Head

Administrator

Guide

Welcome. 3

MyLeague Structure. 3

Head Administrator 3

Administrators 4

Tournament Directors 4

Head Tournament Directors 4

MyLeague Support Staff 4

MyLeague Admin Menu. 4

League Statistics 4

Logs & Updates 5

Updates 5

Server Status 5

Search Logs 5

Admin Log. 7

League Settings 8

Tournaments 8

Tourney Admin (Head Admin Only) 8

Look & Feel 9

Edit Logo. 9

Edit Right Table. 9

Edit Description. 9

Edit Game Specific Rules 9

Change Reporting Style. 10

Communications 10

Announcement 10

Newsletter 10

Welcome Email (Head Admin Only) 11

Support Email Routing (Head Admin Only) 11

Moderate Forum.. 11

Ban User from Forum.. 12

Preferences 12

Public/Private. 12

Ruleset Editor 12

Kill Ladder (Head Admin Only) 14

User Maintenance. 14

Player Search. 14

Edit User 14

Invite Players 16

Report Match. 16

Duplicate Accounts 17

Kick User 18

Edit Banned Users (Head Admin Only) 18

Backup (Head Admin Only) 18

Admin Maintenance. 19

Edit Admins 19

Change Head Admin (Head Admin Only) 21

Admin Peer Help Forum.. 21

Admin Dispute Forum.. 21

Head Admin Forum (Head Admin Only) 21

Miscellaneous 22

Custom Store (Head Admin Only) 22

Revenue Sharing (Head Admin Only) 22

Help. 22

Get Support 22

MyLeague Support Staff 23

Terms of Use. 23

Game Site Specifics/Regulations/Policies 23

MSN Gaming Zone. 23

Pogo Host Names 23

Yahoo Rooms 23

Mark Room.. 23

View Marked Rooms 24

Premium Members 24

Premium Account Support Links 24

Frequently Asked Questions 24

Help!  I lost my Admin password! 24

Are there links I should bookmark for regular use?. 25

How do I find a room?. 25

Can I give away prizes to my members?. 25

Admin/League Relations 26

Common Courtesy. 26

Sharing Agreements 26

Summary. 26


Welcome

 

Welcome to your new position as a MyLeague.com Head Administrator.  Managing a League requires a lot of time and a serious commitment to your members, so if you aren’t sure you’re up for the task now is the time to think it through.  Developing a successful League is hard work, but can also be a lot of fun!

 

This guide was developed to help you along the path to becoming a successful Admin.  For the most part, whether a League will succeed or fail depends upon the Head Admin.  With that in mind, we highly recommend that you take the time to read through this manual and take full advantage of the information we’ve included to help you succeed in your new role.

 

Being a Head Admin requires that you understand the toolset that has been provided by Case’s Ladder, Inc., which powers the MyLeague.com system.  Although it was created to make things as easy as possible for you, it still requires some familiarization and can be a bit overwhelming at first glance.  Hopefully the information in this guide will make the transition from newbie to veteran a painless one for you.  There are many experienced Admins available and willing to help you through the MyLeague Admin forums.  We strongly advise you to take advantage of them and the extensive knowledge and experience they have to offer.

 

As a MyLeague Head Administrator it is very important that you always portray yourself in a professional and friendly manner.  Remember that whatever you do will reflect on your League, and take that responsibility very seriously.  One of the keys to being successful is professionalism at all times.  Your fellow League members will look to you as an example so always keep that in mind through chat, emails, forums and all other public venues.

 

MyLeague Structure

 

There are several positions available for your use in the basic programmed structure of a MyLeague.  They are as follows:

Head Administrator

The Head Administrator of a MyLeague is initially, the person who created the League.  They are ultimately responsible, and will be held accountable for the actions of their League staff and members to a certain degree.  The Head Admin has access to all available tools on the MyLeague Admin Menu, as well as the MyLeague Head TD and TD Menus.  The Head Admin is responsible for appointing staff members, setting rules and policies, and generally managing the League.

 

Administrators

An Admin works within the same toolset as the Head Admin.  Initially, they receive a default toolset which is given to all Admins upon creation.  The Head Admin may also choose to give them access to additional tools, depending on how extensively they are to be involved in the management of the League.

Tournament Directors

A Tournament Director receives access to the Tournament Administration center and the tools contained within.  Before someone can apply for a TD position on your League they must join as a member.  The Head Admin and all Head TD’s have the ability to approve TD applications on a League.

Head Tournament Directors

Head TD’s receive access to the Head TD Menu and toolset.  Before someone can be added as a Head TD they must first be a TD on the League.  There are certain Head TD tools that are only available only to the Head Admin of the League.  This is covered in more detail in the MyLeague Head TD Guide.

MyLeague Support Staff

There are various people available to assist you through the MyLeague Support Staff.  You will often see these folks assisting in the Admin forums and replying to mail you send in through your Get Support link.  It is important to remember that most of these people are members just like yourself, who have graciously chosen to volunteer some of their time to helping other Admins get their MyLeagues off of the ground.  With that in mind, we ask that you always treat them with the utmost respect and courtesy.

 

MyLeague Admin Menu

 

http://www.myLeague.com/yourLeaguePath/Admin.html

 

Following is an explanation of your Admin menu and toolset.

 

League Statistics

 

At the top of the MyLeague Menu are the current statistics for your League.  Example:  League stats: 20 users (14 active in past 3 weeks), 133 matches played.

 

 

Logs & Updates

Updates

This is where you can access all ‘official’ Updates from MyLeague.com.  When a new update is posted you will see it on your menu the first time you login.  If you don’t get a chance to read it immediately or would like to refer back to it later, simply click the Updates link and you will see the most current update at the top, followed by a list of links to read all past updates at your leisure. 

 

Updates are also occasionally sent to your League’s Admin staff via email regarding items pertaining specifically to your League.  These E-mail updates will contain the words “MyLeague Update:” in the subject line of the mail.

Server Status

When we are experiencing major problems or system errors updates will be posted here in an effort to keep you informed.  You may want to bookmark this specific link separately.  That way if you don’t have access to your Admin menu, you can still access this link to read any updates.  If you are experiencing problems we recommend that you check this link before reporting them to see if we’re already working on something that could be related.

Search Logs

This tool allows you to search your League’s database logs for the past month.  To search multiple days, hold down the control key and click additional dates.  In the Search Keyword field, enter the information for which you are searching.  If you leave this field blank, all of your logs for the specified period will be shown.   Following is a brief explanation of some of the terms used in the logs:

 

New user – You will see this when someone joins your League.

 

Key OK – This will appear when a new user activates their account.

 

Duplicate – This will appear in the logs when the software recognizes the possibility that two or more users have registered from the same computer.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that they are illegal multiple accounts, or necessarily cheating.  You may see this when someone experiences problems joining the League, perhaps because they didn’t enter their E-mail address accurately and so didn’t receive an activation key the first time, etc.  You might also see ‘Duplicate’ if two players live together and share a computer, but that also doesn’t necessarily mean that they are cheating.  Assuming that members are cheating and kicking them off anytime ‘Duplicate’ appears in the logs is one of the most common ‘log’ errors new Admins make, so we recommend that you are very careful with this one.

 

Email – This will appear when a player uses the User Editor to change their Email address for the League.

 

Renamed – This will appear when a player uses the User Editor to change their username for the League.

 

Bux – This will appear if a Platinum or Diamond member transfers LadderBux.

 

BuxGift – This will appear if a Platinum or Diamond member gifts LadderBux to another player.

 

S-Edit – This notation will appear when a player’s account is edited through the Admin tools.

 

Match – This is the log entry you’ll see for all reported games.  A ‘match’ entry contains the username of the player reporting, their serial number, and their rank followed by the name of the winner of the match, their serial number and their rank.  If the game was part of a tournament, the word “Tourney” will also appear.

 

Cheat – This will appear when a player attempts to report to another player from the same computer.  It doesn’t necessarily indicate that they are on the same computer; if a player creates an account on behalf of someone else and then later attempts to report a game to that person, a cheat error will appear.

 

Security – This will usually show in the logs in conjunction with the “Cheat” entry.  If however, it is in the logs without the “cheat” entry, it is typically an indication of an error in reporting.  A player may have accidentally tried to report to him or herself or may have put the same name in both reporting boxes of a dual report page.

 

NOTE:  Just because Cheat and/or Security show in your logs does not necessarily mean that someone intentionally cheated.  They may have reported on behalf of someone else or played from a friend’s computer while on vacation, or they may be reporting to someone in the same household.  Take the time to investigate and make informed decisions.

 

Rungs – This will appear when a player in the Top 10 exceeds the maximum inactivity as defined by your League’s ruleset, and is dropped in rank as a result.

 

Purge – This log entry will appear to specify those players who were purged (removed from the League) for inactivity.

 

Withdrew – This will indicate anyone who withdrew from your League.

 

Kicked – This will indicate anyone that has been kicked off of your League, including the reason that was entered on the form when they were removed.

 

These are the most common log entries you will see, but it is important to note that you may occasionally notice other entries as well.

Admin Log

The Admin Logs include all of the activity that has taken place by you or your fellow Admins via the Admin menu.  They will show who has logged in and when, what tools they used, and sometimes more specific details regarding their activity as well.  By default, the last 10 entries are shown, but you can search your complete Admin logs using keywords.  Following is a brief explanation of some of the terms you will find in the logs:

 

Login – This is entered anytime an Admin logs in, including the date and time that the menu was accessed.

 

Failure – This entry indicates a failed attempt to login to the Admin menu.  For example, if someone enters an incorrect password when attempting to login.

 

Edit – This will be entered anytime an Admin edits a player’s account.  Unfortunately, the specific details as to what changes were made is not saved.

 

AdminEdit – This log entry will appear when any edits are made to the Admin accounts.  This would include any changes to the name, password, email, messenger information, or access checkboxes for that particular Admin.  You will also see the word Add, Edit, or Kill included in the entry, depending on the action that was taken.

 

Kick – This entry will appear when an Admin kicks a player off of the League, including the reason they entered for their removal.

 

Report – This entry indicates when a match has been manually reported for a player via the Admin menu.

 

MailRoute – This log entry is made when you edit the E-mail addresses indicated in your Support E-mail Routing.

 

LogoEdit – This entry is made when you upload a new logo for your League front page.

 

Announce – This indicates when your front page announcement has been edited.

 

Ruleset – This log entry indicates when your League ruleset has been edited.

 

Descript – This entry indicates when the description that appears in the myLeague listings at http://www.myLeague.com has been changed.  The logs will also show the new description that was entered.

 

AdminChange – This indicates when the current Head Admin has turned over the Head Admin position to another Admin on the League.

 

League Settings

Tournaments

Tourney Admin (Head Admin Only)

The tourney Admin link will take you to the Head Admin’s tourney administration center, which is basically a beefed up version of the Head TD Menu.  When a League is originally created, the Head Admin is given HTD status automatically.  Please note that in order for this link to work correctly you must use the same password for both the Head TD and Head Admin account.  By default, it will be set this way initially.  If you need to change the password, please do so only from “Edit Admin”.  Do not change the TD password of the Head Admin from the TD Menu or the Tourney Admin link will be disabled.   For detailed information regarding your TD toolset, please refer to the MyLeague Head TD Guide.

 

There are certain tournament issues that Head Admins do not have the tools to deal with on their own, and MyLeague Support is always happy to assist you in dealing with these when they come up.  Please use the GET SUPPORT link at the bottom of your Admin menu when you need assistance.  Some examples of items that you will need to contact MyLeague Support for help with are: 

 

 

 

Look & Feel

Edit Logo

You can use this tool to add a custom image to the top center of your League’s main page.  The image will replace the default text of your League’s name.   The file must be saved on your computer prior to upload, and then you will use the “Browse” button to locate the file.  Once the file name is selected in the browse box, click the “Upload” button.  You can also use this tool to remove the current image simply by clicking on “Remove”.  Once the image is removed, default text of your League’s name will again appear in its place.   A few notes in regards to images:

 

 

NOTE – Posting images or content of an inappropriate or pornographic nature is against MyLeague.com policy and could result in the loss of your League, without warning.

Edit Right Table

This tool can be used to post messages on the right hand section of your League’s main page, above the Case’s News.   You may use HTML in this table, but you may not hide options or news items from the default MyLeague menus.  Doing so is in violation of MyLeague.com policy, and will be responded to accordingly.  To use this tool, simply enter the text or HTML that you wish to use into the text box shown and then click “Save”.  

 

You can also update the information listed on the front page of your League at any time by simply entering into this tool and clicking the Save button.

Edit Description

The description you enter in this section is what will appear under the title of your League in the MyLeague directory (http://www.myLeague.com/browse.php?my=1).  The maximum description length is 79 characters, including spaces.  The majority of punctuation characters will not work in the description, including commas, backslashes, and question marks.  If you use an illegal character, the system will tell you that you’ve made an error.  Just hit your back button and try again.  Many Leagues find it works well to include the name of their room in the description so new players know where to find the League.

Edit Game Specific Rules

There is a basic rules page provided as part of the default MyLeague.com package.  On that rules page is a section that is available for customization, referred to as the “Game Specific Rules”.  Click this link to edit that section of the rules for your League.  You may use basic HTML in your rules, but it is not necessary.

Change Reporting Style

There are currently two available reporting styles; single and dual.  Single reporting gives the loser of the match a place to enter one name as the winner, whereas dual reporting gives the loser of the match places to enter two names.  Single reporting is most commonly used for 1v1 style games and Dual reporting is most commonly used for partnership or 2v2 style games.   To change the style, simply choose Single or Dual reporting from the drop down list and click “Save Reporting Format.”

 

Communications

Announcement

This tool can be used to post a message on the main page of your League.  HTML can be used in this area.  Again, hiding options or news items from the default MyLeague menus is against MyLeague.com policy, and will be reacted to accordingly.  We recommend that you test your HTML elsewhere prior to entering it here and make sure that all HTML tags are closed, or it can have an adverse effect on the remainder of your League’s page.

 

To enter a notice, click on the Announcement link, enter the text and/or code in the text area, enter a title for the announcement (optional), enter the name of the person posting the announcement, and choose the number of days you want the message to remain on the League.  You can always remove a message early by using the “Remove Announcement” button, so you may wish to always post for the maximum number of days. 

 

Newsletter

You can use this option to send a newsletter to all registered members of your League.  The newsletter is sent in HTML format, and you may use HTML codes to change the text colors and add images.  Enter the information you want to include in the text box provided and click the “Preview” button to see what the newsletter will look like.  If you aren’t happy with it, hit your browser’s back button to make changes and “Preview” again.  Once you are satisfied with the final presentation of your newsletter, click “Send” and you will then see a list of all the email addresses to which the newsletter will be sent.  Stay on this page until you see the word “Finished”.

 

Your newsletter will go into a mail queue, and be sent out later at a time when the servers are not being too heavily taxed.  It can sometimes take up to 12 hours for your members to receive the newsletter.  It is important that you do not use this feature excessively, or your users will complain of SPAM and your newsletters will lose their effectiveness.

Welcome Email (Head Admin Only)

If you are using invitations to ask players to join your League, then you may wish to use this tool to customize the initial E-mail that the members you invite receive.  This form does not accept HTML, as the invitation E-mail is sent in plain text format.  Simply type a paragraph or two of more detailed instructions, or a brief description of the League and click “Save”.

Support Email Routing (Head Admin Only)

When members use the “Contact Admin” link on the main page of the League, the mail is sent to the email addresses you specify through the use of this tool.  Take extra care to be sure that the email addresses entered are accurate, or their support requests will bounce.  You can make all of these the same email address, or choose different addresses for different topics.  If you leave any item blank, it will be sent to the email address on file for the Head Admin by default.

 

If and when we receive E-mail from your members, we will refer them back to you for any League related issues.  However, if one of your members is experiencing problems or has questions regarding their premium membership account, such as billing questions, problems with premium membership features, or problems activating the membership, we will be happy to assist them.  You can refer your premium members to use the following links for any problems specifically related to their premium membership. 

 

For Gold member problems: 

http://www.igl.net/gold/index.php?page=help_sub&type=gold

 

For Platinum or Diamond member problems:

http://www.igl.net/gold/index.php?page=help_sub&type=premium

Moderate Forum

This tool will allow you to remove posts that have been made in your League’s message forum.  There are four ways to remove unwanted messages:

 

Remove Files – Lists the messages in the order they appear in the forum.  You can choose to remove an entire ‘thread’, (A post and all of the replies that have made underneath it), or you can remove just a ‘single’ post.

 

Remove Files by Message Number – Lists the messages in the exact order in which they were posted.

 

Remove Files by Date – Allows you to delete an entire day’s messages.

 

Remove Files by Author – Allows you to delete all messages that were posted by a specific person.

Ban User from Forum

This tool will allow you to ban a member of your League from posting in your message forum.  To add a ban simply click the “Look Up User” button, and then enter the player’s name.  This will bring up a table of information.  In the blank, enter the number of days you want to ban them from participating in your forum, and then click the “add ban” button.  You will be notified if this user is a premium member (to make sure you still want to proceed), and you will then see a log entry indicating how long the ban will be in place.  To remove a ban, simply check the “remove’ box.

 

Preferences

Public/Private

This utility allows you to set your League as either Public, indicating that anyone can join your League via the “free sign-up” link on the main page, or Private, indicating that users must receive an invitation in order to join.  The default setting is Public. 

Ruleset Editor

This tool allows you to change certain settings for your League and the way it functions.   These settings can have a very powerful effect on your player’s ranks, so use caution when making changes.  The options are as follows:

 

Rank gain for a win – This sets the percentage of rungs a player will climb when they defeat a higher ranked player.  The default is 50%, meaning the winner will move up half the distance between his own rank and that of his opponent.  If you set for 100%, for example, the lower ranked winning player will take the higher ranked players rank regardless of how far apart they are – meaning that a new player ranked at the bottom of the ladder could become #1 if he beat the number #1 ranked player.  This can be set at any number from 1-100.

 

Max matches/day between SAME users – This sets the number of times per day players can play the same opponent in a non-tourney game.  Games reported from a tournament override this setting and will report regardless of whether or not the two players have played previously that day.

 

Number of days before winning and losing streaks reset – This sets the number of days that a player’s winning or losing streak will remain intact if the player does not play a game.  Once the number of days passes, the streak will change to N/A until such time that the player plays his next game.

 

Minutes players must wait between each match report – This sets the time players must wait between reports to the ladder.  A game that can be played very quickly may want a slightly smaller number than the default 5 minutes.  It’s a good idea, however, to set it to at least 2 or 3 minutes to avoid an accidental double report should a player inadvertently click the report button twice.

 

Days of inactivity allowed before players deleted – The default setting is 21 days, and the maximum allowable purge is 255 days.  If a player does not play a game within the period specified, they will be purged from the League for inactivity.   Premium members (Gold, Platinum or Diamond membership holders) are never purged for inactivity.  We recommend keeping this number on the low side if you wish to encourage the sale of premium memberships (and thus your revenue share!), since never being removed for inactivity is one of the great features of premium membership.

 

Days of inactivity allowed before drop top ten players – Sets the number of days that a Top 10 player can be inactive before being automatically dropped 10 rungs.  This is to keep someone who isn’t playing from occupying a top ten spot and clogging up your top ranks.

 

A “top” player is defined as a player less than – Certain ruleset settings affect only your “top” players so you must first specify what you wish to be defined as a “top” player.

 

Days top player must wait before playing same user again – This is a separate setting that works in conjunction with the Max matches/day between SAME users.  If that setting is at 2 matches per day, but you wish to allow Top players (as specified above) to only play each other once per day, you can set this rule to “1”, meaning that Top players must wait a day before they are permitted to play one another again.  Conversely, if you allow regular members to play once per day, but you only want “top” players to play one another once every three days, you can use this tool to accomplish that as well.

 

Highest rank that is allowed to utilize the formal challenge system – Sets the rank a player needs to achieve before having access to issue formal challenges.  If you only want to allow the top 20 players on the League to be able to issue formal challenges, then set this field to 20.  If you wish to disable formal challenges completely, set this to 0.

 

Days between formal challenge by same users – This sets the number of days that players must wait after completing their formal challenge before being able to challenge the same player again.

 

Days players have to complete formal challenge – Sets the number of days players have to complete a formal challenge prior to the challenge being entered as “failed”, and their record being marked. 

 

You can read more about the formal challenge system in our FAQ’s at http://www.igl.net/faq/2.html.

 

Once you have set all the available options, click “Save Rules”.

Kill Ladder (Head Admin Only)

This tool is used to delete your League.  If you have an active community of users and an established League, please consider turning your League over to another Admin through the use of the Change Head Admin tool rather than killing the League.  Should you kill the League, and a member of the community steps forward wishing to assume responsibility, MyLeague.com reserves the right to reactive the League at any time.

 

User Maintenance

Player Search

This is similar to the “find player” option on the League’s main page.  Use it to look up a player’s public statistics.

Edit User

This tool should be used with caution as changes affect a player’s statistics on your League.  You can use this tool to correct statistics from a misreported tournament, to place a player in (or remove a player from) the penalty box, or to correct other statistics as necessary.

 

At the top of the page is the Player’s current membership status, the date they joined your League and the date their membership expires.

 

The Edit User tool is divided into color-coded sections:

 

 GENERAL – This section lets you change a player’s username or password, and contains links to Email the player and view their “find player” page.  A MyLeague Admin cannot edit the password or E-mail address of Premium members, for security reasons.  If a premium member needs assistance with either of these, please direct them to the premium support links and we will help them.  The items in this section are best changed by the Player whenever possible. 

 

The Serial number field is system-generated and cannot be changed.  This is also known as“Player ID #”.

 

There is also a link to “User Records”, but you will not have access to that link as it is used only on the official Case’s Ladders.

 

 SECURITY – This section shows you a player’s last IP address, and their cookie.  This is read-only information provided by the system and cannot be changed.

 

 ACTIVE STATS – This section shows you all of a player’s current stats and allows you to adjust them as necessary.  You can change the total wins or losses, and add or remove an unreported match.  If you want to adjust their current rank, leave the ‘Rank’ box as is, and type the new rank into ‘New Rank’.  You can enter a reason for the rank change if you want, and it will be listed in the League’s Daily News section.  

 

You may wish to edit a player’s streak should it be broken by a misreport.   Winning streaks are entered as positive numbers (ex:  4) and losing streaks are entered as negative numbers (ex: -4).  You may also adjust a player’s Skill Rating by typing in a new rating. 

 

Last game is a system-generated number based on the player’s last reported match and should not be edited.

 

 PENALTY BOX – To place a player in the penalty box enter the number of days and the reason in the applicable boxes.  The reason will appear in your League’s Daily News.  A player in the penalty box cannot report matches or have matches reported to them and cannot participate in tournaments until the number of days has passed.  To remove a player from the penalty box, enter “0” in the Days field.

 

 HIGH STATS – High Rank and High Streak can be edited as necessary.  These are for the lifetime of a player’s account.  In other words, if a player reached number 1 on the League and is still active a year later, his high rank will remain at 1, regardless of his current rank.

 

 LADDERBUX – These fields are provided for information purposes only and cannot be changed.   Because LadderBux are essentially the currency of the Leagues, we cannot allow any editing to be done.  If you have a valid reason that these amounts should be changed, please use your ‘Get Support’ link and provide MyLeague Support with all the necessary details.

 

 TOURNAMENTS – These fields can be edited to change a player’s tournament statistics due to an incorrect tourney report.  “Wins” and “Losses” are individual games in a tournament, and “Victories” indicates winning the entire tournament.

 

 FORMAL CHALLENGE – These fields can be edited when necessary.  “Wins” and “Losses” are based on the match result of formal challenges, and “Failed” indicates a failure to complete a formal challenge.

 

So, to change a player’s information you simply edit the necessary fields, and then click “Save Changes”.  You can hit the back button in your browser and refresh the page to verify that the changes were recorded, if you like.

 

Hint:  You can use Edit User to activate an account for a player who does not receive their activation key via E-mail.  To do this, go to their account and type in a temporary password.  Email them with their temporary password so that they can then use the User Editor on the main page of the League to change the password to one they prefer.  Most generally, if they don’t receive their activation E-mail they entered their E-mail address incorrectly when they entered their signup information.  It is a good idea to verify and correct that information at this time, so that you are able to communicate with them when necessary.

Invite Players

This tool is primarily used by private Leagues but can be used on public Leagues as well.  Enter an ‘Alias’ (username), email address and temporary password for the player, then click Add/Invite.  The player will receive an invitation/activation key via email, at which time they can activate their account on your League.  If the player does not accept the invitation and does not activate the account, it will purge for inactivity based on the settings in your Ruleset Editor.

 

Use this tool responsibly.  It is against MyLeague.com policy to leave an existing League and then use this tool to invite the members of your former League to join a new one that you have created.  This tool should also not be used to invite the players of a competing League.  Beginning a League means finding new members!  Both of the above mentioned practices are against MyLeague.com policy, and can result in the loss of your League without warning.

Report Match

This tool is used to manually report a match.  It is most commonly used to resolve Unreported Match complaints.  To use the tool, enter the loser’s name, the winner’s name, choose the appropriate penalty information from the drop down list, and enter a comment if desired.  The penalty details are as follows:

 

No – The match will be reported, but no penalty will be assessed.

Yes – The match will be reported, and the loser of the match will receive an “Unreported Match” mark on their account.  They will not be penalized with a drop in rank, but it will be stated in the Daily News section that they were penalized for an Unreported Match. 

Drop – The match will be reported, and the loser of the match will receive an “Unreported Match” mark on their account.  They will also be penalized with a drop in rank equal to 10% of the total number of rungs on your “ladder”, and it will be stated in the Daily News section that they were penalized for an Unreported Match.

 

NOTE – When a member has two or more “Unreported Match” marks against their account an “Unreported Match Bomb” will appear next to their name on Find Player.  You can remove this icon using the Edit User utility.  Simply edit the “Unreported Matches” number to one or zero, and the icon will be removed.     

Duplicate Accounts

This tool is used to search for possible multiple accounts.  It will find all possible matches in three different categories:  cookie, password, and last IP address.  The key to remember when using this tool is that the accounts listed are only possible duplicate accounts, and that their showing up on here does not necessarily mean that they are guilty of illegal activity.  There are many reasons that an account may end up on the list of possible duplicates:

 

 

We highly recommend that you use extreme caution when utilizing this tool.  It is by no means failsafe.  You should always take your time and evaluate the situation very carefully when researching duplicate accounts.  More often than not there is a reasonable explanation for the ‘red flag’ you discover if you just take the time to contact the player and listen to their explanation. 

 

As a general rule, you should never kick accounts from within the duplicate account tool.   Taking the last example shown above, the player now has an account that was never activated, and an account they are using and have possibly placed a premium membership on.  If you use kick from within the tool, you will be erasing both accounts from the League, when in reality, you only want to kick the account that was never activated. 

 

If after a thorough investigation you feel confidant that you have an illegal duplicate account, use the Kick User tool described below to remove the accounts from your League.  This way you will be sure that no mistakes are inadvertently made.  Remember, once an account is kicked, the player’s entire history, LadderBux, and player statistics are gone permanently.  We cannot stress enough how important it is to be careful when using these tools, as a result.

Kick User

This tool is used to remove a player from your League.  Doing so will cause the player to lose all of their statistics, LadderBux, their TD account (if applicable), and any premium membership they have purchased, so be extremely careful when making the decision to kick.  If the user is a premium account holder we prefer that you warn them before removing them so that they can move any LadderBux and their premium membership to another League.

 

To use the tool, simply enter the player’s name and the reason that they are being kicked.   The fact that they were kicked from the League, including the reason you entered will then appear in your League’s Daily News. You can also choose to ban the member from rejoining your League at a later date at this date, which will add them to your Banned Users list.

Edit Banned Users (Head Admin Only)

This will list the cookie, user name, user e-mail, ladder path, and reason for anyone you have banned from the League.  To ban someone you simply need to check the box to ban them when you use the ‘Kick User’ tool to remove their account from your League.  If you want to remove the ban on a member, highlight the line of information on that person, click the delete key on your keyboard to erase the information, then click save.  Make sure that you don’t leave any blank lines in this section.  If you see any, delete them as well and then click save.

Backup (Head Admin Only)

Download an encrypted backup of your League for MyLeague.com staff to use if it ever becomes necessary to restore the League.   If there is a major system problem, or if someone harms your League, MyLeague.com staff can use this file to restore your League's data to the date of the backup.  Only MyLeague.com staff can access this file - you will not be able to access this backup on your own computer.  It is recommended that `you backup once a week at the same time, during off peak hours.

 

NOTE – If your League is restored from a backup file, the entire League will be overwritten by what is in the file.  We cannot extract specific data from within the file, so it is not possible to restore only “part” of the League from the backup file.

 

Admin Maintenance

Edit Admins

This tool is used to Edit existing Admins and to Add new Admins.

 

Add Admin

To add an Admin, enter a name, password, and email address and click Add.  If you attempt to add an Admin and are taken to a blank page, it is because that name is already in use as an Admin name on another League.  The system will not allow the use of the same name in two Leagues, so you’ll have to choose another name or add a number or letter to the original choice.  Once you have added the Admin successfully, you will need to provide them with their Admin name, password, and a link to the Admin menu.   Please note – after you add an Admin, the name will not show up on the League page until the page is updated, so it could take up to 12 hours for their name to become visible. 

Admin names are limited to 20 characters and must not contain any spaces or special characters.  

 

NOTE - If the Admin would like the ability to post in your League’s forum both as a player and as Admin, then give them an Admin name slightly different than their player name.  An easy way to do this is to add an underscore to the beginning or end of their Admin name. If the names are exactly the same they will only be able to post as an Admin as the system will automatically look for their Admin password if an Admin name is used.

 

Passwords must be a minimum of 5 characters and must not contain any spaces or special characters.  We recommend that passwords be a mix of letters and numbers and that they be something that cannot be easily guessed.  

 

After adding a new Admin, you will need to decide and set which options you will give them access to for your League.

 

Edit Admin

To edit an Admin, click the Edit button next to the Admin’s name.  At the top of the page is the Admin’s existing information.  If you want to change any of these fields, simply type in the new information.  You can also add ICQ or AOL Instant Messenger information for the Admin, which will appear on the right side League’s main page under “Admin Status” if you choose to use this feature.  All you need to do is choose the appropriate service from the drop down menu, and then enter the applicable contact information, either an ICQ number or AIM Screen Name.

 

Options

The options determine which items in the Admin menu your new Admin will have access to use.  Each option provides that Admin with different menu items as follows:

 

Description

Notes

Admin Menu Items

General Options available to all Admins

 

Updates

Server Status

Player Search

Admin Peer Forum

Admin Dispute Forum

Get Support

MyLeague Support Staff

Terms of Use

Allow this Admin to edit the access of other Administrators.

It is strongly recommended that you do not give access to this tool unless you are sharing the responsibility of running the League.  This tool gives access to change all the settings shown in Edit Admins.

Edit Admins

Allow this Admin to edit League users

Gives ability to edit the win / loss record of all players and the ability to place players in the penalty box. This is a powerful tool as they will be able to change ranks and records of any players, so be careful who you give this one to.

Edit User

Allow this Admin to report matches for other players

Used primarily by those handling the unreported match complaints.

Report Match

Allow this Admin to post or delete announcements

Provides the ability to edit the announcement and to send newsletters.

Announcement

Newsletter

Allow this Admin to view the Admin log

Allows full access to view the Admin logs.

Admin Logs

Allow this Admin to search and view the League logs

Allows full access to view Search Logs.

Search Logs

Allow this Admin to kick players out of the League and off of the forum

Another powerful tool that gives an Admin access to kick any user from the League.

Duplicate Accounts

Kick User

Allow this Admin to adjust the rules for this League

Gives access to edit the League’s rules and settings.

Edit Game Specific Rules

Change Reporting Style

Public/Private

Ruleset Editor

Allow this Admin to edit the HTML features of this League

Allows access to the right table, League description and the League’s logo.

Edit Right Table

Edit Logo

Edit Description

Grant permission to remove posts from League forums

Allows an Admin to remove unwanted posts from your League’s forum

Moderate Forum

Allow this Admin to invite players to join this League

Allows an Admin to send invitation/activation key emails to potential members.  This tool is the only way to add members to a Private League.

Invite Players

 

Change Head Admin (Head Admin Only)

This tool gives you the ability to turn over the League to another Admin if you no longer have the time or desire to manage the League.  This is not a tool to be used lightly – once you change the Head Admin, you have given up your rights to the League and any control over the manner in which the League is run.   Whoever is listed as the Head Admin essentially owns the League, so avoid transferring the Head Admin powers just because you are going on vacation or taking a short leave of absence.  You may give another Admin all the available tools described in the section above if you desire; the only things they won’t have access to are the tools specified as Head Admin only.

 

You may think you “know” someone very well and that you can trust them to give the League back, but all too often we see these situations go bad and Leagues not returned to the original Head Admin.  Remember that we will not return it to you just because you were the creator of the League, so be very careful before using this tool.

 

That having been said, if you are truly ready to give up the position, it is always better to assign a new Head Admin then to kill the League.  Keep in mind the community of users that have grown up around your League and put them first – in the end, you’ll be the hero for having done so.

Admin Peer Help Forum

This is a message forum available to all MyLeague Admins.  Use it to seek advice from experienced Admins, get help with custom HTML, and for a general exchange of ideas.

Admin Dispute Forum

This is a message forum available to all MyLeague Admins.  If you are having a disagreement with another League or Admin, please take steps to work it out on your own.  The very essence of MyLeague is that the Admins handle the day-to-day operations of the League on their own, without MyLeague.com intervention.  Try to talk it out with the other League’s Admins.  If they are not initially receptive, try a formal email to work things out.  If you’ve tried to resolve things on your own and are getting nowhere, post in this forum and our Admin Support team will do their best to help you resolve the dispute.

Head Admin Forum (Head Admin Only)

This is a message forum available only to the MyLeague Head Admins.  Use this form to seek assistance from MyLeague Support Staff and to exchange messages with other Head Admins.

 

Miscellaneous

Custom Store (Head Admin Only)

You can use this link to create your League’s own store through CafePress.com.  CafePress allows you to design custom branded items for your League and make them available to your members for purchase.

Revenue Sharing (Head Admin Only)

Once your League has reached over 20 members you will have the option to turn on Revenue Sharing and receive 10 percent of the monies earned for premium memberships that are purchased through your League.  This can be a great way to turn a hobby into a profitable venture, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity!

 

This utility will not become visible to you until your League does have 20 members, but at that time you will be able to enter the tool and turn Revenue Sharing on if you choose to participate.  Simply click on the Revenue Sharing link and then press the “Show me the Money!” button to turn the feature on and enter your payment information.  Revenue sharing is not retroactive, and you will only earn money from signups after you turn it on.  More detailed terms are included within the utility.

 

NOTE - The MyLeague.com Revenue Sharing program is subject to change or cancellation at any time, without prior notice.

 

Help

Get Support

Use this link whenever you require direct support from the MyLeague Support Staff.  Make sure that the email address shown on the form is correct so that you receive your reply!  Choose the appropriate category from the drop down list, type your problem or question, and click “Send This Mail”.   Your mail will be assigned a reference number for tracking, and it is a good idea to record that number for reference purposes until you have received a reply.

 

Please do not E-mail MyLeague Support Staff directly for assistance.  We have tools and utilities available to us through the GET SUPPORT link that we do not have access to when you E-mail us at our personal E-mail addresses.  As a general rule, when you do attempt to circumvent the system and E-mail a MyLeague.com Support Staff member directly they will reply directing you to submit the E-mail via your GET SUPPORT link.  You will always receive help faster using the proper channels! 

MyLeague Support Staff

This is a current list of the MyLeague Support Staff.  This is provided for your reference, anytime someone claims to be a member of our staff and you are unsure of their status with MyLeague.com.

Terms of Use

The rules and legal requirements for using this service are found here. 

 

 

Game Site Specifics/Regulations/Policies

 

There are some features or regulations specific to certain gaming sites MyLeague.com supports.  This information is subject to change.

MSN Gaming Zone

MyLeague.com does not currently allow MyLeagues hosted at the MSN Gaming Zone to administer tournaments using the MyLeague tournament toolset. 

Pogo Host Names

If your League is operating at the Pogo gaming site and you wish to obtain Host Names for your Tournament Directors, use your “Get Support” link and we will send you a copy of the instructions provided by the Pogo gaming site.

Yahoo Rooms

Due to the number of active Leagues at the Yahoo gaming site, we have provided some simple tools to allow you to indicate which room your League is playing in.

Mark Room

Once your League obtains a minimum of 100 Active members, you will have access to use this tool to mark a room and let other Leagues know which room you’re playing in.  This list serves as a roadmap for those looking for a home for their League.  If your League is small, please try to work out arrangements to share the limited number of rooms available.  Unfortunately, there are not enough rooms to go around.  To request more rooms for your game you can try contacting Yahoo.com, but historically they have not been very responsive in this area.

 

View Marked Rooms

You will still have access to view the list of marked rooms using this tool while your League has less than 100 active members.  This will help you determine which Leagues are playing in which rooms.  If you see what appears to be an unmarked or empty room, we suggest you still should spend some time in that room to find out if other, smaller Leagues are already there.  Due to the vast number of Leagues at the Yahoo gaming site, you will probably have to find a League willing to share their space and work out an arrangement with the Admins of that League if you are starting a League for one of the more popular games.

 

Premium Members

 

Premium members (Gold, Platinum and Diamond) are what keeps the MyLeague site running and are the primary source of revenue – without them MyLeague wouldn’t exist for all users.  While we won’t stop you from enforcing your League’s rules when it comes to premium members, we also won’t allow a premium members account to be detained on a League from which they wish to withdraw or to be locked up in your penalty box for an unreasonable period of time.

 

We realize that you started the League for fun, or as a hobby, but you can also turn your League into a profitable venture via the Revenue Sharing system.  You may wish to consider following our lead and offering your premium members priority support for all League related inquiries.  You may also wish to hold occasional premium membership drives, special events or tournaments for your premium members, etc.  Admins of existing established Leagues can help you out with ideas, so take advantage of what they have to offer!

Premium Account Support Links

The links provided are for use by premium members who need assistance with their accounts that you, as an Admin, cannot provide for them.   These might be billing inquires, activation issues, or problems with a membership feature.  If you cannot assist the member, encourage them to use the applicable link to obtain support:

 

Gold Support - http://www.igl.net/support/mail_Gold.shtml

Platinum Support - http://www.igl.net/support/mail_plat.shtml

Diamond Support - http://www.igl.net/support/mail_diam.shtml

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Help!  I lost my Admin password!

If you lose your Admin password, you can use the Lost Password link (http://www.myLeague.com/my/lostpass.html) and it will be emailed to you.

 

Are there links I should bookmark for regular use?

You may wish to store the following in your bookmarks or favorites:

 

          Admin Menu – http://www.myLeague.com/YourLeaguePath/Admin.html

 

          TD Menu – http://tourneys.igl.net/tk

 

HTD Menu – http://tourneys.igl.net/tk/headtd

 

Gold Support – http://www.igl.net/support/mail_Gold.shtml

 

Platinum Support – http://www.igl.net/support/mail_plat.shtml

 

Diamond Support – http://www.igl.net/support/mail_diam.shtml

 

LadderBux Information - http://www.myLeague.com/bux/

 

Case’s Ladder FAQ - http://www.myLeague.com/faq/

 

How do I find a room?

If your League is geared around a popular game, finding a good room will take time and patience.  Here are a few things to remember:

 

Can I give away prizes to my members?

Absolutely!  This can be a great way to build your League and to keep your players active!  The only thing that we ask is that you specify in all cases that the prizes are being provided by you and not by MyLeague.com.  MyLeague.com is not liable for anything you promise to your members. 

Admin/League Relations

Common Courtesy

As a participant of MyLeague.com, and especially as a League Administrator, it is important to always keep in mind that both yours and our reputations are on the line.  Over time, your members will come to depend on you.  They will look to you to set the example for how they should act and treat other MyLeague players.  Our best advice is to follow the Golden rule at all times, and strive to treat other Leagues, and their Admins and members with the same respect that you would like to be shown.  Keep in mind that others are out there trying to make a success of their Leagues, just as you are of yours.  More often than not misunderstandings are just that, honest misunderstandings!  Whether or not they remain that way will often depend solely upon how you decide to react to them.

 

If someone is advertising their League in the room in which your League plays, simply ask them nicely to not do so.   More than likely you’ll find yourself dealing with a new Admin who did not realize that a League already existed in the room, and it was probably an innocent mistake.  Professionalism and good sportsmanship will carry you a lot further and gain you a lot more respect in the long run than over-reacting and fighting, any day of the week. 

 

And as always, if you have tried your best to work out a dispute and you’re not having any luck, bring it to the Admin Dispute forum.  Our Admin Support team will be happy to work with all involved parties to try and reach a solution.  That’s what we’re here for!

 

Sharing Agreements

When two Leagues decide to work out an agreement to share a room, it is always a good idea to put the terms down in writing for both of your sakes.  When all of the details are clearly worked out in advance, we have found that many problems can be avoided.  Sharing agreements should cover such items as when each League will host tournaments, how many lines of text will be allowed in advertisements for the League and tourneys, whether or not you will be advertising on each other’s behalf, will one League be in the lobby and one at a table or will the lobby be shared, etc.  If you spend a little time focusing on details at the beginning, you will find co-existing with another League can be enjoyable and a benefit to both Leagues!

 

Summary

 

It is our hope that the information provided in this guide will help you get started down the path to success.  Good luck with your new MyLeague!


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