U.S. patent application number 11/261120 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-18 for game based on statistical categories of sporting events.
This patent application is currently assigned to Gameline LLC. Invention is credited to Alain Benzaken, Joshua E. Metzger.
Application Number | 20060105827 11/261120 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36387097 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060105827 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Metzger; Joshua E. ; et
al. |
May 18, 2006 |
Game based on statistical categories of sporting events
Abstract
A method of playing a game based on statistics obtained in a
football game that includes the step of creating a team of players
that corresponds to players participating in one or more actual
football games. The game also calculates a yardage touchdown number
wherein yardage obtained by team members in said one or more actual
football games is a component of the yardage touchdown number. The
game further calculates an actual touchdown number based upon the
number of touchdowns received by team members in the one or more
actual football games wherein the number of touchdowns obtained by
team members in said one or more actual football games is a
component of the actual touchdown number. The game also calculates
a total touchdown number wherein at least a portion the yardage
touchdown number and at least a portion of the actual touchdown
number are components of the total touchdown number. Finally, the
game calculates a score wherein a component of the score is the
result of multiplying the total touchdown number by a score
index.
Inventors: |
Metzger; Joshua E.; (Beverly
Hills, CA) ; Benzaken; Alain; (Stamford, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
P.O. BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60610
US
|
Assignee: |
Gameline LLC
|
Family ID: |
36387097 |
Appl. No.: |
11/261120 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60629490 |
Nov 18, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/10 20130101;
A63F 13/46 20140902; A63F 13/65 20140902; G06Q 50/34 20130101; A63F
2300/61 20130101; A63F 13/812 20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/009 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method of playing a game based on statistics obtained in a
football game comprising the steps of: a) obtaining statistics from
at least one non-scoring category of statistics of the football
game; b) converting the compiled non-scoring category of statistics
into a virtual score using a conversion index; c) multiplying the
total by a scoring multiplier to calculate a score.
2. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of
obtaining statistics from at least one scoring category of
statistics of the football game and using the compiled scoring
statistics to calculate the virtual score.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-scoring category of
statistics comprises rushing yardage of a football game.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the scoring category of statistics
comprises the number of touchdowns made.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the conversion index is a number
between 96 and 112.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the conversion index number is
based upon total touchdowns scored by teams scored in the NFL in at
least one previous season.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the conversion index number is
100.
8. A method of playing a game based on statistics obtained in a
football game, the method comprising the steps of: a) creating a
team of players that corresponds to players participating in one or
more actual football games; b) calculating a yardage touchdown
number wherein yardage obtained by team members in said one or more
actual football games is used to determine the yardage touchdown
number; c) calculating an actual touchdown number based upon the
number of touchdowns obtained by team members in the one or more
actual football games wherein the number of touchdowns obtained by
team members in said one or more actual football games is used to
determine the actual touchdown number; d) calculating a total
touchdown number, wherein at least a portion the yardage touchdown
number and at least a portion of the actual touchdown number are
components of the total touchdown number; and e) calculating a
score wherein a component of the score is the result of multiplying
the total touchdown number by a score index.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the yardage obtained by team
members in said one or more football games is calculated using
rushing yardage, passing yardage, receiving yardage, and special
teams yardage gained.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein passing yardage and receiving
yardage are weighted in relation to each other.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of calculating a yardage
touchdown number further comprises the steps of summing yardage
obtained by offensive players of a user's team and summing yardage
obtained by defensive players of an opposing team.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein yardage obtained by offensive
players of a user's team and yardage allowed by defensive players
of an opposing team is averaged.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the yardage touchdown number is
calculated with a yardage touchdown index.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the yardage obtained by
defensive players of an opposing team is calculated using defensive
yards allowed, sack yardage, penalty yardage and a number of
turnovers.
15. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of
calculating a fantasy field goal number wherein the number of field
goals obtained by team members in said one or more actual football
games is a component of the fantasy field goal number.
16. The method of claim 8 wherein a component of the score is
whether a team has home field advantage.
17. The method of claim 8 wherein data compiled for the players
participating in one or more actual football games is from games
that have occurred in the past.
18. The method of claim 8 wherein the score index is 7.
19. A method for playing a simulated football game based upon
actual football games comprising the steps of: a) creating a team
of players that corresponds to players participating in one or more
actual football games; b) calculating an offensive yardage number
wherein yardage obtained by offensive team members in said one or
more actual football games is used to determine the offensive
yardage number; c) calculating a defensive yardage number wherein
yardage allowed by a team defense in said one or more actual
football games is used to determine the defensive yardage number;
d) calculating an average yardage number by taking the average of
the offensive yardage number from a user team and the defensive
yardage number from an opponent team; e) calculating a yardage
touchdown number by dividing the average yardage number by a
touchdown index; f) calculating an actual touchdown number based
upon the number of touchdowns obtained by team members in the one
or more football games wherein the number of touchdowns obtained by
team members in said one or more actual football games is used to
determine the actual touchdown number; g) calculating a fantasy
touchdown number wherein the yardage touchdown number and actual
touchdown number are used to determine the fantasy touchdown
number; e) calculating a total touchdown number wherein the fantasy
touchdown number is used to determine the total touchdown number;
f) calculating a total field goal number wherein the field goals
obtained by team members in said one or more actual football games
is used to determine the total field goal number; and g)
calculating a score wherein the total touchdown number and total
field goal number are used to determine the score.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the yardage obtained by
offensive team members in said one or more football games is
calculated using rushing yardage, passing yardage, receiving
yardage, and special teams yardage gained.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein passing yardage and receiving
yardage are weighted in relation to each other.
22. The method of claim 19 wherein data compiled for the players
participating in one or more football games is from games that have
occurred in the past.
23. A method of playing a fantasy football game comprising the
steps of: identifying a number of yards obtained by one or more
actual football players who are a part of a fantasy football team;
determining a number of touchdowns a fantasy team earns wherein the
number of yards obtained by one or more players on a team is used
to determine the number of touchdowns; and determining a number of
field goals a fantasy team earns wherein the number of yards
obtained by one or more players on a team is used to determine the
number of field goals.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the number of touchdowns a
fantasy team earns is determined by dividing the yards obtained by
one or more actual football players who are a part of a fantasy
football team by a touchdown index.
25. The method of claim 23 wherein the number of field goals is
determined by subtracting a number of yards from the yards obtained
by one or more actual football players who are apart of a fantasy
football team and dividing the remainder yards by a field goal
index.
26. A method of playing a fantasy football game comprising the
steps of: creating a team having offensive roster positions
corresponding to football positions wherein at least one roster
position corresponds to the quarterback position; selecting an
actual team from which offensive statistics are collected;
collecting statistics for the at least one quarterback position
from any of the one or more quarterbacks on the actual team; using
the statistics collected for the at least one quarterback position
to calculate a score.
Description
[0001] The present patent document claims the benefit of the filing
date under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) of Provisional U.S. Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/629,490, filed Nov. 18, 2004, which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a method of
playing sports related games. In particular, the present invention
relates to playing a game based on statistical categories recorded
in sports events that are being contested independently of the game
of the present invention.
[0003] Various games exist that base game play on events that
happen in actual sporting contests and the statistics that are
recorded in those sporting contests. These games are commonly
referred to as fantasy games or rotisserie games and are popular in
sports such as football, baseball and basketball. Generally, two or
more users play each other by virtually drafting, purchasing or
otherwise acquiring the rights to players playing in a particular
sport to form a team for each user. Statistics for each player on a
team are tracked and recorded from the actual sports contests, and
points are awarded to each user for certain statistical gains based
on a predetermined set of rules.
[0004] In a typical fantasy baseball game, users draft different
professional players and then compete in different pitching and
hitting categories. The higher a user ranks in a category, the more
points the user receives. If a user has the most overall points, he
or she wins the league. In another example, a user can accumulate
points over a specific time period during the season in a
head-to-head match-up format. In this format, the user with the
most head-to-head victories is the winner.
[0005] Other fantasy baseball games are run differently. In another
version, games are run in a simulation manner. In this format,
hitting and pitching statistics of a user's fantasy players from a
specific date are entered into a formula. The formula then produces
a final score that simulates a real baseball score. Users (called
managers) can win by 3-1, 7-4, 4-3 or any other score. A user that
scores more points than an opponent records a win and, as in Major
League Baseball, accumulates wins and losses during a season in an
attempt to win the league.
[0006] Most fantasy football games operate in a head-to-head
format. In a typical fantasy football game, users draft players and
then compete head-to-head on a weekly basis against other teams in
a league. Each week they are matched against a different opponent.
In that match-up, points are awarded, for example, based on yards
gained, yards allowed, turnovers, touchdowns, two-point
conversions, extra points and field goals. The team with the most
points wins the head-to-head match-up. Teams with the most wins may
then proceed to a playoff competition.
[0007] What is missing from a fantasy football game is the concept
of realism. Fantasy football scores typically do not bear any
relation to actual football scores. It is not uncommon for fantasy
teams to score over 100 points in a single game, a feat never
accomplished in the National Football League. In addition, most
fantasy games provide points for certain yards gained (i.e., 1
point for every 20 yards passing). But this formula provides no
value for "remainder yards" (e.g., 19 yards passing). A method is
needed that synthesizes all team yards to provide for the maximum
opportunity to take advantage of all yardage gained by a team and
that produces a realistic football score.
[0008] Also, typically fantasy games can only be played during an
existing football season. Part of the enjoyment of playing a
fantasy game is the unknown of how a player will perform during a
football game being played. As a result, there is little incentive
for users to play off-season games that replay a prior season as
users know how many points will be awarded for each performance. As
a result, there is a need to create a game that can select
historical football statistics at random to simulate game play.
[0009] It is an object of this invention to provide a formula for a
fantasy game that produces a realistic final result that equates
with an actual score of the sport on which the game is based.
[0010] It is a further object of this invention to calculate yards
gained and yards allowed and translate that yardage into points by
providing football style points, such as touchdowns and field
goals, to produce a realistic football score.
[0011] It is a further object of this invention to enable users to
maximize the scoring opportunities they can achieve from yardage by
incorporating all yards into a scoring calculation.
[0012] It is a further object of this invention to enable users to
play such games using either live football statistics from that
day's or season's games, or use random statistics from a prior game
or season.
[0013] It is a further object of this invention to play such games
at any possible time during a football season or in the football
off-season.
[0014] It is a further object of this invention to enable
professional football teams to use this invention as a means to
evaluate talent and make free agent decisions, trades and draft
decisions and predict outcomes based on different personnel.
[0015] It is a further object of this invention to allow users to
change their lineups in the middle of a game and to tailor their
lineups to different statistics.
[0016] It is a further object of this invention to enable games
where teams that do not play against each other in an actual
football game can meet in a fantasy context.
[0017] It is a further object to make this invention available for
users to play a game based on statistics from any level of sports
including college, professional, high school or other.
[0018] As this is a game that involves players and teams, this
document will be referring to players and teams that are drafted by
the fantasy team owner and are players or teams from real life
football--college, professional or other. When this document refers
to a user or a team owner, it is referring to the person who has
enrolled to play this game.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The present invention is a method of playing a game based on
statistics obtained in a sports event. In accordance with one
aspect of the present invention, the present invention relates to a
method of playing a game based on statistics obtained in a football
game. In one step, the game obtains statistics from at least one
non-scoring category of statistics of the football game. In another
step, the game converts the compiled non-scoring category of
statistics into a virtual score using a conversion index. In yet
another step, the game multiplies the total by a scoring multiplier
to calculate a score.
[0020] In another aspect of the present invention, a method of
playing a game based on statistics obtained in a football game
includes a step of creating a team of players that corresponds to
players participating in one or more actual football games. The
game also includes the step of calculating a yardage touchdown
number wherein yardage obtained by team members in said one or more
actual football games is used to determine the yardage touchdown
number. The game further includes calculating an actual touchdown
number based upon the number of touchdowns obtained by team members
in the one or more actual football games wherein the number of
touchdowns obtained by team members in said one or more actual
football games is used to determine the actual touchdown number.
The game also includes the step of calculating a total touchdown
number, wherein at least a portion the yardage touchdown number and
at least a portion of the actual touchdown number are components of
the total touchdown number. The game also includes the step of
calculating a score wherein a component of the score is the result
of multiplying the total touchdown number by a score index.
[0021] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
invention, the invention is a method for playing a simulated
football game based upon actual football games. In one step, the
game creates a team of players that corresponds to players
participating in one or more actual football games. In another
step, the game calculates an offensive yardage number wherein
yardage obtained by offensive team members in said one or more
actual football games is used to determine the offensive yardage
number. In yet another step the game calculates a defensive yardage
number wherein yardage allowed by a team defense in said one or
more actual football games is used to determine the defensive
yardage number. In another step the game calculates an average
yardage number by taking the average of the offensive yardage
number from a user team and the defensive yardage number from an
opponent team. In still another step the game calculates a yardage
touchdown number by dividing the average yardage number by a
touchdown index. In an additional step the game calculates an
actual touchdown number based upon the number of touchdowns
obtained by team members in the one or more football games wherein
the number of touchdowns obtained by team members in said one or
more actual football games is used to determine the actual
touchdown number. In yet another step, the game calculates a
fantasy touchdown number wherein the yardage touchdown number and
actual touchdown number are used to determine the fantasy touchdown
number. In still another step, the game calculates a total
touchdown number wherein the fantasy touchdown number is used to
determine the total touchdown number. In another step, the game
calculates a total field goal number wherein the field goals
obtained by team members in said one or more actual football games
is used to determine the total field goal number. And in still
another step, the game calculates a score wherein the total
touchdown number and total field goal number are used to determine
the score.
[0022] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
invention, the invention is a method of playing a fantasy football
game including the step of identifying a number of yards obtained
by one or more actual football players who are a part of a fantasy
football team. The game further includes the step of determining a
number of touchdowns a fantasy team earns wherein the number of
yards obtained by one or more players on a team is used to
determine the number of touchdowns. The game further includes the
step of determining a number of field goals a fantasy team earns
wherein the number of yards obtained by one or more players on a
team is used to determine the number of field goals.
[0023] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention, the invention is method of playing a fantasy football
game including the steps of creating a team having offensive roster
positions corresponding to football positions wherein at least one
roster position corresponds to the quarterback position. The game
further includes the step of selecting an actual team from which
offensive statistics are collected. The game further includes the
step of collecting statistics for the at least one quarterback
position from any of the one or more quarterbacks on the actual
team. The game still further includes the step of using the
statistics collected for the at least one quarterback position to
calculate a score.
[0024] Advantages of the present invention will become more
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description
of the preferred embodiments of the invention which have been shown
and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the
invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its
details are capable of modification in various respects.
Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as
illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a flow chart that discloses a method of playing
a game according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 shows an example of game statistics and settings that
may be used when playing a game according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart that discloses a method of playing
a game according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0028] FIG. 4 shows an example of game play results according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows an example of game play results according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows an example of game play results according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] The games of the present invention are preferably played
using a computer, or other data processing device. In one example,
users come to a website and enroll by selecting a league they wish
to join. Users have the option of creating their own private
league, joining an existing private league at the request of that
league's creator, or joining any public league. League sizes are
generally ten teams, but can be larger or smaller.
[0032] In another example, the game can be offered as a piece of
software that can reside on a computer. In this example, the
software allows for the creation of a league by the computer user.
The software allows the computer user to play the game with other
league members. The software also allows the user to enter data to
create fictional players having predetermined characteristics or
fictional teams having players who are not on the same team in
reality to do research into player personnel moves or to predict
potential outcomes. Additionally, games can also be played without
the use of a computer, wherein game play and resolution can be
calculated manually by the users themselves.
[0033] Each user creates a team that is made up of players. Just as
teams in sporting events have different positions that players
fill, teams of the present game can be organized according to a
predetermined number of positions or roster spots. For example,
teams will be organized according to a predetermined number of
football positions, such as one or more quarterbacks, running
backs, wide receivers, kickers or tight ends. Additionally, teams
may also have "team positions" wherein a user collects certain
statistics from an entire desired football team. This is especially
useful to allow a user to collect defensive or special teams
statistics without needing to individually draft all the players of
a defense or special teams unit. There may be multiple "team
position" roster spots to allow a user to have a separate team
defense position and special teams position, or there may be a
combined team defense and special teams position. Other positions
may also be used. In a preferred embodiment, a team may have eight
roster positions of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide
receivers, one tight end, one kicker, and one team position for
defense and special teams. There also can be individual positions
for a team defense position and a special teams position. Leagues
may also allow teams to have reserve or "bench" positions. In this
embodiment, a team may have eight "starting" positions and four or
more reserve positions. As will be explained below, statistics will
be recorded and processed for these starting positions to arrive at
a team score. The reserve positions allow for team owners to
substitute in players during a season or even in the middle of a
game to account for injuries, favorable match-ups or weeks where
players are on their NFL team's "bye" week (and thus are not
playing that week), or for poor performances by a starter. If a
league has been organized so that teams do not have reserve
positions, all positions on a team are starting positions.
The Draft
[0034] In the present invention, one of the first steps for the
user after enrolling and joining a league is to create a team
according to the predetermined number of positions. One preferred
way to create a team is to virtually "draft" players. In one
embodiment, players are assigned a salary value and users must
draft players within a salary cap. In this embodiment, teams may
draft different positions over a period of several days wherein the
league members can draft for a different position on each day. For
example, quarterbacks may be drafted the first day, the running
backs may be drafted the second day, and so on. This process of
drafting continues until all positions of a team are filled. In
this embodiment, the draft is spread out over several days to allow
users to examine their remaining salary after each round and make
draft decisions in an informed manner. Players or teams for the
draft will be the pool of players playing in that particular game.
That is, if the game is for an existing football season the players
will be from that season. If it is a historical version of the
game, the players eligible to be selected will be players who
played in previous seasons.
[0035] Each team owner will be given a certain amount of money to
spend on the players and teams that constitute their roster. A cap
will be determined so that no user will be able to spend the
maximum amount on players for each position. In one embodiment,
salaries for each player and team are determined by the rankings of
each fantasy user. The higher each user ranks a certain player or
team, the more the player or team will cost.
[0036] In one embodiment of a draft, the game computer calculates
each player's (or team's, when drafting a "team position") salary
before each round begins. The salaries are the direct result of
where all members of the league have ranked the players. Salaries
are based on a predetermined multiplier that corresponds to a
ranked position. In a preferred embodiment: TABLE-US-00001 Rank
Multiplier 1 $500,000 2 $480,000 3 $460,000 4 $440,000 . . . 23
$60,000 24 $40,000 25 $20,000
[0037] In the above embodiment, for each No. 1 ranking a player
receives, the player's salary is multiplied by the No.1 ranking
multiplier, $500,000. If every team in a ten team league, for
example, ranked the same player No. 1, that player's salary would
be $5,000,000 ($500,000.times.10 teams), the maximum salary in the
game of the present invention. For each position in the top 25
lower than No. 1 a player is ranked, his salary is reduced by
$20,000, e.g. $480,000 for No. 2, $460,000 for No. 3, and so on
down to $20,000 for No. 25. Players that are ranked below the top
25 have the minimum $10,000 added to their salary. If a player is
not ranked in the top 25 by any team, his salary would be $100,000
($10,000.times.10 teams), the minimum salary in the present
embodiment.
[0038] In this embodiment, if a player is ranked No. 1 by five team
owners, No. 2 by three team owners, No. 4 by one team owner, and
No. 7 by one team owner, that player's salary for the purpose of
being acquired by a team owner would be $4,760,000. This is
calculated as shown below: Ranked #1--$500,000.times.5=$2,500,000
Ranked #2--$80,000.times.3=$1,440,000 Ranked
#4--$440,000.times.1=$440,000 Ranked #7--$380,000.times.1=$380,000
Total Salary=$4,760,000.
[0039] Users may set salary caps for each position in order to
strategically save money for particular desired players. This
feature enhances the challenge of the game because a user may
skillfully rank players so that he can possibly obtain a lesser
known player for a lower value while simultaneously raising the
cost of another player that he does not desire. In this regard,
although a user may have strategically ranked an undesired player
as the No. 1 player overall, the user will likely not obtain the
undesired player because the player's value will become too high
for the position salary cap set by the user. The position salary
cap thus saves the user from obtaining an undesired player that
will take up too much of the user's overall salary cap.
[0040] Users may also set salary caps for each position and attempt
to save money for the regular season or for bidding on free agents.
Free agents are any players not selected in the draft or any player
who joins a team during the season but was not on a team at the
start of the season. Any free agents obtained or any trades made
must be made within the confines of the salary cap.
[0041] Although the above embodiment describes a draft having a
salary cap, there are other ways that users draft, purchase or
otherwise obtain rights to a player. For example, players can
alternate drafting. In a ten-team league, for example, a first team
will draft first in the first round and 20.sup.th in the second
round, and a second team will draft second in the first round and
19.sup.th in the second round. This draft method continues for all
teams until all players are selected. In addition, a draft can take
place via an auction where sealed or live bids are submitted and
the player is given to the team with the highest bid.
The Sources of the Relevant Statistical Categories
[0042] The game of the present invention can be played in two
modes: "live mode" and "off-season mode." In "live mode," virtual
games between team owners are played during a football season and
use statistics recorded from actual football games that are played
during the season. In this mode, the virtual games are generally
played once a week in a game that is based on a current actual
football season. In this live mode, virtual games are played in
game cycles according to the schedule of the corresponding actual
football season. For example, for a game based on college football,
games according to the present invention may collect statistics
from actual college games occurring between Thursday (or sometimes
Tuesday or Wednesday) and Saturday of a given week. Similarly, for
a game based on NFL football, games according to the present
invention may collect statistics from actual NFL games occurring
between Sunday (or sometimes Thursday or Saturday) and Monday of a
given week.
[0043] In this live mode, before a virtual game cycle is to begin,
team owners must set a starting lineup for their teams. In a
preferred embodiment, a starting lineup is composed of one
Quarterback, two Running Backs, three Wide Receivers, one Tight
End, one Kicker, and one Team position (for Special Teams and
Defense).
[0044] The game of the present invention processes the actual
offensive, defensive and special teams statistics from each element
of a team owner's roster from the actual football games of the week
upon which the game is based. Statistical categories for individual
players include passing yardage, receiving yardage, rushing
yardage, touchdowns, two point conversions, field goals missed and
made, extra points missed and made, interceptions, fumbles,
interception return yards and fumble return yards. Other
statistical categories may also be used.
[0045] In a preferred embodiment, for all offensive players of a
particular virtual team, rushing, passing and receiving yards are
recorded and processed. The number of touchdowns that the members
of a team have scored in their respective actual football games are
also recorded and processed. Likewise, the number of turnovers made
by any player and any two point conversions that any player on a
team achieved is recorded. With regard to statistical categories
for a kicker, the game records the number of field goals made and
missed in an actual game, and the number of extra points made and
missed in the actual game.
[0046] Statistics for defensive and special teams are also
recorded. Preferably, the game records actual game statistics such
as yards allowed by a team defense, sack yards by a team defense,
penalty yards by a team (all penalty yards, or separate offensive,
defensive and special teams penalty yards), safeties by a team
defense, kickoff and punt return yardage by special teams, safeties
caused by a team defense, interceptions or fumbles caused by a team
defense, yardage from returned fumbles or interceptions or blocked
field goals or punts and defensive or special teams touchdowns.
[0047] In the live mode, the statistics for a particular cycle are
recorded for each virtual team. At the completion of the cycle (for
example after a Monday night game in the NFL), the statistics are
compiled for each virtual team. After the statistics are processed
to create a score (which is explained in more detail below), the
score of one virtual team is compared against a score from another
virtual team to determine a winner. In one embodiment, scores are
processed in real time or after each day of a game cycle so that a
team owner can assess how his team is doing and can make changes
and adjustments as required.
[0048] In "off-season mode," statistics are not recorded from
actual games that are presently being played during a current
season. Instead, statistics are recorded from actual sporting
events that have happened in the past. In this embodiment, games
can be played more often than once a week or during an
off-season.
[0049] Scoring occurs in the same manner as in the live mode;
however, the statistics on which the scoring is based are retrieved
from historical sporting events. Typically, statistics for an
entire season are stored and are then used in the "off-season mode"
game. For every appearance by a player or team in a game, a random
statistic is selected for that particular player or team from the
available pool of all of that player or team's statistics for the
year. Once a statistic is selected it is marked as used and cannot
be reused in that same game. A standard random number generator can
be used to select statistics in this way.
Game Resolution
[0050] After statistics are recorded for each cycle, the statistics
are processed to arrive at a virtual team score through a series of
steps. The steps for creating a team score according to one
preferred embodiment are shown in FIG. 1. It is important to note
that the order of the steps for processing the statistics is
exemplary only and that the steps of processing can be accomplished
in a different order.
Offensive Yardage Number
[0051] In this preferred embodiment, offensive statistics are
processed in a first step to calculate an Offensive Yardage number
10. Yardage, as opposed to touchdowns for example, is a statistic
that does not produce points for a team in actual football games.
In the present invention, however, yardage, which is usually
considered a non-scoring statistical category, is converted into a
virtual scoring statistic in order to produce points for the
fantasy team.
[0052] According to a preferred embodiment, the components of the
Offensive Yardage number 10 are a team's rushing yardage, passing
yardage, receiving yardage, special teams yardage and an adjustment
yardage based on the number of turnovers committed by members of
the team.
[0053] In this embodiment, all rushing yardage for each starting
player on a team who gained at least one rushing yard is summed.
This sum represents the total rushing yardage for a user's
team.
[0054] Passing yardage and receiving yardage for each starting
player who received at least one passing yard or receiving yard are
also summed. Because each completion in an actual game is
accompanied by a reception, however, the game of the present
invention preferably does not simply sum the yardage. In one
embodiment, passing and receiving yards can first be weighted
according to a predetermined weighting to arrive at an average. For
example, an actual team that has a quarterback who throws a pass
for 20 yards to a receiver also on the team who gained 20 yards on
the play will not receive 40 yards (20 yards for the passing
yardage and 20 yards for receiving yardage) for the play. Thus, in
the fantasy context, passing and receiving yardage may be adjusted
to approximate actual game statistics. In a preferred embodiment,
the passing and receiving yards by players on a virtual team may be
weighted 50/50, thus giving the virtual team 20 yards total for
that play. Weightings different than 50/50 may also be used.
Virtual teams may not necessarily have all quarterbacks and
receivers from the same team in an actual game. As a result, the
user may choose to select a higher weighting (e.g., 75%) for
passing yardage and a lower weighting (e.g., 25%) for receiving
yardage.
[0055] For example, during a given cycle, a virtual team owner may
have Peyton Manning as its starting quarterback. The team owner may
also have three wide receivers, two running backs and a tight end.
Peyton Manning may have 368 passing yards in a particular actual
game. The virtual team's receivers' total receiving yardage,
however, may be 172 yards. Using a 50/50 weighting, the total
passing and receiving yards is 270 yards. This is calculated
according to the following: (368*0.5)+(172*0.5)=270. Alternatively,
because a team receives all the passing yards for a particular
quarterback, but not necessarily all the receiving yards for the
receivers on that quarterback's team (because a quarterback is
likely to throw the ball to more than six receivers during a game
and it is unlikely that a team owner will have all six receivers),
the game may apply a 75/25 weighting, or some other higher
weighting, to the higher yardage category. Using 75/25 weighting
for the above example, the total weighted passing and receiving
yards is 319. This is calculated according to the following:
(368*0.75)+(172*0.25)=319. Different weightings can be selected in
addition to the 75/25 or 50/50 weighting. Weightings can be
manually selected by users or can be selected on a league
characteristic such as the number of teams in each league. For
instance, in leagues with ten teams, the talent pool will be quite
strong and hence may have a lower differentiation in weighting as
opposed to a twenty-team league where the weighting of statistics
can be much more important as the talent for each team is much
weaker.
[0056] In addition, the Offensive Yardage number includes special
teams' return yardage achieved by the football team that the team
owner has selected as his team position. In this embodiment, the
return yardage that is obtained by any player on the special teams
unit of the team roster position will be recorded and processed as
a component of the Offensive Yardage number. In an embodiment where
a team owner has separate defense team and special teams roster
positions, kick off and punt return yardage is calculated from the
special teams roster position.
[0057] In addition to recording and summing yardage from offensive
categories, the number of turnovers committed by the players of a
team may be used as a component to calculate the Offensive Yardage
number. In this embodiment, the game may subtract from the
offensive yards gained yardage for each turnover committed by an
offensive player on a user's team by multiplying the number of
turnovers by a Turnover Index. In a preferred embodiment, the
Turnover Index may be 20 yards. For example, if a team owner's
quarterback throws three interceptions, 60 yards total may be
deducted for the three interceptions. The amount of yardage that
would be deducted can be set before a game to a default by the
game, can be manually changed by a league commissioner or by the
two opponents, or can be dependent upon another variable, such as
weather for a hometown. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the
Offensive Yardage number 10 can be calculated according to the
following general formula: Offensive .times. .times. Yardage =
Rushing .times. .times. Yards + ( ( Passing .times. .times. Yards *
Passing .times. .times. Weighting ) + ( Receiving .times. .times.
Yards * Receiving .times. .times. Weighting ) ) + Special .times.
.times. .times. Teams .times. .times. Return .times. .times. Yards
.times. .times. Gained - ( Player .times. .times. Turnovers *
Turnover .times. .times. Index ) ##EQU1##
[0058] FIG. 2 depicts statistics compiled for a simulated game
between User A and User B for one cycle. Below are presented the
calculations for the Offensive Yardage numbers 10 for User A and
User B in the simulated game based on statistics from FIG. 2. Thus,
Offensive Yardage numbers for User A and User B are calculated as
follows: [0059] Team A Offensive Yardage:
245+((187*0.5)+(187*0.5))+55-(2*20)=447 [0060] Team B Offensive
Yardage: 81+((220*0.5)+(220*0.5))+42-(2*20)=303 Defensive Yardage
Number
[0061] In another step, the game computes a team's defensive
statistics to form a Defensive Yardage allowed number 20. All of
the defensive statistics come from the team owner's "team position"
in his lineup. The defensive statistics obtained by the team the
user has chosen for his "team position" are used for calculating
the Defensive Yardage number. Alternatively, in an embodiment where
a team owner has separate defense team and special teams roster
positions, defensive statistics are calculated from the defense
team roster position.
[0062] In one embodiment, components to compute the Defensive
Yardage number 20 include a team owner's team defensive yardage
allowed, penalty yards, sack yardage obtained by that team defense
and turnovers caused by the team defense. In this embodiment, the
game records and sums the team defensive yardage allowed statistic
and the team's penalty yards. Sack yardage obtained by that team
defense may be then subtracted if the team defense yardage
statistic does not include sack yardage. Yardage for each
interception or fumble recovered, such as 20 yards for each
turnover where the Turnover Index is 20 yards, may also be
subtracted. As in the offensive category, the amount of yardage
that would be deducted can be set to a default by the game or can
be manually changed by a league or by the two opponents before a
game, or by some other variable such as weather. Additionally,
interception return yardage and fumble return yardage may also be
subtracted. Further, punt block and field goal block return yardage
may also be subtracted. After these defensive statistics have been
processed, a Defensive Yardage number 20 is obtained. Thus, in a
preferred embodiment, the Defensive Yardage number 20 can be
calculated according to the following general formula: Defensive
.times. .times. Yardage = Team .times. .times. Defense .times.
.times. Yards .times. .times. Allowed - ( Defensive .times. .times.
.times. Turnovers * Turnover .times. .times. Index ) - Sack .times.
.times. .times. Yardage + Penalty .times. .times. .times. Yards - (
interception .times. .times. return .times. .times. yardage +
fumble .times. .times. return .times. .times. yardage )
##EQU2##
[0063] Below are presented the calculations for the Defensive
Yardage numbers 20 for User A and User B in the simulated game
based on statistics from FIG. 2. Thus, Defensive Yardage numbers
for User A and User B are calculated as follows: [0064] Team A
Defensive Yardage: 301-(2*20)-0+76+0=337 [0065] Team B Defensive
Yardage: 425-(2*20)-22+72+0=435 Average Yardage Number
[0066] In the next step of a game according to a preferred
embodiment, an Average Yardage number 30 is calculated using
Offensive Yardage numbers and Defensive yardage numbers. In a
preferred embodiment, the game adds the Offensive Yardage of User A
and the Defensive Yardage from User B and divides that number by
two to calculate an Average Yardage Number 30. The same process is
done for User B by adding User B's offensive yards gained and User
A yards allowed to come up with User B's Average Yardage Number.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the Average Yardage 30 can be
calculated according to the following general formula: Average
Yardage=(Offensive Yards+Opponents Defensive Yards)/2
[0067] Below are presented the calculations for the Average Yardage
numbers 30 for User A and User B in the simulated game based on
statistics from FIG. 2. Thus, Average Yardage numbers for User A
and User B are calculated as follows: [0068] User A Average
Yardage: (447+435)/2=441 [0069] User B Average Yardage:
(303+337)/2=320
[0070] In another example, User A gains 443 yards in offense and
allows 350 yards in defense. User B gains 526 yards in offense and
allows 422 yards in defense. Each user's Average Yardage Number is
calculated in the following: User A's Average Yardage Number is
(443+422)/2=433 User B's Average Yardage Number is
(526+350)/2=438
[0071] In the above calculation, User A's Average Yardage Number
was rounded up. In variations, these calculations can be rounded
up, rounded down or left as a fraction.
Yardage Touchdowns Number
[0072] In the next step, a virtual scoring statistic is created by
converting the Average Yardage number into a Yardage Touchdown
number. The Yardage Touchdowns number 40 is calculated by dividing
the Average Yardage number 30 by a Touchdown Index number. In one
embodiment, this number is rounded down to the nearest integer. The
Touchdown Index number represents the average yardage needed to
obtain a touchdown. The Touchdown Index can be chosen in several
ways. In this embodiment, a Touchdown Index of 100 was chosen
because it has been found that professional football teams scored a
point for approximately every 16 yards gained by the team. As a
result, a virtual touchdown, or Yardage Touchdown, occurs somewhere
between 96 and 112 yards. For each Yardage Touchdown, seven points
are awarded to a team owner. Because 100 yards is the length of a
football field and is a number users can comprehend easily, 100 is
advantageously used as a Touchdown Index and also has support in
football statistics.
[0073] Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the Yardage Touchdowns
number 40 can be calculated according to the following general
formula: Yardage Touchdowns=(Average Yardage/Touchdown Index)
(rounded to nearest lower Integer)
[0074] Below are presented the calculations for the Yardage
Touchdowns numbers 40 for User A and User B in the simulated game
based on statistics from FIG. 2 and a Touchdown Index of 100. Thus,
Yardage Touchdown numbers for User A and User B are calculated as
follows: [0075] User A Yardage Touchdowns: (441/100)=4 [0076] User
B Average Yardage: (320/100)=3 Yardage Field Goals
[0077] The next step is to calculate the Yardage Field Goals number
50. In one embodiment, the Yardage Field Goals number is calculated
by using the yards remaining from the Average Yardage number 30
after Yardage Touchdowns have been calculated. In the simulated
game, User A has "used up" 400 yards (number of touchdowns
multiplied by the Touchdown Index) and User B has "used up" 300
yards to obtain its number of virtual touchdowns. The remaining
yards are divided by a Field Goal Index number to obtain the number
of Yardage Field Goals a team has obtained. Preferably, the divisor
is rounded down to the nearest integer so that the final score is
not a fraction. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, Yardage Field
Goals can be calculated according to the following general formula:
Yardage .times. .times. Field .times. .times. Goals = ( ( Yardage
.times. .times. remaining .times. .times. after .times. .times.
subtracting .times. .times. yardage .times. .times. used .times.
.times. for .times. .times. Yardage .times. .times. Touchdowns ) /
Field .times. .times. Goal .times. .times. Index ) ) .times. (
rounded .times. .times. to .times. .times. nearest .times. .times.
lower .times. .times. integer ) ##EQU3##
[0078] Below are presented the calculations for the Yardage Field
Goals numbers 50 for User A and User B in the simulated game based
on statistics from FIG. 2 and a Field Goal Index of 35. User A has
41 yards remaining and User B has 20 yards remaining. Thus, Yardage
Field Goals numbers for User A and User B are calculated as
follows: [0079] Team A Yardage Field Goals: 41/35=1 [0080] Team B
Yardage Field Goals: 20/35=0
[0081] In this simulated game, User A receives 1 Yardage Field Goal
and User B receives 0 Yardage Field Goals.
[0082] In the above example, the game first calculated the Average
Yardage Number and divided it by a Touchdown Index of 100 to obtain
the number of Yardage Touchdowns. The remaining yardage was then
divided by a Field Goal Index of 35 to obtain the number of Yardage
Field Goals.
[0083] Alternatively, the game can use different Index number
values and different ways to determine the number of touchdowns and
field goals a user accumulates. Index numbers may be based on a
number of different statistics from previous years. Additionally,
instead of looking at total points teams scored, the Index number
values may also be based on total touchdowns and field goals teams
scored in the NFL. In this instance, for years 2002 and 2003, for
example, the Touchdown and Field Goal Index would round to 150
yards for each touchdown and 225 yards for each field goal. It is
noted that the Field Goal Index is much higher than the previous
embodiment's Field Goal Index. In the present embodiment, yardage
is not subtracted after calculating Yardage Touchdowns. Instead,
the Yardage Field Goals number is calculated by dividing the
Average Yardage by the higher Yardage Field Goal Index.
[0084] In a simulated game based on the statistics of FIG. 2,
Yardage Touchdowns and Yardage Field Goals numbers for User A and
User B are calculated as follows: [0085] Team A Yardage Touchdowns:
441/150=2.94 [0086] Team A Yardage Field Goals: 441/225=1.96 [0087]
Team B Yardage Touchdowns: 320/150=2.13 [0088] Team B Yardage Field
Goals: 320/225=1.42
[0089] In either embodiment, a Yardage Touchdown number and a
Yardage Field Goal number is represented by the number of
touchdowns or field goals obtained.
Actual Touchdowns and Actual Field Goals
[0090] In the next step, scoring categories of statistics, such as
touchdowns and field goals, are compiled. In this embodiment, the
actual number of touchdowns obtained by each offensive player on a
team during an actual game and the actual number of field goals
obtained by the team kicker during an actual game is recorded and
summed. In this step, an Actual Touchdowns number 60 and Actual
Field Goals number 70 is calculated. Below presents the data for
Actual touchdowns 60 and Actual Field Goals 70 numbers,
respectively, for User A and User B in the simulated game based on
statistics from FIG. 2. User A Actual Touchdowns=2 User B Actual
Touchdowns=1 User A Actual Field Goals=0 User B Actual Field
Goals=0
[0091] In another preferred embodiment, passing touchdowns and
receiving touchdowns may be weighted similar to a manner in which
passing yardage and receiving yardage may be weighted. For example,
a weighting of 0.75 may be applied to passing touchdowns and a
weighting of 0.25 may be applied to receiving touchdowns to
calculate a total passing and receiving touchdown number. In yet
another preferred embodiment, Actual Touchdowns 60 can be
calculated by summing all the touchdowns that a user's roster has
received including all touchdowns from offensive positions, special
teams, and defensive team touchdowns.
Fantasy Touchdowns Number
[0092] In the next step, a Fantasy Touchdowns number 80 may be
calculated by adding the Actual Touchdowns number achieved by a
team owner's players with the Yardage Touchdowns number. Thus, in a
preferred embodiment, the Fantasy Touchdowns number can be
calculated according to the following general formula: Fantasy
Touchdowns=Yardage Touchdowns+Actual Touchdowns
[0093] Below are presented the calculations for the Fantasy
Touchdowns numbers 80 for User A and User B in the simulated game
based on statistics from FIG. 2. Thus, Fantasy Touchdowns numbers
for User A and User B are calculated as follows: [0094] User A
Fantasy Touchdowns: 4+2=6 [0095] User B Fantasy Touchdowns: 3+1=4
Fantasy Field Goals
[0096] The Yardage Field Goal number is added to the Actual Field
Goal number obtained by the team kicker to create a Fantasy Field
Goals number 90. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, a Fantasy Field
Goals number can be calculated according to the following general
formula: Fantasy Field Goals=Yardage Field Goals+Actual Field
Goals
[0097] Below are presented the calculations for the Fantasy Field
Goals numbers 90 for User A and User B in the simulated game based
on statistics from FIG. 2. Thus, Fantasy Field Goals numbers for
User A and User B are calculated as follows: [0098] User A Fantasy
Field Goals: 1+0=1 [0099] User B Fantasy Field Goals: 0+0=0 Total
Touchdowns and Total Field Goals Numbers
[0100] The Fantasy Touchdowns and Fantasy Field Goals numbers are
then divided by two to calculate a Total Touchdowns number 100 and
a Total Field Goals number 110. This total number is preferably
rounded down to a whole number if it is not a whole number. The
total number may also be rounded up. Thus, in a preferred
embodiment, Total Touchdowns and Total Field Goals numbers can be
calculated according to the following general formulas: Total Touch
Downs=(Fantasy Touchdowns/2)(rounded to lower integer) Total Field
Goals=(Fantasy Field Goals/2)(rounded to lower integer)
[0101] Below are presented the calculations for Total Touchdowns
100 and Total Field Goals 110 numbers, respectively, for User A and
User B in the simulated game based on statistics from FIG. 2.
[0102] User A Total Touchdowns: 6/2=3 [0103] User B Total
Touchdowns: 4/2=2 [0104] User A Total Field Goals: 1/2=0 [0105]
User B Total Field Goals: 0/2=0 Score
[0106] The game now has all the data to compute a final score.
Results are multiplied by Scoring Multipliers which represent
fundamental scoring categories in the sport. In the preferred
embodiment, Total Touchdowns are multiplied by the Scoring
Multiplier 7. Total Field Goals are multiplied by the Scoring
Multiplier 3. In addition to these calculations, two points may be
added for each safety obtained by a team defense and one point may
be added for each two point conversion a user's offensive player
obtains. Only one point is added because a touchdown is assumed to
be 7 points, not six. Additionally, one point is deducted for each
extra point missed by the user's kicker. Once all these numbers are
added, a Score 120 is obtained. Thus, in a preferred embodiment,
the Score may be calculated according to the following general
formula: Score = ( Total .times. .times. Touchdowns * 7 ) + ( Total
.times. .times. Field .times. .times. Goals * 3 ) + ( Number
.times. .times. of .times. .times. Defensive .times. .times.
Safeties * 2 ) + ( Number .times. .times. of .times. .times. Two
.times. .times. Point .times. .times. Conversions * 1 ) - ( Number
.times. .times. .times. of .times. .times. Extra .times. .times.
Points .times. .times. Missed * 1 ) ##EQU4##
[0107] Below are presented the calculations for the Scores 120 for
User A and User B in the simulated game based on statistics from
FIG. 2. Thus, the Scores for User A and User B are calculated as
follows: [0108] User A Score: (3*7)+(0*3)+(0*2)+(0*1)-(0*1)=21
[0109] User B Score: (2*7)+(0*3)+(0*2)+(0*1)-(0*1)=14
[0110] In the above example, User A has 21 and User B has 14. This
Score may be the final score to determine the outcome of the game,
or further calculations may be done, such as adding a Secret Weapon
number (explained below), to obtain a Final Score.
Alternative Methods for Processing Statistics
[0111] In another preferred embodiment, touchdowns for a user's
team are calculated only from Yardage Touchdowns (regardless of how
many actual touchdowns the players on a user's team have gained).
In this embodiment, a user's Total Touchdowns number is the Yardage
Touchdowns number. In the simulated game based on statistics from
FIG. 2, User A's Total Touchdown number would therefore be 4
instead of 3.
[0112] Similarly, field goals for a user's team may be calculated
only using Yardage Field Goals. In this embodiment, a user's Total
Field Goals number is the Yardage Field Goals number. In the
simulated game based on statistics from FIG. 2, User A's Total
Field Goals number would therefore be 1 instead of 0.
[0113] In another embodiment, the Total Field Goals number may be
calculated in another manner. With reference to FIG. 3, Offensive
Yardage, Average Yardage, Yardage Touchdowns, Actual Touchdowns,
Fantasy Touchdowns, and Total Touchdowns are calculated in the same
manner as above. In this embodiment, however, Yardage Field Goals
280 are calculated using the Total Touchdowns number 270 instead of
the Yardage Touchdowns number 240. Thus, in a preferred embodiment,
Yardage Field Goals 280 can be calculated according to the
following general formula: Yardage .times. .times. Field .times.
.times. Goals = ( ( Offensive .times. .times. Yardage - ( Total
.times. .times. Touchdowns * Touchdown .times. .times. .times.
Index ) ) / Field .times. .times. Goal .times. .times. Index ) )
.times. ( rounded .times. .times. to .times. .times. nearest
.times. .times. lower .times. .times. integer ) ##EQU5##
[0114] In this embodiment, the number of Total Touchdowns is
multiplied by the Touchdown Index to obtain a yardage from Total
Touchdowns. This yardage is subtracted from the Offensive Yardage
number 210. The remaining yardage is used to calculate Yardage
Field Goals as disclosed above. For example where: Offensive
Yardage=447, and Total Touchdowns=3, then yardage from Total
Touchdowns=300
[0115] In this example, the remaining yardage to determine field
goal yardage is 147 yards (447-300). This number is divided by the
Field Goal Index, for example 35, and rounded down to the nearest
integer to obtain the Yardage Field Goal of 4. Total Field Goals
are then determined as disclosed above in with reference to the
simulated game.
[0116] In another embodiment, Total Touchdowns may be calculated in
a different manner. In this embodiment, the game is played
generally the same as previously described, except the game selects
the lower of the Yardage Touchdowns and Actual Touchdowns to
calculate Total Touchdowns instead of averaging the Yardage
Touchdowns and Actual Touchdowns.
[0117] In still another embodiment, team owners will be required to
select their "home field." A team owner's weather at his "home
field" can then be used to influence points. In this embodiment,
the game imports weather conditions from an owner's home field. If
the owner's home field is a dome, there will be no change in the
points awarded. If the owner's home field is an open air stadium
and is experiencing snow or rain, however, the game may use
different calculations to produce a lower score that would be
likely in the case of bad weather. For example, bad weather could
cause the turnover index to increase, cause the passing weighting
to be lower or cause the touchdown and field goal indexes to
increase.
[0118] In yet another embodiment, instead of rounding down certain
categories of points, such as Yardage Touchdowns, to the lowest
integer, the game may leave categories as fractional numbers,
calculate by rounding up to the nearest integer, or may use some
combination of the three for various statistics. For example, in
the embodiment where passing and receiving weightings are applied
to actual touchdowns, fractional numbers may be used prior to the
calculation of Total Touchdowns, which may ultimately increase the
number of Total Touchdowns awarded to a team than if the numbers
were rounded down as described above.
Secret Weapon
[0119] In another embodiment, users have the additional feature of
having a "secret weapon" each week to try to obtain additional
points or hold the opponent to fewer points. This feature is
suitable for any embodiment of the game. The Secret Weapon allows a
user to "override" certain calculations to obtain a benefit from
the strengths of the user's team. There are four different Secret
Weapons available for users: Actual Field Goals, Actual Touchdowns;
Yardage Touchdowns; and Team Defense. Each Secret Weapon represents
a different variable used in calculating the score. A team owner
may select Actual Field Goals as a Secret Weapon if the owner
believes the field goal kicker will kick a relatively large number
of field goals in his game that cycle (or from the random stat
pool). Because Field Goal Yardage is a component of Total Field
Goals, the Total Field Goals number may be quite low for a cycle
when compared with the Actual Field Goals number. By selecting
Actual Field Goals as the Secret Weapon, the user will be allowed
to use the Actual Field Goals number as the Total Field Goals
number.
[0120] Alternatively, a team owner may select Actual Touchdowns if
he believes his offensive players and team will score relatively
large number of touchdowns that week as compared to the Total
Touchdown number. Further, a team owner would select Yardage
Touchdowns if he believes his average yards for that week will be
very high and that he may not get credit for that because his Total
Touchdown number will be low.
[0121] In addition, a Team Defense Secret Weapon may be selected if
the user believes his opponent is an offensive powerhouse and may
get credit for more points than just Yardage Touchdowns would
provide. In this embodiment, a user's strong Team Defense may be
used to counteract his opponent's powerful offense. A user's strong
Team Defense may cause his opponent's Average Yardage to be
relatively low. A user may then remove touchdowns from an
opponent's score if he believes that the opponent's team will score
more Actual Touchdown than Yardage Touchdowns as a result of the
relatively low Average Yardage. Under the Team Defense secret
weapon, if User B selects Team Defense as his Secret Weapon, the
game looks at the calculation of: Team Defense Calculation=User A
Average Yardage-(User A Total Touchdowns*Touchdown Index)
[0122] If the Team Defense Calculation number is negative, User A's
score will be reduced. In a preferred embodiment, any negative
number will reduce User A's score by 7. Alternatively, the amount
of score reduction may be proportional to the negative number of
the Team Defense Calculation.
[0123] In one example of the application of the Team Defense Secret
Weapon, User A in a particular game against User B may accumulate
430 Average Yardage and 10 Actual Touchdowns. User A would be
awarded 4 Yardage Touchdowns (using a Touchdown Index of 100). By
taking the average of Yardage Touchdowns and Actual Touchdowns,
User A's Total Touchdowns would therefore be 7. In the Team Defense
Calculation: 430-(7*100)=-270
[0124] Because the Team Defense Calculation is negative, Team A's
score will be reduced, for example, by 7 points.
[0125] Any points from a team's Secret Weapon will adjust the
scores as shown in FIG. 1. The game now has a final score, which
determines who won and who lost. This final score will be a
realistic football score.
Additional Examples of Game Play
[0126] An example of games according to alternative preferred
embodiments disclosed herein are shown at FIGS. 4-6. FIG. 4 depicts
a method of playing a game in the manner of the simulated game
illustrated above except that Yardage Field Goals are calculated
according to the following general formula: Yardage .times. .times.
Field .times. .times. Goals = ( ( Offensive .times. .times. Yardage
- ( Total .times. .times. Touchdowns * Touchdown .times. .times.
.times. Index ) ) / Field .times. .times. Goal .times. .times.
Index ) ) .times. ( rounded .times. .times. to .times. .times.
nearest .times. .times. lower .times. .times. integer )
##EQU6##
[0127] FIG. 5 depicts a method of playing a game in the manner of
the simulated game illustrated above except that Actual Touchdowns
are calculated using touchdowns obtained by all team roster
positions (not merely offensive positions) and passing and
receiving touchdowns are weighted according to the passing and
receiving weighting indexes. Additionally, Yardage Touchdowns and
Yardage Field Goals are determined by dividing Average Yardage by a
Touchdown Index and Field Goal Index, respectively.
[0128] FIG. 6 depicts a method of playing a game in the manner of
the simulated game illustrated above except that in this embodiment
Total Touchdowns is minimum of Actual Touchdowns and Yardage
Touchdowns and Total Field Goals is the minimum of Actual Field
Goals and Yardage Field Goals to obtain a score. FIG. 6 also shows
points obtained where the user chose Yardage Touchdowns as a secret
weapon.
Additional Features
[0129] Instead of drafting players to play each position, the game
can be structured so that fantasy users draft only teams and not
players. For example, instead of selecting Peyton Manning and other
individual players, a team owner may select the New York Jets. In
this approach, team owners select an entire team from which to
collect statistics. For example, where a team owner selects the
Jets as his entire team, the team owner will receive all rushing,
passing, receiving, and other offensive and defensive statistics
that are achieved by the Jets. In another variation, the team owner
may only be allowed to draft individual Jets players from which
statistics will be collected. In this embodiment, the team owner
will only be awarded statistics for Jets players that he has
drafted.
[0130] In the team concept, entire teams play against each other.
As an example, the Jets could play the Giants in a virtual game
even though they may not be playing against each other that week in
the NFL in an actual game, or at all during the season. Statistics
are accumulated based on categories as explained above and a final
result is achieved.
[0131] In another team embodiment, instead of drafting individual
players to play each position, the game can be structured so that
fantasy users may draft a "team position" for one or more roster
positions, preferably offensive positions. In this embodiment, a
"team position" for a particular position allows the user to
collect statistics for players who play that position on a
particular actual team. For example, instead of drafting Peyton
Manning, a user may draft the "Indianapolis Quarterback" position.
During game play, the user will then collect statistics associated
with whatever player is playing quarterback for the Indianapolis
Colts. Users may draft team positions for all positions on a
fantasy roster.
[0132] Users can play in a head-to-head format or in a bracket
style tournament format. In a head-to-head format, the participants
accumulate wins or losses. In a bracket style tournament, the
winner may advance to a next round. The winners advance and the
losers are eliminated until one team has won the championship.
[0133] In still another embodiment, users may change lineups in the
middle of a game, or during a game cycle, and can tailor lineups to
different offensive and defensive statistics or replace an injured
player. Users can set a reserve roster such that these players will
appear if an injury has removed a player from the game in which he
is playing. This adds managerial control to the game and removes an
element, injuries, that are out of the coach's control. In
addition, users can set a minimum number of passes (for
Quarterbacks) rushes or receptions (for Running Backs), receptions
(for Wide Receivers and Tight Ends) and field goal attempts (for
Kickers). If that number is not exceeded, users can select a
reserve player as a substitute.
[0134] Users may play the game of the present invention based on
statistics of any level of sports including college, professional,
high school or other.
[0135] The game can also be offered as a software tool to enable
professional football teams to use this invention as a means to
evaluate talent and make free agent decisions, trades and draft
decisions. For example, a team can evaluate a running back who is a
free agent or who may be available in a trade. In this tool
embodiment, a team knows that a player of a different team gained
1200 yards in a previous season. The leading rusher for that team
however only gained 800 yards. The team can simulate all of its
games from the previous season using the statistics from the 1200
yard rusher's game instead of the 800 yard rusher's games. This
allows the team to analyze how its won-loss record may have
changed.
[0136] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been
described, it should be understood that the invention is not so
limited and modifications may be made without departing from the
invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended
claims, and all systems that come within the meaning of the claims,
either literally or by equivalence, are intended to be embraced
therein.
* * * * *