http://www.funkypool.com/thread/16196/clan-news-post-it-here/48

^ need to post on there when the season finishes

Just something ive been thinking for a while. Instead of two leagues, could the FCL not be run as one bigger league.

I think this would help incase any teams pull out of the season for whatever reason. Obviously the new clans would have to still prove there reliability to gain approval but it could stop the situation of this season with multiple teams having one game for a fortnight.

I also think it could help retain players and encourage new people to join knowing they will be playing the better players on the site and give them an opportunity to be in the shop window if they so desire.

If it was all one league everyone would lose interest if you're not in the top 3 teams in the running what else is there to play for? No promotion, no relegation, no point!
Looks like the clan numbers will be up for FCL next season as well with shooters, wolf pack, mouseketeers and legend killers looking good.

i did like say this a few weeks back about a fcl championship one league.

The league would probably take too long.....

Which you can deal with by having one fixture against each other clan instead of two...

That's correct.

The only thing I would add to that though is you need to structure the league fixtures more if you are only having one match against each clan. For example if there are two outstanding clans then you don't want them playing each other early on otherwise the league title is probably decided from that point onwards.

You basically need to seed each set of fixtures with winners from one week playing losers from that week in the next set where possible. It won't work perfectly obviously but in the last set of fixtures you increase the chances of table topping (unbeaten?) teams playing each other for the title and lesser losing teams playing each other to avoid last place, with everyone else playing teams around them, in hopefully evenly matched fixtures, to decide final placings.

You're missing the point that you have different levels of player on here. I've been on 6 months and wouldn't want to play in the first division yet against people who have been on here years.
Another season in the 2nd division and I reckon I could play the very best without getting slaughtered think thats the situation for most 'newer' players.
Don't like the 'shop window' bit either we want to improve together and get promoted together when we are good enough.

The best way to improve at most things is to play better players. If you choose to play lesser players all the time then you will find a level which would be hard to go much further. I personally hope to play the best players on the site as often as possible to help improve my game.

With all clan players playing in the one league, it would be very unlikely that you would only be playing good players from each clan. Infact you would be playing a majority of players around the same level.

The shop window statement is very much a personal thing for each player. There are certain teams everyone would love to get asked to play for and it would be up to you wether you choose to join, but many people would like the opportunity to play against a team to prove they have got what it takes at the very top.

I like the idea Chris. Much more interesting.

we tried one league on snooker, yes i know its snooker but it took roughly 3 months for 8 clans but pool could be cut down to 2 months with Cup being included in fixtures whereas snooker is alternate between league and cup, with 10+ clans it could take 3 months or more and from experience from snooker it just drags the season on and league runner aside i would rather have a shorter season than a longer one.

True the best way to improve is to play the best players but for someone who has only been playing a few months you are challenging yourself by playing clan games, playing people who have been on 6 years and are in the top 1% of users is gonna be too much and get frustrating.
Can't see the benefits with 2 divisions you have...
2/3 teams fighting for DIV1 title
2/3 teams fighting for promotion
2/3 teams fighting to avoid relegation

with 1 division you have 2/3 teams for the title and 12 also rans

One 12 team league would take 12 weeks to complete (possibly less with teams dropping out during season) - release one fixture per week and allow two weeks to complete it, i.e. rolling fixtures.

Two 6 team leagues would currently take 10 weeks to complete using the current format ....

Any more than 12 teams and the two league structure then starts to take longer than the single league structure.

But as said above the single league structure copes better with the inevitable drop outs.

Think this season has shown there were only ever one team in each league looking to win so every other team was an also ran. Also due to the dropout of clans, which was my initial point about one league, means that there will more than likely be no relegation. This doesnt include teams that almost dropped out as well.

I am not taken away the merits of a two division league system but the way this all worked out then this has to be a consideration.

Maybe could do that the winners of the league are champions but include some sort of playoff system down the league for minor trophies. If you're sitting in 9th with a game to go, then you would try your hardest to move up one place to get into silver plate trophy type thing. Would actually make more to play for than the season with two divisions just passed.

No arguments that things messed up this season but sure with 8's and vikings going into the first and some very good teams coming into the 2nd we'll end up with 2 really competitive leagues.

Just a thought, some people who are accepted into clans are very new and they have no proof of being reliable. I think it would be a good idea to let them get out of 'newbie' status (8 ball, 9 ball,8 ball uk) before joining a team so that captains can judge the reliability of players by how long it takes for them to loose 'newbie' status...

...any thoughts?

I think this would help the relibilty side of the teams

some people dislike playing ranked so it won't work.

and there arent many people around. but you can tell by the amount of games that they have played and their recent game. Okay say that they must play 100 games of each first?

how about those whos reliable on snooker?

i think its fine as it is, if they aren't reliable 9/10 they get put on sidelines anyway.

Most captains who can't see how good someone is by their stats would give a trial, unless they know the player.

thats what the freindlys are for inbetween season, then we have the preseson friendlys that pretty much gets out the un reliable players.