View source for UFFLWiki:Rules

<p style="text-align: center;">'''UFFL 2021'''</p>

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Official Rulebook'''</p>

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Version 3.0'''</p>

<p style="text-align: center;">'''2021.05.04 - (c) itsamadworld919'''</p>

[[File:Wiki-background|thumb]]

==Introduction==
Hello, friend! Thank you for interest in the UFFL. We are happy to have you with us! My name is MadWorld (~itsamadworld919 on FurAffinity) and I am a co-founder of the UFFL. If you are wondering the real-world reason as to why this league exists, we have to go back to late 2013. I had just moved from Wisconsin to California, and it was late fall / early winter. As an sports and a furry fan, I submitted two draftees into the FBA (Furry Basketball Association), which has been around since 2008. Unfortunately this first attempt of entering the draft failed, but I privately wondered why there were Basketball and Hockey fantasy furry leagues (the FHL, in case you're wondering), but NOT the #1 most-watched sport in North America. Where was the FFL? I would've been all over that!!

I later learned there were several attempts to make one in the past, but both went dead as quickly as they had started. Therefore, it was time to try again - the third time is the charm, after all.

It wasn't easy. It took a lot of analyzing and planning. After many months, I was ready to debut my league to the furry sports world... But wouldn't you know it: there were TWO furry football leagues  kicked off in May 2014: the FAFF, and the UFFL. 

Both were ambitious projects with similar premises and reasons for existence. My  baby was the FAFF - my friend, ~ketchthedonkey, had teamed up with five other community members to start the UFFL. When I discovered that there was another league with a better ground start, I already knew I had lost. The FAFF project was too ambitious, and I had no close friends to support it. It was disappointing, having spent months organizing and preparing to announce the work I had done.

So, in an act of desperation, I reached out to Ketch and told him the situation. And that's when my tragic heartbreak turned into glee: he decided it was best to team up and go at this thing together. 

And so, here we are! It's been years since our first season, but we've already accomplished the largest goal - getting a football league started. Our work has inspired so many talented furry fandom members to get creative, and we are forever grateful for that!

Running this football league can be a challenge at times. There are more players on football teams than basketball teams, and so the number of characters is larger. There's also many more rules to account for, and Free Agency season can be a headache. But with some preparation and attention, we all enjoy the fandom and the game together.

The UFFL (United Furry Football League) is a league of completely anthropomorphic / furry animals playing for the ultimate prize - fame, fortune, and the Rocswood Trophy! Comprising 12 teams in its inaugural season, the league now comprises 16 teams and runs a 17-week regular season schedule. Our league is open to any and all who are interested... AS LONG AS you follow the Rules stipulated below.

The PLAYER SUBMISSION form is open year-round, and the UFFL Draft is usually held in the late Summer / early Fall. Creating a player is easy, and it is free for everyone to join!

The TEAM APPLICATION form is only open at specific times, which will be announced in the UFFL Discord. To join our server, please visit ____

The league is designed so that you can involve yourself in many different ways, anywhere from managing a couple of players as an Agent, to managing every aspect of an entire team. It really is up to you.

==The UFFL World==
SO. What, exactly, is the UFFL at heart?

That question can be best answered by describing its inhabitants. The in-canon (IC) UFFL is a bunch of managers, agents, players, and fans who participate in a furry version of American football. The out-of-canon (OOC) UFFL love to create stories, art, and developments using the characters who are part of the league. Similar to the NFL and its wild antics, much of the same behavior can be expected in the UFFL. It's really up to you, the creative mind, to join our community and explore our characters' stories! Sometimes its best to start by reading about some of the players in the league on our Wiki website (which you are currently on - go figure).

The UFFL is in its own furry Universe. This Universe exists in the same world with the '''Furry Basketball Association''' ('''FBA'''). The FBA was founded about five years prior to the UFFL, and we wouldn't exist without them, so basically we are following the trails of their "pawprints". The Furry Australian Football League ('''FAFL''') also exists in the same world. We owe it to them for our success so far - thus, we share the same universe. It's important to know about '''[http://wiki.furrybasketball.net/index.php?title=FBA_Universe The FBA Universe]''' before reading the main points of the UFFL Universe. But, if that's not your cup of tea - here's a short synopsis:

* Our world is ENTIRELY anthropomorphic animals / "furries". NO HUMANS.
* It is the same world as Earth. Everything is the same. Just furries instead of humans.
* Most of the products and names of things in the Universe are similar but with their name altered to avoid copyright infringement. [http://wiki.furrybasketball.net/index.php?title=Real_Life_Counterparts Follow this page] for more information.
* There are "hybrids", but they are extremely limited and must be realistic. Ask a member or the UFFL Commissioner for more information.
* There are [http://wiki.furrybasketball.net/index.php?title=FBA_Universe_Culture some guidelines to culture] as well. These are aligned with the FBA and FAFL. Proposing an UFFL culture guideline that is separate from the FBA is permitted*.

Although this is a short list, it should get you started with enough information to move forward. It's really not so difficult to fit into... If you're much more into the super-powered, one-of-a-kind take-over-the-world type furry who will take to the field with his eight-foot long Pegasus wings and go undefeated in their rookie season, this is not the league for you.

The '''FHL''' ('''Furry Hockey League''') and '''FLB''' ('''Furry League Baseball''') are close friends and supporters of the UFFL, but they have different 'universe' guidelines or character possibilities that the UFFL does not. We suggest you check both of these leagues out if you are interested! They offer a close-knit group of furry community members as well. 

'''Furmula One''' (similar to F1) also exists, for those into racing sports.

==The UFFL Constitution==
'''[http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5749239/ CLICK HERE]'''

==UFFL Roles==
So, you've decided you wanna come join us. Fantastic!! PLEASE COME SAY HI! :D
The '''biggest''' opportunity for you to get involved is to become a GM (General Manager) or HC (Head Coach) in the league. Although there are a limited amount of GM/HC positions available, this is as close to running a real football team as you can get in the furry fandom, and there are unlimited opportunities to create players and other characters within the UFFL universe.

===General Manager===
There is one (1) general manager for every team in the UFFL. A general manager handles releases, signings, and trades.

When a GM position is open, we will report it to the public. For more on what it means to be a general manager for a team, [http://faff.wikia.com/wiki/Team_Manager_SOP click here].

Contributors can only be the GM for one team at a time. The GM is not allowed to be the HC of a different team.

===Head Coach===
There is one (1) head coach for every team in the UFFL. A head coach determines the game strategy and player lineup for each game. If a certain player is needed (due to injury or story reasons), the head coach communicates this to the GM, who then looks to sign or trade.

The GM and HC can be the same person, but the GM can elect/nominate an HC to the position. The HC is not allowed to be the GM of a different team.

===Agent===
The '''best''' opportunity to become involved is to become an agent. The moment you create a player for the league, you become their agent. An agent manages the player - guaranteeing they get their fair share of game starts within the league '''(in canon, or IC)''', create content for their character outside the league '''in real life (or OOC)''', and establish their personality as a character in a "story", of sorts.

In the event of severe inactivity by the agent or agency, management of the player is assumed by the league.

To learn more about becoming an Agent, click here.

===Commissioner===
There can be up to three (3) commissioners who head UFFL operations. They run the UFFL twitter feed, report updates on the UFFL FurAffinity page and UFFL Discord, and evangelize the league outside its boundaries. They are solely responsible for the success or decline of the league. The Commissioner can ultimately make decisions, but must receive the okay from at least one other Commissioner. Commissioners must also abide by strict activity rules.

==Teams==
The UFFL is comprised of sixteen teams (as of 2021). Each team was pre-developed in 2014 (Season 1) as a "starting point" for members to join in and manage a full team of players.

As each Season goes forward, it is highly encouraged that league members develop their own teams. As you spend more time in the UFFL, more flexibility will be granted if you wish to change your team's name, location, colors, and more. Basically, you need to prove that you are devoted and interested in sticking around in the community. Depending on the success of the UFFL, we may add additional teams.

Just like real life, team consist of 53 players. This is something that, at the current time, means most of the team's roster contains '''NPCs (non-personal characters)'''. This is something we cannot fix.

Part of the job of a GM (General Manager) is managing injuries and changing rosters so that you have enough healthy players to start each week.

The types of positions in the UFFL are: QB, RB, FB, TE, WR, G, T, C, DT, DE, LB, CB, FS, SS, K, & P. On each team, these positions are filled by NPCs generated by the simulator, or '''custom-created players''' from the furry community.

The HC can create a Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, and Special Teams Coordinator character for their team. The Head Coach's role is similar to the GM, but they are given additional control of every facet of the coaching strategy. The GM has the authority to select their HC, and all GMs and HCs can control their team's coaching strategies, or control all coaching positions on their own.

If the GM neglects to represent their team during the regular season (6 weeks of absence or longer), the Team Manager position will be a) held to a vote where the league may choose to elect a new GM, or b) taken over by UFFL management until a new situation or GM situation can be negotiated. The person who replaces the neglectful General Manager will need to receive a 2/3 majority vote by the UFFL Committee to be accepted into the position. In the interim, the Committee manages all necessary issues relating to that team on a maintenance-level basis.

The team's defensive style (3/4 or 4/3) may influence how many defensive linemen or linebackers your roster requires. This may be changed at any point during the season without penalty, but rosters must have the appropriate number of players available.

The league uses a simulator (Draft Day Sports: Pro Football) to run games and create results. There are a few things that the simulator controls. It may randomly apply an injury to a player, or call a timeout during an in-game simulation at an inopportune time. Injuries may not affect a player's ability to play, but in rare cases they can end the season for a player. If your player is injured against your will and you would like to appeal the injury, please contact a Committee member.

==Players==
Each team comprises players, and these players are either NPCs or custom-created players by Community members. GMs and HCs are free to change and alter the names of any NPC, as long as they have not played for more than 3 years IC, and they are not owned by a member of the Community. This must be done before Week 1 of the season.

Players are furry, which means they can be anthropomorphic versions of any species. Typically vertebrates or creatures with two arms, two legs, and optionally a tail are suited best for player species.

You can choose any species for any position, but it is sometimes fun to consider the 'type' of position they play when choosing a species, as this can affect the ability of a player to perform well (Does a rhino make for a good wide receiver? Probably not. A cheetah, however, would be an amazing wide receiver.)

Characters of any gender/identity are allowed and accepted. There is no discrimination here!

If nobody "owns" the player (i.e. if the person who created the character has left the Community permanently), please contact a Committee member if you wish to adopt the player as your own. If approved, you may do what you wish with that character, within realistic limitations.

'''<u>We know some people will not listen, so I will specify here: Species NOT allowed are anything partially human; there are NO humans in this universe. No Pokémon or Digimon. Nothing that is part of a real-world franchise. Mythical beings are allowed, but discouraged. Real-world species are VERY MUCH preferred!</u>'''
*The limitations on height, weight, and hometown consist of weight: 150-375 lbs, Height: 5'8'' - 6'8'', and Hometown is restricted to real-world locations. These settings do not greatly affect simulation.
*'''IMPORTANT''': Once you create the player, you "own" the rights to that player's existence. If you decide they are going to retire, they will retire. The only rights you do not own are:
**The team manager has the ability to bench, sit, release, or trade your player at will without prior notification.
**The owner of the player has the right to begin a "Holdout" session if treated unfairly (Read below.)

==Creating Content==
If you wish to participate in the league, it is highly encouraged that you create content. Content is what makes the world go round; it's what makes the league amazing! Imagine an imaginary world without images and stories to tell you what the world is like... this is what the UFFL is unless you contribute content to it.

The primary content needed to contextualize a UFFL team are:
* A default team logo (500 x 500 pixels min.) - The GM or HC may redesign the logo at will. Acceptance of the design is under discretion by the Committee. No profane, offensive, or unjustifiable material is allowed.
* A default team color scheme - usually three colors - with matching Hexidecimal codes.
* A team name - this is locked for the entire season, and no multiples allowed (there cannot be two teams with the same name). In addition, no mascot or team name may be borrowed from the FBA or FHL and used in the UFFL. Keep the name realistic. 
** "Dragons" or "Warriors" are common team mascot names that will likely be accepted. Using mythical species or non-specific species type names is preferred. 
** "Lizards" and "Warhawks" are okay and would be accepted but because they reference specific species, they aren't encouraged.
** Something like the "Trashbins" is going to be denied. Let's be real here.
* A home city - The location of this home city is locked for the season, and is limited (at this time) to Canadian and United States locations in 2015 and beyond. Teams may be affected by the typical weather of that city, unless you play in a Dome. When reassigning the city, only one team per city is allowed. Your team may have multiple home cities, but they should be realistically close to each other (example: Tallahassee and Orlando). A change in home city must be approved by a Commissioner.
* A stadium name and type - You have the freedom to create and design a stadium for your team. Usually this stadium has an affect on the way your team plays and performs in games, so be careful! Choices are Turf (Dome) and Grass (Open-Air) stadiums.
* The 26 starting players - As previously stated, each team receives 53 players on their roster. It is up to the GM to determine which 26 of the 53 are starting for the team during any given week.
* The names and species of the coaches - The characters, such as their names and species, can be changed before any new season as long as they realistically fit into the Universe canon. These changes must be approved by a Commissioner.
*Newly-created players - Any players created during a regular season are placed immediately into Free Agency. These players can be signed to a team if:
**The player is approved by Committee
**The player does not cause the destination team's salary cap to be exceeded

==Creating a Player==
The UFFL closely follows the rules of the universe of the FBA. Please be aware that '''no players or characters who are currently playing in other leagues (as of October 26, 2014) are allowed to enter the UFFL Draft, nor are they allowed in the UFFL.**''' It is especially focused on FBA and FHL players who play their seasons during the same period as the UFFL, and it would be unrealistic/impossible for a character to play in two sports at once. 

The character you submit must be at least 30% different than another character or person within the league.

*Some players were granted a pass to this rule because they were submitted into the UFFL prior to October 26, 2014.

===Submission Form===
To access the 2021 UFFL Rookie Draft Submission form, [https://forms.gle/vZ2m87H9xjRd5znN7 click here].

===Guidelines===
Here are some of the things you should consider for your new player character:

* '''Player characters CANNOT be personal characters''' (this includes your personal fursona). They have to be original characters created from scratch.
* Come up with a unique (but realistic) name and species for your player. There are a lot of canines and felines already in this league, and a name like [http://wiki.furrybasketball.net/index.php?title=John_Smith John Smith] is... yeah, not very catchy. Think outside the box and look up different animal species on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]. If you need help finding a good name for them, sites like [https://www.behindthename.com Behind the Name] are great resources for first and last names.
* Many players pick up the sport at an early age (between 5 and 13 years old). Write about how they got into the sport, whether it was through family, friends, or a certain endorsement for the sport.
* Write about their success and failures in the sport. There are no '''[https://www.springhole.net/writing/whatisamarysue.htm Mary Sues ]'''in the league, so writing only positive things about your character is not going to help them get into the UFFL. Be realistic!
* Players can't be good at everything. If they have strengths in one aspect, they have weaknesses in another. Balance out your character so that they have a strength a team might need and an aspect of their game they have to improve on. We love character development in this league, and it's up to you on how they should develop. Again, keep it real.
* When they get to college, pick a school from the existing [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qpgwSTCF0wjZom7W8bVAf0jpNYgt9XNWMqkRdb5JcrE/edit UFFL Colleges] page, or make up your own! Your player can come from anywhere in the world where there is an established league or collegiate-level competition. Many players go through some type of competition to get them noticed by UFFL scouts. ''(Note: If you want your player to be part of an established university, and the university has a creator who "owns" the rights to that university, be sure to ask the creator of that institute for details.)''
* Be sure that your player falls within these restrictions:
** Players cannot be any taller than 6'9".
** Players generally should not have more than 5 limbs (2 arms, 2 legs, 1 tail.) They must secure extra limbs in place so as to not impede gameplay or the character’s safety. In example, a two-tailed character must bind both tails together into one "tail" in order to fall under the 5-limb rule, or a player with wings must bind them to the body as to not provide extra reach/blocking ability beyond their two hands. (This rule is the same as with the FBA, and will change/update when their rule updates.)
** Players are real species, believable hybrids, or simplistic mythical species (gryphon, dragon). No humans, and no taurs! Refer to the [http://wiki.furrybasketball.net/index.php?title=FBA_Universe FBA Universe page] for more information.
* Players cannot be heavier than 375 pounds, or less than 150 pounds.
* Players cannot be poisonous; poison is basically considered obsolete in our league. (This differs slightly from FBA rules.)

* All players go through a processing period before they are considered for the draft, so take the time to make your players awesome! There are some players who get rejected because their story is unrealistic-sounding or not developed enough to be considered. However, we will be as lenient as possible for new creators.

===Player Background===
The player's backstory, in many ways, is the most important part of your Submission. Take your time and make sure to get it right. Here's why: we don't have an idea of how good your player is while they are in college or elsewhere. There is a very high likelihood that your character won't have any stats to them until shortly before the draft, depending on how much setup for the next season is desired. As such, when the General Manager (GM) is deciding who they want on their team, they only have your character's position, their backstory, and anything you do with that character. Even still, the backstory is the first glimpse that any GM will have as to who your character is unless you spend a lot of time building them up from stories.

'''If there are any discrepancies in your backstory that violate the universe set by the UFFL, your player may not be accepted into the league.'''

This is especially true for quarterbacks. We get a lot of people who want their player to be the leading quarterback, which makes this a highly-competitive position. Only the best backstories for QBs are considered - this may mean you have to change your player's position to become eligible for the Draft. And remember, with ''at least'' 32 candidates, we expect a good number of the candidates are going to be left undrafted. The more time you spend developing them, the better your chances are in getting into your preferred team.

A good background gives the reader a very clear understanding of where your player is coming from, how they grew up in life, and why they decided to go into a life of American football. This does three things for the GM.

* It lets the GM know what kind of player would they be getting. They can decide how good a fit your player may be with the team they have. If someone gets into a lot of fights and is extremely confrontational, while it is good for drama and story, it is not generally good for team cohesion and thus GMs may choose to ignore such problematic characters.
* It lets the GM know what they can potentially expect from you, the owner of the player. Though writing stories for your character is not mandatory, they are appreciated - and if the background clearly shows effort involved with a complex character, the GM knows there's a really good chance you could end up writing up an interesting story involving your player.
* Seeing as the UFFL intends to become a larger, collaborative project, other people may want to use your character in their stories. The better idea you provide of what your player is like, the easier it is for them to write. In addition, the more willing you are for your character to be interacted with and exchanged with for ideas, the likelier they are to fit well within the UFFL.

===Character Details===
When creating your character, before coming up with anything else, the first thing anyone should decide on is '''what position they want their player to play''' (helps make cohesion with the background easier) and '''what species they are'''.

For species, as you read above, real-world species are fair game. The more believable the species is (no crazy hybrids, mythical creatures, characters with unrealistic fur colors, etc.) the better. Why? It's easier for story cohesion and believability.

The FBA created the Underwood Rule for their league, which states that as a means of promoting diversity in the league (so you don't have a team with nothing but wolves) each team is only allowed a maximum of 5 players per species family (Canines, Cervines, Felines, Avians, Rodents, etc.). Similarly, the UFFL allows no more than 40% of a team to be of a certain species family. This roughly adds up to 18 players (as of 2015). However, it should be noted that the UFFL has not enforced this rule yet.

If they go over that number, they are in breach and are liable to automatically losing a character of the Commissioner's choice from their team. Does this mean you should avoid making a canine or feline character? No. There are tons of wonderful characters whose stories are so much better despite what they are.

Furthermore, when browsing the list of players on this Wiki, you will see that they have been pre-categorized for your convenience. People will be able to see what position your player is playing, what their name is, and what their species is, once they are accepted for the Draft. An interesting-enough species choice will get people a bit more interested to check out your character.

After species and position, you have skill ratings. Player ratings and behavior may affect their playability; in the Player Submission Form you are asked several questions regarding what their positive and negative skillsets are. This makes it easier for them to be submitted into the simulator we use. You are encouraged to think up what your player's strengths and weaknesses are before submitting them. 

A best practice is to study players in the NFL to understand the type of build and body a character would typically have for that position. This is EXTREMELY important, as the simulator may account for weight and height. In real life, many animals weigh more than humans, but we're using human-size dimensions here.

==Drafting==
Starting in the Spring months, the Player Submission Form opens up to any community member to submit a player for the Draft. This gives you the opportunity to create and submit your own character to be a player in the UFFL. Each user (whether you are already a GM, agent, or a new community member looking to get into the league for the first time) is allowed to submit up to eight (8) characters per draft.

Do you need to learn a little about American Football before you submit a player? [http://www.ducksters.com/sports/footballplayerpositions.php Here's a good breakdown of what each position does on a team].

Several steps happen between the opening of the submission form and Draft Day (this could change):

* The Submission form opens
* 2-week warning of submission closure
* Submission closure date (due midnight in Pacific (West-Coast USA time))
* Rookie Combine 
* Player Ratings released
* Draft Week announced
* Draft Pick Order due from GM
* Draft Day!

The Draft is tentatively set to take place, in a normal year, around late July to early August. A draftee that is submitted after the submission closure date may be accepted depending on circumstantial evidence, but otherwise they will be saved to be signed after the Preseason starts. '''''If you can prove you were working on your submission as the due date was passed, we will still accept the submission within reasonable time.'''''

If the league decides to add expansion teams, they will have first picks of the season. Otherwise, the order of the draft is determined by the team record from the prior season. Teams with the lowest number of wins last season will pick first, followed by the next-lowest, all the way to the most. At the end of that "round", the picks will cycle again.

There will always be at least four rounds in the draft, but depending on the success of custom-created player submissions, this number may be lower.

Because the UFFL consists of managers from all ends of the earth (as far away as England), and each GM and HC are busy with life and school and work and such, the draft process has to be different from professional sports. There is a live draft held (the streaming service is always subject to change), and GMs who are unable to attend the live draft may submit their Draft Pick Order list (of 20 players) to the Commissioner. This list is required from each GM, and is due two days prior to the live draft. From this list, players will be selected depending on the priority you have given them. The Commissioners will be as fair as possible in making these selections for you if you cannot attend.

==Simulation==
In the UFFL, "simulation" stands for the tool we use to create the game results for each week in the UFFL. Otherwise, we would have to pick and choose who won and who lost!

In 2014, the simulator used was "American Football Simulator 2012 v.2", developed by Timothy Sharpe.

In 2015, the new simulator was "Pro Football Simulator," developed by Barcode Games.

In 2017, Barcode Games became Wolverine Studios, and the simulator is now known as "Draft Day Sports: Pro Football". A new version of the simulator is released annually with cosmetic and practical updates. The way the UFFL simulates their games is affected by changes to the simulation.

GMs use spreadsheets to update their rosters, make depth chart changes, and develop a custom coaching philosophy for the upcoming game.

A Team's '''Coaching Strategy''' changes how a team is simulated. A team can change this at any time, and it is the Commissioner's duty to incorporate those changes before each game. 

It is the job of the Head Coach (HC) - and sometimes the GM - to tailor their coaching strategy based on the strengths and weaknesses of their teams and opponent. These are the changeable Coaching Strategies:

*<More information will be available once the details of the simulator are outlined.>

==Game Days: How do we football?==
Good question!

The date of the simulated games is shared by the Commissioner at the beginning of each season, and is linked on the main Fur Affinity page for public viewing. Each week the game results are posted to Fur Affinity and Discord. If the General Manager (GM) or Head Coach (HC) need to edit their roster, it must be done no later than 14:00 PST (17:00 EST) on the day of the game's simulation. For anyone not in North America... you essentially get a few more hours. :)

After the simulations are run, check out the Statistics website (https://uffl.neocities.org/) for ongoing updates. The game scores will be posted there first. Then, the actual game results, their stats, and each player's stats will be updated in the Wiki. Later, a summary of the game results will be posted in a Fur Affinity journal. The simulator also generates full game reports, which are found on the Neocities site. They are not the easiest to read, but they detail each and every single play and score. The league as a whole can help you understand them if anyone has questions. 

The Statistics pages on the Wiki accumulate all the stats from these games and stores them in a database. It may take a few days for it to change, but statistics display the most important player information for you to make decisions about your players.

At some point after the games are simulated each week, the Fur Affinity journal entry is posted with the game results and a sentence summary regarding the outcome of the game. This may come in handy, as key players and moments from the game could be mentioned - giving you an idea on how well certain players are performing (rather than having to resort solely to statistics.)

NOTE: Every week, there is a chance that a game could be "showcased" for livestream viewing. We have not done this in years, with the exception being the Fur Bowl, but who knows!

==Roster Management==
Starting team rosters can be seen at the following link at any time by anyone: [https://www.unitedfurryfootball.com/wiki/Teams Teams]. This is occasionally updated throughout the season and allows non-GMs access to roster information.

===GM Mastersheet===
A Google Doc '''Mastersheet''' serves as a portal for every team's GM and HC. It lets them update team management information, who is listed on the starting roster, and how each team should execute plays. If you are an Agent, it is suggested you keep an eye on your player to ensure they are getting their fair share of game starts! The HC is under no obligation to start your player or forewarn you of their bench status.

===Free Agency===
Over the course of a season, a manager may want to get a new player on their team, or get rid of a player who is performing poorly. At the moment, the player can be released. This can happen at any time until the last week of the regular season. A player can be traded up through the 3/4-point of the regular season. If the GM wants to release a player, they must contact a Commissioner.

===Transactions===
When a GM is unhappy with a player, they may trade or release a player. This is considered a Transaction. A page containing all Transactions is maintained on the Wiki, and each team's page lists changes in the roster lineup on the Neocities site. 

If the player was created by someone who is active in the Community, the GM must notify the Agent of the player if they plan to release or trade them. Failure to do so will result in denial of the transaction. 

A trade transaction must be approved by the GMs involved and at least one Commissioner.

*'''NOTE:''' GMs do not need to notify the Agent if the player is an NPC - these are players that were created by the simulator, so they can be dealt with at will.

In the event that the player is owned by an active Agent, the released player is held on "Waivers" for three days, during which this time other GMs may make offers or requests to sign the player. If the player is not picked up during that period, they are moved to the available list onf the Free Agency page.

'''Regarding Trades:''' Any two GMs (or three or more, in a multi-team deal) are allowed to negotiate a trade. When they come to terms, they must simply notify a Commissioner of the proposal. UFFL GMs reserve the personal right to deny the trade up until notifying the Commissioner. Trades are usually accepted by the Commissioners, unless the Commissioner determines the trade would sabotage one team to beef up another, sticks a starting player in a bench role on purpose in favor of starting a second-string character, or other scenarios that are intended to be detrimental to the league. A trade is considered final when it is posted to the Transactions page.

If you believe someone has tampered with your Mastersheet, Wiki webpage, or other materials, contact the Commissioner immediately!!

==Player Growth and End-of-season Retention==

THIS SECTION NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED BY PYTHOS

It is expected that, over time, your player will become better at playing the game. Then, at a certain point, the player will decrease in playability. This is called "player growth" or "regression". Outside of natural growth and regression, players can change how well they play in a couple different ways.

End-of-season Renew:
* After each season, the Simulator makes changes to each player on the team. Depending on the age and skillset of the player, some will greatly progress - and others may regress. Some players may retire due to age. The Commissioners review all retirees to ensure no player is retiring too early.

Player of the Game:
* Each week, the winning team is given a Player of the Game award. The player who achieves this statistic will be bumped up 1 point skill in each category. The Player of the Game is listed on the Schedule Google Doc (under 'Weekly'). If a player tops out at 100 points in any category, the point will be lost.

Week 5, Week 10, Week 15 Point Boosts:
*At the end of Week 5, 10, and 15, the VP and chairmen will analyze the UFFL fanbase to determine if any new content has been generated for certain players or teams. Based on this content, management will boost players. This is an unbiased process - do not fret!
Shutout
* If a team delivers a 'shutout' (This means the team did not allow the other team to score any points in a game), all coaches of the winning team gain +1 skill point experience in their coaching abilities.

Overtime Win:
* If a team wins in overtime, whichever player is responsible for making the winning score possible (sometimes this is more than one player) will gain +1 skill points in all categories.
At the end of each season, the GM and its constituents must decide on five (5) players to be removed from your team (2 retire; 3 go to the free agency). Some of these players may be predetermined choices by player's agents. The removed players are decided by the GM; if the GM neglects to define these, the HC will step in (starting in 2015); failure of the HC to define these will result in a randomized process of player removal - which could mean, in theory, that you lose your star player!

The GM must list these choices on their Mastersheet on the Transactions page and set their status to 'End of Season', or via PM (~uffl on Fur Affinity), or email the VP (faffmanagement@gmail.com) after the season has concluded. The vacancies can then be filled prior to the Draft in the upcoming season by Free Agents, or by draftees on Draft day.

==Player "Holdouts"==
If an Agent feels that their team is misusing their player, portraying them in an unfavorable way, or is not in favor of the general direction that the GM is taking the team, the Agent/player has the right to begin a 'holdout'. When this occurs, the player is removed from the roster and does not enter Free Agency. The Agent must contact a Commissioner, and the Commissioner must immediately contact the GM or HC about the holdout and update their roster accordingly to reflect this information. The GM and HC cannot use this player in their starting roster for any upcoming games, effective immediately.

Because a player holdout may inconvenience a team, the GM/HC has fourteen (14) days to request a replacement for the player in 'holdout' status, or to essentially "make amends", given whichever reason the player is in holdout to begin with. After 14 days pass, the player will be released from the team and placed on Waivers. Another 3 days later, they can be claimed by any other team/GM.

==UFFL Discord Chat==
The UFFL community has created a Discord server for those who wish to participate in discussion about football, furry content, sports in general, or anything, really! You can click here ( ) to join the Discord directly, or send an email to ufurryfootball AT gmail DOT com if you have additional questions. Please include your Fur Affinity name or username in any email you send to the league.

Our Discord has several rules pertaining to online community management, which are also posted there. Namely:

''General Server Rules''
* It’s a privilege, not a right, to chat in the UFFL Discord.
* Keep conversations friendly and civil. Take any personal issues or conversations into a private discussion. If a moderator makes this request, comply with their request. Failure to do so makes it difficult to keep peace, so you may be temporarily banned from the server. We’re a sports league group, so yes, we have our little battles from time to time - but there’s a line that can be crossed.
** Mods will politely ask you to take conversations to a private discussion, if they are deemed by the moderator as counter-productive, negative, depressive, accusatory, or subjective to the ideologies of a furry community. If you disregard this request, the mod will temporarily kick you from the group (up to 24 hours).
** Repeated offenses (3 or more) will lead to being banned from the server for more than 24 hours. Mods are required to provide you with your length of the ban, and the reasoning for why you were kicked. You can appeal a ban with the admin if you were not provided with this information by a moderator.
* Online bullying will *not *be tolerated. If at least 3 people report inappropriate behavior by a user, that will result in a potential ban from the server.
* Discord defines 3 types of spamming: nuisance, objective, and advertising. The UFFL Discord does not allow repetitive emoji/reactions/images/messages in any channel. All 3 are punishable offences on this server.
* Flamebaiting is making a post or message, or doing anything with the intent to provoke a negative reaction or drama out of it, in an otherwise normal situation. Regardless of whether this causes the situation to escalate or not, flamebait posts will be deleted by moderators and the user making such remarks will be warned. Creating any form of hostile atmosphere on this server is unacceptable.
* Do not publicly post or share PMs with other users unless you have the expressed permission of the sender to do so. Private Messages are intended to be just that: private.
* The General chat room has no age limit. Do not post NSFW content in the General channel.

''Admin/Moderator Guidelines''

For the most part, we’re kind and gentle furry fellows. Rules are precautions, but those who enforce the rules must also follow them. Therefore:

* For this server to remain online, there must be at least two admins/moderators. This does not necessarily mean they will be always online, but they are “active” in the sense that you can message them privately and they will respond within 48 hours.
* An inactive admin/mod must be removed and replaced with a new mod after 4 months of inactivity.
* If at least 3 people report inappropriate behavior by an admin or moderator, this will result in a removal of privileges for the admin/moderator and potential expulsion from the server.

''Harassment and Personal Safety''
* Every member has the right to feel safe and secure while using any part of the server. If at any point one feels harassed, intimidated or unsafe while using the server, they should inform a staff member.
* Should any member of the server break one of the rules, report it to our moderators by private message, or anonymously use the UFFL Report Abuse Form: https://forms.gle/tF36xL1w4oiTwUZf6

''Discrimination and Insensitivity''
* Any racist, homophobic, overtly sexist statements or any other statements or jokes of a discriminatory nature are not allowed and any user making such statements will be warned or banned accordingly. 
* Any statements that are considered to be offensive to sufferers of mental illnesses or showing stigma are also forbidden. If there are any topics one specifically wishes to avoid, please inform an admin/moderator. 
* One should also be mindful of commonly problematic topics and preface any discussion, mention and images of them with a trigger and/or content warning, and use spoilers where necessary. 
* We don’t currently have a #vent channel, so do not use the General channel to vent. 
* Anything containing mention of blood, abuse, violence, self-harm, suicide and other topics along this line will minimally have to be prefaced with a warning and placed inside spoiler tags.

''Lifetime Achievement Award''

* Thanks, Steam, for this inspired “award” name. Continued offenses after a ban ends could lead to a permanent ban from the server and, depending on the seriousness of the issues, other consequences relating to your participation in the league. You have been warned.

==FAQs==
To be filled out later.

==Rule Changes==
Similar to the FLB (Furry League Baseball), if a rule is in dispute, a discussion about it may be held in Discord. The process is outlined in the Constitution (see above). It involves votes from all GMs and Committee members - a 2/3 majority vote is needed to pass the new rule. If 2/3 is unattainable due to voting abstinence, the Commissioners will confer and make a final decision on the matter. If the Commissioners disagree on the matter, the majority vote wins. If the vote is tied, the vote will fail to pass (there MUST be a majority, in other words, that is above 50%).

===2014===
* None at this time.

===2016===
* Added Skype room chat guidelines.

===2021===
* General updates made to the entire Rules page. Removed date-specific items.