2013-14 Rule Changes

Much of the groundwork laid in the 2012-13 HAC season will be carried over into the 2013-14 season and beyond. However, in a league that is still growing (and probably always will be), there are always adjustments that need to be made in order to make the league as enjoyable as it can be for all owners in the league.

• Keepers
• Trading Draft Picks
• HAC Draft Setup
• FAAB Budget for Players on Waivers

Keepers

Keepers will be brought into the league starting this season. Owners will have no limit to the amount of players they can retain from their roster from one season to the next. They can elect to keep no players or they can retain as many as they can afford under the HAC Keeper System. The keeper system is listed in the Constitution and copied here for easy reference:

To retain a player for another season, a franchise must "pay" a draft pick two rounds higher than where the player was originally drafted. For example: if Magic Johnson was drafted in the 8th round, his HAC franchise would have to "pay" a 6th round pick to re-sign him for the following season. Therefore, his "re-sign value" would be a 6th round pick. This process continues for however long the franchise wants to re-sign a player. For example, if the franchise wants to re-sign Magic again for a second season, they would have to "pay" a 4th round selection to do so. The season after that, the franchise would be forced to pay a 2nd round pick to keep Magic for a third year.

There will be no limit to how long a franchise can re-sign a player for. Theoretically, a franchise that drafts a player in the 14th round could retain that player for up to six seasons. This is the reward for making a great draft pick. If a franchise does not own a draft pick two rounds higher, they can trade for a draft pick in the round necessary, or they can give up a draft pick three rounds higher instead. If a team owns two draft picks in the same round, they must use their original pick if they own it. If they do not own it, they can choose which of the draft picks they will relinquish to retain the player as long as the pick is equal to or better than the franchise's original pick in the round.

The pick that is paid to re-sign a player must be equal to or better than the team's original pick in the round. This is an important clause in this rule to prevent a team from trading the 1st pick in the 3rd round for the 12th pick in the 3rd round for a later round swap in their favor.

Trading Draft Picks

HAC owners will have the ability to trade draft picks in the next season's draft.

All attempts for a stable league with returning owners have been made. However, in the off chance that an owner who has traded draft picks away leaves the league, his franchise's draft picks will be reinstated for the new owner. At the same time though, the owners who acquired draft picks will still retain the draft picks they traded for.

HAC Draft Setup

For the 2013 Draft, the draft order will be selected randomly for a complete redraft with no keepers. Starting with the 2014 Draft, teams will earn their draft pick based on their finish in the postseason. Meaning, the HAC Champion will get the #12 pick while the HAC Consolation Bracket winner will get the #1 pick. The team that loses in the Consolation Bracket Final will get the #2 pick.

FAAB Budget for Players on Waivers

Starting in the 2013-14 season, each franchise will have a $100 Free Agency Acquistion Budget (FAAB) to spend for the season. This will be used to acquire players that are on the Waiver Wire. Once a player is released, the player goes to the Waiver Wire for 48 hours. During that time, franchises will use their FAAB to acquire players on the Waiver Wire.