That change is too radical tbh, it can be reduced to 6 or 7 games for match but not a 4vs4 or 5vs5.

This is about reducing the amount of fixtures so clans can survive with less players, if clans want 16 players let them, with 4 matches in each fixture in FCL and FBL and teams possibly playing each other twice during the season league runners could release 3 or 4 fixtures every 2 weeks, this way you will still have nearly as many FCL/FBL fixtures as you have now but will require less players to complete each fixture.
Clans with 16 could keep there players happy and a clan with 8 reliable players will survive, clans with 16 could let there numbers lower by not replacing inactive or leaving players, it's their choice.

I know the suggestion to reduce to 4 v 4 in each fixture is drastic but it's what is needed, dropping to 6 or 7 won't make things much better.

So FCL and FBL 4 v 4, clans play each other twice, 3 or 4 fixtures released from each league every 2 weeks would give plenty fixtures for a 16 player team and less matches in each fixture for an 8 player team to be comfortable.

I hope that makes sense, I just woke up lol

Oh my days , the rules are changing to stop ash and his Now Only outstanding team from winning .... Now You need to get a grip on things lmao

If you think about it, playing each clan twice you'll still be playing them 8 v 8 over the season but split into 2 4 v 4 fixtures, there could be just as many games to be played.

I think I would rather see a 5 v 5 format to be fair...

But I am really behind the idea of shortening fixtures etc.

4-4 is the way to go

5 v 5 would work, playing each clan twice would increase fixtures over the season as it would be like playing each clan 10 v 10, possibly 3 fixtures released every 2 weeks for each league.
This would give a clan of 8 three subs and still plenty of fixtures over a fortnight for a clan of 16?

I wouldn't lower the clan size for next season, I would let captains do that themselves gradually over the season by not replacing inactive or leaving players and aim to reducie the size the following season to possibly 12.

Edited at 14:05 Mon 29/06/15 (BST)

14 this season wouldn't be too drastic a change, then gradually reduce to 12 the next one (if site's still active). 10 is way too low IMO.

I mean, it would work in roundabouts anyway..

Players aren't going to stick around in teams of 16 when the fixtures are all 4v4 or 5v5, active players will want more games. This should lead to more clans being created or a good distribution of active, good players leading to more competitive and active games decided on the table rather than by a defaults panel.

Not sure how many we've been going, but in maybe 8 seasons? I don't think Uprising have been found guilty of one game going to default in the FCL. As a captain, the satisfaction of getting the 8 games played is what's kept me logging in to funkypool. I don't think Uprising will continue if the format becomes 4 v 4, and I know that almost half of our squad will quit funkypool when I stop bullying them all to play. I also don't see how shortening the format and dumbing down ambitions will possibly attract any new players. The only possible outcome is a decline in numbers.

We're not like some of the other teams - I haven't spent day and night on here brown nosing every good player, pretending to be their best friend to get them to join. Most of our guys have played season after season for us, even if they've lost most their games. We're not a bunch of strangers, and quite a few of us have met, or are meeting up in real life. Now I'll be put in a position where I have to pick 4 from 16 - leaving three quarters of my mates without a game?

This season has been no different to any other season for me in terms of recruiting players - it's just as easy to get to 16 as it always was. The folding clans have either been a result of cheating, or mismanagement. What the new proposal is doing, is pandering to the incompetent, and sinking to the lowest common denominator. A strategy that in any application in life treads water in the short term, but sinks in the long term.

We've lost two clans this season - One kicked out as a result of cheating and one kicked out for mismanagement (from a guy who should not have been allowed to enter his clan in the league on track record).

A lot of the other issues seem to have come from player transfers, which hasn't really happened in other seasons.

Is it the league format or the league rules that need to be addressed?

In any case any strict rules on clan numbers should be avoided in my opinion - They dealt the final nail in the coffin for clans over on Snooker. By all means reduce the format if it is needed but don't force people to remove players - After all we all choose where we want to play from our free will.

I haven't had to pretend to be their best friend or offer them anything, the team itself is the attraction. Being able to play alongside some of the best players on the site is just the exact same as what Pros and Uprising have been able to offer for many seasons. Now it's called 'brown nosing' when it's not them who's recruited the players.

I agree the seasons have been fine, struggling is all part of being a Captain and persevering through the tough times to appreciate and cherish the smooth ones. IF Captains or other teams need rules to mollycoddle them then may I suggest they buck up and get a grip.

The formats need a change but within moderation otherwise the end result will be the death of the site as a whole. Clans are the only thing keeping the site from being succumbed to the inevitable.

When I started in clans the team size was 8, the site was booming and there was more than enough players to increase the clan size and up the format, we have to be real and realise numbers are dropping, with the change suggested there could still be 15 fixtures (3 x 5v5) per league every 2 weeks, it's 16 at the moment so still plenty games for a clan of 16, with the FCL and FBL there could still possibly be 30 fixtures plus the add on competitions to play every 2 weeks.
I can understand uprising not wanting to lose players but it's either that or we end up losing clans because there's just not enough clan players out there to keep going as things are.
As I said above "leave it at 16 for next season and let captains reduce numbers gradually throughout the season as players become inactive or leave and aim for possibly 12 for the following season.

+1

I would also argue for a re-structure of bonus points for fixtures complete and fixtures won, as the current points wouldn't work with the fixtures being reduced per clan game.

I didn't actually mention you Ash - but after reading two of your mails to players trying to get them to join - it certainly applies!

My point being is that I grew a clan from people like cgibson92 and erigert who was clan newbies that the top clans didn't want, and other players I was genuinely friendly with from playing killer with them. Our growth has been organic, and not just a case of identifying the best players and deciding to blow smoke up their rear ends. In fact, I find sucking up so loathsome - I handed recruiting duties to erigert! Now the clan and players have both grown - is it fair that it should all be compromised? It's not like we're even the best clan - we're just a group of players that want to remain in the same team!

The only thing I don't like about the way you run a clan is the fact you kick people from your clan you deem to be "bad" players to replace them with "good" players. Not how clans should be run.

I didn't actually mention you Ash - but after reading two of your mails to players trying to get them to join - it certainly applies!

My point being is that I grew a clan from people like cgibson92 and erigert who was clan newbies that the top clans didn't want, and other players I was genuinely friendly with from playing killer with them. Our growth has been organic, and not just a case of identifying the best players and deciding to blow smoke up their rear ends. In fact, I find sucking up so loathsome - I handed recruiting duties to erigert! Now the clan and players have both grown - is it fair that it should all be compromised? It's not like we're even the best clan - we're just a group of players that want to remain in the same team!


I agree with this. Breaking up a team isnt fair at all. However you cant have your cake and eat it. To help smaller/new teams its either a reduction in players or a reduction in games. A reduction of games may end up with players leaving anyway as said already.

Keep the teams as is and reduce the fixtures down. Maybe 2 x 5 x 5 matches instead of 1 x 8 x 8.

Playing each clan twice will mean 3 x 5v5 fixtures in each league every 2 weeks, thats 15 fixtures per league, it's basically 16 at the moment with 2 x 8v8, clan size doesn't need to change as the difference in fixtures per fortnight would be one, it just means clans with less than 16 won't struggle if run right.

+ over 9000.

Oh really which two were they lol?

We all started from scratch so we are all in the same boat. When I first started Phoenix Storm I had zero players, didn't really know anyone and now have a top quality side which we've gradually improved over the seasons in order to be able to compete against the likes of Pros and Uprising.

No its not fair all should be compromised, Uprising have built themselves up over the seasons, not had it at all easy but manage to stay at the top and fair play to them and you. I'm trying to do the same, fact players not only believe in the team and hopefully a little in myself is quite an achievement in itself.

I'd love to see more teams, more competition, more fun, more activity but more will bring added responsibilities (ie Captains). There aren't enough players who would want to Captain a side, if there were then they'd have a team by now surely? Happy to keep 16 players this season then drop down too 14 players max IF those 2 deemed as surplus are recruited and not left by the wayside for no apparent reason.