You could just have it online, but that’s not exciting. These are the guys (or ladies) that you’re going to be talking trash to and pestering for trades for the next six months. It’s best to start some feuds before the season even begins, just to make things a little more interesting. If that sounds like a route you’re interested in traveling, here’s some ideas on how to plan a perfect draft party for you and your friends.
Pick A Good Location
If you’re having the draft at the house of one of the league members, try to ensure that the home has a room spacious enough to house all of the owners. Preferably, the room should also be in a secluded part of the house so the draft can be fun without drawing the potential ire of an annoyed significant other.
If a house isn’t an option, take the draft to a bar. Make a reservation early and prepare to stay for a few hours. It should probably be during the day so the bar isn’t as crowded and you can find your own spot. Any bar will do, but if you want to add some baseball ambiance, the places on this list are solid options.
Plan Food Early…
You’re going to be drafting for a couple of hours or more and your league mates are going to need some brain fuel. The food doesn’t have to be 5-star quality, but it does have to be there before the draft starts. The grub can be as simple as ordering a half-dozen pizzas (more if there are some emotional eaters in your league).
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, plan a barbecue, but make sure that you aren’t working the grill while you’re on the clock. If you decide to go to a bar instead, get there early and order some appetizers before the others arrive, just to tide them over.
…And Keep the Drinks Coming
A draft will become much more entertaining once everyone has poured a few back. Stock up with plenty of beer to go around (if you have some left over afterward for yourself, even better), including a few different kinds to account for varying tastes. Try to (politely) step in if someone seems to be getting a little too crazy-you still need them to be sober enough to make picks (although maybe not competent ones).
If you go to a bar, ask the bartender for a few rounds of some of these baseball-themed drinks, just to get everyone in the spirit of the season. I’d like a Ward Eight and make it fast, I’m deciding between Dustin Pedroia and Jason Kipnis.
Have A Lottery
A great way to build suspense is to determine the draft order through a lottery. This can be done by simply picking numbers out of a hat (hey it worked for Billy Martin in 1972). The bottom line is that you shouldn’t let a computer pick the order. Get the season started off right with some kind of banter-inducing drawing.
Provide A Draft Board
Big league teams prepare a draft board in their war room, so why shouldn’t you? The board can be traditional, with someone putting in the name of each draftee by hand, or you can hook up a computer to a big screen TV and let ESPN.com’s drafter do the work for you.
My friend’s father always had a board with each team name and a list of every team’s players sitting in his basement and I remember feeling a sense of pride when I entered his league and saw my team listed proudly on the Big Board, as we called it. It’s nice to admire that championship-winning team you just created.
Set A Timer
This is key. There’s a reason that professional drafts give teams a time limit before they have to make their pick. These drafts can drag on if you’re not careful and you don’t want Mr. Moneyball comparing projected WAR numbers for half an hour during the 15th round. If an owner hasn’t done his research beforehand, they should be penalized for it and setting a time limit-one or two minutes usually does the trick-accomplishes that goal.
Bring Out The Hardware
If you’re the commissioner of your fantasy league, it’s your responsibility to come up with a trophy to provide the winner at the end of the season. Playing for a cash prize or pride is all well and good, but every winner would love to have a token to rub in their friends’ faces during the offseason.
With that said, there’s no better way to drum up excitement for the season to come than to unveil the league’s trophy at the draft party. There are plenty of places that sell these types of awards, but it’s tough to beat the Armchair Ace.
Dylan Sinn is a freelance contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSinn or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
