In the previous installment of MLS Fantasy 101, we took a look at building your roster and your brand. Now that you've done that, you'll need to find some opponents!
GLOBAL LEAGUES AND SUPPORTERS LEAGUES
For starters, you'll automatically be entered into a number of global leagues based on the selections you made when registering the team. First, you're automatically entered into the overall league, which includes every fantasy manager in the game. The overall league rewards top-10 fantasy managers with great prizes.
Use the "Leagues" section of fantasy.mlssoccer.com
You're also automatically entered into a league with all managers who started playing in the same round as you, so don't even think about throwing in the towel if you miss the first couple weeks.
Finally, if you select a favorite MLS team during sign-up, you'll be placed into that club's official Supporters League. The winner of each league is eligible for a $200 gift card.
In total, you can join up to 15 private leagues and three public leagues. You can find more details in the Fantasy Soccer Manager rules.
CLASSIC VS HEAD-TO-HEAD
All of the leagues we've mentioned thus far have been "classic" leagues – the manager with the most aggregate points at the end of the season wins. However, you'll also be presented with the opportunity to create or join a head-to-head league.
What's the difference?
In a head-to-head league, you'll be competing one-on-one with another manager in your league each week. To make a parallel, this is how many NFL fantasy leagues operate, so you might already be familiar with the format (and the trash talk that comes with it).
Some people prefer head-to-head leagues because they introduce an element of chance into the game. Even the manager who aggregates the most fantasy points during the season is going to have a bad week or two, and thus open themselves up to a giant killing and maybe even a second-place head-to-head league finish.
KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
Each league, classic or head-to-head, has the option to end the year with a tournament – or playoff bracket.
The length of the tournament is determined by the number of knockout rounds selected by the creator of the league. Each league administrator can select between one to four knockout rounds. The more rounds you select, the more teams qualify for the tournament.
- One knockout round = 2 teams in the league will qualify
- Two knockout rounds = 4 teams in the league will qualify
- Three knockout rounds = 8 teams in the league will qualify
- Four knockout rounds = 16 teams in the league will qualify
PUBLIC LEAGUES
The Overall league and the Supporters Leagues are, by nature, very large. Fantasy Soccer Manager also organizes a number of public leagues with 20 managers each. You'll be randomly assigned to a league with other managers and you can choose a head-to-head or classic league. You can enter up to three different public leagues.
How to join a public league:
- After logging into your team, select the Leagues tab at the top of the page
- Select the Join a league tab
- Choose "Public league" and select Next
- Choose either "Classic" or "Head-to-Head" and then select Next
- Select Join public league button
- You'll see the new public league on your My Leagues page.
- Start playing
PRIVATE LEAGUES
Last, but certainly not least, there are private leagues, a chance to take on your friends and garner bragging rights.
You can either join a league that a friend created or create your own league and invite others to join you. Or you can do both. Each owner can join up to 15 private leagues.
How to join a private league:
- Sign into your account and select the Leagues tab at the top of the screen.
- Select the Join a league tab
- Choose "Private league" and select Next
- Enter the private league code and then select the Join Private League button
- You can also join private leagues by selecting the auto-join link
How to create a private league:
- Sign into your account and select the Leagues tab at the top of the screen.
- Select the Join a league tab
- Choose either "Classic" or "Head-to-Head" and then select Next
- Enter a name for your league and then select Create league
- On the next screen, you will have a chance to email invitations to friends join the league. This email will include the league code required for them to join. You will also see the code, so you can save it for later. Additionally, you can share the code via Facebook and Twitter with an auto-join link that allows players to join with one click.
PRIZES
- Grand Prize: $1000 gift card.
- Second place: $725 gift card.
- Third place: $500 gift card.
- 4 to 10 overall: $200 gift card.
2015 Supporters League Prizes: One team owner per Supports League will receive a $200 gift card for owning the highest scoring team in each of the 20 Supporters Leagues.
2015 Private League Prizes: $200 gift card awarded to the highest scoring team owners in leagues with 750 or more unique, eligible players before March 13, 2015 at 7:00PM ET.
General prize rules: Only one winner per household and only one team per user. A user may only claim a maximum of one prize. If a user is eligible for more than one prize, the winner will be awarded the prize with a higher approximate retail value. If a user is not eligible for a prize, we’ll award it to the next highest scoring user that is eligible.
Fantasy Soccer 101:
« Part 1: Building your roster
Part 3: The scoring system »
