The Conference Pool

Side Pools > Conference Pool

A Conference Pool differs from a regular pool, in that groups of pool members (a conference) play against other conferences. Sometimes Conference pools are set up so that players in conferences compete only against each other, not against other conferences. The NFLPMl Conference pool accomodates many variations. You can play with unbalanced conferences, where one conference might have more players than nother Conference.

Sorts and Tiebreakers:

The NFL Pool Manager Conference pool uses the Weekly sorts and tiebreakers of your regular pool. It ignores whatever settings you use for your season sorts. Therefore, if your regular weekly pool winners are determined by total wins and the tiebreaker is Monday night total points, then the Conference pool uses these options in both the weekly and season standings. Season standings would be determined by total season wins and the lowest total of Monday night tiebreaker points.

Balanced vs. Unbalanced Pools:

You can view Conference data by totals or by averages. If your conferences are going to contain an equal number of pool members, you would probably want to use totals. If you are running an unbalanced league, where one conference might contain more pool members than another conference, then you would want to use averages.

Here is a small example of an unbalanced league:

Conference #1 has three players and they have wins of 8, 7, and 5. Their conference would average 6.67 wins. Conference #2 might only have two players with wins of 8 and 6. They would average to 7 wins, so Conference #2 would be leading Conference #1 in the standings. Monday night tiebreakers work the same way.

Setting up your Conference Pool:

There are four tabs in the Conference pool screen, and when setting up the Conference pool, start at tab one and move onto tab 2, then tab 3 etc.

Tab 1: Conference Options:

Here, you give your Conference a name to be used on outputs, This on is name "The Doubles Pool" because there are 2 players on each Team and you decide whether you want to view the outputs using weekly or season totals, or weekly or season averages. You can start the Conference pool at any time during the season, just select the week you want the pool to start at. Won-loss records will then be calculated from that week forward. On this tab, you also specify how many conferences will make up your Conference pool. Conferences must have at least one player for that Conference to show in the standings. When generating a report from outside the Pool Conference screen, such as when you output from the Web Page manager you can specify what sort you would like to use by setting the Default Sort.

Tab 2: Edit Conference Names:

After you've activated the number of Conferences you want to use, this tab allows you to give each Conference a unique name. Names can contain up to 24 characters. Try not to use all UPPER CASE lettering when naming your Conference, the name might be truncated in outputs.

Tab 3: Assign Players:

Players can play in more than one Conference. Simply select a Conference from the drop-down list, and check the pool members you want to play in that Conference.

Tab 4: Output Rules/Comments:

You can add the sorting and tiebreaker rules with comments, or leave them out of the outputs.

Tab 5: View Standings:

The standings will be sorted based on what options you chose in Tab 1. Conferences will always be sorted, with tiebreakers applied, based on what sort you are using in your weekly pool sorts. These sorts and tiebreakers are specified in the Pool Options screen found under menu item OPTIONS->POOL OPTIONS