SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONLINE FANTASY SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Abstract

A system and method for online fantasy sports management enables users to negotiate and conduct sports transactions, such as trading players, signing free agent players to a contract, and waiving players from their contract, in accordance with the actual rules and regulations of the professional sports league being simulated. Users can participate as fantasy managers of sports teams, or as fantasy agents with a stable of players as clients.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects described herein relate to the field of online fantasy sports management.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Online fantasy sports leagues are a popular diversion for fans of all sports. In fantasy sports, participants act as “fantasy managers” to build a team that competes against other fantasy managers based on the statistics generated by the real individual players of a professional sport. Typically, fantasy sports leagues start out with an initial draft process in which each fantasy manager in a given fantasy league selects one or more actual players from actual sports league. The draft ends with each fantasy manager controlling a “fantasy team” of players who, in reality, are affiliated with different actual teams in their sport. The fantasy sports league provides an environment where each fantasy manager can simulate the experience of managing a team of professional athletes.

However, the traditional fantasy sports league model is limited in its ability to simulate the experience of managing an actual professional sports franchise. For one, fantasy sports managers in traditional leagues value players based on the statistics those players generate in their actual professional sport. As an example, the fantasy league value of a professional basketball player is based on that player's points per game, rebounds per game, and assists per game averages, amongst other statistics. In contrast, actual professional sports teams value players based on a number of additional factors, including the relative size and scope of that player's compensation package relative to other players on the professional sports team, and in the professional sports league. Player valuation is further complicated by the salary rules and regulations adopted by each professional league; for example, the National Basketball Association has enacted a series of rules, salary caps, and fees as part of its Collective Bargaining Agreement with the National Basketball Player's Association. Traditional fantasy sports leagues lack the functionality to allow fantasy managers to factor in salary considerations and/or league regulations into player evaluation.

In addition, traditional fantasy sports leagues fail to accurately simulate negotiations with free agent players. In traditional fantasy leagues, undrafted players are categorized as free agents; fantasy managers are able to add free agent players to their fantasy rosters as needed. In reality, free agent players are represented by agents, and sports teams bid against each another to negotiate with agents to acquire a free agent player's services. Traditional fantasy leagues lack any analogue for agents, and therefore provide an inaccurate simulation of free agent negotiation.

Moreover, the traditional fantasy sports league structure creates disincentives for player movement and trading activities. The traditional model allows fantasy managers to draft players they covet or have an emotional attachment to; as such, fantasy managers consistently overvalue the players on their roster and are unlikely to relinquish those players in a fair market value trade. As a result, fantasy manager interest decreases over the course of a season due to the lack of movement and credible deal negotiation. And, since traditional fantasy sports leagues lack any functionality to rejuvenate stagnant negotiations, most deal offers are rejected, withdrawn, or ignored indefinitely.

Furthermore, traditional fantasy sports leagues often require inconsistent and acyclical time commitments from fantasy managers, especially in sports where professional teams schedule multiple games per week (e.g., Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and Premier League). Because there are many games to follow in a given week, fantasy managers are forced to manage roster configurations, line-ups, on an almost-daily basis. These mundane tasks further detract from the fantasy sports manager experience, making it further removed from becoming an accurate simulation of the experience of managing an actual professional sports franchise.

In addition, traditional fantasy sports leagues lack an effective mechanism to account for inconsistent scheduling and inconsistent play in actual sports leagues during certain times of the yearly schedule—and fail to offer any activity during the actual sports league's offseason. In Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association, for example, league play is paused in the middle of the year while the league hosts an All-Star Game. During the week before and after the All-Star Games, leagues schedule games sporadically around the “All-Star break.” Fantasy managers are forced to contend with odd schedules—and with no fantasy activity to occupy their interests during the All-Star break.

Moreover, teams in professional sports often rest star players at the end of the season, if their playoff positioning is secure. As such, a fantasy manager with a star player on the roster may not be able to count on that player's performance at the end of a season. Then, once the season is over, fantasy managers have little involvement with their fantasy teams until the following season commences many months later.

In view of the above, there is a need for an online fantasy sports system where a fantasy manager's activities more accurately simulate the roster building and management activities inherent in operating an actual professional sports franchise. There is also a need for an online fantasy sports system that provides services to more efficiently assist fantasy managers with the tedious tasks of monitoring player statistics and roster management, as well as new tools to help fantasy managers manage and facilitate player movement. There is further a need for an online fantasy sports system that provides for activities during professional league's All-Star break, and that further provides for activities during a professional league's off-season.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method for online fantasy sports management enables a more accurate simulation of real-life sports management. Fantasy managers focus on building and managing their fantasy teams; fantasy agents focus on maximizing contract value on behalf of their “clients.” The online game includes both the functionality to manage tedious tasks and the tools to manage and facilitate player movement over the course of a sports season. In some embodiments, the game can include functionality to select automatically the actual games for each player to count towards their fantasy teams' accumulated total.

According to one aspect, the game can fantasy managers manage and facilitate player movement by eliminating infinite time between player transactions involving two or more users. Player transactions that involve the negotiation between two or more users include the signing of free agents, buying out a contract, contract extensions, and trading player contracts. According to another aspect, the game can include functionality to attempt to logically resolve pending transactions where the negotiating parties have reached an impasse.

The online game includes a processing system with application software and a communication network, such as the Internet. The game also provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for the communication between users regarding player movement and other single user tasks involving players selected for the user's fantasy team. According to one aspect, the GUI also presents information to display statistics of fantasy teams, the players, schedules, standings, and measurements to show fantasy team performance relative to another fantasy team.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an overview of an embodiment of a system for online fantasy sports management.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment for a process for assigning teams and/or players to fantasy managers.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example GUI a fantasy manager can use to manage and manipulate a fantasy team.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicted an embodiment of a process for assigning players to fantasy agents.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example GUI a fantasy agents can use to manage and manipulate a stable of fantasy clients.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of a contract submission and evaluation process.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of a buyout submission process.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of a trade submission process.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of a contract extension submission process.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of an all-star selection submission process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 depicts an overview of an embodiment of a system for online fantasy sports management. In this embodiment, multiple users 4 connect to the game server 1 via a network 2, such as the internet. According to one aspect, the game server 1 receives sports statistics from third party data feeds 3. According to another aspect, the game server 1 receives sports financial information, such as contract data for players in the league from third party data feeds 3.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a process for assigning teams to fantasy managers. The process in this embodiment starts with the initial step 5 of a participant assuming the role of fantasy commissioner by creating a new league. According to one aspect, the fantasy commissioner can select various options and adjust various settings to customize the structure of the fantasy league, e.g., league start time, draft type, and scoring format. In one embodiment, leagues can start at any time, without consideration for the start or completion of the season of the actual professional league the participants seek to emulate. In a second step 6, the online game creates a league according to the fantasy commissioner's selected settings. According to one aspect, the commissioner can further customize the league structure, e.g., number of teams, number of divisions, which teams comprise which divisions, number of available free agents, etc., after the league has been created. In a third action 7, additional participants join the league, choosing to play either as fantasy manager or fantasy agents. Participants choosing to play as fantasy agents can then set up their own agency 9; participants playing as fantasy managers can acquire teams to manage 8. According to one aspect, fantasy managers select existing professional teams with their actual rosters on a first-come, first-serve basis. In an alternate embodiment, fantasy managers form composite fantasy teams by drafting players onto fantasy rosters on a round-by-round basis. Fantasy managers evaluate the draft value of players based on a number of criteria, including age, statistical performance, salary, and length of contract. According to one aspect, a fantasy manager can draft a player with an expiring contract, thereby assuming the risk that the player signs with another fantasy team in the future.

FIG. 3 depicts a screen shot of an embodiment for the graphical user interface a fantasy manager can use to manage and manipulate his or her fantasy team. At the top of the page, a system-generated banner 11 displays selected fantasy team information. According to one aspect, the banner 11 can display the name of the fantasy team, location, fantasy performance metrics, and fantasy financial information (e.g., total payroll, revenues, and other information). In another aspect, the screen also displays a logo 10 associated with the fantasy manager's fantasy team. The screen further displays a team roster 12 with corresponding fantasy data 13 in an array. Fantasy data can include contract information, sports statistics, medical history, and additional data about performance. In one embodiment, the team roster 12 is comprised of links to individual pages providing details on each player. According to another aspect, rival fantasy managers would only have restricted access to fantasy team information in the form of a screen with limited data.

The screen shot schematic in FIG. 3 further displays a Manager Tools and Options Menu (MTOM) 14. According to one aspect, a fantasy manager can perform multiple functions within the MTOM, including: submitting trade offers and contract offers, vetting incoming trade offers, submitting trade counter-offers and contract counter-offers, managing roster lineups, and more. According to another aspect wherein fantasy teams have a set maximum number of roster spots, a fantasy manager can use the MTOM to assign players to a developmental or minor league in order to preserve roster slots for other players. In another embodiment, a fantasy manager can use the MTOM to assign an injured player to an inactive list or injured list.

In another aspect, in games where a fantasy manager can vary his or her different starting lineup of players for each day of league game action, a fantasy manager can use the MTOM to instruct the game to use a rules engine to set the best default lineup of players to start on a given day. In related embodiments, the games rule engine could rely on a variety of factors, such as the schedule of the actual league being simulated, a player's past statistical performance, a player's past statistical performance against a scheduled opponent, the number of days since previous game action, and other considerations.

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of a process for assigning players to fantasy agents. The process begins with a first action 15 where each participating fantasy agent forms a fantasy agency. As a second action 16, fantasy agents attempt to recruit players to their fantasy agency. As a subsequent action 17, the game applies a rules engine to determine whether the recruited player will select or reject the fantasy agent's request. According to one aspect, the rules engine can weigh a variety of factors, including the size of a fantasy agency's roster of players and a fantasy agent's past success, along with a randomizing factor. If the rules engine generates a result where the player accepts representation 18, then the game assigns the player the fantasy agent's agency 19. If the rules engine generates a result where the player rejects representation 20, then that player will not be added to the fantasy agent's agency. According to another aspect, players that reject the recruiting advances of one fantasy agent will still be available for selection and possible recruitment by other fantasy agents.

According to one aspect, the process described in FIG. 4 can be repeated until all possible players are assigned to an agency of a participating fantasy agent. According to another aspect, the game can be structured such that the game assigns players to the agencies participating fantasy agents, thereby bypassing the recruiting process. According to a third aspect, the game assigns players to each fantasy agent, distributing players in an equitable fashion based on the game's assessment of player value.

According to another aspect, the game limits the number of clients each fantasy agent can manage. The game ranks available players into multiple tiers, based on various criteria such as age, performance, medical history, etc. Fantasy agents are then allotted a maximum number of players they can select within each tier—thereby preventing one agent from managing too many of the best players in a given league. According to a third aspect, remaining unassigned players are managed by robot agencies, governed by rules engines as part the game.

FIG. 5 depicts a screen shot of an embodiment for the graphical user interface a fantasy agent can use to manage and manipulate his or her fantasy agency. According to one aspect, fantasy agents can select or upload an agency logo 21 to display on his or her page. At the top of the page, a system-generated banner 22 displays information about the fantasy agent. According to one aspect, that information includes the name of the fantasy player's fantasy agency, the total value of contracts managed by the agency, performance statistics associated with players signed to the agency, and more. The team roster is displayed below in the form of an array featuring a list of players 23 and associated player information 24. According to another aspect, player information can include contract information, statistical information, medical history, additional data about performance, and more. In one embodiment, the list of players 23 is comprised of links to individual pages providing details on each player.

In a further embodiment, the fantasy agent can perform multiple functions within an Agent Tools and Options Menu (ATOM) 25. In various embodiments, a fantasy agent can do some or all of the following: evaluate, accept, and/or reject contract offers; submit counter-offers; evaluate, accept and/or reject trade offers on behalf of clients with No Trade Clauses in their contracts; and more.

The contract submission process in FIG. 6 involves managing the workflow of the meeting of the minds between a fantasy agent and one or more fantasy managers interested in signing a player from the fantasy agent's fantasy agency. Workflow begins with an initial action 26 of a game participant electing to propose a contract offer. In a further embodiment, either a fantasy agent or a fantasy manager can initiate a contract offer. As a second action 27, the contract offer initiator creates a contract proposal. According to one aspect, the contract proposal can include desired terms and conditions associated with the contract. As a next action 28 in some embodiments, the game uses a rules engine to review the contract offer to ensure that the contract proposal complies with game settings. If the rules engine rejects the proposal 29, then some embodiments allow the contract initiator to archive or amend the contract proposal. If the rules engine approves the contract proposal 30, then the game submits the contract proposal to the relevant managers and/or agents involved 31. In a further embodiment, the game assigns a time period for the evaluation of contract proposals. In yet another embodiment, certain pre-conditions may be required before the fantasy manager or fantasy agent involved can formally accept or reject the conditions of the contract proposal. Those pre-conditions may include a minimum time period for one party such as a fantasy manager before they can formally act out their intentions, a minimum proposal submission condition for a fantasy agent before they can formally act out their intentions, or a combination of one or the other. In some embodiments, these pre-conditions are customizable by a fantasy participant, the fantasy commissioner, or both.

If both parties approve the contract proposal (action 32), then as a next action 33 the game cross checks the proposal using a rules engine to confirm that the contract remains in compliance with fantasy league rules. In one embodiment, the game confirms the availability of the player in the transaction, the availability of salary cap space, and other factors.

If the rules engine confirms the viability of the transaction, then as a next event 34 game determines whether the transaction is pending or approved. In one embodiment, participants can elect to establish a grace period 36 where both parties in a transaction receive additional time before a transaction is consummated. As an example, a fantasy manager in an NBA league simulation can choose to adopt a salary management strategy under the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement; to do so, that manager may select a pre-condition that prevents the system from automatically accepting their best contract, in order to review pending transactions in light of the fantasy manager's preferred strategy. In a similar example, a fantasy agent may prefer a long-term deal of relatively low annual salary to a short-term deal with a higher annual salary if the fantasy agent wants to avoid the uncertainty of negotiating a future deal under a soon-to-be-revised Collective Bargaining Agreement.

At the end of the grace period 36, as a next event 37 the game uses a rules engine to conduct a final cross check of the proposal to confirm compliance with league rules. If the proposal is in compliance, the process ends 35 with the proposal executed and reflected as consummated in the fantasy league. If not, the contract proposal is rejected and/or archived (action 29).

In one embodiment, players are required to confirm their acceptance of a contract proposal before the end of the grace period. If the grace period expires without confirmation from both parties, the game enters an additional workflow process in a second attempt to decide the best proposal involving the exchange value of the player or players involved in the proposal. The result of this process are a systematically executed contract or an inconclusive state resulting in the void of all proposals resetting workflow process of the negotiations of the exchange value of one or more players.

In one embodiment, fantasy participants instruct the game to use a rules engine to assist contract submission processes by logically deciding the best exchange value of one or more players in a transaction. According to one aspect, the game initiates a workflow process to decide the best pending proposal available to a particular to a fantasy participant. This workflow process results in a systematic executed transaction, a pending state transaction, or an inconclusive state transaction where all proposals are voided resetting the workflow process of the negotiations of the exchange value of one or more players. In another embodiment, when a contract offer is submitted by a fantasy manager to a fantasy agent, the system assigns the offer a numerical rating based on assessment of various contractual terms, including: contract years; starting salary; rate of increase/decrease in annual compensation; the inclusion of an op-out clause; and the inclusion of a “trade-kicker” clause impacting compensation in the event of a trade. According to one aspect, the system assigns a numerical value to each contract proposal, ranging from zero to 100.

In another embodiment, fantasy managers and fantasy agents can consider, negotiate and accept contract offers during the professional league's offseason, pursuant to the official rules of that professional league. As an example, the National Basketball Association has an offseason free agent signing period; in this embodiment, participants would be free to conduct transactions during that period.

In another embodiment, fantasy agents can use the ATOM to either enable the game to automatically rank and accept the most beneficial contract offer, or instead opt to accept all contract offers manually.

The buyout submission process in FIG. 7 manages the workflow of a negotiation between a fantasy manager and fantasy agent to buy out the remaining years of a player's contract. The process begins 38 when a party to an existing contract determines a desire to waive that contract. According to one aspect, this process can be initiated by either the fantasy agent representing the player under contract or the fantasy manager managing the team the player is signed to. As a next action 39, that party submits a buyout proposal. In one embodiment, the party will need to input the terms of the buyout proposal, including the amount of the proposed payment necessary to buy out the remainder of the player's contract, if any. As a next event 40, the game uses a rules engine to confirm that the buyout proposal complies with league rules. In one embodiment, the rules engine also confirms whether the buyout proposal complies with customized settings selected by fantasy league participants. If the buyout proposal is not in compliance, then the buyout proposal is rejected by the game (action 41).

If the buyout proposal is validated, then as a next step 42, the buyout proposal is submitted to the other party of the negotiation. In one embodiment, the game can be structured to provide both parties with a grace period to review and consider the buyout proposal. In another embodiment, the party initiating the buyout offer can specify a deadline by which the other party must respond to the buyout proposal. According to one aspect, fantasy managers and fantasy agents can use the MTOM and ATOM, respectively, to pre-select various minimum or maximum terms that they will consider. In that embodiment, the game will use a rules engine to confirm whether any submitted buyout proposals are in compliance with a party's maximum or minimum terms; if not, the buyout proposal is rejected. If all conditions are met and the parties have the ability to formally accept a proposal, the two parties have until the time frame allotted by the system to make a decision on the proposals.

As a next event 43, the other party decides to either accept or reject the buyout proposal. If the party accepts the proposal, then as a subsequent action 44, the game uses a rules engine to confirm that the accepted proposal is still valid under league rules and fantasy league settings. Upon validation, the process ends 45 with a consummated buyout.

In another embodiment, fantasy participants instruct the game to use a rules engine to assist buyout submission processes by logically deciding the market value for a buyout for each player under contract. In another embodiment, the system assigns every buyout proposal a numerical rating based on assessment of the terms of the existing contract, including: remaining contract years; starting salary; rate of increase/decrease in annual compensation; the inclusion of an op-out clause; and the inclusion of a “trade-kicker” clause impacting compensation in the event of a trade. In another embodiment, the system also assesses the marketability of the player as measured by statistics, age, medical history, and other factors; the player's value in relation to the size of the player's existing contract; and other factors. According to one aspect, the system assigns a numerical value to each contract proposal, ranging from zero to 100.

In another embodiment, the game can be set to provide a grace period, during which time parties can amend pending buyout proposals with additional terms. In one aspect, a fantasy manager could amend the schedule of payments to be received by the player in the buyout for strategic purposes, e.g., to manage outgoing payroll or salary cap flexibility for a given year, or to avoid luxury tax penalties, depending on the sport's rules.

In another embodiment, fantasy managers and fantasy agents can consider, negotiate and accept contract buyouts during the professional league's offseason, pursuant to the official rules of that professional league.

The trade submission process in FIG. 8 involves managing the workflow of a negotiation between two or more fantasy managers regarding the trade of one or more players. Workflow begins with an initial action 46 of a manager or an agent electing to start the trade submission process. As a next action 47, the initiating party creates a trade proposal. In one embodiment, fantasy participants submit the trade proposal via digital form submission. According to another aspect, the trade proposal includes various terms and optional conditions. In another embodiment, the initiating party sets a deadline by which all involved parties must reach a meeting of the minds on the terms of the trade; in another embodiment, the game has a built-in deadline for pending trade proposals. In a third embodiment, parties can set preconditions for the receipt of trade proposals. As an example, a fantasy manager can designate one player to be “untradeable,” and another player to be tradeable only for multiple players in return. Other preconditions may include time conditions for one party before they can formally accept; a minimum proposal submission condition for one party before they can formally accept; and a combination of one or the other. In this embodiment, a trade proposal must meet all of the relevant preconditions of all parties involved before submitted for consideration to other parties.

As a next action 48, the game uses a rules engine to ensure that the trade proposal complies with league rules. In one embodiment, the rules engine also confirms that the trade offer complies with customized fantasy league rules. If the trade offer is not in compliance, the trade offer is rejected and archived 49.

Once a trade proposal is confirmed 50, as a next action 51 the trade offer is submitted to all fantasy managers and fantasy agents representing teams and players involved in the trade proposal. The process does not proceed until all parties have accepted the trade proposal 52. In one embodiment, if not all of the parties have accepted a trade proposal within an allotted deadline, the trade proposal is considered to have been rejected.

Once a trade proposal has been accepted, as a subsequent action 53 the game uses a rules engine to confirm that the accepted trade proposal is still in compliance. If so, then as a next action 54 the game uses a rules engine to determine whether the trade proposal is granted approved status or pending status. According to one aspect, fantasy participants can structure the league to provide a mandatory waiting period before the consummation of trades.

If the accepted trade proposal is in pending status, then the process only moves on to a subsequent action 55 upon the end of the grace period. In one embodiment, all parties to an accepted pending trade proposal are still free to offer or accept offers to trades players involved in the original pending trade proposal. As a next event 56, the game uses a rules engine to run a final check to confirm that the trade is still in compliance. If so, then the process ends 57 with an executed trade.

In one embodiment, fantasy participants can elect to instruct the game to evaluate and trade proposals using a rules engine applying a variety of metrics, including the relative value of player performance; the relative change in salary obligations; the relative change in projected revenue for the fantasy mangers involved; etc. In another embodiment, the system assigns numerical values to each side of a trade; as such, one fantasy manager will receive a positive rating and the other fantasy manager will typically receive the negative value of the positive rating. The sum of the two ratings usually adds up to zero, with the numerical difference between the two numbers indicating the system's assessment of the relative fairness of a trade. As such, a trade where one manager receives a +2.2 rating and the other receive a −2.2 rating (net difference is 4.4) is a fairer trade than one where one manager receives a +30.5 rating and the other manager receive a −30.5 rating (net difference is 61). In another embodiment, the game is able to calculate ratings in trades between three or more teams.

In another embodiment, fantasy managers and fantasy agents can use the MTOM and ATOM, respectively, to enable the system to rank and accept the most beneficial trade offer, or instead opt to accept all trade offers manually.

In another embodiment, fantasy agents have the ability to participate in trade negotiations between fantasy managers on behalf of players involved in a trade that are signed to their fantasy agency. In another embodiment, fantasy agents will be able to negotiate for the inclusion of a No Trade Clause in their clients' contracts, which would stipulate that future trades for that client cannot be consummated without the existence of certain preconditions, e.g., the client's consent, a trade-kicker bonus payment, etc.

In a third embodiment, fantasy managers and fantasy agents can consider, negotiate and accept trade offers throughout the professional league's season and offseason, pursuant to the official rules of that professional league. As an example, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball have trading deadlines during the season; in this embodiment, participants would be free to conduct transactions before the applicable deadline.

The contract extension submission process in FIG. 9 manages the workflow of a negotiation between a fantasy manager and a fantasy agent over a contract extension for a player under contract to the fantasy manager and represented by the fantasy agent. Workflow begins with an initial action 58 of a manager or an agent electing to start the contract extension proposal submission process. As a next action 59, the initiating party creates a contract extension proposal. In one embodiment, fantasy participants submit the contract extension proposal via digital form submission. According to another aspect, the contract extension proposal includes various terms and optional conditions. As a next event 60, the game uses a rules engine to confirm whether the contract extension proposal complies with league rules. In another embodiment, the game's rule engine also confirms whether contract extension proposal complies with customized fantasy league settings. If the contract extension proposal is not in compliance, then the proposal is rejected and archived 62.

If a proposal is confirmed 61, then the contract extension proposal is submitted to the other party involved. In one embodiment, an initiating party can set a deadline by which the other party must respond to the contract submission proposal. In another embodiment, the game has a default deadline period for pending proposals. In a third embodiment, parties can preset preconditions under which they will entertain contract extension proposals; in this embodiment, only those proposals that meet those preconditions will be submitted to a party for consideration.

In another embodiment, fantasy participants can enable the game to assist parties through the contract extension submission processes by calculating the best extension conditions of the players' value in a transaction. In a related embodiment, the system evaluates contract extension proposals using a variety of criteria, including length of extension, total contract value, and a player's marketability. Since this is a bilateral negotiation between a fantasy manager and the fantasy agent representing the player, fantasy participants can choose to evaluate all extensions manually, without input from the system.

Once the receiving party accepts the initiating party's contract extension proposal 64, then as a next action 65 game uses a rules engine to confirm the viability of the accepted contract extension proposal under league rules. In another embodiment, the game's rules engine also confirms the accepted proposal's compliance with customizable fantasy league rules.

If the accepted contract extension proposal is in compliance, then as a next action 66, the game determines whether the proposal is to be granted approved status or pending status. According to one aspect, fantasy participants can structure the league to provide a mandatory waiting period before the consummation of contract extensions. If pending, then as a next action 67 the pending contract extension is held in stasis until the end of the grace period. At the end of the grace period as a next event 68, the game's rule engine runs a final check to confirm that the accepted proposal is in compliance. The process ends 69 with an approved and executed contract extension.

In another embodiment, fantasy managers and fantasy agents can consider, negotiate and accept contract extensions during the professional league's offseason, pursuant to the official rules of that professional league.

The All-star selection process in FIG. 10 manages the workflow selecting fantasy all-star teams. As an initial action 70, fantasy managers and fantasy agents submit votes for players to be selected to the fantasy all-star teams. In one embodiment, fantasy managers and fantasy agents submit votes via the MTOM and ATOM, respectively. As a next step 71, the game identifies the players with the most votes at each position (e.g., in the NBA, point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center) as “starters” on the fantasy all-star team. As a next event 72, the game picks two fantasy managers to select players to fill the remaining roster spots on the fantasy all-star fantasy teams. In one embodiment, the game selects the managers with the top two fantasy records; in another embodiment, the game selects the best manager from each conference or league, should the league have a bifurcated conference or league structure. In another embodiment, the selection of the fantasy all-star teams coincides with the actual professional league's All-Star Game. In this embodiment, fantasy league play is suspended during the all-star period; instead, the two managers selected by the game manage their respective all-star team rosters in a fantasy exhibition matchup for the duration of the all-star period.

Claims

1. A system for online fantasy sports simulation of a team sports league, comprising:

a server comprising a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor;

a network connection;

a game application operating on the processor, configured to perform tasks, comprising a game database comprising a financial data set and a statistical data set, a fantasy participant database comprising at least one user profile, and a game interface where a first user can conduct a sports transaction with a second user.

2. The system of claim 1, said game application further configured to recommend a default lineup of players on behalf of said first user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first user is a fantasy manager and said second user is a fantasy agent.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said financial data set comprises salary information for players in said professional sports league.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said game is further configured to create a fantasy all-star game.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said game application is further configured to assign a rating to a sports transaction offer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said rating is based on a financial factor and a statistical factor.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said game application is further configured to use the rating to consummate a highest rated sports transaction offer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a financial rules application operating on the processor, configured to perform tasks, said rules application configured to verify that said sports transaction complies with financial regulations of said professional sports league.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said game application is further configured to recommend a default lineup of players on behalf of said first user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said first user is a fantasy manager and said second user is a fantasy agent.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said financial data set comprises salary information for players in said professional sports league.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said game application is further configured to assign a rating to a sports transaction offer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said rating is based on a financial factor and a statistical factor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said game application is further configured to use the rating to consummate a highest rated sports transaction offer.

16. A method for managing a sports transaction in an online fantasy sports simulation of a professional sports league, the method executing on a computer, comprising:

receiving a sports transaction offer from a first user;

confirming the sports transaction offer's compliance with financial regulations of said professional sports league;

submitting the sports transaction offer to a second user; and

receiving approval from the second user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising assigning a rating to the sports transaction offer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said rating is based on a financial factor and a statistical factor.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising consummating a highest rated sports transaction offer.

20. A computer program product having computer-executable instructions for managing a fantasy sports simulation of a profession sports league and related services, the instructions executing on a processor of a computer, comprising:

hosting a game application comprising a game database comprising a financial data set and a statistical data set, a fantasy participant database comprising at least one user profile, and a game interface where a first user can conduct a sports transaction with a second user;

receiving a sports transaction offer from the first user;

confirming the sports transaction offer's compliance with financial regulations of said professional sports league;

submitting the sports transaction offer to the second user; and

receiving approval from the second user.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said first user is a fantasy manager and said second user is a fantasy agent.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising assigning a rating to the sports transaction offer.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said rating is based on a financial factor and a statistical factor.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising consummating a highest rated sports transaction offer.

25. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising creating a fantasy all-star team.