Boards PW Draft 2020 - The Future

Necro

Hey folks,

Been a while since I properly checked into the forum but wanted to post this after talking with Lord via PM.

Over the past umpteen years, the Pro Wrestling Forum here on boards has run an excellent Draft competition, where players select their favorites and attempt to make the ultimate Fantasy roster.

After the drafting is complete, players then post their 'Wrestlemania' card where they pit the roster against each other, after which people vote on a variety of categories including Best Roster, Best Write-Ups, Best Pick etc. etc.

It's had peaks and troughs I think over the years. Times when the format seemed to not work and indeed times where the write-ups were world class and fantastic reading.

Not sure if people missed it at the start of this year, I did make a brief post on it in one of the threads which only garnered one response so I deigned against it.


But after some deliberation and discussion with Lord, I'm interested in what you folks want.

Should the Draft be brought back - possibly at a different time of year - Summer, or September for example.

Or should it now just be phased out completely, given a good few of the regulars have disconnected from the forum recently.

It's interesting that we have a lot of REALLY good posters on the forum here but quite a few never sign up to give the draft a go, I'd like feedback in particular from these people.

What precludes you from joining the draft, and what would make you reconsider? Or is it just something that you're not interested in, as that is also perfectly fine.


So I guess that's enough of me rambling, let discussion commence... or not

thebostoncrab

I love the draft, and even though I don’t post as much (more of a daily lurker), I am always tempted to re-join the draft each year. The problem is just down to time commitment, and last time I took part I didn’t have time to write 5 full shows beyond the roster and a breakdown of the PPV.

I’d be happy to join in again this year but if life gets in the way I’d feel guilty for not being able to give over full commitment again

ShagNastii

I’m entirely in the same boat as crab. It would be a great pity for the draft not to go ahead but the delivery the last few years has been less than poor (guilty myself of missing write ups).

I have a ball every year picking and being honest I’d say the time of the year isn’t the problem. Given that it’s “Wrestling Christmas” Royal Rumble- Mania it’s probably the most active time of the year for PW boards.


We’ve looked at it for the last few years in how do we make it simpler for people to deliver. I’d say make the most out of the fun we have picking picks and ask people to produce two posts. One summarizing build up and the other a PPV. No more but less if you’d only fancy posting a PPV.

Necro

The writing portion seems to be a huge crux to the draft.

Now I know personally I really enjoy it but it is time consuming. And reading other peoples shows is even more time consuming.

So with that in mind, given the popularity of the picks section would it make sense to do away with the need for write ups?

I was thinking of simply changing the requirement to posting your main event card as you would book it with your roster, a simple one post.

People then vote on the best card as opposed to write ups along with the usual rigmarole, we could even make it a public vote as opposed to closed where those who read along might want to contribute a vote.

Something has to change I think and while personally I'm loathe to lose the write ups if it can prolong the life of the Draft it may be something I would certainly consider.

daithi1989

Having being involved in the drafting part the last 2-3 yrs, I have really enjoyed the picking superstars element. And even last year, as I was drafting, did up my PPV Card (think Pete Dunne v Cena was my Main Event if I recall correctly!) and had ideas how I was going to achieve it, but like others, life got in the way, and I never got round to writing up.

More than happy to take part again this year, even if the event is moved to later in the year. I’m generally knocking round here lurking anyway!

ShagNastii

I think something post picks is a necessity. If you get a PPV match card and an idea of a small bit of back story it gives that little extra.

Something I always loved is when someone that wasn’t a marquee pick became a stand out due to how they’re booked or where on the PPV they were placed.

This brings nuance to the draft. I have more interest in a roster that’s linked in some way than a roll call of the best available that have no gel to mold a group.

JP Liz V1

I like the draft but after the picks finish my enthusiasm for the write ups goes down as my ideas don't translate well on paper as I am not the best writer and then I feel bad when others put so much into that part of the draft also, some of write ups are fantastic and funny which I do enjoy reading

I think if everyone at least gets up a ppv card and maybe a brief build up history etc.,

I would not want to stop anyone's creative juices so maybe if some participants still want to do write ups go ahead

Bounty Hunter

I think I will probably be echoing what many are saying as I love the draft and have been involved in every one so far (what is it now 10/11) so obviously think it'd be a shame if it stopped.

I also think there is no reason for it to stop or even for the time of year to change. If less people sign up, we just go with a smaller number of draftees. If people are worried about the write ups, we just do the drafting of a roster stage that everyone seems to enjoy. I used to be one of the ones who did big long write ups but due to life being complicated atm I don't expect to have the time to do so this year even if we were going to do so. That said no reason I wouldn't be able to put a PPV card together especially given the drafting stage can run for more than a month and the card can be put together as I go.

The Road to wrestelmania is probably the best time to do it as the board is usually at it's most active then. I would urge anyone on the fence about signing up for this if it happens to do so. It's good craic, can get new posters more involved posting on PW and is actually very educational in particular when you see which names from the past / non WWE guys get drafted and how early.

I've yet to do one on Boards but have participated in a few elsewhere. I always really enjoy the actual selection process but must confess I've never enjoyed the write-up aspect, reading nor writing them. When they were compulsory, I wrote the bare minimum and rarely bothered to read them.

Either way, if one goes ahead, I'd love to go one on one, with The Great One.

brianregan09

I'm in the same boat love the actual drafting but writing is tough to find time to do , I do love the idea of voting best card though that's something I'd definitely get involved in

Necro

Ok I've read the replies so far, and thanks everyone who has contributed.

I see your point Shag, and ideally we could have a great write up competition to compliment the drafting phase...

BUT - I think from the comments here so far that it's either not feasible or some just aren't interested in doing the writing/reading required.

And I definitely don't want it to die so maybe we have to compromise and try another way - I like your suggestion of the optional backstory, but two posts will be the max requirement I think.

I'll likely try and get some things in order and post a sign up thread by the weekend, and we shall take it from there.

beakerjoe

Personally when it comes to the draft, I think its go hard or go home.

The best part of the draft for me was not the picks stage, though I do enjoy it, but the massive write ups. I liked the challenge of creating feuds, actually building it week to week in the shows phase and paying it off. I love the 4/5 shows and 1 PPV. Anything less isn't the draft for me. I wouldn't enjoy a watered down, scaled back version.

In an ideal world Id love 15 to 20 similar minded players submit those large bodies of work.

The reality is different though. In my time playing or running the draft in the last 6 years is that only 10-12 people submit work and roughly only 4/5 went all in with 4 shows plus a big PPV. Its even less in the last 2 years.

All that aside, Ive no real motivation to part take. I feel slightly burnt out to some degree, work consumes a good portion of my time and Id prefer to do other things in my free time. Also with not many other players going all in, my own enthusiasm has dwindled because if others arn't bothered, why should I?

If there was a huge demand for it, with 14 plus hungry players willing to go all in, Id consider it. Alas thats not the case.

A smaller scaled back version doesn't really interest me as I can not be as creative and feel my work is rushed.

I've just read Beaker's post and searched for previous one on here.

I have done different style of drafts before.

So ignore what I said previously haha.

ShagNastii

I forgot to say just how much I really love the drafting part. So much fun. It’s like transfer deadline for a solid three/four weeks.

Lord TSC

I personally love the drafting part. Picking people, nabbing "intelligent" people, setting up cards.

As life has gone on, I've lost the ability to put time aside to (as Beaker put it) "go hard". 4 shows and a PPV could be a few thousand words. From a writing perspective, that's a massive time investment that not everyone is capable of doing.

And from a voting point of view, if everyone writes a few thousand words, you're basically talking about making a mini-novel obligatory reading for participants. I have to admit that often times, I was forced to skim read, look at the matches without much in-depth reading, and vote accordingly.

I'd happily participate if it was the drafting part (which is very un-time consuming), and some sort of limited write up (PPV card with a 4 line paragraph detailing a rough guideline for the show). But as soon as it goes towards having to write 15 pages minimum (and being real, in order to compete with the top guys, that really is a minimum), it crosses into a level of commitment that can be better used elsewhere (at least, speaking personally as someone who is self-employed with a shrinking amount of free time).

It's probably a victim of it's own success in a way; the standard was so, so high in the last few years that I personally felt I couldn't compete with some of the incredible write ups without really giving up a lot of time. I have a feeling if it was a more basic set up, it might attract more interest.

I wonder if you could do something with a bracket format once rosters are drafted; have a few topics where Person A vs Person B happens, both post their card and roster, give an example of how it could be booked, people vote and people progress through to a finals.

Necro

Ok well lettuce see how it goes folks, it may not please everyone but....

2020 Draft Sign Ups are now open.

I'll be PMing anyone on the auto list over the weekend to confirm their interest or not, but don't let that prohibit you from joining

beakerjoe

Necro wrote: »

Ok well lettuce see how it goes folks, it may not please everyone but....

2020 Draft Sign Ups are now open.

I'll be PMing anyone on the auto list over the weekend to confirm their interest or not, but don't let that prohibit you from joining

After reading Lord TSCs post I feel I could commit to a draft, coupled with an summary of how Id book things. Lay out the feuds, explain the build to a ppv match and ultimatly the pay off.

Admittedly its not my ideal solution, but I cant say I could commit to how Id like to participate akin to previous years. So Im happy to commit to a booking summry.

Mr. Guappa

I competed the last two years and in one of the early years too. I loved the picks phase of course, but I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed the writing portion. The downside was that no-one read the damn thing!

I'm on the fence about whether to jump in this year.