The draft will be a "snake format" to ensure competitive balance. If you do not understand what this means, I will give you an example.
In the NBA the worst team gets the #1 pick (this isn't exactly accurate because of the lottery, but it is close enough) in the first round, and then gets the #1 pick in the second round. The team that wins the NBA Finals gets the last pick in the first round and the last pick in the second round. In a 4 team league it would go like this:
1. Team A
2. Team B
3. Team C
4. Team D
5. Team A
6. Team B
7. Team C
8. Team D
However, a snake format flips the order for alternating rounds:
1. Team A
2. Team B
3. Team C
4. Team D
5. Team D
6. Team C
7. Team B
8. Team A
This ensures competitive balance. In a league of 20 teams, the team blessed with the top pick will get Messi, but then they will have to wait while every other team gets to pick 2 players before they can pick again. This ensures competitive balance between all teams.
I will use a random fantasy draft order selector to provide the order using a random number generator; if I get the first pick I will scrap that order and do it again so it doesn't look like I rigged the process. I really want to find a way that gives me a chance to get the first pick, but to avoid the appearance of collusion I'll still scrap the order if I end up with the first pick. I will post the Order and the member with the first pick has 24 hours to make their selection starting midnight in their timezone, but the sooner the better. After the first pick is made the member with the 2nd pick will have 12 hours to make their selection, or else they will be skipped and the team with the third pick can pick at any time. They have 12 hours to make their pick, and Team 2 can also make their pick at any time. This is important; if you see that the team ahead of you has 30 minutes before their 12 hours is up, it's not a bad idea to wait for 1 minute after so you get the best player possible. It is also a major incentive to get your pick in on time. If you miss your pick by 4 hours you could see 6 or more players taken before you get your selection in. DO NOT MISS YOUR PICK. I understand that people have lives and this will be inevitable, but this draft will take FOREVER if we have to wait 12 hours for every selection. If you cannot check the board at least twice a day, then please just withdraw now. Most people do not sleep for 12 hours a day, and most people do not work for 12 hours a day, so these will not be tolerated as persistent excuses.
If any member becomes a hassle by constantly missing picks and holding up the draft, I have the right to kick them out and hand their team over to someone else. If you miss a pick you will be skipped until you come back; that means that if you miss one and then it comes back to your next pick, you will not get a fresh 12 hours. If you miss 2 picks you will be kicked out of the draft unless there has been fewer than 24 hours since your initial 12 hours expired. That means that if you do not show up within 36 hours of your pick you will be out and someone will assume control of your team, no questions asked. If you cannot make a pick, then PM someone with a list of players and they can select in your absence; this will not be counted against you even if this person is a "no show" for 36 hours as well. You might have to reveal a secret about your preferences to someone, but it is better than the alternative of getting kicked out. And frankly, it's not really a big deal. PM someone who will not be drafting between where the draft is now and your pick. Finally, I made a LOT of picks last year and never snipered one from anyone as far as I remember. I'm very willing to accept list PMs from people, although this year I'm probably not the best person most days, but I'll try my best.
We will do this for 18 rounds. You are required to have 2 goal keepers, but there are no other restrictions on how to make your squad. After we select our players you can do whatever you want to represent your formation, but this is really only relevant for the voting part of the competition. We will also DEFINITELY have FM this year, and probably FIFA as well, so please don't pick based on players you think others will like because this could spectacularly fail. Also, there's a pretty big contingent of knowledgeable voters, so if you pack your squad with Giggs and Scholes to win votes you're probably going to get dumped in the voting group stage when "casual voters" don't vote as much.
It's really all pretty simple once we start. Don't be intimidated by the length of this post.
