How is Your Auction Run?

[willthethrill]

Looking at the draft v. auction thread got me wondering...How is your auction run?

Do you go around the table, upping bids?
Do you have an auctioneer?
Is it online?
Some other way?

[wannabegriffey]

I voted before I read your post so I voted incorrectly.

We sit in a horseshoe fashion, with the auctioneer located at the top, if you will. Beginning on the auctioneer's left, the lowest ranked team sits, each spot to the left is a higher ranked team. Low guy opens with bid on whom ever. Once there is a nomination, bids are shouted out from all directions until the winning bid is decided.

League is entering year 25 and is well established. Best day of the roto year and as someone already wrote, how can you be looking at your watch or not able to make the date when it is many months in advance?

[BuckyBuckner]

I picked auctioneer, but we really don't have an auctioneer, we do it ourselves. There is no real order to how we sit. The previous year winner gets the honor of tossing the first name. Then we go around the room. A few guys usually call it out but if they are in on it someone else will do it. It's not perfect and we've had the auctioneer say, "going once, going twice....$15. That guy can't go for that low."

[Grinch]

Combo of the 2 above. We have an auctioneer to direct when needed, no order to the seating----generally smokers on one side, non-smokers on the other. Last years winner throw the first name, bidding goes clockwise--you can pass then jump back in---IF it gets back to you. Nomination follows the same order. We don't use toppers so high bidder wins. Auctioneer gets food and $100 for an easy nights fun. We have used the same guy for years, works with a bunch of us, so he knows us and joins in the banter.

[Judge Jude]

We have an average league experience level of about 15-20 years - 2 rookies have only 9 years in, while me and another guy are hitting our 28th including the original.

It's all "same time next year" stuff. Several owners organically start making the callouts of "going once."

No explanations required - it just happens, in that familiar vibe. It's wonderful.

When there's a close call off "going twice," we all just make a call, and majority rules and that's the end of it. The collective wisdom is completely trusted by all 12 (well, some joint ownerships, so up to 15) of us.

[Erik]

I picked auctioneer, but we really don't have an auctioneer, we do it ourselves. There is no real order to how we sit. The previous year winner gets the honor of tossing the first name. Then we go around the room. A few guys usually call it out but if they are in on it someone else will do it. It's not perfect and we've had the auctioneer say, "going once, going twice....$15. That guy can't go for that low."

This pretty much describes our process exactly. We sort of have an auctioneer hierarchy -- the commish does it if he's not in on it, I do it if the commish is in on it, my friend does it if the commish and I are both in on it. If all three of us are in on it, someone else jumps in. And yes, at least once a year the commish says "I can't sell him for that, I bid x."

[mike9289]

Those of you that do both around the table and auctioneer, do you find that the around the table format goes slower? After years of doing the shout it out type auction, I joined a league that did the around the table style. I found it extremely slow and frustrating. I suggested during the off season rule process that we change. Although I had some support, the guys that have been in the league from the beginning really had a problem with the change and the idea was dropped. They said that moving from round table to shout it out would change the whole makeup of the league and one guy even said that he would have a hard time competing with the other style. I didn't expect such a strong opposition because I didn't think it was a big deal. Would changing from one style to the other really make that much of a difference?

[willthethrill]

We go around the table. A number of us want to go to an auctioneer this year.

[Hammer]

Those of you that do both around the table and auctioneer, do you find that the around the table format goes slower? After years of doing the shout it out type auction, I joined a league that did the around the table style. I found it extremely slow and frustrating. I suggested during the off season rule process that we change. Although I had some support, the guys that have been in the league from the beginning really had a problem with the change and the idea was dropped. They said that moving from round table to shout it out would change the whole makeup of the league and one guy even said that he would have a hard time competing with the other style. I didn't expect such a strong opposition because I didn't think it was a big deal. Would changing from one style to the other really make that much of a difference?

I find it slow and I dont like people checking and rechecking because it shows a lack of preparation. The plus side is that with an auctioneer, there is sometimes a lack of consistency in cadence. That isnt an issue around the table.

[Wonderboy]

We go around the table to nominate players, but not to bid on them. Sheesh, that would drive me totally insane and add unnecessary hours to the draft. Just take turns nominating and then it's a free-for-all auction. Our Commissioner acts as the auctioneer, with an assistant Commissioner taking over if the Commissioner is bidding. It works great.

Hammer is absolutely correct that consistency in cadence is paramount.

[Erik]

Hammer is absolutely correct that consistency in cadence is paramount.

Indeed. I make an extra effort in that regard when I am the one doing the selling. It helps that I have a loud voice.

[The Dane]

We go around the table to nominate players, but not to bid on them. Sheesh, that would drive me totally insane and add unnecessary hours to the draft.

I have one league that goes around the table for bidding as well. It doesn't add that much time to the draft, really. Maybe a little, but not so much that you'd notice. The time that free-for-alls spend doing the whole "going once, going twice" thing is gone. When we get to two owners going back and forth and one caves in, he just says "he's yours" or something to that effect and we move on. No waiting to see if someone else is going to jump in. We all wear hats to the draft and when you are out of the bidding, you take off your hat, then it moves clockwise from the guy who called out the player. It adds a whole different level of strategy, making jump bids and creeping more effective. I wouldn't say that it is markedly superior to free-for-alls, but it surely isn't vastly inferior or more time-consuming.

[kldub4life]

I chose "Other" but its similar to what alot of you guys are saying.

We throw out for bid in a set order based on last years finish.

We do it auctioneer style but without an auctioneer. Different guys do it for a few rounds at a time. If an owner is in the bidding on a player another owner jumps in as the auctioneer on that player. It works without problems and has for years.

I've done the around the table bidding and upping and I hate it!!!

[Grinch]

I like the around the table design. You can jump back in unexpectedly, watch how others bid, etc. As far as time goes----IT'S DRAFT DAY DAMMIT---THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR!!! What's the problem with it taking longer...... :amen:

[Hammer]

I like the around the table design. You can jump back in unexpectedly, watch how others bid, etc. As far as time goes----IT'S DRAFT DAY DAMMIT---THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR!!! What's the problem with it taking longer...... :amen:

we do it poker style so if you say out at 20 you cant come back in at 25.