Fantasy game system and method

Abstract

An on-line, multi-player internet based application that is adapted for playing fantasy sports, for example, football in which scoring is determined on a team functional unit basis rather than on an individual player basis, with a pre-determined set of actions associated with each fantasy team functional unit, pre-determined values associated with each such action, and corresponding actions from real-life football team functional units resulting from real-life football games used to determine fantasy football team unit values, fantasy football team scores and fantasy football league rankings.

1 . A method for playing a fantasy football game on a multi-player, internet-based computer implemented application comprising:
 joining a fantasy football league having a plurality of fantasy teams, a plurality of fantasy units and a fantasy football team computer software scoring algorithm;   said fantasy football league corresponding to a real-life football league;   each of said fantasy teams having a plurality of fantasy units;   selecting each of said fantasy units from the group consisting essentially of an offensive run unit, an offensive pass unit, a defensive line unit, a defensive secondary unit, a defensive special team unit, a punting team unit, a field goal unit and a kick-off unit;   associating each of said selected fantasy units with a corresponding real-life football team unit of a real-life football team in said real-life football league;   associating at least two of said selected fantasy units with corresponding units of two different real-life football teams;   said scoring algorithm comprising a pre-determined plurality of events associated with each of said fantasy units and a pre-determined value for each of said plurality of events;   collecting data for events from real-life football games for real-life football teams corresponding to said plurality of events associated with each of said fantasy units; and,   applying said pre-determined value for each of said plurality of events to said data to determine a point value for each event for each selected fantasy unit based on said data from said real-life football game.   
     
     
         2 . An on-line, multi-player internet based system for playing a fantasy football game in a fantasy football league and determining league standings in said fantasy league with fantasy football team scoring based on values associated with performance of team units instead of based on individual team player comprising:
 a presentation layer comprising a fantasy football internet website, a plurality of user-interface terminals and capability for access to said internet by said internet website and by said user-interface terminals;   said fantasy football internet website adapted for communication with said internet, adapted for communication with a plurality of data feeds and comprising a fantasy football application logic layer;   said application logic layer comprising a server, a database and computer-implemented software adapted for fantasy football team unit draft management, fantasy football league management, real-life football teams, real-life football games, a real-life football game line of scrimmage for each of said real-life football games, a goal line, yard lines for each of 1 to 50 yards from each of two goal lines, fantasy football teams, real-life football league and fantasy football league statistics processing, real-time fantasy football team scoring, communication between said server and said database, communication between said server and said fantasy football internet website, communication between said draft management and said internet access, and communication between said server and said data feeds;   said plurality of data feeds comprising injury, news and real-life football game statistics feeds;   said plurality of user-interface terminals including at least one commissioner interface and a plurality of team owner interfaces;   said computer-implemented software adapted for said fantasy football team real-time scoring comprising an algorithm adapted to process:
 a plurality of user-selected fantasy football teams, each of said user-selected teams comprising a plurality of players and a plurality of user-selected player units; 
 said user-selected fantasy player units selected from the group consisting essentially of an offensive run unit, an offensive pass unit, a defensive line unit, a defensive secondary unit, a defensive special team unit, a punting team unit, a field goal unit and a kick-off unit; 
 an association of each of said user-selected selected fantasy player units with a corresponding real-life football team unit; 
 said algorithm requiring said association to have at least two of said user-selected fantasy units associated with corresponding units of two different real-life football teams; 
 a plurality of pre-determined events associated with each of said user-selected fantasy units and a pre-determined value for each of said plurality of events; 
   a data collection obtained from said real-life football game statistics feeds for events from real-life football games for real-life football teams corresponding to said plurality of pre-determined events associated with each of said user-selected fantasy units;   application of said pre-determined value for each of said plurality of events to said data collection to determine a fantasy point value for each event for each user-selected fantasy unit based on said data collection for each of said real-life football games; and,   addition of each user-selected fantasy team unit point total for each user-selected fantasy team unit for each user-selected fantasy team to yield a user-selected fantasy team score for each of said user-selected fantasy teams corresponding to each real-life game for said real-life football league; and,   said computer-implemented software adapted for statistics-processing including a statistics algorithm comprising a tabulation of each user-selected fantasy team score for each user-selected fantasy team to determine league standing statistics for said user-selected fantasy teams in said fantasy football league.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said offensive pass unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 a first down; 
 a first down resulting from a pass on a fourth down; 
 a pass completion rate greater than 60%; 
 a zero-sack game; 
 average yards per attempt greater than seven; 
 a completed pass greater than twenty-yards and each ten-yard increment for each completed pass greater than twenty-yards; 
 team receptions greater than twenty and for each reception by a single team player greater than five; 
 team passing of two hundred twenty yards or more and for each twenty-five yard increment for team passing greater than two hundred twenty yards; 
 a team drive including more than ten plays per drive; 
 number of team punts; 
 number of yards per attempted punt; 
 number of sacks; 
 number of three and out; 
 number of turn-overs on downs; 
 pass completion rate of less than 60%; and, 
 each one % of pass completion rate less than 60%. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said offensive run unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 first downs; 
 first downs made on a fourth-down run; 
 greater than 120 yards of team rushing; 
 every 5-yard rushing increment; 
 every team rush of greater than 27 yards; 
 every individual player rush of greater than 20 yards; 
 average rushing yards per carry greater than 4 yards; 
 every ½ yard average rushing yards per carry greater than 4 yards per carry; 
 every 10+ play drive; 
 number of punts greater than 4 in a game; 
 number of zero-yard plays; 
 number of loss of the ball after the 3 rd  down; 
 number of negative yardage plays; 
 team average yards per carry less than 4 yards per carry; 
 every ½ yard average rushing yards per carry less than 4 yards per carry; and, 
 number of turn overs on downs. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said defensive line unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 each stuff at or behind a line of scrimmage, except for any incomplete pass; 
 number of forced punts; 
 number of forced punts greater than 4; 
 number of sacks; 
 number of takeaways 
 each 10-yard increment per takeaway; 
 each touchdown scored by said defensive unit; 
 number of recoveries of the ball from opponent after 3 rd  down; 
 opponent average yards per carry less than 4 yards; 
 every yard less than 4 for opponent average yards per carry less than 4 yards per carry; 
 number of instances of holding opponent yards to less than 7 yards per attempt; 
 number of yards less than 7 for each instance of holding opponent yards to less than 7 yards per attempt; 
 holding opponent to less than 22 total offensive points; 
 each point less than 22 for holding opponent total offensive points to less than 22; 
 shutout of opponent; 
 holding opponent to less than 110 yards rushing; 
 every 5 yard increment less than 110 for holding opponent to less than 110 yards rushing; 
 4th down stop; 
 give up a 4th down conversion; 
 number of solo runs by an offensive player greater than 20 yards per carry; 
 each 10-yard increment of yards greater than 20 yards per carry for each solo run by an offensive player greater than 20 yards per carry; 
 allowing more than 120 yards rushing; 
 each 5-yard increment for yards more than 120 yards rushing by opponent; 
 allowing average yards per carry greater than 4 yards; 
 each yard increment more than 4 for allowing average yards per carry to be greater than 4; 
 allowing more than 7 yards per attempt average; 
 each yard increment greater than 7 for allowing more than 7 yards per attempt average; 
 each individual opponent rusher with more than 20 carries; 
 giving up more than 300 passing yards; 
 each 10-yard increment more than 300 for giving up more than 300 passing yards; 
 allowing more than 28 offensive points to opponent; 
 each point more than 28 for allowing more than 28 offensive points to opponent; and, 
 each opponent drive of 10 or more plays. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said punting unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 each instance of a punt of 37 or more yards, net; 
 each yard over 37 yards for each instance of a punt of 37 or more yards, net; 
 each instance of a no return on a punt or a called fair catch on a punt; 
 each instance of a punt to a point between the 15-yard line and the goal line on the opposing side of the field; 
 each yard closer to the goal line on the opposing side of the field than the 15-yard line on the opposing side of the field for each instance of a punt to a point between the 15-yard line and the goal line on the opposing side of the field; 
 average opponent punt return of less than 9 yards; 
 each yard less than 9 for average opponent punt return of less than 9 yards; 
 each instance a touchdown is scored by the punting unit; 
 opposing team punt return average is more than 9 yards; 
 each 5-yard increment over 9 yards for opposing team punt return average of more than 9 yards; 
 each instance of a punt of less than 30 yards net; 
 each 1-yard increment less than 30 yards for each instance of a punt of less than 30 yards net; 
 each blocked punt; 
 each blocked punt that is returned for a touchdown; 
 each instance of an individual return of a punt greater than 30 yards; and, 
 each 10-yard increment over 30-yards for each instance of an individual punt return of greater than 30 yards; 
 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said defensive secondary unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 opponent pass completion average is less than 60%; 
 each percentage point below 60% for opponent pass completion average less than 60%; 
 each instance of an interception; 
 each increment of 5 yards net return for each said instance of an interception; 
 each touchdown on an interception; 
 allowing a maximum of 2 touchdowns on passes; 
 allowing a maximum of 1 touchdown on a pass; 
 allowing no touchdown on a pass; 
 each instance of a fumble recovery; 
 each 5-yard increment for a return of a fumble recovery each touchdown for a return of a fumble recovery; 
 opponent passing yards total are less than 210 yards; 
 each 10-yard increment of less than 210 yards for opponent passing yards total less than 210 yards; 
 average yards per completion less than 11 yards; 
 each 1-yard increment for average yards per completion of less than 11 yards; 
 no solo reception greater than 20 yards; 
 total opponent receptions is less than 19 catches; 
 each opponent reception less than 19 catches for total opponent receptions less than 19 catches; 
 each 20-yard or greater opponent pass completion; 
 each 10-yard increment over 20-yards for each 20 yard or greater opponent pass completion; 
 average yards per completion greater than 12 yards; 
 allowing more than 220 yards passing by opponent; 
 each increment of 25-yards for allowing more than 220 yards passing by opponent; 
 each instance of giving up a touchdown on an opponent play of 30 yards or greater; 
 each 5-yard increment greater than 30 yards for each instance of giving up a touchdown on an opponent play of 30 yards or greater; 
 opponent pass completion rate greater than 60%; 
 each percentage point greater than 60% for opponent pass completion rate greater than; 
 giving up 3 pass touchdowns; and, 
 each opponent pass touchdown more than 3 touchdowns. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said defensive special teams unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 each instance of a blocked point after touchdown; 
 average punt return of more than 9 yards; 
 each 5-yard increment of average punt return of more than 9 yards; 
 average kickoff return of more than 22 yards; 
 each 10-yard increment of average kickoff return of more than 22 yards; 
 each instance of a blocked field goal; 
 each instance of a blocked punt; 
 each instance of a return kick off for a touchdown; 
 each instance of a return punt for a touchdown; 
 each instance of a return field goal for a touchdown; 
 each instance of an individual return of more than 30 yards; 
 each 10-yard increment of for each instance of an individual return of more than 30 yards; 
 average punt return of less than 9 yards; 
 average kickoff return of less than 22 yards; and, 
 giving up an onside kick. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of pre-determined events associated with said kicking unit is selected from the group consisting essentially of:
 opponent average return is less than 22 yards; 
 each 1-yard increment of opponent average return that is less than 22 yards; 
 each instance of an onside kick attempt; 
 each instance of a made point after touchdown; 
 each instance of a made field goal that is less than 39 yards; 
 each instance of a made field goal of 40-49 yards; 
 each instance of a made field goal of 50-59 yards; 
 each instance of a made field goal of 60 or more yards; 
 each touchdown; 
 a game winning field goal with less than 2:00 minutes remaining in the football game and the goal is made from less than 35 yards from the goal line; 
 a game winning field goal with less than 2:00 minutes remaining in the football game and the goal is made from 35 or more yards from the goal line; 
 each 1-yard increment greater than 35 for a game winning field goal with less than 2:00 minutes remaining in the game and the goal is made from 35 or more yards from the goal line; 
 opponent return average is greater than 22 yards; 
 each instance of a kick off returned for a touchdown; 
 each instance of a missed field goal from a distance of less than 40 yards from the goal line; 
 each 5-yard increment of less than 40 yards from the goal line for each instance of a missed field goal from a distance of less than 40 yards from the goal line; 
 each instance of a blocked field goal; 
 each instance of a blocked point after touchdown; 
 each instance of a missed point after touchdown; 
 each instance of a blocked field goal attempt returned for a touchdown; 
 a missed game winning field goal with under 2:00 minutes remaining and less than 35 Yards from the goal line; and, 
 each 1-yard increment of less than 35 yards for a missed game winning field goal with under 2:00 minutes remaining and less than 35 yards from the goal line.