IFLAF Rules
IFLAF Rules



1. The League

1.1 Team Structure

Each team will consist of a maximum of 18 players which at the start of the season must contain the following :
    2 Quarter Backs
    4 Running Backs
    6 Wide Receivers
    2 Kickers
    2 Defences/Special Team Units
    2 Wild Card Positions (Any Two Other Players)
Throughout the season this structure may change at will so long as you always have enough players at a given position to play in any given week.

A franchise must at all times have 2 Defences on their roster throughout the season. As their is no risk involved in dropping one of your defences we are imposing this restriction. At the start of the season if a franchise has drafted 2 defenses that have the same bye week then this franchise must in week one of the regular season trade for another defense that does not have clashing bye weeks at a cost to the salary cap of $10,000. This is to insure that a franchise has a full playing squad at all times.

New expansion teams are required to name their team in the following manner :
    "Place Name" "Nick Name"
This ruling is not an official ruling but more of a tradition that is deemed appropriate to maintain.


1.2 Points

Each franchise will participate in the league which will be run over the full NFL regular season. Points are awared for scoring plays made by a player seleced by the team coach prior to each weekends games.
Points are awarded as follows :
        Rushing/Receiving Touch Down       = 6 Points
        Touch Down Pass                    = 3 Points
        Field Goal                         = 3 Points
        Defensive Touch Down               = 6 Points
        Special Teams Touch Down           = 6 Points
        Safeties                           = 2 Points
        Two Point Conversions Pass         = 1 Points
        Two Point Conversions Run/Catch    = 2 Points
        PAT Kicks                          = 1 Points
        Defensive Turnover (Int/Fum etc..) = 2 Points (Only If TD Not Scored From Turnover)

All players are eligible for each scoring play once selected by the head coach (i.e. if a Running Back completes a pass to a Quarter Back who then scores a Touch Down, then the Running Back scores 3 Points and the Quarter Back scores 6 points for their respective teams). However, if a player who occupies one of the roster positions on a team scores a Touch Down whilst playing for his special teams unit, only the IFLAF franchise with that Defence/Safety Team unit on their roster are entitled to the 6 Points.

If a Defense makes a pass interception and they return it for a TD then that defense only scores 6 points, all other interceptions that are made but not returned for TD's gives the defense 3 points.


1.3 Team Selection

All team selections must be submited to the Commissioner of the IFLAF before 2PM on Friday afternoon before the weekends games. In cases where games are scheduled for Thursday evening, selections must be submitted by 2PM Thursday. Team selections may be submitted by :

    1. Web Based Submission Form : Yahoo
    2. Email                     : MattMan @ IFLAF dot Com
Team selections must consist of the following :
    1 Quarter Back
    2 Running Backs
    3 Wide Receivers
    1 Kicker
    1 Defensive/Special Teams Unit
If a franchise fails to make a team selection then their team selection for that week will default to the previous team selection that they made. However at the start of the season a frahcnise must make an initial team selection. If they do not then the default selection will be a void selection.


1.4 League Structure

The League will be structured into two Conferences the Lombardi Conference and the Madden Conference. Each conference will consist of an even number of teams. Only those teams competing in the Lombardi Conference may win the IFLAF Championship.

1.4.1 Eight Team League Structure
A team in the Lombardi conference must have a winning season record in order to guarantee that they remain in the lombardi conference for the following season.

Once All team positions have been decided for both conferences the last in the Lombardi will be relegated and the Winner of the Madden will be promoted.

In the case of the 3rd position in the Lombardi having a non winning season (i.e. a record of 8-9 or less) then the 2nd position franchise of the Madden will be compared to the 3rd in the Lombardi. Whoever has the better record after tie-break rules etc. if necessary will be resident in the Lombardi Conference the following year and the worst will be resident in the Madden conference.

The two possible permutations of relegation and promotion are as following:
	1. Last in Lombardi relegated.
	   First in Madden Promoted.
	2. Last 2 in Lombardi Relegated.
	   Top two in Madden Promoted.
This promotion/relegation ruling will therefore also change the draft order for the following year.

1.4.2 Ten Team League Structure
A ten team league simplifys matters somewhat. Very simply the last two in the Lombardi get relegated, the top two in the Madden get promoted.

1.5 Games

Over the course of the season each franchise will play 17 head-to-head games against other franchises of the IFLAF. A Franchises Season schedule will be determined upon the finishing position within respective conferences for the previous season (See Appendix A For Season Schedule).


1.6 Tie-Break Rules

As agreed the tie-break rules follow NFL format. Here are the rules that apply to us :

   End Of Season Tie Break Rules
   Two Clubs
   1. Head-to-Head, Best won/lost/tie percentage in games between clubs.
   2. Net Points.
      2.1 For Game if during regular season.
      2.2 For Overall Season if for league position at end of season..
   3. Strength of Schedule (Teams in same Conference have same ranking).
      (Applies to 8 Team league only)
   4. Most Touch Downs For Overall Season.
      4.1 For Game if during regular season.
      4.2 For Overall Season if for league position at end of season..
   5. Toss of coin.


   Three Or More Clubs
   1. Head-to-Head, Best won/lost/tie percentage in games between clubs.
   2. Net Points.
      2.1 For Game if during regular season.
      2.2 For Overall Season if for league position at end of season..
   3. Strength of Schedule (Teams in same Conference have same ranking).
      (Applies to 8 Team league only)
   4. Most touchdowns.
      4.1 For Game if during regular season.
      4.2 For Overall Season if for league position at end of season..
   5. Toss of coin.
   6. If there is a circular dependency, then Team with most points.

In the three or more clubs tie-break, if two clubs possess a superior record over one or more these two revert to (1.) in the two-club format.

During the regular season when a tied score is encountered in any given week between two franchises then individual scores are removed until an outright winner or the game is tied. The following is the sequence for removing scores :
   Match-Up Tie Break Rules
   1. Remove PAT Kicks.                               (1 Pt)
   2. Remove Two Point Conversion Passes.             (2 Pts)
   3. Remove Defensive Safeties.                      (2 Pts)
   4. Remove DE Turnovers                             (2 Pts)
   5. Remove Two Point Conversion Runs/Catches.       (2 Pts)
   6. Remove Field Goals.                             (3 Pts)
   7. Remove Touch Down Passes.                       (3 Pts)
   8. Remove Defensive Touch Downs.                   (6 Pts)
   9. If Scores are still the same then a Tied game.


1.7 Trophies

There are two trophies competed for each year. The IFLAF Champion for the winner of the Lombardi Conference and the Madden Champion for the winner of the Madden Conference. Trophies will be presented each year at the draft in August. Each member is required to pay a pre-defined amount each year at the draft to pay for that years trophies. The Committee is responsible for purchasing the trophies each year.

2. Trades.

2.1 Free Agent.

A Coach can acquire any free agent player from the players pool. Firstly however there must be space made for the player being traded for, so the coach must decide on what player to waiver. Free agent signings can only be made from week 1 to Week 9 of the regular season. Each franchise can make a maximum of 5 Free Agent trades within this timeframe and assuming that they have not overrun their Salary Cap. The coach intending to make a Free Agent trade will notify the IFLAF Commissioner some time before the Team Selection Deadline of 2pm on Friday of that week. The trade notification will detail the player being traded for, the player being waived and a Salary bid. When the team selection deadline has been reached all trades will be looked at. On successfull processing of a trade the new player acquired will be available for selection for the following weeks games not the current weekend. The player being waived is also unavailable for the current weeks team selections.
e.g. If team A submits the following trade during week 4 (i.e. weekdays prior to
     Weekend 4 games) :

     Player Out : A. Lazy, RB, 49ers
     Player In  : B. Workaholic, RB, Colts
     Bid        : 11,000

     Both A.Lazy and B. Workaholic are unavailable for Week 4 selections, if
     the trade is successful, A.Lazy will be removed from Team A's roster
     and B.Workahloic will be added, and be available for Week 5 selections.


2.2 Salary Cap System For Trades.

Each Franchise Will start each season with a Trade Salary Cap of $60,000. When a franchise wishes to trade for a free agent they must also submit a bid with this trade request. There is a minimum value of $10,000 per bid unless that franchise has less than $10,000 left in their salary cap. If a franchise has less than 10,000 in their salary cap then the remaining amount has to be used as the bid amount. When the salary cap has been reduced to zero that franchise cannot make any more trades.

In the event of two franchises wishing to trade for the same player the franchise with the highest bid will get that player. If all franchises that are bidding for a player all have equal bids then each franchise will be asked to re-submit new bids of increased amounts. The highest bidder will get that player.

In the situation where all Clashing franchises have made bids that are equal and all franchises have reached their maximum salary cap, and there is still no highest bidder then all franchise names will go into a hat and the name drawn will receive the player being traded for at the cost of the final bid made by that franchise.


2.3 Inter Team Trading

Trading of players between teams is allowed and can be made at any time during the regular season or in the off season. If the trade occurs during the regular season the players acquired will not be eligible for team selection until a week after the trade was made. The player being waived is not available for selection in the current weekend for the team waiving that player.


2.4 Draft Pick Trades

As with Inter Team Trades these trades can take place at any time throughout the year.


2.5 The Injured Reserve List

When an NFL player is injured the coach which has this player on their roster can place this player on The Injured Reserve List, only if the coach does not have enough players at this position to make a team selection. The injured player is placed on the Injured Reserve List immediately and is replaced by a Free Agent player from the player pool whose total individual points is less than or equal to the player being placed on Injured Reserve.

The injured player will remain on the Injured Reserve List for 28 days and is not available for team selection until this period is up. When the 28 days have elapsed and if the injured player has returned to his NFL team then the player must also be returned to the Fantasy Franchise. However if the player remains injured, the coach then has the choice of taking the player off of the Injured Reserve List or leaving him there for another 28 day period. If the coach does not do this within 2 days of the 28 day expiry day and the player is still injured then he will automatically be placed on Injured Reserve List for another 28 day period.

A franchise may trade the Injured Reserve player if within the week 9 trade deadline. However, the franchise cannot trade their injured player for the player that they acquired from the Free Agent Pool, he may trade for any other player in the Pool. If the trade is successful, then both the Injured Player and his replacement will be dropped from the Franchises roster, and replaced by the newly acquired traded for player. This rule is to put in place to eliminate a franchise using the Injured Reserve mechanism to "Reserve A Player".
At the end of the regular season all Injured Reserve List players are returned to their respective franchises.


2.6 Free Agent Trades Versus Injured Reserve Precedence.

We are changing the precedence of Free Agent Trades to be of higher importance than Injured Reserve. If two franchise's put in for the same player one for a free agent trade and the other for Injured Reserve the Free Agent Trade will take precedence and the Injured Reserve Trading Franchise will be given the chance to make a second choice.


2.7 Regular Season Trade Submissions.

When submitting a trade during the first 9 weeks of the regular season by e-mail. The trade details must be sent as an attachment to the e-mail. The trade details should not be included in the text of the e-mail.

3. The Draft.

3.1 The Cut.

At some time in the off season each franchise will be required to cut their team so they have only 9 remaining players. The Cut players are returned to the player pool and will be available to all coaches for the Draft. Any franchise may submit their Cut players list at any stage during the off season. The deadline for submission of your cut players is the last day of July.
Late submission of your Cut will result in the following penalties : Final decision on penalty will be made at the discretion of the commissioner. 3.2 The Draft

The draft will take place each year at some stage in the month of August prior to the regular season kick-off. All coachs are required to attend the draft. Draft positions are determined by your finishing position the previous season :
    Example For 8 Franchise League :
      Lombardi Conference :    Draft Pick
      Position 1                8th
      Position 2                7th
      Position 3                6th
      Position 4                4th (Relegated)

      Madden Conference :
      Position 1                5th (Promoted)
      Position 2                3rd
      Position 3                2nd
      Position 4                1st

    Example For 10 Franchise League :
      Lombardi Conference :    Draft Pick
      Position 1                10th
      Position 2                9th
      Position 3                8th
      Position 4                5th (Relegated)
      Position 5                4th (Relegated)

      Madden Conference :
      Position 1                7th (Promoted)
      Position 2                6rd (Promoted)
      Position 3                3rd
      Position 4                2nd
      Position 5                1st
This drafting choice is based on a "Worst Goes First" basis. Each team will have 9 protected players so therefore there will be a minimum of 9 draft rounds so that each team will regain the required 18 player roster. Once drafted a franchise has exclusive rights to that player.


3.3 Draft Period.

Each coach has a 2 minute period in which to make their draft choice, failing to make a legal draft within this time period will result in this pick being placed in the supplemental draft rounds.


3.4 Supplemental Draft.

There will in some instances be a requirement for extra rounds in the draft. This situation may occur because of the following : 
    1. A Franchise has traded a draft pick for a player.
    2. A Player(s) has died or retired during the close season leaving this franchise
       with 8 or less protected players, therefore requiring extra rounds to complete
       the 18 player roster.
    3. A Coach has drafted illegally during the regular 9 draft rounds will lose
       their pick at that time and will have to make their draft in the suplemental
       rounds. (e.g. a Coach select a 3rd Quarter Back even though all wild card
       positions are filled, thus an illegal draft choice).
    4. A coach has gone beyond the 2 minute draft period timeout.
Dring the suplemental draft teams involved will continue in the same sequence as as the regular draft.


4. Expansion.


4.1 Expansion Teams.

As the league is a based on playing match-ups each week we have to maintain an even number of teams in the league so that all teams play every week. So only an even number of teams may join the IFLAF each year. Possible Franchise owners that are interested in joining the league must submit their interest to the Committee during the regular season. They will then be instructed to observre the league for the remaining of the season to learn how it works. At the end of the season they can then confirm their interest joining and if we have an even number of interested franchise owners the committee will decide on whether expansion will take place for the following season. It is preferable that all interested franchise owners be located in Ireland, as attending the annual draft is a requirement. A maximum of two franchises will be allowed to join in year.

4.2 Team Names / Logos.

Franchise owners that have been accepted into the league must submit team names and logos to the IFLAF Committee. The committee will ratify these names and logos and their decision is final.

4.3 Expansion Draft.

Expansion teams will participate in the normal draft at the start of the joining year with all other existing franchises. Each expansion team will get 2 picks per draft round. Both at the end of each round. A drawing of lots will determine who gets first pick. The sequence of picks is reversed per round for each of the expansion franchises.


5. The Organisation.

All responsibilities for statistics, league positions, weekly updates and necessary interpretation of the IFLAF rules, belongs to the Commissioner of the League. The Commisioner is elected from one of the sitting commitee members and serves a term of office of two years. After the two year term is complete, the Commisioner may seek re-election. However if the Commissioner wishes to step down then they may not be re-elected by the comittee.

If a team owner requires clarification of the rules, then the Commissioner should be contacted in order to rule on these issues. However, if the team owner is not satisfied with the Commissioners ruling then the issue can be passed on to the committee where a majority vote will decide the issue. The Commissioner will naturally participate in this vote

All rule changes will require a majority vote from the commitee and should only be made during the off-season (Excepting unusual circumstances.)

Team owners wishing to sit on the Committee can only do so after two years membership of the IFLAF has been completed. This will require a unamimous vote from the committee.

New franchises wishing to join the IFLAF will require a unanimous vote from the Committee to gain access into the league.

When issues requiring a majority decision result in a hung Committee, the Commissioner will cast the deciding vote.


Appendix A: Eight Franchise Season Schedule
Each franchise plays franchises in their own conference 3 times and all teams on opposing conference twice.
e.g. Own Conference 3 franchises 3 times = 3 x 3 = 9
     Opposing Conference 4 franchises 2 times = 4 x 2 = 8
     So Total  = 9 + 8 = 17 Weeks.




A1 -> A4 indicates position in the Lombardi Conference after Promotion/Relegation.

B1 -> B4 Indicates position in the Madden Conference after Promotion/Relegation.




Week 1   A1 vs A3    Week 2   A4 vs B1    Week 3   A1 vs A4    Week 4   A3 vs B1
         A2 vs A4             A3 vs B2             A2 vs A3             A1 vs B2
         B1 vs B3             A1 vs B3             B1 vs B4             A2 vs B3
         B2 vs B4             A2 vs B4             B2 vs B3             A4 vs B4

Week 5   A1 vs A2    Week 6   A1 vs B1    Week 7   A1 vs A3    Week 8   A2 vs B1
         A3 vs A4             A2 vs B3             A2 vs A4             A3 vs B3
         B1 vs B2             A3 vs B2             B1 vs B3             A4 vs B2
         B3 vs B4             A4 vs B4             B2 vs B4             A1 vs B4

Week 9   A1 vs A4    Week 10  A2 vs B1    Week 11  A1 vs A2    Week 12  A1 vs B1
         A2 vs A3             A3 vs B4             A3 vs A4             A4 vs B3
         B1 vs B4             A1 vs B2             B1 vs B2             A2 vs B2
         B2 vs B3             A4 vs B3             B3 vs B4             A3 vs B4

Week 13  A2 vs A3    Week 14  A4 vs B1    Week 15  A1 vs A2    Week 16  A3 vs B1
         A1 vs A4             A3 vs B3             A3 vs A4             A1 vs B3
         B2 vs B3             A1 vs B4             B3 vs B4             A2 vs B4
         B1 vs B4             A2 vs B2             B1 vs B2             A4 vs B2

Week 17  A2 vs A4
         A1 vs A3
         B2 vs B4
         B1 vs B3





 

Appendix B: Ten Franchise Season Schedule

Each franchise plays franchises in their own conference 3 times and all teams
on opposing conference once.


e.g. Own Conference 4 franchises 3 times = 4 x 3 = 12
     Opposing Conference 5 franchises once = 5 x 1 = 5
     So Total  = 12 + 5 = 17 Weeks.




A1 -> A5 indicates position in the Lombardi Conference after Promotion/Relegation.

B1 -> B5 Indicates position in the Madden Conference after Promotion/Relegation.




Week 1   A1 vs B1    Week 2   A1 vs A5    Week 3   A1 vs B2    Week 4   A1 vs A3
         A2 vs A3             A2 vs B4             A2 vs A5             A2 vs A4
         A4 vs A5             A3 vs A4             A3 vs B1             A5 vs B4
         B2 vs B3             B1 vs B2             A4 vs B5             B1 vs B3
         B4 vs B5             B3 vs B5             B3 vs B4             B2 vs B5

Week 5   A1 vs B4    Week 6   A1 vs A2    Week 7   A1 vs B5    Week 8   A1 vs A3
         A2 vs A3             A3 vs A5             A2 vs A5             A2 vs B3
         A4 vs A5             A4 vs B2             A3 vs B3             A4 vs B1
         B1 vs B5             B1 vs B4             A4 vs B4             A5 vs B5
         B2 vs B3             B3 vs B5             B1 vs B2             B2 vs B4

Week 9   A1 vs A4    Week 10  A1 vs A2    Week 11  A1 vs A5    Week 12  A1 vs B3
         A2 vs B2             A3 vs A4             A2 vs A3             A2 vs A4
         A3 vs A5             A5 vs B3             A4 vs B3             A3 vs B2
         B1 vs B3             B1 vs B4             B1 vs B5             A5 vs B1
         B4 vs B5             B2 vs B5             B2 vs B4             B4 vs B5

Week 13  A1 vs A4    Week 14  A1 vs A2    Week 15  A1 vs A5    Week 16  A1 vs A4
         A2 vs B5             A3 vs B4             A2 vs B1             A2 vs A5
         A3 vs A5             A4 vs A5             A3 vs A4             A3 vs B5
         B1 vs B2             B1 vs B3             B2 vs B4             B1 vs B4
         B3 vs B4             B2 vs B5             B3 vs B5             B2 vs B3

Week 17  A1 vs A3
         A2 vs A4
         A5 vs B2
         B1 vs B5
         B3 vs B4




For further information about this web page, contact MattMan @ IFLAF dot Com


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