Is the M Dying?

[Grape 676]

The Season 91 VHLM draft was the weakest in recent memory. In drafts before, teams were able to get active roster players through the 5th round. This go-around, however, there weren’t even enough players for a 5th round. The 4th round was a complete crapshoot as well, with inactives taking up half the picks. Looking at the waivers and the upcoming draft so far, it’s not looking very promising for the future. If recruitment can’t kick it into high gear and get some new blood in the league, it may be time to look at some alternatives. There are really two solutions I can foresee, both involving the removal of some teams. The two solutions are as follows: Shrink the M or Delete the E. Reducing the M by at least 2 teams concentrates the talent amongst the rosters, improving parity as well as making the impact of less players not feel as heavy. Deleting the E and increasing the M cap to 300-350 or so and the VHL coming down to close the gap vastly increases the player pool for the M and creates a much better environment for first gens and recreates alike. From what it appears, many E GMs aren’t doing their jobs anyways so booting them and letting players actually be with an active GM and locker room would definitely improve overall morale. I guess with my distaste for the VHLE, you can assume which side I’d be leaning towards, if such an issue arises. But I hope it doesn’t come to this. I’d much rather see a large recruitment drive and a bunch of new blood flood in than the league be reduced once again.

[Spartan 4,401]

I have been informed that there has been some outreach regarding a recruitment drive. So hopefully it comes to fruition this season!

[Lemorse7 1,014]

Deleting the E solution to everything is just getting old the E is not going anywhere especially with the recent contraction that they got. BUT I think the M is next in the contraction chapter sim leagues in general don’t get a lot of new members beside members who are already in a sim league and join via affiliate. Vhl had success with YouTube ads in the past but idk if there is still that many new people that don’t know what sim league are to not get a contraction in the M that it’s going to be 1 team or 2. 
 

Idk what will happen that’s just what I think but interesting change will for sure come soon 

[Grape 676]

13 minutes ago, Lemorse7 said:

Vhl had success with YouTube ads in the past but idk if there is still that many new people that don’t know what sim league are
 

To be fair, it has been a while since the last YouTube ad iirc. Feels like there has not been a large recruitment drive in general. As the YouTube channels grow, so to does the percent of their audience that has no idea what a sim league is or does. It's something that can always be done and will always garner new people.

[Smarch 3,150]

I’m dying in the VHLM 

[Triller 1,659]

37 minutes ago, Grape said:

As the YouTube channels grow, so to does the percent of their audience that has no idea what a sim league is or does.

The same happens with the cost of reading an ad.  More viewers means the YouTuber wants more to advertise.  Hopefully a new audience can be reached that may keep new members around.  Most leave when they realize it isn't simmed in NHL.  Maybe card collectors, pack crackers or people who make videos about NHL stats or something?

[McLovin 466]

I'm going to sound like such a boomer saying this, but back in my day of the mid to late S60's and early 70's, it was just the M and VHL. That method worked just fine for teams in both leagues as the M was constantly filled with recreates and had players to spare, and the VHL itself was rarely small rostered. Having less teams is an unfortunate route, but it means more players per team and thus improved performance. There are M teams right now that literally only have a handful of players, 2 or 3 max and that's just unacceptable in my eyes. Considering this last draft and the next not being projected to be in bulk either, it makes me wonder why the E exists if it's just a stopgap solution to a problem that, in my eyes at least, never existed. I do believe the TPE cap of the M should be raised regardless as players rotate out far too quickly, teams are broken up and chemistry is lost between teammates, which is a big retainer of newer players in the VHL to begin with.

 

tldr; Until we get a recruitment drive, we need to simplify the league and delete the E, raise the TPE cap of the M and all these problems are pretty much solved once we get the drive to improve the quality of drafts.

[Frank 5,208]

15 minutes ago, McLovin said:

I'm going to sound like such a boomer saying this, but back in my day of the mid to late S60's and early 70's, it was just the M and VHL. That method worked just fine for teams in both leagues as the M was constantly filled with recreates and had players to spare, and the VHL itself was rarely small rostered. Having less teams is an unfortunate route, but it means more players per team and thus improved performance. There are M teams right now that literally only have a handful of players, 2 or 3 max and that's just unacceptable in my eyes. Considering this last draft and the next not being projected to be in bulk either, it makes me wonder why the E exists if it's just a stopgap solution to a problem that, in my eyes at least, never existed. I do believe the TPE cap of the M should be raised regardless as players rotate out far too quickly, teams are broken up and chemistry is lost between teammates, which is a big retainer of newer players in the VHL to begin with.

 

tldr; Until we get a recruitment drive, we need to simplify the league and delete the E, raise the TPE cap of the M and all these problems are pretty much solved once we get the drive to improve the quality of drafts.

Blame @Victor creates the 3rd league then jogs on. 

[Scurvy 1,488]

3 hours ago, Smarch said:

I’m dying in the VHLM 

Yeah pal.  It has been a weird experience this season compared to my first time through.  LR only has me and my GM who talk which at least I am lucky he is active and we can chat occasionally.  I don't have an answer really.  

[dlamb 1,326]

Reddit Recruitment. 

[Victor 10,940]

3 hours ago, McLovin said:

I'm going to sound like such a boomer saying this, but back in my day of the mid to late S60's and early 70's, it was just the M and VHL. That method worked just fine for teams in both leagues as the M was constantly filled with recreates and had players to spare, and the VHL itself was rarely small rostered. Having less teams is an unfortunate route, but it means more players per team and thus improved performance. There are M teams right now that literally only have a handful of players, 2 or 3 max and that's just unacceptable in my eyes. Considering this last draft and the next not being projected to be in bulk either, it makes me wonder why the E exists if it's just a stopgap solution to a problem that, in my eyes at least, never existed. I do believe the TPE cap of the M should be raised regardless as players rotate out far too quickly, teams are broken up and chemistry is lost between teammates, which is a big retainer of newer players in the VHL to begin with.

 

tldr; Until we get a recruitment drive, we need to simplify the league and delete the E, raise the TPE cap of the M and all these problems are pretty much solved once we get the drive to improve the quality of drafts.

 

3 hours ago, Frank said:

Blame @Victor creates the 3rd league then jogs on. 

On a serious note the E was created to avoid VHL expansion (which imagine you came to today and realised you had 4 too many teams in the VHL, so implementing the E remains justified) - if the numbers don't support it then the E can come and go as needed.

[Alex 3,198]

Short answer: yes

 long answer: yes, because recruitment has been minimal for about 3-4 seasons now… contracting the M doesn’t really work because if recruitment does their job there won’t be enough teams for the people joining, deleting the E actually solves a lot of problems, but recruitment is still needed

[frescoelmo 1,276]

TBH blame @Moon