The often argued about and always controversial power of the veto can cause great issue and entertainment in any league (and no I’m not talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs spurious ability to impede other teams from entering “their” market). Anyone who has ever participated in a league with vetoes has likely seen it abused and overused by one or several members of their league. As someone who has participated in many different varieties of fantasy leagues I have seen a large range of this power and how it can be used, both properly and otherwise. For those who don’t want to deal with the veto issue, try and set up a league with knowledgeable people and avoid it altogether, but I warn you; you will see trades you don’t agree with and wouldn’t make yourself and it will be maddening not to at least have the option to veto. The power to veto is a necessary evil.
Types of vetoes can vary in their use and importance. Some leagues require a percentage of participants to veto, usually 50% or 75%, while other leagues leave the final say up to the commissioner. When participating in a league it is important to know what these parameters are as the number of vetoes needed and the time period in which you can exercise this power can vary greatly. If you have been the commissioner of a league you likely know that setting up these parameters needs to be specific to the members of your league and their participation. In the case where you have dedicated league members the veto period can be shorter (1 or 2 days) and the percentage of veto’s needed higher, due to the fact that a more involved and educated league is usually more critical of any trade so to dissuade frequent trade stoppages it may be necessary to require a higher percentage of vetoes. The opposite can be said for leagues with lower participation levels. Although it will slow down the trade process, it is necessary to have longer veto periods and a lower necessary number of vetoes for low participation leagues to prevent uneducated and lopsided trades.
There are a few things that are important to remember when deciding whether to veto a trade or not. First off, are the players involved even worth vetoing? Although some trades may seem uneven, if it’s just a bunch of waiver wire pickups or mediocre talent trading hands is it really worth looking like you’re the jerk that won’t let anyone make a trade. In my personal opinion… yes! I use my right to veto quite freely and will usually leave a lengthy summary of why someone is an idiot for even thinking about making such a move. Remember, sometimes the accompanying note to a veto is just as important as the veto itself. A well thought out argument as to why you don’t think a trade should go through will show that you’re not just a cantankerous team owner trying to sabotage other peoples lengthy negotiations, but a concerned league member (not to mention you may influence some people who wouldn’t otherwise have vetoed to do so). Secondly, how will the other members of the league view your veto? This has never really been a large concern of mine but is worth taking note of for your own future trades. Remember, if you veto somebody’s trade you can expect that somewhere down the road they may return the favour, unless of course you saved them from a colossal error!
Also, be mindful of who’s making the trade. You will notice that throughout the course of the year (especially in single year leagues) that certain 
people will have a tendency to make erratic trades, these people may need constant supervision. It’s important to realize that it’s not just their own team that they’re hurting, depending on the format of the league (particularly rotisserie – which I personally can’t stand) they could be doing inadvertent damage to your team as well. When analyzing a trade it’s important to not only look at the two teams involved but you also must consider the overall effect it can have on the league.
Just remember somebody always has to be the first to veto and even though the first to do so can come under heat at times you’re better off to be the bad guy than regret not voicing your opinion when you had the chance. Not to mention once a trade has been vetoed you should at least have an idea of players that two owners are willing to deal, so go to work and try and figure out a more realistic deal that hopefully won’t get vetoed!
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
NHL Central Scouting have released their complete rankings of 211 players for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
The International Scouting Services have released their Mid-Term Rankings for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
