System And Method for Managing Fantasy Sports Teams and Leagues

Abstract

A method of using, computer software implementing, and a system for allowing a fantasy sports contest application to provide to a user the ability to substitute bench players for active players prior to or during a corresponding live game. The method is implemented by computer software executed on a system comprising plurality of computers, including: a user interface, a player performance stats tracking mechanism configured to track stats from each player's game, a game clock reader that reads a game clock from each player's game, a database configured to store game clock times and player stats, including player active and inactive statuses, a substitution mechanism configured to substitute a bench player for an active player, a point tallying mechanism configured to tally points based on active player stats, and a stats projection update mechanism configured to provide real-time player stats projection updates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer software for using a fantasy sports contest application to provide to a contestant the ability to substitute bench drivers for active drivers while a corresponding live motorsports event is in progress, where the computer software is executed on a plurality of computers, including a user interface, in conjunction with memory, bus elements and network, the computer software comprising:
 code establishing a driver performance stats tracker, configured to track stats from each driver;   code establishing a driver performance stats predictor, configured to provide real-time predictions of future driver performance stats, including real-time predictions of future driver fantasy points, and real-time updates of performance stats predictions for each driver;   code establishing a database housed on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, wherein the database is configured to store driver stats, including driver active and inactive statuses, and predicted driver performance stats;   code establishing a points counter to tally points obtained by each contestant based on performance stats achieved by each driver that a contestant has designated as active during a given motorsports event; and   code enabling the contestant to substitute a bench driver for an active driver at a time during the live motorsports event using one or more real-time driver stats and real-time driver performance stats predictions, including real-time driver fantasy points predictions.   
     
     
         2 . The medium of  claim 1  additionally comprising code enabling substitution of a bench driver for an active driver, wherein the threshold trigger acts on one or more driver performance parameters, including number of pit stops. 
     
     
         3 . The medium of  claim 1  additionally comprising code performing substitution of a bench driver for an active driver based on a change in status of a starting driver from active to out. 
     
     
         4 . The medium of  claim 2 , additionally comprising code performing substitution of a bench driver for an active driver using the driver performance threshold trigger, further comprising the following formula: real-time driver stats predicted for an active driver, Driver A, are less than driver stats predicted for a bench driver, Driver B. 
     
     
         5 . The medium of  claim 1  additionally comprising code providing a position place holder if the user moves a driver from active status to bench or out status without substituting a bench driver for an active driver's position. 
     
     
         6 . The medium of  claim 1  wherein the motorsport event comprises any motorsport event based on competition between drivers or between teams of drivers. 
     
     
         7 . A system for managing a fantasy motorsports league, comprising:
 a database storing a plurality of fantasy drivers;   a plurality of user interface devices connected to the database over a network, wherein the user interface is configured to enable a contestant to select a fantasy team of fantasy drivers and wherein the selections made through the interface on the user interface devices are stored in the database; and   one or more servers comprising a cloud-based driver performance stats provider;   a driver performance stats tracker configured to track driver performance stats from each driver;   a database housed on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, wherein the database is configured to store driver performance stats, including driver active and inactive statuses, and predicted driver performance stats;   a substitution mechanism enabling substitution of a bench driver for an active driver at a time during a live motorsports event, competition or other event using one or more real-time driver stats, real-time driver stats predictions and real-time driver fantasy points predictions;   a fantasy points tallying mechanism enabling accrual of points obtained by each contestant based on performance stats achieved by each driver that a contestant has designated as active during a given motorsports event; and   a driver stats projection real-time update mechanism providing real-time predictions of future driver performance stats, including real-time predictions of future driver fantasy points, and real-time updates of performance stats predictions for each driver.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the substitution mechanism further enabling substitution of a bench driver for an active driver, wherein the threshold trigger acts on one or more driver performance parameters, including number of pit stops. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the substitution mechanism further performs substitution of a bench driver for an active driver based on a change in status of a starting driver from active to out. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the substitution mechanism further performs substitution of a bench driver for an active driver using the driver performance threshold trigger, further comprising the following formula: real-time driver stats predicted for an active driver, Driver A, are less than driver stats predicted for a bench driver, Driver B. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface devices is a mobile phone. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fantasy league server sends notifications to the mobile phone via one or more of a text message and a voice message. 
     
     
         13 . A method for managing a fantasy motorsports league, comprising:
 providing a plurality of fantasy drivers on a database;   connecting a plurality of remote user interface devices to the database over a network;   receiving input from one of the plurality of user interface devices using an interface to select one or more fantasy drivers;   storing the selections made through the interface on the user interface devices on the database, comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable media;   providing driver performance stats from each driver to a driver performance stats tracker;   storing on the database driver stats, including driver active and inactive statuses, and predicted driver performance stats;   tallying fantasy points obtained by each contestant based on performance stats achieved by each driver that a contestant has designated as active during a given motorsports event;   providing driver performance stats predictions, driver fantasy points predictions, and updates to the same in real-time;   substituting a bench driver for an active driver during a live motorsports event using one or more real-time driver stats and real-time driver performance stats predictions, including real-time driver fantasy points predictions; and   notifying, via the fantasy league server, any of the plurality of user interface devices that a change to the selected fantasy drivers has been made.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface devices is a mobile phone. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein notifying the mobile phone of one contestant through one or more of a text message and a voice message. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein substituting a bench driver for an active driver is performed using the threshold trigger acting on one or more driver performance parameters, including number of pit stops. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein substituting a bench driver for an active driver is performed using a change in status of a starting driver from active to out. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein substituting a bench driver for an active driver is performed using the driver performance threshold trigger, further comprising the following formula: real-time driver stats predicted for an active driver, Driver A, are less than driver stats predicted for a bench driver, Driver B. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface devices is a mobile phone. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the fantasy league server sends notifications to the mobile phone via one or more of a text message and a voice message.