WO2014110364A2

WO2014110364A2 - Fantasy league across multiple sports

Info

Publication number: WO2014110364A2
Application number: PCT/US2014/011037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Geoffrey Daniel KOTT; Nathan Mathis COELEN
Original assignee: Pool Of Ages, Ltd.
Priority date: 2013-01-10
Filing date: 2014-01-10
Publication date: 2014-07-17
Also published as: WO2014110364A3

Abstract

The fantasy league across multiple sports includes a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and a plurality of fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports. The fantasy league across multiple sports further includes a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category that includes either athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. The fantasy draft includes the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports.

Description

FANTASY LEAGUE ACROSS MULTIPLE SPORTS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research or Development

[0001] This application is not the subject of any federally sponsored research or development.

The Names of the Parties to a Joint Research Agreement

[0002] There have been no joint research agreements entered into with any third parties. Field of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a rotisserie style fantasy league across multiple sports with customizable scoring.

Description of the Related Art

[0004] In general, fantasy sports are contests where persons compete based on a scoring system that takes into account the accumulated statistics and/or performance of professional athletes chosen as part of a fantasy team. Fantasy sports leagues are outlets available to users who want the experience of managing a professional sports team. From humble origins in the mid-twentieth century, when it was merely a competition among a small group of friends, fantasy sports have developed into a billion dollar industry. Millions of people currently participate and play in fantasy sports leagues and competitions, offering enormous economic opportunity for fantasy sports providers. Beyond the economics of the leagues themselves, fantasy sports leagues are now a cultural phenomenon that motivates viewers to watch professional sports beyond those games that involve or impact their favorite teams or athletes. This has value to the sports leagues through increased viewership (in person, on television and other media, and online), and in the form of advertising and other sales on fantasy sports internet websites (e.g., fantasy league and fantasy news websites), sports websites (e.g., ESPN, CNNSI, sports team websites, and the like), and the like. Today, managing fantasy sports teams has become more efficient because of computers, software, and the internet.

[0005] Fantasy sports leagues are competitions between contestants. The winners of the competition are based on the accumulated statistics of individual athlete performances in particular sports, such as home runs hit in baseball, or touchdowns scored in football.

Beyond this general definition, there are many variations of fantasy sports. In some instances, the contestants participate in a draft process so that no two contestants can have the same players on their teams. The drafts are often in the form of a "snake" draft, where participants take turns drafting players from a fixed order in a back-and-forth serpentine or "snake" format. In snake drafts, players disappear from the draft board and participants waiting for their draft turn lose the opportunity to draft that player. Fantasy sports drafts may also be in the form of an "auction" draft, where participants are given a preset budget and they bid on players that are assigned a preset value. In other instances, the contestants are given a bankroll and can choose common players, but the total value of the contestant's team cannot exceed their total bankroll.

[0006] In some competitions, players play head-to-head over a certain predetermined period of time. If a competitor accumulates better statistics in that time period than an assigned opponent, they earn a victory, but the statistics have no other value. These are known as "head-to-head" leagues. In a head-to-head league, the points are reset for the next matchup with fantasy owners attempting to win the most matchups against the competitors in the league throughout the season. In other competitions, the statistics are accumulated over the course of a season or other defined time period and are the basis for a contestant's standing in the league. These are known as "rotisserie" or "roto" leagues. In typical rotisserie leagues disclosed in the prior art, the "owners" draft a team from a list of players from a single sport and make similar decisions that a real sports manager would make based on, among other things, an athlete's health and expected performance. Throughout the fantasy sports season, the points awarded, which are based on statistics earned by the athletes/players, are aggregated to determine the winning fantasy owner.

[0007] Both head-to-head leagues and rotisserie leagues are incredibly popular with fantasy sports spanning a number of different sports leagues (e.g., NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, English Premier League, NASCAR, Formula 1, Champions League, etc.). Most fantasy leagues disclosed in the prior art have owner's rosters that are composed of individual players within the same sport and at the same level (e.g., amateur, pro, college, etc.). Additionally, there have been some leagues that allow owners to select individual players from the same sport across different levels of play, or some leagues that allow owners to select different individual players across different sports. However, there are no fantasy sports leagues that allow owners to draft franchises/teams and players across multiple sports and manage these teams in a league format, and there is a growing need for such an invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a rotisserie style fantasy league where the owners can draft individuals and franchises/teams across a number of different sports/levels with a user-defined scoring system. Additionally, the embodiments of the present invention allow a fantasy owner to draft a team comprising individuals and franchises, and manage their team in a league format. For the reasons provided above, it is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a fantasy sports league that allows owners to draft franchises/teams and individual players across multiple sports, and manage their team in a league format.

[0009] The embodiments of the present invention include a fantasy league including a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and a plurality of fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players comprise individual athletes and sports franchises, where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. The fantasy league further includes a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, where the category comprise athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. A slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete, and a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise. In order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in. The fantasy draft includes the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports.

[0010] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league including a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, and where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. The fantasy league further includes a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, and where the category may include athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. A slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete, and a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise. In order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in. The fantasy league further includes rotisserie style scoring that accrues points awarded to a fantasy owner throughout a fantasy season, where the scoring is customizable through either default scoring or user defined scoring. Additionally, the fantasy league includes an option of selecting other sports not included in the categories of the slots, where a selection in the other sports may be selected by more than one owner. The fantasy league further includes a bench that may include additional sports franchises/athletes who may substitute in for a

franchise/athlete in the same category, where the fantasy owners can substitute/bench fantasy players. Additionally, the fantasy league includes a disabled list for injured athletes. The fantasy draft includes the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports, where a franchise or an athlete cannot be selected more than once during the fantasy draft, where the categories and slots are customizable, and where the fantasy owners can add/drop fantasy players before a specified cutoff date.

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention further include a fantasy league including a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, and where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. In the fantasy league there are a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, where the category includes either athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. A slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete, and a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise. In order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in. The fantasy league further includes rotisserie style scoring that accrues points awarded to a fantasy owner throughout a fantasy season, where the scoring is customizable through either default scoring or user defined scoring. Additionally, the fantasy league includes an option of selecting other sports not included in the categories of the slots, where a selection in the other sports may be selected by more than one owner. The fantasy league further includes a bench that may include additional sports franchises/athletes who may substitute in for a franchise/athlete in the same category, where the fantasy owners can substitute/bench fantasy players, and thus the fantasy owners are able to edit their roster, where the bench has a limited number of slots. Additionally, the fantasy league includes power plays and a disabled list for injured athletes. The fantasy draft includes the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports, where a franchise or an athlete cannot be selected more than once during the fantasy draft. The fantasy league further includes that the categories and slots are customizable and the categories further include individual athletes and/or sports franchises across multiple levels (e.g., pro, college, amateur, minor league). In the fantasy league, fantasy owners can add/drop fantasy players before a specified cutoff date, and the default scoring changes based on the time of the year and the information currently available to the public regarding athletes and sports franchises.

[0012] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of playing fantasy sports, including providing a platform to allow a fantasy owner to select a fantasy team through a fantasy draft. The fantasy draft includes selecting fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. The method of playing fantasy sports further includes providing a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, where the category comprise athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. Additionally, the method of playing fantasy sports further includes: providing a platform to fill in a slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete with an individual athlete;

providing a platform to fill in a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise with a sports franchise; and assigning points to the fantasy team for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot.

[0013] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of playing fantasy sports including drafting a fantasy team, where the drafting includes a fantasy owner selecting fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, and where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. The method of playing fantasy sports further includes filling in a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, where the category comprise athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. The method of playing fantasy sports further includes filling in a slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete with an individual athlete, and filling in a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise with a sports franchise. The method of playing fantasy sports also includes receiving points for the fantasy players' performances in a particular slot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Preferred features of the embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings. The figures filed herewith generally depict a fantasy league where the owners can draft individuals and franchises/teams across a number of different sports/levels with a user defined method of scoring. Specifically, most of the figures filed herewith show wireframes of a website according to an embodiment of the present invention. These wireframes show the different aspects of the embodiments of the present invention including, but not limited to, a user choosing individuals/athletes/players and

teams/franchises across multiple sports and a commissioner choosing the number of points awarded for different categories. Another figure filed herewith shows sample results of a fantasy draft according to an embodiment of the present invention. An additional figure filed herewith shows a sample fantasy league scoring sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Preferred features of the embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1 is a wireframe of a pick'em page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a wireframe of a player news page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a wireframe of an add confirmation page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 is a wireframe of an add/drop page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 is a wireframe of an add confirmation page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 is a wireframe of a players page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 is a wireframe of a league home page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 8 is a wireframe of a public league list page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 9 is a wireframe of a public league list page according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0025] Figure 10 is a wireframe of a create league page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 11 is a wireframe of a create league page according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0027] Figure 12 is a wireframe of a create league page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 13 is a wireframe of a public home page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 14 is a wireframe of a how to play page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 15 is a wireframe of a join team page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 16 is a wireframe of a join team page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 17 is a wireframe of a public join page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 18 is a wireframe of a public league detail page according to an

embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 19 is a wireframe of a public login page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 20 is a wireframe of a public pick' em games page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 21 is a wireframe of a public sign-up page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 22 is a wireframe of a commissioner add/edit teams page according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0038] Figure 23 is a wireframe of a commissioner add/edit sports page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 24 is a wireframe of a commissioner draft page according to an

embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 25 is a wireframe of a commissioner enter picks page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 26 is a wireframe of a commissioner league settings page according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0042] Figure 27 is a wireframe of a commissioner overview page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 28 is a wireframe of a commissioner power play page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 29 is a wireframe of a commissioner roster page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 30 is a wireframe of a commissioner scoring page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 31 is a wireframe of a commissioner sports page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 32 is a wireframe of a commissioner teams page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 33 is a wireframe of a commissioner transactions page according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0049] Figure 34 is a wireframe of a contact page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 35 is a wireframe of a dashboard league owner page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 36 is a wireframe of a dashboard league owner page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 37 is a wireframe of a dashboard player logged in page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 38 is a wireframe of a dashboard player logged in page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 39 is a wireframe of a league and team creation page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 40 is a wireframe of an invitation to join league page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 41 is a wireframe of an event detail page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 42 is a wireframe of an event (hover) page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 43 is a wireframe of an events list page according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0059] Figure 44 is a wireframe of a power play results page according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0060] Figure 45 is a wireframe of a power play page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 46 is a wireframe of an events calendar page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 47 is a wireframe of a league information - announcements page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 48 is a wireframe of a league information - draft recap page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 49 is a wireframe of a league information - sports and scoring page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 50 is a wireframe of a league information - trades page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 51 is a wireframe of a delete league page according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0067] Figure 52 is a wireframe of a leagues page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 53 is a wireframe of a my profile page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0069] Figure 54 is a wireframe of a my teams (actions) page according to an

embodiment of the present invention;

[0070] Figure 55 is a wireframe of a my team page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0071] Figure 56 is a wireframe of a my team page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] Figure 57 is a wireframe of a my team page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0073] Figure 58 is a wireframe of a my team page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0074] Figure 59 is a wireframe of a my team - trade page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0075] Figure 60 is a wireframe of a my team page according to an embodiment of the present invention; and [0076] Figure 61 is a wireframe of a my team page according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein.

Rather, these illustrated embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0078] In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures. Additionally, in the following description, it is understood that terms such as "first," "second" and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

[0079] The embodiments of the present invention include a rotisserie style fantasy league where the fantasy owners (i.e., the competitors) can draft individuals (i.e., athletes) and teams (i.e., franchises) across a plurality of different sports/levels with a user defined method of scoring. For example, the below listed categories are potential categories that an owner would need to select for a fantasy league according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, each owner can select only one team/individual in each category, and no team/individual in a category can be selected twice. In each of the categories shown below, a point value is assigned for each team/athlete performance. In the embodiments of the present invention there will be a default scoring system, or in the alternative, a scoring system that is completely customizable by a user/commissioner. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention include a default scoring method and a customizable scoring method. As used in this application, the commissioner is the person that establishes the fantasy league and either customizes the settings, or accepts default settings. The commissioner may also manage a team (or teams), manage the team owners (including but not limited to selecting the number of participants), provide awards and prizes, customize settings and rules, define the league schedule/season, and perform any other function that would be known to one skilled in the art to be performed by a fantasy league commissioner.

[0080] The below listed categories are simply an example of the main

sports/categories/athletes a commissioner may select in an embodiment of the present invention. It is understood that a commissioner may omit categories shown below and/or add other categories as the commissioner sees fit. Additionally, the scoring shown below is shown as an example only. As stated above, the embodiments of the present invention include completely customizable scoring and settings, where a user/commissioner may select any scoring and point values as they see fit.

[0081] League A - Main Sports / Categories:

NBA Team - (Playoffs - 20, Division - 20, Best Record - 20, Conference Finals - 20, Finals - 30, Champ - 40);

MLB Team - (Playoffs - 20, Division - 20, Best Record - 20, Conference Finals - 20, Finals - 30, Champ - 40);

NHL Team - (Playoffs - 20, Division - 20, Best Record - 20, Conference Finals - 20, Finals - 30, Champ - 40);

NFL Team - (Playoffs - 20, Division - 20, Best Record - 20, Conference Finals - 20, Finals - 30, Champ - 40);

Men's College Basketball Team - (#1 seed - 40, #2 seed - 30, #3 seed - 20, #4 seed - 10, Sweet 16 - 20, Elite Eight - 20, Final Four - 20, Final - 20, Champ - 30);

Women's College Basketball Team - (#1 seed - 40, #2 seed - 30, #3 seed - 20, #4 seed - 10, Sweet 16 - 20, Elite Eight - 20, Final Four - 20, Final - 20, Champ - 30);

Men's Division I FBS College Football Team - (Sagarin/USA Today Rating +, BCS Bowl -10, National Champ Game - 20, Champ - 30);

Men's College Baseball - (Host Regional - 10, Win Regional - 20, Win Super Regional - 20, Semis - 10, Final - 20, Champ - 30);

WNBA Team - (Conference - 10, Playoffs - 10, Semis - 10, Finals - 10, Champ - 20);

Premier League Team - (League points + 30 for first, 20 for second, and 10 for third);

Champions League Team - (Quarters - 20, Semis - 30, Final - 20, Champ - 20);

MLS Team - (Best Record - 10, Playoffs - 10, Semis - 20, Finals - 20, Champs - 20); Country for Winter or Summer Olympics (if applicable during fantasy season) - (5 points for each gold medal, 3 points for each silver medal, 1 point for bronze medal);

Country for Men's or Women's FIFA World Cup (if applicable during fantasy season) - (Sweet 16 - 10, Quarters - 20, Semis - 20, Final Game - 20, Champ - 30);

Rugby 7's Team - (Hong Kong 7's Cup Winner - 40, HK Cup Runner Up - 20, HK Plate - 10, HK Bowl - 5, End of Season standings (1st - 50, 2nd - 30, 3rd -

10));

[0082] League A - Main Sports / Categories Continued:

NASCAR Driver - For each of the following races: Daytona, Pocono, Talladega, Atlanta - (Win - 20, Second - 10, Top 5 - 5);

NASCAR Driver - For the final Sprint Cup Standings (1st - 30, 2nd - 20, 3rd - 10);

Formula 1 Driver - For each of the following races: Australia, Monaco, European, Italian, and Brazilian - (1st - 20, 2nd - 10, 3rd - 5);

Men's PGA Golfer - Final World Ranking (1st - 30, 2nd - 20, 3rd - 10);

Men's PGA Golfer - Each of the major tournaments (Players Championship, The Masters, British Open, US Open) - (winner - 30, top 5 - 20, top 10 - 10);

Men's and Women's Professional Tennis Player - Final World Ranking (1st - 30, 2nd - 20, 3rd - 10);

Men's and Women's Tennis - Each of the major tournaments (US Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open) - (winner - 30, runner-up - 20, 3rd and 4th - 10 pts); and

NCAA Women's College Volleyball - (Sweet Sixteen - 10, Elite Eight - 10, Final Four - 20, Championship Game - 20, Champion - 20).

[0083] League A - Main Sports / Categories Continued (individual sports players):

NFL Quarterback - (Total passing yards /45);

NFL Running Back - (Total rushing yards /10); NBA Basketball Player - (Total points scored /20);

NHL Hockey Player - (Total points (goals and assists));

MLB Pitcher - (Total strikeouts 12); and

MLB Positional Player - (Total Home Runs * 2).

[0084] Other potential sports categories include, but are not limited to:

NCAA Women's College Softball; and

Country for Cricket World Cup.

[0085] Along with the main sports (examples of which are shown above), in an embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy league will include the option of having other sports or individual statistical categories selected throughout the year, where a team may be selected by more than one owner. Examples of these include, but are not limited to:

Little League World Series - select one international and one US team;

Heisman Trophy - select potential winners at the beginning of the season;

Tour de France - select potential winners;

Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Preakness - select horses;

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Boxing matches - select winners of bouts; and

Indianapolis 500 - select driver to win the race.

[0086] The listings above for both the main categories and the other sports selected throughout the year are not all inclusive. Additionally, the categories provided in the drawings filed herewith are not all inclusive. As stated above, categories and sub categories can be added/subtracted as a commissioner deems appropriate. For example, in the categories shown above a NASCAR driver category is provided with four races that are assigned point values (Daytona, Pocono, Talladega, Atlanta). However, a commissioner may elect to include more races, less races, different races, etc. Additionally, a commissioner may elect different point totals or assign different point categories (e.g., assign points for top ten finishes or whether a driver gets into an accident). Moreover, a commissioner may elect to eliminate this category altogether. [0087] Additionally, point values and scoring assigned to each category and sub category are completely customizable and need not adhere to the scoring shown above or the scoring included in the drawings filed herewith.

[0088] In an embodiment of the present invention, the interface and database are built to allow new sports/individuals to be added by the developers rather quickly. In an embodiment of the present invention, regardless of the sports selected, the sports and scoring will be entirely decided by the commissioner of the league, and the commissioner has the option to choose default settings. The default settings may be, for example, the scoring shown above.

[0089] In the embodiments of the present invention, when setting up the league the commissioner will, among other things, select: (1) the sports categories included in the league, and (2) the number of points to be assigned for each such selected category.

Throughout the season the points will be distributed/allocated to fantasy owners and aggregated across every category, with the winning owner being the team with the most aggregate points at the conclusion of the fantasy league season. In other words, in an embodiment of the present invention, the scoring is based on the rotisserie league style of scoring.

[0090] The embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fantasy sports league that includes individuals/athletes and teams/franchises across multiple sports. The embodiments of the present invention further include scoring that is flexible enough so the commissioner can choose the number of points awarded for different categories. A fantasy owner's fantasy team will include a plurality of fantasy players. As used throughout this application, a fantasy player is an element drafted by a fantasy owner, and a fantasy player may be in the form of individuals/athletes or teams/franchises across multiple sports. Thus, as used in this application, the fantasy players on a fantasy team of the embodiments of the present invention include not only individual athletes, but sports franchises as well.

[0091] As depicted in the figures showing the website wireframes, an embodiment of the present invention includes "Power Plays." A Power Play is a feature that is meant to keep the interest of the fantasy owners, in which an owner may attempt to choose the outcome/winner of a specific future event, or choose a competitor for a specific future event (or series of events). The Power Plays may be a "pick'em" style game, which is well known to one skilled in the art. Typically, the Power Plays will be utilized during major sporting events, which will occur periodically throughout the fantasy season. For example, in one of golfs major championships, a user may have to select a specific number of golfers (for example, five), where the lowest aggregate score or the highest earnings wins. Additionally, a Power Play may include a bracket to fill out for March Madness (i.e., the NCAA Men's or Women's basketball championship tournament). Points obtained from Power Plays may be added to the fantasy owner's season total of points. In another embodiment of the present invention, points obtained from Power Plays may be separately accumulated for another purpose. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, points obtained for an individual Power Play or series of Power Plays may yield a prize, an advantage in the fantasy league, or the like. Thus, as used in this application, Power Plays are any "games," well known to one skilled in the art, which are outside of the normal point tabulation of the fantasy league from the fantasy draft, in which a fantasy owner/participant may choose the result or a series of results or stats from particular major sporting events or the like.

[0092] In the embodiments of the present invention, one of the purposes of the Power Plays as described above is to incorporate sports and events that are difficult to include in a standard fantasy sports setting. For example, Power Plays can be used to incorporate horse races into the embodiments of the present invention (e.g., the Triple Crown). Horse races are typically difficult to include in a fantasy sports draft because the participating horses are often not known until closer to post time. The Power Plays allow users to participate and use their knowledge and skill to accumulate points/prizes/awards for sports and events on a more realtime basis. Again, similar to the categories and points described above, the Power Plays are completely customizable.

[0093] In the embodiments of the present invention, a fantasy owner will be able to edit their roster. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention a team will be required to have one or two NBA players and/or one or two NFL players. A fantasy owner can, before a specified point in time, add/drop/bench these players, for example, if a player is injured. The add/drop period may be set by the commissioner in the embodiments of the present invention and may be, for example, monthly, quarterly, or daily. Additionally, the embodiments of the present invention may allow a fantasy owner to add/drop entire franchises before a specified time period. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a fantasy owner can add/drop franchises during the first quarter or first half of the fantasy season. In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a cutoff date before which you can add/drop a franchise. [0094] In the embodiments of the present invention, the duration of the fantasy season is customizable, or a commissioner may elect to choose a default fantasy season. The default fantasy season may change automatically based on the time of year a fantasy league is initiated.

[0095] In the embodiments of the present invention, there are certain categories or "slots" that are preferably filled in order for the fantasy owner to compete in the league. These slots may include, for example, the categories listed above. There may be a "bench" in an embodiment of the present invention that may include additional franchises/individuals who may substitute in for a franchise/individuals in the same category. The bench may have a limited number of slots. In an embodiment of the present invention, for example, there are 25 categories, where each category is a sport or individual player, and each category has one slot that is preferably filled by a fantasy owner.

[0096] The fantasy draft for the fantasy league according to the embodiments of the present invention may take place at anytime during the year. However, it may be ideal to have the draft occur during a slower time of the year for sports. For example, the draft may occur in the weeks before the MLB All-Star Break. During this time of year, there is not too much information available on MLB, and it is before the start of major sports seasons, including but not limited to the NFL, NBA, NHL, Premier League, and Champions League seasons. Additionally, in the embodiments of the present invention, if the draft takes place in the middle of a sports season (e.g., the mid-way point of the MLB season), statistics may only accrue from that point forward (e.g., home run totals only accrue for the second half of the season for MLB players). In other words, in the embodiments of the present invention, only future events for each category have points that may count toward a fantasy owner's total points. Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the default settings may change based upon the time of the year and the information currently available to the public. For example, the default number of points for the best record in MLB may be 30 points if the draft is before the start of the MLB season, but only 10 points if the draft is after the All-Star Break. The embodiments of the present invention will have computer programs that can identify the time of year of the draft, and assign the correct number of default points to each category based on that time of year. However, regardless, a commissioner shall be able to amend the number of points awarded for different categories (i.e., the points awarded are customizable). [0097] The fantasy draft for the fantasy league according to the embodiments of the present invention may be in the form of a "snake" draft, an auction draft, or any other type of draft that is known to one skilled in the art. In a snake draft, the first round is drafted in a specified order. The order is then reversed at the end of each round so that the manager with the first overall pick does not maintain this advantage in every round (e.g., in the second round, the specified draft order is reversed so that the fantasy owner who made the last pick in the first round gets the first pick in the second round and so forth). In an auction draft, each fantasy owner has a set budget that they must use to fill out the team's roster.

[0098] In the embodiments of the present invention, it can be seen that the fantasy draft is very important to the outcome of the fantasy league. Because the draft may take place during a particular sport's season, part of the relative value of a draft pick will be based on where teams are currently standing as per the point in time of the draft. Hence, this performance knowledge plays largely into a fantasy owner's draft strategy.

[0099] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, there a "disabled list" (DL) for injured players. The DL may allow a fantasy owner to own more players than is typically allowed if the player was not injured. This feature allows a fantasy owner to substitute in a player for the injured player without having a detrimental effect on the reserve players an owner might have for other positions/categories.

[00100] It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments of the present invention may include any and all of the features of fantasy sports leagues that are known or will be known in the prior art. For example, the draft according to the

embodiments of the present invention may take place online or offline (where information from offline drafts are typically entered into a computer network system upon completion by a user(s), while online drafts typically have the information automatically entered into the league database in substantially real time). Moreover, the embodiments of the present invention may include, but are not limited to including, trades, waivers, waiver wires, injured reserves, chats, e-mail capability, avatars, logos, pictures, video capability, statistical tracking capability, projections, odds, voting capability, auctions, money records, and the like.

[00101] The embodiments of the present invention further include methods of playing fantasy sports and methods of providing a platform to play fantasy sports according to the embodiments of the present invention. For example, the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented using a computer coupled to a computer network, e.g., the internet. One skilled in the art would understand that, in an embodiment of the present invention, an internet website may include the programming and software to offer users the fantasy league as described herein. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are directed to both systems and methods for carrying out the fantasy sports league as described herein.

[00102] The embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fantasy league including a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and a plurality of fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, and where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. The fantasy league further includes a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, and where the category may include athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. In the fantasy league, a slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete, and a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise. In order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in. The fantasy draft includes the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports, where a franchise or athlete cannot be selected more than once during the fantasy draft, and where the categories and slots are customizable.

[00103] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, further including rotisserie style scoring that accrues points awarded to a fantasy owner throughout a fantasy season.

[00104] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the categories further include individual athletes and/or sports franchises across multiple levels (e.g., pro, college, amateur, minor league).

[00105] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the scoring is default.

[00106] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the scoring is customizable through either default scoring or user defined scoring.

[00107] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, further including an option of selecting other sports not included in the categories of the slots, where a selection in the other sports may be selected by more than one owner.

[00108] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, further including power plays.

[00109] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the fantasy owners are able to edit their roster.

[00110] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the fantasy owners can add/drop fantasy players before a specified cutoff date.

[00111] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, further including a bench that may include additional sports

franchises/athletes who may substitute in for a franchise/athlete in the same category, and where the fantasy owners can substitute/bench fantasy players.

[00112] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the bench has a limited number of slots.

[00113] Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, where the default scoring changes based on the time of the year and the information currently available to the public regarding athletes and sports franchises.

[00114] Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a fantasy league as described above, further including a disabled list for injured athletes.

[00115] The embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fantasy league including a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, and where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. The fantasy league further includes a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, and where the category may include athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. A slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete, and a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise. In order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in. The fantasy league further includes rotisserie style scoring that accrues points awarded to a fantasy owner throughout a fantasy season, where the scoring is customizable through either default scoring or user defined scoring. Additionally, the fantasy league includes an option of selecting other sports not included in the categories of the slots, where a selection in the other sports may be selected by more than one owner. The fantasy league further includes a bench that may include additional sports franchises/athletes who may substitute in for a

[00116] The embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fantasy league including a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners, a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team, and fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, where the fantasy players include individual athletes and sports franchises, and where the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports. In the fantasy league there are a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, where each slot is assigned a specific category, where the category includes either athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises. A slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete, and a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise. In order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in. The fantasy league further includes rotisserie style scoring that accrues points awarded to a fantasy owner throughout a fantasy season, where the scoring is customizable through either default scoring or user defined scoring. Additionally, the fantasy league includes an option of selecting other sports not included in the categories of the slots, where a selection in the other sports may be selected by more than one owner. The fantasy league further includes a bench that may include additional sports franchises/athletes who may substitute in for a franchise/athlete in the same category, where the fantasy owners can substitute/bench fantasy players, and thus the fantasy owners are able to edit their roster, where the bench has a limited number of slots. Additionally, the fantasy league includes power plays and a disabled list for injured athletes. The fantasy draft includes the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports, where a franchise or an athlete cannot be selected more than once during the fantasy draft. The fantasy league further includes that the categories and slots are customizable and the categories further include individual athletes and/or sports franchises across multiple levels (e.g., pro, college, amateur, minor league). In the fantasy league, fantasy owners can add/drop fantasy players before a specified cutoff date, and the default scoring changes based on the time of the year and the information currently available to the public regarding athletes and sports franchises.

[00117] As discussed above, in the embodiments of the present invention, it can be seen that the fantasy draft is fundamental to the outcome of the fantasy league. Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention includes pre-draft rankings. The pre-draft rankings include a plurality of fantasy players (i.e., individuals/athletes and/or teams/franchises across multiple sports) that may be drafted by a fantasy owner for their fantasy team. The pre-draft rankings may comprise data including, but not limited to, the average draft position of that fantasy player for that fantasy season (and/or previous fantasy seasons or time periods), projected fantasy points of the fantasy players (which may be based on a default scoring system or a customizable scoring system, depending on the settings), or the like. Using these rankings, fantasy owners may determine which fantasy players are trending up or trending down, and this "trending" information may also be displayed in the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, as a by-product of the drafting process, an embodiment of the present invention develops a database that reveals, in real-time, which teams and athletes are "hottest" at any given point in the calendar year. This user-generated feedback will provide relative value insights not just among athletes within a given sport, but among all of the sports included in the embodiments of the present invention. This ranking data has substantial economic value to marketers and sponsors, e.g., in an embodiment of the present invention that is run through a medium with advertising.

[00118] The rankings included in an embodiment of the present invention may also include real-time rankings of fantasy players that can be used by a fantasy owner before, during, or after the fantasy draft (i.e., during the fantasy season).

[00119] The embodiments of the present invention further include software that can update the rankings according to a particular scoring system being utilized by a particular fantasy league. Additionally, in the embodiment of the present invention where the default scoring changes based on the time of the year and the information currently available to the public regarding athletes and sports franchises, the rankings will also change based on the same criteria. [00120] In an embodiment of the present invention, fantasy rankings continually update throughout the fantasy season, and these updates may occur in real-time. Criteria used for fantasy rankings may include, but are not limited to, the skill level of athletes (or athletes on a team), teammates, schedules, injury information, personal information, coaching, projected team gameplans, past team gameplans, past performance, statistical trends, and rumors.

Claims

CLAIMS WE CLAIM:

1. A fantasy league comprising:

a plurality of fantasy teams owned by fantasy owners;

a fantasy draft that allows the fantasy owners to select their fantasy team; a plurality of fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, wherein the fantasy players comprise individual athletes and sports franchises, wherein the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports; and

a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, wherein each slot is assigned a specific category, wherein the category comprise athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises,

wherein a slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete is filled in by an individual athlete,

wherein a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise is filled in by a sports franchise,

wherein, in order for a fantasy owner to receive points for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot, the slot is to be filled in, and

wherein the fantasy draft comprises the fantasy owners selecting individual athletes and sports franchises across multiple sports.

2. The fantasy league according to claim 1, wherein a franchise or athlete cannot be selected more than once during the fantasy draft.

3. The fantasy league according to claim 1, wherein the categories and slots are customizable.

4. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising rotisserie style scoring that accrues points awarded to a fantasy owner throughout a fantasy season.

5. The fantasy league according to claim 1, wherein the categories further comprise individual athletes and/or sports franchises across multiple levels (for example, pro, college, amateur, minor league).

6. The fantasy league according to claim 1, wherein the scoring is based on a default scoring method.

7. The fantasy league according to claim 1, wherein the scoring is customizable through either default scoring or user defined scoring.

8. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising an option of selecting other sports not included in the categories of the slots, wherein a selection in the other sports may be selected by more than one owner.

9. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising power plays.

10. The fantasy league according to claim 1, wherein the fantasy owners are able to edit their roster.

11. The fantasy league according to claim 10, wherein the fantasy owners can add/drop fantasy players before a specified cutoff date.

12. The fantasy league according to claim 10, further comprising a bench that may include additional sports franchises/athletes who may substitute in for a franchise/athlete in the same category, wherein the fantasy owners can substitute/bench fantasy players.

13. The fantasy league according to claim 12, wherein the bench has a limited number of slots.

14. The fantasy league according to claim 6, wherein the default scoring changes based on the time of the year and information currently available to the public regarding athletes and sports franchises.

15. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising a disabled list for injured athletes.

16. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising an interface for a fantasy owner to manage their fantasy team.

17. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising a database that allows new sports/individuals to be added by developers of the fantasy league.

18. The fantasy league according to claim 1, further comprising a commissioner that selects sports categories included in the fantasy league, and points to be assigned for each such selected category.

19. A method of playing fantasy sports, comprising:

providing a platform to allow a fantasy owner to select a fantasy team through a fantasy draft, the fantasy draft comprising selecting fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, wherein the fantasy players comprise individual athletes and sports franchises, wherein the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports;

providing a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, wherein each slot is assigned a specific category, wherein the category comprise athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises,

providing a platform to fill in a slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete with an individual athlete,

providing a platform to fill in a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise with a sports franchise, and

assigning points to the fantasy team for their fantasy players' performances in a particular slot.

20. A method of playing fantasy sports, comprising:

drafting a fantasy team, wherein the drafting comprises:

a fantasy owner selecting fantasy players that make up a roster of the fantasy team, wherein the fantasy players comprise individual athletes and sports franchises, wherein the athletes and the franchises are across multiple sports;

filling in a designated number of slots on each fantasy team, wherein each slot is assigned a specific category, wherein the category comprise athletes, positions of athletes on sports teams, or sports franchises,

filling in a slot assigned a category of an athlete or a position of an athlete with an individual athlete,

filling in a slot assigned a category of a sports franchise with a sports franchise, and receiving points for the fantasy players' performances in a particular slot.