Decide who it is for
Pick the age range and the level first: a youth league by age group, a men's senior league, a 30 and over league, or an open league. The level decides the rules, the game length and which players sign up.
Find fields and game days
Most adult leagues play on weekends, often Sunday, with some weeknight games under lights. Book the same fields for the entire season, and check who else has them before you announce dates.
A 9 inning adult game usually needs a slot of about 2 and a half to 3 hours. A 7 inning youth game needs about 2.
Work out teams and weeks
Four teams is the least that makes a league, and 6 to 10 is easier to keep going. Then do the sum. With 8 teams playing each other twice, every team plays 14 games, 56 in all. Two fields with two games each on a Sunday is 4 games a week, so the regular season runs 14 weeks.
Add a week or two for rain-outs before the playoffs. You will use them.
Write the rules down
- Innings and any time limit.
- Bats: wood only, wood composite, or approved metal.
- Designated hitter, courtesy runners, and re-entry.
- Pitching limits, especially for youth leagues.
- Roster size, adding players mid-season, and playoff eligibility.
- Points and tiebreakers for the standings.
Umpires, balls and money
Line up umpires for the entire season, not week by week. Decide who brings game balls and who pays for what: fields, umpires, balls and insurance. Set the team fee from those numbers and say what it covers.
Esports Authority does not collect fees or hold money. You collect them your own way and can show the fee on the league page.
Build the schedule and run the season
Give every game a date, a time and a field, balance home and away, and spread early and late games fairly. Then publish it as one link, so a rain-out can be moved once and everyone sees it.
Finish with playoffs
Most leagues take the top 4 or top 6 teams into a short playoff. Seed it from the final standings, and decide before the season whether a rained-out playoff game is replayed or decided by seed.
