, I'll update the rule and explanation as it's given to us all.
1.3 - Player position switching and using them in other formations exploit, just to be edited out. See this thread if you have questions.
- https://www.fof-apfl.com/foffflco_forum ... 545#p22545 Same as stated in 1.2 (I am not going to scour and/or monitor the logs after each game, but if a GM brings it to my attention and it is confirmed that the glitch was used, there will be some type of penalty at the discretion of the Commissioner. This could range from a warning, a loss of a draft pick, or even expulsion, depending on the severity of the infraction. Therefore, I will entrust you all to abide by this rule.)


Off-season and Contract Rules
2.1 - Max number of players on the roster for training camp is 70, preseason is 60, and regular season/post season is 53*. Players on Injured Reserve, do not count towards these limits.
2.2 - No trading of players that you recently (current season) signed via free agency from other clubs.
2.3 - No trading of unsigned rookies.
2.4 - FOF8 has a very realistic salary cap and doesn't appear to need any house rules, but if the need arises, rules may be added.
2.5 - First violation of the rule results in a $1M cap penalty, the second results in a 3rd round pick taken away (first available), If no 3rd rd pick available, the pick will become a 2nd round pick. Any additional violations or higher picks taken, will result in the GM being removed from the league. All violations and/or penalties at the discretion of the commissioner.
*This includes teams, NOT in the playoffs, especially. It takes away players from new potential GMs trying to setup their franchises. There will be no further warnings on rule 2.1


Trades
4.0 - Conditional Trades are NOT permitted. If it does not show up IN GAME you can not trade it, or trade for it. (See rule 4.3)
4.1 - All proposed trades that are agreed upon by the teams involved must be posted in the Completed Trades Section of the Forum. A trade is not, Official, until both parties have posted an acceptance.
4.2 - Only Draft Choices that show "in game" may be traded (3 seasons).
4.3 - All Trades will be under the review of The Commissioner. This does not mean every trade needs to be approved, but questionable trades may be reviewed. Rather than overturn a Trade, The Commissioner may decide to offer a suggestion on how to amend a trade to make it more "fair".
4.4 - A GM may DM the Commissioner and request that a trade be reviewed, but be aware that only "highly questionable trades" will be reviewed and not all requests will result in a trade being reviewed. It will be VERY RARE that a trade is overturned, but the option is there for extreme circumstances.
4.5 - GMs may comment on trades, Once--and ONLY ONCE, but trade threads are not to become 3 page debates. It is ok to voice an opinion, but it is not ok to continue to bash someone after stating that opinion.
Each GM is allowed to run His team as He sees fit, aside from questionable trades that the Commissioner chooses to review.
4.6 - Trades that put teams over the salary cap will not processed. GMs are responsible for making room for that player before the trade is executed.
4.7 - The Trade Deadline is Before Week 9 games. NOTE: If the NFL changes their deadline, we will do so as well.


Changing Player Positions
5.0 - Players can be moved to any position as long as the scout doesn't foresee the player's abilities decline more than 10% by the move. If a scout says that a player's ability will remain 89 percent or less intact by a position change, that means a position change cannot be made without the approval of the Commissioner.
5.1 - If a player's abilities do not decline due to a position change, the change does not have to be approved by the league
5.2 - A player's position cannot be moved more than once in the same season without approval from the Commissioner. If caught, this will result in a fine and/or penalty.


Moving Franchises
6.0 - No team may submit a request to move to a different city for ANY reason, without permission. If a move is submitted, that GM may be replaced and the team will be moved back to its' original city. The only way that a team can change to another city, is if it happens in the NFL. APFL strives to replicate the NFL, therefore in nearly all circumstances, the league will change teams to their NFL counterpart city.
6.1 - GMs may now, petition, the league to move to a new city to improve stadium conditions.
A - In order to do so, franchises must have turf that is rated as fair or worse.
B - Prior to relocation attempt, the franchise must have attempted to conduct renovation construction, a minimum of three times.
C - After a minimum of three attempts, contact the league (Commissioner) of an attempt to move the following season. Failure to do this step will result in a league penalty and/or fine and a delay in your move.
D - If approved, a team can be moved. - Please Note: this is a move in the game only, but will NOT impact the traditional name of the franchise.
E - IF, a GM has had a franchise move and decides to leave the league before the new move lease is up (15 seasons), said GM will not be able to come back to a different team until the first lease is fulfilled. No exceptions!


Team Swapping
7.0 - GMs may request to move to an open team. In order to do this, the team they are leaving must have all of its draft choices for all 3 seasons showing in game.
7.1 - If the team does not have all of its draft choices the GM must replace whatever picks are missing by sending them from the new team he is moving to.*
7.2 - If this becomes a problem with GMs attempting to move multiple times, additional requests may be denied.


Draft
New draft format can be found here. http://www.fof-apfl.com/foffflco_forumC ... ?f=19&t=12 There will be a live staff draft also.


Rules Changes
There will be times when the Commissioner is forced to make decisions in the best interests of the League. However, league votes are the preferred method of making major changes to the rules (listed in League Settings).