Preamble to the Constitution  

The rules and procedures set out in this Constitution are founded upon three key principles:

·        Fairness

·        Sportsmanship

·        Competition

They are ideal concepts, whether implied or expressed, to which every good league aspires, the pillars that support the league.  When one is lacking member dissatisfaction follows - resulting in poor participation, instability and abandonment of the league.

The first goal of the EFL Constitution is to continually strengthen all three of the above pillars through active membership participation at all levels of league-building and maintenance.

A simulation football league where the members do not receive pay for their time and effort is presumed to be a “fun league.”  No one should have to be reminded of that.  When a coach needs to be reminded, or is no longer having fun, it is a warning sign that something is not right – with the coach, the league, or both. Whether the problem lies with an individual or a league rule, an appropriate resolution must be found as soon as possible.  Disputes and disagreements are important factors in developing good rules systems, enabling the league to test the strength and integrity of its Constitution.

The second goal of the EFL Constitution is to develop and maintain a fair, transparent, efficient, and accountable dispute resolution process.

Over time, many leagues tend to become static – a select few members dominate and excel year-after-year while transient members come and go, often leaving broken teams behind.  Competition deteriorates and fairness is questioned as new coaches spend their early days fending off predatory traders.  Long serving coaches break into informal trading cliques and eventually “help” each other against rivals.  Most of us are probably all too familiar with such scenarios, but this does not have to happen – not if the league has a strong core membership and a multi-faceted, dynamic player acquisition system that enables teams to rebuild quickly through different avenues, separately or simultaneously.

The third goal of the EFL Constitution is to promote competitive balance by providing incentives for making the playoffs and penalties for losing games that carry over into the following year.

Some simulation leagues that become unbalanced experience a lack of strong competition and a corresponding decline in sportsmanship.  They eventually develop a problem known as “tanking,” when a coach strips his team down for the purpose of getting the top pick in the draft.  For a chronically sick team, with few assets and no immediate hope, this option may be the only viable one.  But, when several coaches at once dismantle decent teams wholesale for a shot at dominating the early rounds of the rookie draft, it can become a serious problem for the league.

The fourth goal of the EFL Constitution is to improve the quality and impact of game day coaching on league competitiveness.

Game day coaching appears to be a declining art in some leagues.  The expression that begins, “on any given Sunday…” to describe the current competitive balance of the NFL apparently does not apply very often to simulation football contests when the talent gap between the two teams is wide.  While the EFL cannot change the Action game engine to make “anything possible” (nor would that be desirable) the league can encourage sound and creative coaching by rewarding upsets and recognizing those who have done “the most with the least.”

The fifth goal of the EFL Constitution is to offer diverse opportunities and avenues for player acquisition and player movement that mirror those of the NFL. 

While most leagues employ a simple player acquisition paradigm the EFL will use a multi-faceted approach - including: a College Draft, Re-signing of Players, Contract Extensions, Free Agency, Rival League Raiding, Player Franchising and Waiver Draft – requiring each team to “mix and match” in order to build the most cost effective roster (hard salary cap in effect) and compete for the League Championship.