Auction Draft Fantasy Football Software For Website

The fantasy football league rules and scoring systems for auction draft leagues run by Apex Fantasy Football Money Leagues are detailed below. These leagues allocate players via auction prior to the start of the season. Due to MyFantasyLeague’s unpredictable auction draft software, the auction drafts themselves are held on ESPN.com.

What is Draft Night?

Draft Night is web based software designed to organize and enhance your Fantasy Football Draft Party.

Instead of keeping track of picks on paper or a paper draft board, members of your league make picks electronically. In the simplest case, you can pass around your iPad (or smart phone or laptop) and everyone makes their pick then passes it on. Some leagues also like to place the iPad on a podium so members can walk up and ceremoniously make their picks.

Players may also login from their own device and make picks. This is especially helpful if players are not physically at the draft.

Can I Try It For Free?

Yes, we have a free trial that lets you use the software (no limitations) for 15 minutes. Try it out at http://www.draftnight.com/trial.

If you just want a quick peek at a draft board, we have a live demo of our draft board at: http://draftnight.com/demo We have a robot name Marco that makes picks ever 20 seconds or so. Marco likes running backs.

Do I Need An Internet Connection?

Yes. An internect connection is required.

Furthermore, we highly recommend a good wired or WiFi internet connection.

Keep in mind that web censoring software (at businesses or schools), virus scanners, internet service providers, etc can prevent the website from making a connection. For that reason we recommend that you test your network before your draft night. The easiest way to test your connection is to go to http://draftnight.com/demo. Also remember that a low bandwidth wifi connection may work fine for a single device, but not for 15+ devices so do your best to test and have a backup plan.

What Devices Are Supported?

The quickest way to see if your browser is supported is by going to our demo draft board.

We highly recommend the Google Chrome web browser if you are on a mac or pc. iPhone and iPad devices should use Mobile Safari.

Players may make picks or view the draft board from the lastest version of most modern web browsers (including Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera) or from any modern mobile device (such as iPhone, iPad, Android, etc). Each device needs an internet connection.

Windows XP and some versions of Android are not supported because they lack support for our secure, high-speed connection (learn more from wikipedia).

Obscure browsers such as those built into televisions, game systems (PS3, Wii, XBox), and digital toasters are unlikely to work. This is because Draft Night uses special a special web socket connection to keep devices tightly in sync. If you are unsure whether your device will show the draft board properly, you should view our demo draft board at http://draftboard.com/demo.

As always, you should check out our free trial to see how it'd work on your device: http://draftnight.com/trial

If I Buy Online Then Can I Download The App?

If you purchase Draft Night through the website, then it is not possible to download the actual iPhone or iPad app. But - you don't need to. There is no difference between the web version and the app - they are exactly the same software.

To use the software on your iPhone or iPad, just go to DraftNight.com in your Mobile Safari web browser and login.

Even if you purchase the native iPhone/iPad app, you're actually better off using the software in Mobile Safari. This is because Apple enables hardware acceleration in Mobile Safari, which is not available in the app. So it's faster to use Mobile Safari (as opposed to the app).

How Does The Pricing Work?

Only one person needs to purchase it per league. Everyone else will access it through their web browser on their phone/tablet/computer. Purchasing DraftNight allows you to use the software for up to 5 leagues during the 2019 season.

Keep in mind that we may change the price of the web or iOS version at any time. There are various factors that go into price changes, but here is a preview of our expected pricing schedule.

DraftNight does not issue refunds because the free trial and the demo draft board show exactly how the software works without any buying commitment.

The price will increase as we get closer to the NFL season kickoff. So if you want the best price, buy early. Normally I list a pricing schedule here, but I pretty much never stick to it. Mainly I use pricing to limit how many groups sign up (making sure the servers don't get overloaded).

• $11.99 - Through July 6 (Earlyish Rate)
• $14.99 - Through August 25 (Special Rate)
• $17.99 - Through August 30 (Last Chance)
• $19.99 - After August 30

Does Everyone In My League Need to Buy It?

No. Only the league manager needs to purchase the software. Individual members do not need to download or purchase Draft Night. They access it for free through their web browser.

After you setup your league, you will see a link that looks like 'https://draft.app/ABCDE'. Your friends can go to this URL and see the live draft board. Learn More >

Does it Work For Multiple Leagues? How Many?

Yes, you can create up to five leagues.

How Long Do I Have Access To The Software?

The software will be available for at least a month after the NFL season starts. The NFL season typically starts the first week of September.

This is to allow for late drafts and it gives you time to email yourself the results (if you'd like). During the off season, the software is taken down to prepare for the following year. You should export any league data before the software is taken down because league data is not retained from year to year. Modifications and upgrades to the software make it impossible to retain this data.

What Is The Difference Between Buying on the App Store vs. the Website?

There is no difference in functionality between the App Store version and the web version. The software is identical.

If you purchase it through the App Store then any other device can connect to your league through a web browser. If you purchase it through the website, then any other device (including iPad and iPhone) can connect through the web browser.

We recommend that you use Mobile Safari on iOS and Google Chrome on a computer. In short, it performs better in your browser than in the installed iOS app because Apple disables some performance optimizations in the installed app. For the best experience, use 'Mobile Safari' on iOS devices and 'Google Chrome' on your desktop or laptop computer.

How Does It Work?

Once you have purchased Draft Night, you will begin setting up your draft. You will choose your league name, players per team, clock options, draft order, etc.

Then you will see a short url (ie https://draft.app/ABCDE). Share this url with everyone in your league. This will allow them to view the draft board.

There are various ways to give league members access to make picks. Learn More >

How Do People Get Access To Make Picks?

Draft Night has four access levels explained here:

League Manager / Admin - The League Manager is the person who purchases the software and sets up the league. This person has full access to change the league, setup teams, make picks for anyone, etc.

Password Access - When you setup your league, you will enter a password for your league. That is your league password. Anyone who has this password will be able to make picks. First they should go to the league's draft board (ie. https://draft.app/ABCDE) then click 'Make Picks'. They will be prompted to choose which team they are picking for, then they can make picks. This is the easiest/fastest way to give league members access to your draft.

Team Specific Access - When you setup the teams for your league, you will have the option of entering an email address for each team. If you enter an email address, we will instantly send an invite to that address (and CC you). This will allow that team member to setup an account (free) and make picks only for their team. This is the most secure way of giving members access since they will not be able to make picks for other teams.

Everyone - Anyone and everyone has access to view the draft board. No password or account is required. Once you tell them your draft's short link (ie. https://draft.app/ABCDE) they will be able to go to that url and see the draft board. They will not be able to make picks without further permissions.

Can Someone Draft Remotely?

Yes, they just need an internet connection and a modern browser. They can be in a different room, city, state, or country. Feel free to give it a trial run before you really draft to make sure their internet connection and browser are up to snuff.

I Forgot My Password

If you forgot / can't remember your password login information, then visit our forgot password page at: https://www.draftnight.com/forgot-password

What Does The Draft Board Look Like?

You can view a live demo draft board at: draftnight.com/demo. Picks are made every 20 seconds or so, so it's a great way to get a feel for the board or to make sure it shows up properly on your device.

By default, the draft board lists picks per team. You can click the settings icon (at the bottom right) to change the view. You can also turn on sound effects.

The draft board can be viewed in 4 different ways:
By Teams - then by pick number
By Teams - then by player position
By Teams - then by player name
By Rounds - by pick (popular)
By Rounds - by team (beta)

The 'Rounds - by team' view is new and currently in beta. It aims to keep teams in a single column and looks correct for linear, snake, 3R, and 3RR leagues. Custom leagues and leagues with trades will still look alright, but will not have teams aligned since a team may have multiple picks in a single round.

How Do I Show The Draft Board?

To show the draft board on a screen or TV, you need a separate laptop or desktop computer which is connected to the TV or projector. Once the computer is connected to the projector, open the league's url (ie https://draft.app/ABCDE) in a web browser such as Google Chrome. Then put the web browser in full screen mode. The draft board is viewable at any screen size, but sizes at or larger than 1024x768 are recommended.

Does It Work With The Apple TV?

Yes. The Apple TV doesn't have a built in web browser, but you can show your Draft Board on an Apple TV if you have a device that supports 'Airplay Mirroring'. Mirroring lets you show whatever is on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac's screen on the Apple TV. Just open the draft board in your web browser, go full screen, and then mirror to your Apple TV.

Are There Sound Effects?

Yes, the draft board will now play a buzzer when time runs out, a clock when there are under 10 seconds left, and a notification when a pick is made (or a change is made to the league settings).

Draft Night does not play background music because of licensing issues, diverse musical tastes, etc. If you wish to play music in the background, you can always fire up iTunes or your favorite music player. On my personal league, we always play the Gladiator Soundtrack.

How Players Ranked? How Often Are They Updated?

The player rankings are based on 'average draft position' (ADP), not player value. The average draft position uses an average from various sources and is not specific to your league's number of teams, players per team, or scoring.

Our goal is to move 'likely picked' players (to the top of the list to speed up the drafting process) without leveling the playing field. If players always choose our top ranked player, they will do ok but not great (which is the goal). Players should use their own specialized list for determining who to pick. Remember - this is draft board software, not strategic software.

Rankings are updated at least 2-3 times per week, sometimes multiple times per day. It's hard to say with 100% accuracy since our rankings are the result of an aggregate - each of which is update on it's on schedule.

Can I Have Custom Rankings?

No - for the reasons listed above, it is not possible to load custom player rankings into our system. The goal of this software is to make the draft process as effecient as possible, without leveling the playing field.

We are considering offering an add on (per team) feature next year that would allow you to load or create custom rankings for yourself without impacting the entire league's player rankings.

Can I Hide Player Rankings?

No, it is not possible to hide or otherwise change the player rankings.

The rankings are generic average draft position numbers, so they are designed to get the 'most likely picked' player to the top without completely leveling the playing field.

Team owners who do research on player rankings will be able to account for their league's scoring settings, number of teams, starting positions, roster limits, player types (IDP, DIDP, or normal), draft order, etc.

Can I Setup A Team to Auto Draft?

No, auto draft is not supported.

There is a 'Suggested Pick' button which will recommend a player. League admins can use that button to quickly make a pick for another team.

Draft Night does not know about your league's scoring, roster limits, etc so it would be impossible to make a high-quality automatic pick. Also, Draft Night rankings are based on ADP not value. Remember that the purpose of Draft Night is to facilitate your draft without leveling the playing field for people who didn't do any research.

Is There A Timer?

Yes, there is a timer (aka clock).

You get to pick how long each player gets to make a pick. This can be from 20 seconds to 5 minutes.

The league settings page has an option to 'auto pause' the timer. If your timer is set to auto pause, then the clock will pause when a player's time runs out. This is the 'friendly' way of playing. The idea is to keep things moving without any real consequences of running out of time.

If you choose turn AutoPause OFF, then the timer will move on to the next player when time runs out. This means the next player will be able to make a pick.

When time runs out, Draft Night does not automatically make picks for the expired team. The missed team will still be able to make a pick at any time, but must hurry since other teams can now pick players.

Are Defensive Players Supported?

Yes, you can choose whether to include Individual Defensive Position (IDP) players when you setup the league. You can also include defenses in your IDP league if you want (DIDP).

What Draft Orders Are Supported?

Serpentine (snake), Linear, 3R, 3RR, and Custom draft orders are supported.

'Linear' means teams draft in the same order for each round. ie. 1-12, 1-12, 1-12, 1-12, ..

'Snake' means that teams draft in opposite order in even rounds. ie. 1-12, 12-1, 1-12, 12-1, ..

'3R' means '3rd reversed'. It is snake order, but with the 3rd round opposite. ie. 1-12, 12-1, 12-1, 12-1, 1-12,..

'3RR' means '3rd reverse rest'. It is snake order, but rounds 3 and up reversed. ie. 1-12, 12-1, 12-1, 1-12, 12-1,..

'Custom' allows you to drag and drop teams into the correct drafting order.

Are Keeper Leagues Supported?

Yes, keeper leagues are supported. Before the draft begins you can assign any player to any team in any round. Once the draft gets to that pick, it will simply skip over that person and continue on to the next pick.

As an league administrator, simply select a player (ie. Adrian Peterson) then choose 'Another Team' to assign him to a different team. This allows you to assign the player to any team in any round.

How Can We Trade Picks?

It is possible for the league manager to trade picks and/or players between multiple teams.

To trade manager, the league manager should go to the page where picks are made. Then press Menu > Make a Trade. This allows you to select which teams are trading and what will actually be traded. If teams are trading multiple players or picks, the process can be repeated until all the picks and players have been properly traded.

Draft Night does not support un-even trades where a team is giving a different number of picks than they are receiving. This would leave the players per team unbalanced once all the picks were completed. If your league needs un-even trades, you may consider adding one or more rounds to the end of the draft which you can use as 'throw away' picks (which can be used as part of a trade).

Are Auction Leagues Supported?

No. We partially supported auction leagues a few years back but it was terribly incomplete. It did not actually coordinate player nomination nor bidding process and less than 0.05% of our leagues actually used any of the Auction features.

For that reason and because of the complication that auctions added to our system, we decided to remove auction-like features in favor of system stability and because it made it easier to add other, more requested features.

Can I Undo A Pick?

The league manager is able to undo a pick from the 'Picks' page.

Click the 'Menu' button, then choose 'Undo Pick'. Then select the pick you wish to undo. The pick will be removed and you (or that team) will be able to choose a different NFL player for that round.

Are Picks Automatically Uploaded to ESPN, YAHOO, CBS, NFL, etc?

No. When your draft night is finished you can email the picks to yourself or everyone in your league. This email will contain all the information you need to save your picks on your fantasy football website. Ideally we would do it for you, but most sites do not allow us access to upload picks.

What If I Need A Custom List Of Players?

Right now Draft Night supports regular, idp, and didp rosters.

Draft Night does not support a custom player list or custom rankings.

If you see a mistake or a missing player, please visit http://draftnight.com/help and request a change.

The NFL has 1,696 players (53/team x 32 teams), and our IDP roster has 1780 players, so it is unlikely that you'll want to draft a player that is not in our system. If you do, we have 8 'Write In' players - so you can draft 'WriteIn01' as a placeholder.

Does it support other sports like Baseball?

As it stands, Draft Night only supports NFL football fantasy leagues.

It may someday supports other sports like baseball or basketball, but right now it does not. Also, it is not currently possible to upload your own custom set of players.

Is There A Chat Feature?

No, there is no built-in chat feature. We recommend finding a free private chat room service.

What is Smack Mode?

SmackMode is a new (optional) feature this year where the draft board itself talks trash!

SmackMode features nearly 150 comments spoken by a real person. If you enable 'SmackMode' on the draft board, a random comment (or sound effect) will play after each pick.

Comments are all G/PG and are designed to be funny but not hateful or mean. The easiest way to check out smack mode is to open up the Demo Draft.

To turn it on, go to your draft board (e.g. draft.app/XXX) and then press the menu button at the bottom-right. This will pop up a menu where you can turn sound effects on, off, or smack mode. Choose 'SmackMode' and then press 'preview' to make sure it's working (and a good volume). Now when a pick is made, a random smack comment will be played.

I See An Error Saying Check Your Internet Connection. Why?

There are two main causes of being unable to connect. Old browsers and bad connections.

One is that your internet connection is somehow being prevented from connecting (for example, web censoring software, business firewalls, school firewalls, virus scanners, bad connections, or ISPs can all cause this). The software makes a special connection to our servers so it can get immediate updates when a player is picked, etc. It is this special type of connection that may be blocked through your connection, even though web pages/etc work fine. (ie. high speeds don't mean you have a good connection). The easiest solution is to try a different internet connection. A wired connection is best, but WiFi is good also. Cell connections, business wifi, school networks, etc are the most likely to be blocking the connection. It may also help to use proxy software such as TorGuard, but that costs money and is not guaranteed to be the correct solution for you.

The other main cause of this error is if you're on an old browser or operating system. We highly recommend Google Chrome on mac or pc (it's free and it's the best). On iPhone or iPad you should use Mobile Safari (not Google Chrome). You can read more about supported devices here.

Make sure you test your devices and internet connection before your draft to give yourself time to identify problems and find solutions. The easiest way for you (or others) to test if everything is working properly is to view our DEMO (no login required).

Here's a complete list of ways to troubleshoot a bad connection:

• Make sure you're using a good browser. Google Chrome on windows or mac. Mobile Safari on iPhone or iPad.
• Make sure you try a different connection. Speed isn't what makes a bad connection. Bad routers, ISPs, proxies, censoring software, websense, etc can mess your connection up.
• Make sure you're using a modern operating system. iOS 7, Mac OSX 10.9, or Windows 7
• Try to do a 'hard refresh'. [CMD]+[R] on a mac, [CTRL]+[R] on pc
• Try restarting your browser.
• Try to restart your device.
• Can you connect to https://www.draftnight.com?
• Does the demo work: https://www.draftnight.com/demo?
• What happens if you go to the following url and click 'connect'? http://primus-example.nodejitsu.com You should see 'The connection has been established'. If not, there's definitely a problem with your device or internet.
• Make sure your browser and your device are not using a proxy.
• If you have an account for a service like TorGuard then it may help you avoid bad ISPs, etc.

Is There A Status Page?

Yes, you can monitor the status of the draft night website by going to: http://status.draftnight.com

The status page will give you information about uptime along with instructions for alternative websites to use in case of downtime.

Help Im Not Receiving Emails

If you or one of your teams is not receiving emails, it's almost definitely in the SPAM folder.

Here are a list of recommended steps for troubleshooting a missing email:

• Check your SPAM folder
• Make sure [email protected] is whitelisted in your mail account (and your email administrator's account)
• Double check that you are sending it to the correct address
• Send the email to another (working) account that you manage and then forward it to the correct person

Still Have Questions?

Still have a question? Visit draftnight.com/help to get technical support.