[EricH]

Incidentally, there are some changes to the traditional format that need some highlighting. (Changing part of the league operations is also traditional.)

The biggest change is that there are no drafts for individual districts. Those took up half of the drafts last year, and the number was projected to rise. That, plus the tendency to plunk new districts in halfway through drafting season, drove this change. The new format for districts is that there will be a single draft of up to 6 rounds for each district area (FiM, MAR, NE, PNW, and IN), with any draft of over 4 rounds being spread over two days. Each team will get its average FF score from all districts it competes in. Still being considered: shuffling the random drafting order between days, and how to deal with timing of list locks and competition-season trades inside the district system.

The other major change is in the waiver system's treatment of teams that add into an event after the event's draft is over. In the past, they'd go to a traditional waiver; this is being changed to a "Challenge Waiver". Pick up the team at your own risk; someone who is higher on the waiver priority list at the time you pick 'em up can challenge you (and thus potentially force a trade, although maybe not for that particular team), with multiple challenges sending the team to the next running of the traditional waiver, which will remain in force for all teams left after a player is removed from the league. (As for why this change is being made: I'm getting lazy and forgetful. Actually, it's pretty demanding running waivers, and having to go in and check for teams adding can take a while.)