The Simulation Football League has decided upon making a series of groundbreaking changes to revolutionize the SFLm Rookie Experience, beginning in 2025. These changes aim to enhance player agency, while creating a more engaging process for athletes and franchises. 

recruitment pool system to replace draft

The SFL Draft is being replaced in favor of a rookie-centric system - the Recruitment Pool. Bearing some resemblance to the NCAA recruitment format, this system is designed to give agency to the Rookies - assuming they can find at least one team that would love to sign them.

• Frequency: There will be Recruitment Pools on a semiannual basis, coinciding with the normal offseason period of the SFL.
• Timing: Recruitment Pools will be generated once the SFL Championship concludes.
• Minimum Eligibility: Rookies must have played during at least 2 minor league seasons to opt-in.
• Mandatory Entry: 12 months as a rookie requires entry at the next opportunity
• Rookies who do not sign to a pro team after 12 months under the revised system will be moved to the Development League until they are signed to a pro team to protect the Rookie Economy

The five phases of recruitment

1. Open Recruitment: All franchises can attempt to recruit eligible rookies
2. 8 Team Roundup: Rookies designate 8 potential teams
3. 5 Team Cut: Rookies narrow their choices to 5 teams
4. 3 Team Final: Options reduced to final 3 teams
5. Signing Day: Recruits choose preferred team, pending mutual agreement.

Teams cannot recruit or sign Rookies that did not designate them during phases 2-4, but a team can voluntarily withdraw themselves from a Rookie's list of choices at any point. That rookie then has the opportunity to designate new teams prior to the next deadline. If the rookie does not designate any new teams, or all of their teams withdraw themselves from contention, the rookie is then considered "fair game" to any potential suitors. 

There will be a Signing Day Show that will feature player signing announcements in descending order, starting with the highest overall rated rookie, allowing us to shine a Spotlight on each Rookie as they get signed. Rookies and franchises are prohibited from announcing any signings prior to that Rookie's Spotlight Moment on Signing Day - any violations will void that signing, and prevent that rookie from signing with the team in question.

This new method of Rookie Promotion is designed to reward franchises that prioritize building strong relationships with our newest community members and fostering deeper connections between Rookies and SFL Front Offices, thus creating a more rewarding experience for everyone involved in the SFL ecosystem.

For draft compensation picks, please refer to Sunday's article for the relevant compensation table. SFL Teams looking for compensation for unrecieved picks should reach out to SFL Commissioner Cameron Irvine.

SFLm S10 Adjustments

Concurrent games, fewer teams, New Roster limits and construction

The 10th Season of the SFLm will will feature a 4-team, 10-game regular season. The teams currently slated for next year are the returning San Jose Flight and Philadelphia Cougars, being joined by the New York Gargoyles and Boston Rebels as the new kids on the block. Each team will play the others 3 times, with Boston/New York and San Jose/Philadelphia being paired up for the extra 10th game as pseudo-division rivals. Week 1 begins January 9th, 2025, with weekly games until the Championship Game on April 10th, excluding one midseason bye week.

The number of playbooks will start at 4, decrease to 3 after midseason, then reduce to just 2 in playoffs. Custom Books with 200 plays will still be allowed, with some flexibility on the minimum run/pass count and stunt/coverage requirement based on formation and set. The league will announce base playbooks and any removed formations after games.

Teams will now have up to 2 QBs and 2 HBs, with QB1/RB1 rotating at halftime. LBs will increase to a minimum of 4 per team. Further adjustments will be made based on the number of returning rookies for 2025. Commissioner West will implement a new system allowing rookies to indicate preferred teammates and teams, while SFLm Franchises can designate alumni and friends/family for preferential placement. Rosters will be created with these preferences in mind while maintaining competitive balance first and foremost.

Rookie and Dev League Salary and progression changes

Further changes are being made by separating Rookies and Developmental players into their own financial ecosystems. With these lower prices, the Rookie Subscription Bonus will be lowered from $250k/month to $50k/month. To offset these losses, starting in December 2024, new rookie signups will receive a one-time signing bonus of $50k upon team assignment. Also starting in 2025, Rookies and Development League Players will now be able to purchase +6 points per week, with a maximum of +3 points in any single stat. 

Regulating Prices - The Ballast Player

In an effort to keep prices for both Rookies and Dev League players affordable while also limiting inflation, the SFLm is introducing the Salary Ballast Player. In effect, the Salary Ballast is a dummy player that exists to keep Rookie/Dev progression prices at acceptable levels by not progressing any stats, and keeping the league average from being dominated by a handful of players with significant cash reserves. One salary ballast player will be deployed at every position group in the Rookie and Developmental Salary Pools initially, with the potential to add further Ballast Players to groups with multiple highly developed Rookies on an as-needed basis. 

What's the point of all this change?

Ultimately, I took the job as SFLm Commissioner with the goal of creating a better Rookie Experience. The best way I came up with accomplishing such a big task was to target the most frustrating parts of my SFLm experience back in 2023, then tackle the most common complaints from other members of the SFLm community I've heard while being part of the Lexington Development League squad for all of 2024.

The rule and format adjustments were discussed at length with the ownership groups for the 4 franchises competing in SFLm Season 10. I will be monitoring the effects of all these changes on a weekly basis, and taking in feedback from the SFLm community for future tweaks and changes as needed. I am fortunate to work with owners who share the same vision for the SFLm that I do, and we are eagerly looking forward to the Season Kickoff in January!