Promotion/Demotion FAQ
What is Promotion and Demotion?
At the end of every season, teams from every league can move up or down in levels, in order to find more suitable competition.
Pro/AAA/AA Leagues
How does promotion and demotion work in the Pro, AAA, AA, and A leagues?
The two teams reaching the championship game will always be promoted to the next tier up. The two teams who finished 15th and 16th in each conference will be demoted to the next lowest tier.
What about teams that have been sold or requested demotion in Pro/AAA/AA/A? Will they be replaced by lower tier teams moving up?
Yes, all CPU teams will be removed from the league and replaced by teams moving up from lower tiers.
How are teams other than the conference winners ranked when choosing who to promote for CPU and demoted teams' vacated spots?
Teams are ranked based on a sort algorithm incorporating playoff wins and losses, seasonal wins and losses, points against and for, and strength of schedule. It is not possible to know the final sort order
until the last game of the postseason has been played, but teams who advanced furthest in the playoffs will generally be picked first.
How is it determined which leagues the 15/16th place teams will be demoted to?
Demotion league assignments are determined randomly.
Minor Leagues
How does promotion and demotion work in the Minor Leagues?
The minor leagues are set up in a level capped system, which is designed to grow with the normal level progression of players. There is no forced demotion in the minor leagues.
- All teams who make the playoffs are promoted up by 2 level caps.
- The two teams who made the championship game may request to move up 3 level caps by selecting the option via their team's "edit profile" page.
- The bottom two teams in each conference remain in the same level cap, unless the players on the team are above that cap, in which case the will go up by 1 level cap.
- The rest of the teams in the league move up 1 level cap.
- Teams graduating from lv 42 or 46 will promote the an "A" league, except in casual, where they will promote to an "AA" league.
- All teams who make the playoffs are promoted up by 2 level caps.
- The two teams who made the championship game may request to move up 3 level caps by selecting the option via their team's "edit profile" page.
- The bottom two teams in each conference remain in the same level cap, unless the players on the team are above that cap, in which case the will go up by 1 level cap.
- The rest of the teams in the league move up 1 level cap.
- Teams graduating from lv 42 or 46 will promote the an "A" league, except in casual, where they will promote to an "AA" league.
There are players over the level cap on a team in my league. Is this allowed?
Yes. The level cap is simply a signing cap. Players already on the team are not penalized. Teams who are naturally promoted through the above outlined promotion
system will not be forced to remove any players.
I don't think I can manage if I move up two tiers. Can I request only a single tier promotion or to remain at the same tier?
Possibly, if your entire roster's levels are under the next level cap. The general rules are as follows:
- If you finished 12-4 or better or made it to the 3rd round of the playoffs, you are going to move up two levels. This preempts all the below. it does not matter if you have all your players below the cap, you are not eligible for an exception.
- If you made the playoffs and did not make it past the 2nd round and were 11-5 or worse, you can request to move up one level if all of your players are below the cap.
- If you didn't make the playoffs and everyone is below the cap, you can remain at the same level. However, choosing to do this will result in having your team's cash and stadium reset to the tier you are staying at, unless you are a 15th/16th place team.
- Some exceptions will be made - for example if you only made the playoffs because 8 teams in your league were CPU (this means CPU not lower level owned human teams), then we will evaluate that and you could possibly remain at the same level if all of your players are below the cap.
- Requests for single tier promotion may still be denied if we deem your team to be unsuited to the tier you are requesting based on effective level.
- If you finished 12-4 or better or made it to the 3rd round of the playoffs, you are going to move up two levels. This preempts all the below. it does not matter if you have all your players below the cap, you are not eligible for an exception.
- If you made the playoffs and did not make it past the 2nd round and were 11-5 or worse, you can request to move up one level if all of your players are below the cap.
- If you didn't make the playoffs and everyone is below the cap, you can remain at the same level. However, choosing to do this will result in having your team's cash and stadium reset to the tier you are staying at, unless you are a 15th/16th place team.
- Some exceptions will be made - for example if you only made the playoffs because 8 teams in your league were CPU (this means CPU not lower level owned human teams), then we will evaluate that and you could possibly remain at the same level if all of your players are below the cap.
- Requests for single tier promotion may still be denied if we deem your team to be unsuited to the tier you are requesting based on effective level.
How do I request a demotion?
After day 32 of each season, an option to request demotion will become available to the team owner on the team's profile page. Owners
should use this form to request demotion, instead of requesting it via Support.
What is required to request a demotion?
Your team roster must have players who all fit under the level you are requesting. For instance, if you want to demote to level cap 18, all players
on the team must be at or under level 18. Keep in mind that you cannot boost past your level cap during the offseason, so riding the level cap line on
your demotion may make you miss out on some boosts!
If I request demotion for my team, do I lose anything?
Yes. All teams who request demotion will have their stadium, team cash, and fan support reset based on the tier they are demoting to. The starting stadium and cash values are listed below:
- AA - Fan Support 40/20/10, no stadium/cash reset
- Lv 46 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 16,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 42 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 14,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 38 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 12,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 34 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 10,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 30 - Stadium: All 100 Level, 200 level home sideline; Cash: 8,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 26 - Stadium: All 100 Level except right endzone; Cash: 6,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 22 - Stadium: Three 100 level corners; Cash: 4,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 18 - Stadium: One 100 level corner; Cash: 2,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 14 - Stadium: No Additional Sections; Cash: 1,500,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 4 - Stadium: No Additional Sections; Cash: 1,500,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- AA - Fan Support 40/20/10, no stadium/cash reset
- Lv 46 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 16,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 42 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 14,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 38 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 12,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 34 - Stadium: All 100 Level, Both 200 sidelines; Cash: 10,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 30 - Stadium: All 100 Level, 200 level home sideline; Cash: 8,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 26 - Stadium: All 100 Level except right endzone; Cash: 6,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 22 - Stadium: Three 100 level corners; Cash: 4,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 18 - Stadium: One 100 level corner; Cash: 2,000,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 14 - Stadium: No Additional Sections; Cash: 1,500,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
- Lv 4 - Stadium: No Additional Sections; Cash: 1,500,000; Fan Support: 30/10/0
Does "requesting demotion" include requesting to stay at the same level cap tier?
Yes, unless you were a non-playoff team fitting under the rules listed above.
Do I lose anything if I only go up one tier, instead of 2?
No. As long as you are moving up, you do not lose anything.
I don't want to lose my stadium and money. What's to stop me or anyone else from hanging out in higher tier leagues?
Failing to field a competitive team for too long will end up costing a team in cash, fan support, and stadium sections:
- Media revenue at higher tiers is not awarded to uncompetitive teams.
- Fan Support can decrease below the normal minimum 30/10/0 threshold. Ticket sales at these levels will be extremely difficult. Once fan support reaches 0/0/0, no tickets will be sold.
- The stadium will lose one section per season (at the end of the season) until the stadium is at the default value for that level. The order in which sections are lost begins at the 300 level, goes to the 200 level, and then the 100 level (minus the normal 100 level sidelines) with the section that has the most seats at that level being the one that would be lost first.
- No stadium construction or expansion is allowed until the team meets league minimums.
- Media revenue at higher tiers is not awarded to uncompetitive teams.
- Fan Support can decrease below the normal minimum 30/10/0 threshold. Ticket sales at these levels will be extremely difficult. Once fan support reaches 0/0/0, no tickets will be sold.
- The stadium will lose one section per season (at the end of the season) until the stadium is at the default value for that level. The order in which sections are lost begins at the 300 level, goes to the 200 level, and then the 100 level (minus the normal 100 level sidelines) with the section that has the most seats at that level being the one that would be lost first.
- No stadium construction or expansion is allowed until the team meets league minimums.
How do I know if I meet the league minimums for a competitive team? What do I need to make sure I do?
Teams are required to field at least 30 human players and the level of those players must be at least at 30% less than the league's median player level (which is shown by the recommended levels listed on the league page). This should be easy to meet for any team that is trying, and the league minimum level requirements should guide in you in meeting that
minimum. If your team misses these guidelines on game day, the owner will receive an alert. Stadium deterioration is determined by meeting these minimums for the final 3 weeks of the season.
Do the above rules apply to casual leagues as well?
Yes.
Do the above rules apply to pee wee leagues?
No.