Ballsville Bulletin

THE BALLSVILLE GAME #5

The GAUNTLET Game

A 2026, 14-team challenge that evolves through Redraft, Pirate, Guillotine, Playoffs, and a custom Week 17 Championship.

$20 buy-in14 teamsFive trialsWeeks 1–17
Opening RulesView All Trials
Buy-in
$20
Season FAAB
$250
Rosters Chopped
8
Max Upside
$2,450
2026 GAME FORMATBuild, survive, adapt, then decide how much to wager.
  1. Trial 1 · RedraftWeeks 1–5
  2. Trial 2 · PirateWeeks 6–10
  3. Trial 3 · GuillotineWeeks 11–14
  4. Trial 4 · PlayoffsWeeks 15–16
  5. Trial 5 · ChampionshipWeek 17

OPENING PHASE · PRE-DRAFT

Build the Team You’ll Carry Through the Game

Rosters stay constant through every phase, with one six-spot bench expansion after Week 10. Trades are intentionally restricted, and the same $250 FAAB budget must last all season.

The Cash
Buy-in
$20
Players
14
Total collected
$280
League payout
$210
Game payout
$600
Game collects
$240

The game balance is itemized in the semi-annual Cash Doc. Expenses include free cash mini-games, free entries, and other BALLSVILLE extras.

Constant Roster
  • QB & Superflex
  • 2 RB
  • 3 WR
  • Tri-Flex
  • 6 bench
  • 2 IR
Bench expansion: Six additional bench spots, executed first thing Tuesday after Week 10. 11/11/2026.
Scoring & Draft
  • +6 points per passing TD
  • -2 points per interception
  • League median
  • Snake draft with no third-round reversal
  • Three shuffles unless otherwise specified
  • Drafts begin as soon as possible
  • Draft timers default to four hours but may vary

Trade Rules

Heavily restricted

This game is built around struggle. Trades are restricted so no advantage can be gained through friends or weaker players.

  • No draft trading.
  • No FAAB trades.
  • Every trade will be heavily scrutinized.
  • Trades must fall within a 30%–70% value balance according to a popular trade calculator or the BALLSVILLE website.
  • If you cannot provide a site showing that balance, the trade is eligible for automatic reversal without a league vote.
Important: If an ineligible traded player’s game begins, that player will be removed from your roster and you are responsible for filling the spot. Keep trades fair and this will not affect gameplay.
This practice is a Safeguard for the games integrity. As harsh as this rule seems, we find it necessary for this particular game.

Waivers & Chops

$250 for the full season
  • Waivers clear Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • Team cuts happen by Tuesday morning, giving players 24 hours to make claims.
  • Your $250 FAAB does not reset.
  • Eight total rosters will be chopped over six cut weeks: after Weeks 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.

Spend carefully. Every chopped roster is dumped to waivers, and your one FAAB budget has to survive the entire game.

THE FIVE TRIALS

The Format Changes as the Field Shrinks

Each trial tests something different: drafting, lineup strategy, roster theft, FAAB discipline, weekly survival, Best Ball depth, and finally your willingness to wager what you won.

TRIAL 1

Redraft

Weeks 1–5
  • Five weeks of standard Redraft play.
  • League median scoring.
  • Start 11.
  • After Week 5, the bottom two teams in the standings are chopped.
  • Their rosters are dumped to waivers and the owners remain as spectators only.

Teams eliminated during the Playoff trial are not chopped, and their rosters do not dump. During Weeks 6–10, the schedule will be adjusted for players who would otherwise face an eliminated opponent.

Strategy Note: There will be SIX weeks of CHOPPED teams, after week 5, 10, and 11-14. You need to use FAAB wisely.
TRIAL 2

Pirate

Weeks 6–10

Beat your opponent and choose one of two rewards: Plunder a player or Pilfer part of their FAAB.

PLUNDER · Take an Asset
  • Swap a player from your starting lineup for any player on the loser’s roster.
  • The swap must use the same skill position.
  • The losing team has no player locks.
PILFER · Take the Treasure
  • Steal 25% of the loser’s current FAAB.
  • The amount is rounded up to the nearest whole number.
  • The matchup winner sends the offer, and the loser must accept by Tuesday evening.
  • If it is not accepted, tag WESTLEX or a Game Manager with the details so it can be forced.
  • After Week 10, the bottom two teams in the standings are chopped, leaving ten teams.

Strategy note: If you are locked into a win, you may substitute a bench player into your lineup to make that player eligible to swap. This can also help navigate late bye weeks.

TRIAL 3

Guillotine

Weeks 11–14
  • Trades are disabled after Week 10.
  • Six additional bench spots are added.
  • Head-to-head matchups no longer matter; the game switches to weekly points.
  • The lowest-scoring team each week is chopped.
  • Chops happen after Weeks 11, 12, 13, and 14.
  • Teams are dropped Tuesday and waivers run Wednesday.
One bad week ends your season.
TRIAL 4

Playoffs

Weeks 15–16

Best Ball activates after Week 14. Waivers continue, and you can still manage your roster, but you no longer need to set a lineup.

Week 15
  • Six teams enter the Playoff trial.
  • The bottom three in weekly points are eliminated.
  • Their rosters are not chopped.
  • The top three advance and bank $20.
Week 16
  • The remaining three teams play the week.
  • The bottom two are eliminated.
  • The highest Week 16 score becomes League Winner.
  • The winner receives $150 to bank or wager in three $50 increments.

Game Managers will enter the league and ask the winner how much they want to keep and how much they want to play in the Championship.

TRIAL 5 · WEEK 17

“The BALLSVILLE Game” Custom Championship

Up to 12 League Winners may enter. Each winner chooses how much of their League winnings to bank and how much to wager across the three Championship pots.

$600 Main Pot Bonus

Choose Your Wager

  • Wager $50, $100, or $150 from your League winnings.
  • Bank everything you do not wager.
  • All $50 wagers places one $50 coin in the Main Pot.
  • A $100 wager places one $50 coin in the Main Pot and one $50 coin in Side Pot 1.
  • A $150 wager places one $50 coin in the Main Pot and one $50 coin in Side Pot 1 and one $50 coin in Side Pot 2.
  • You must be entered in a pot to win it.

Example: A $50 wager can win the Main Pot but cannot win either Side Pot.

Championship Pots

PotFunded ByAwarded To
Main Pot 🏆$50 × all entrants + $600 bonusMain Pot winner
Side Pot 1$50 × all $100/$150 entrantsSide Pot 1 winner
Side Pot 2$50 × all $150 entrantsSide Pot 2 winner

The number of coins in each pot depends on how many League Winners choose that wager level.

CLOSING PHASE

Tracking, Verification & Payouts

Scoreboard

Follow the Gauntlet scoreboard for full-game tracking and stacked winnings.

View Gauntlet Scoreboard →
Verification

Winning leagues will be opened so players can verify results firsthand. The spreadsheet will remain available for review, and unknown LeagueSafe names will be verified before allocation.

Payouts

Payouts will be assigned promptly after the game ends. They will be allocated and submitted in each league for review after results and player names are verified.

The BALLSVILLE Game #5

BALLSVILLE has six games—one for each year it has been around. The Gauntlet is designed to be the most challenging game in the BALLSVILLE universe, with a maximum possible upside of $2,450 and 3-in-14 odds to win a prize.

If the game does not reach its 12-league goal, the Championship prize will decrease. If it exceeds the goal, the prize will grow and a second-place award will be added to preserve strong odds.

Bylaws & Code of ConductBack to Rules

Players are responsible for reading all BALLSVILLE bylaws and the Code of Conduct.

Thank you for reading, and good luck in there.