Addressing the DEV Team Moving Forward

Confirmed Changes to the SFLm Dev Team for Season 12 / Season 26 Onward

ARTICLE BY ELI DEIOMES [S'cylle Aldmiir] | SFLm Media Director

Hey everyone,

J.W. here — one of the volunteers working behind the scenes with the SFLm. Let’s be real: the rollout of the S11 Dev Team didn’t exactly land how we wanted, and that’s on us. So, we’re taking the opportunity now to lay everything out clearly, cleanly, and directly — so we’re all on the same page moving forward.

(And hey, maybe next time we’ll get folks reading these updates instead of just hearing about them secondhand! ;))

What's New?

After conversations with Commissioner Alex West, and in response to feedback from the community — both the productive and the… let’s call it passionate — we’ve implemented a new set of Dev Team eligibility rules that will take effect starting Season 12 (SFLm) / Season 26 (SFL).

Let’s get into it.

RULE ONE: NO APF Builds

If your player was created during the APF Era (SFL Season 20 / SFLm Season 7 or earlier), you’re no longer eligible for the Dev Team. This ensures we're focused on current-era players, keeping things fair for recent rookies and active builds.

RULE TWO: One Season Limit for Pro Dev Eligibility

If you make the Dev Team and choose not to progress your build meaningfully, that’s on you. No more using the Dev Team as a multi-season safety net. One shot. Use it or lose it.

RULE Three: Must Complete 75%+ of Progressions

We’ve wanted this one for a while — if a player didn’t complete at least 75% of their weekly progressions last season, they’re not eligible for the Dev Team. If you don’t have time to click a few buttons once a week, we don’t have time to place you on the list.

RULE four: Position Swaps Are Ineligible

Yep, this one's officially codified now. If a player changes positions during the offseason, they’ll be ineligible for the Dev Team. This has been an unspoken rule for a while (shout-out to the folks who remember S9’s position party), but now it’s locked in.

RULE five: No Contracts Over $2M

Say it with me: Contract ≠ Player Overall. But hey, people still build for the meta, stack two stats, and end up with bloated contracts. So here’s the deal:

If your player’s contract is over $2,000,000, they are ineligible for the Dev Team. Full stop. [However, if your contract goes over $2,000,000 while you are ON the team, you will remain on it until the season is over.]

RULE six: Rookies Over $1M Move to Dev

To protect rookie progression and maintain a balanced economy, any rookie player with a contract over $1,000,000 will automatically be placed on the Dev Team.

RULE seven: No Salary Cuts to Game the System

This might ruffle feathers, but it needs to be addressed. We had multiple players — and even some team owners — ask if they could intentionally tank attributes to get their players onto the Dev Team list. We’re closing that loophole now. If a player cuts their attributes during the previous SFL Progression Period and/or Signing Day, that player will be omitted from the list.

Final Thoughts

We know the announcement for this season's Dev Team didn’t go perfectly, but these changes are designed to bring clarity, fairness, and consistency to the Developmental Team process moving forward. We’re listening. We’re adjusting. And we’re always working to make this system better for everyone involved.

If you’ve got questions, feedback, or simply want to discuss any of the above, hit us up — we’re here to talk. Our DMs are open, and always have been. Until then, thanks for reading (especially if you made it this far!), and we’ll see you on the field.

Take care,
Alex, J.W., Eli, & the SFLm Volunteers

#SFLm