The United States Action Football League (U.S.A.F.L.) is a 24-team team head-to-head football League using the latest version of Action! PC football game from DKSPORTS.com.

1.0 - MEMBERSHIP

1.1 - All members must have a LEGAL copy of the most recent version of Action! PC Football Game that can be ordered at DKSPORTS.com.

1.2 - All owners MUST play their games head-to-head and e-mail the results of these games and all necessary files to the Commissioner and the Web Master by Sunday midnight eastern time for that week's games.

1.3 - All owners are required to meet all deadlines.

2.0 - THE LEAGUE OFFICERS

2.1 - The Commissioner oversees the operation of the league. He is responsible for ruling on any differences between league members and shall be the final authority on all rule issues. He is responsible for conducting and scheduling the drafts, dispersing the league's data disks, updating and revising the rulebook as necessary, collecting the transactions and stats and distributing weekly files.

2.2 - The Web Master is responsible for maintaining the league website and league owners are encouraged to participate with articles for the website.

3.0 - DUES AND FEES

3.1 - The annual League dues are $5 for each franchise and are due on January 1 of each year.

4.0 - LEAGUE STRUCTURE

4.1 - The league is comprised of 24 teams, each owned by a separate individual, divided into the American Football League and the National Football League. Each League will contain two (2) Conferences with six (6) teams each. The names of the teams as well as the League and Conference structure will not change once the U.S.A.F.L. is established.

5.0 - FRANCHISES

5.1 - Each team consists of no more than a 55 man roster. During the rookie draft, teams may not exceed the 55 player limit.

5.2 - The roster can only contain players listed on the player disk with the exception of a player whose rights are owned by an U.S.A.F.L. team and was injured or suspended for all the previous year. Said player may remain assigned to the team at the discretion of the Owner of the franchise and will count against the team's 55-man roster.


6.0 - ROSTER REQUIREMENTS/PLAYER USAGE

6.1 - Players eligible for play within the U.S.A.F.L. shall be players listed in the current version of Action! PC Football for that season with the exception of injured or suspended players as detailed in section 5.2.

6.2 - At the start of each season, each owner must have at least the following number of attempts by skilled players on their rosters:

a. 400 pass attempts
b. 300 rushes
c. 200 receptions
d. 25 field goal attempts
e. 40 punts
f. 20 kick off returns
g. 20 punt returns

6.3 - At the start of each game, each roster must include the following minimum number of players at the following positions:

2 QBs
3 RBs
6 Rec (minimum of 4WRs and 2 TEs)
8 OL (minimum 2C, 3OTs and 3OGs)
1 PK
1 Punter
6 Def Linemen (min of 3DTs and 3DEs)
5 LBs (minimum 2 ILB and 3 OLBs)
6 DBS (minimum 3CBs and 3Ss)
1 KR
1 PR

6.4 - Player Usage

The computer software will determine the extent of each players usage given it automatically factors in durability, over usage, etc. and will be configured as follows:

Season Usage Penalties: Yes

Game Usage Penalties: Yes

Special Teams Usage Penalties: No

Quarterback Game Usage Penalties: No (YES in the Playoffs)

Game Fatigue: Yes

Season: Mild-110% Moderate 120%, Major: 130%

Game: Mild-10%, Moderate-15%, Major: 20%

PLACE KICKERS and PUNTERS
a) Any kicker who attempted at least 16 FG’s may be used without limit
b) Any punter who attempted at least 40 punts may be used without limit
c) Otherwise, they are limited to their actual NFL attempts

KICKOFF RETURNERS
a) A player is considered "unlimited" if he had in the previous NFL season EITHER 16 Kickoff Returns OR had a Kickoff Return Average Yards Per Return of 19.9 or LESS yards WITHOUT a touchdown return. You must have an unlimited player listed in the primary kick return spot. There are no restrictions to the second and third return slots.

PUNT RETURNERS
a) A player is considered "unlimited" if he had in the previous NFL season EITHER 16 Punt Returns NOT counting Fair Catches OR had a Punt Return Average Yards Per Return of 9.9 or LESS yards WITHOUT a touchdown return. All other players are LIMITED to their actual number of NFL Punt Returns NOT counting Fair Catches. Note: If you have only one unlimited returner, you should have limited returner's that total at least ten returns on your team.

LIMITED RUNNING BACKS

No Running Back with less then 50 carries and an average per carry of 5.5 or higher will be eligible to run the ball for that year. Their rushing stats will be erased. They can be used as a pass receiver or return man if the team desires or can be protected without taking up a roster spot.

7.0 - ROOKIE/FREE AGENT DRAFT

7.1 - Only players appearing on the Action! PC Football disk and whose rights are not owned by a team, have been cut from a team or who are appearing on the disk for the first time are eligible to be drafted during the rookie/free agent draft .

7.2 - The rookie/free agent draft will be 10 rounds and will occur on dates selected by the commissioner. Drafts will be conducted e-mail daily based on a schedule that will be designated by the Commissioner.

7.3 - Prior to the start of the rookie/free agent draft, teams will cut their rosters to 45 players and the unprotected players will be available in the rookie/free agent draft.

7.4 - During rookie/free agent draft, all owners are responsible for participating during their specified date and time slot.  

7.5 - An owner may have someone else make a pick for him or send a list to the Commissioner if he is unable to make his pick on the designated day.

7.6 - The rookie/free agent draft order is determined as follows:

1. First, all non playoff teams will be ranked on the following tie-breaking factors:

a. winning percentage
b. Strength of Schedule
c. Head to Head
d. net points
e. coin toss

The 10-playoff teams will be ranked based on the reverse order of where they finished in the playoffs. Playoffs teams, which finished at the same level, will use the tie breaking factors to determine order. Therefore, the Super Bowl winner drafts last, etc.

8.0 - WAIVER CLAIMS

8.1 – There are no waiver claims once the draft is over unless a team needs to add a player to meet roster requirements.

9.0 - TRADES

9.1 - Trading is permitted from the conclusion of the draft until the 10^th game of the season. The deadline for all trades is Sunday at 10:00PM eastern standard time.

9.2 - No trading will be allowed after a team has played their 10th game in a given season until after the U.S.A.F.L. Super bowl.

9.3 - Trading will be permitted during the draft.

9.4 – The Commissioner may challenge the trade as not being in the best interest of the U.S.A.F.L.

9.5 – Players and draft choices in the next draft may be traded. Once a season ends the following year’s draft picks are permitted to be traded (i.e. after the 2007 season you may trade 2008 & 2009 draft picks). No trades involving players to be named later or other gimmicks or loopholes will be allowed.

9.6 - Both Owners must send an e mail to the Commissioner before a trade is official.

10.0 - SCHEDULE

10.1 - The regular season will consist of 16 games.

10.2 - Result of all games are due each Sunday night at midnight eastern standard time.

10.3 - All games must be played as SCHEDULED games and played head-to-head.  

10.4 - If an Owner requires a sub, it is the OWNER'S responsibility to secure the sub and not the League's responsibility.  If the Owner is having difficulty securing a sub, he can always ask the League for assistance.

10.5 - Each team will play every team in their Conference twice (10 games) and the six (6) teams in the other Conference in their League once (6 games).

11.0 - GAME SET-UP

11.1 - The commissioner will send the disk containing the league organization to each coach. This league disk must be used to play league games. The league disk must not be altered in any way except by direction of the commissioner, or the visiting/home coach for team unit moves.

11.2 - The ACTION! PC Game Preferences screen should be set as follows:

Since all games in the U.S.A.F.L. are head-to-head, both teams should be listed as HUMAN coaches

Game Type: League

Box Score Type: Expanded

Play-by-Play: Optional

Zoom: None

Stadium: Home Team Stadium

Month: Scheduled Month

Computer vs. Computer Speed: Irrelevant for U.S.A.F.L. play

Opening Screen: Optional

Play Clock: 60 Seconds

Game Display: Optional

11.3 - The ACTION! PC Football Rules Menu should be set as follows:

         Rules Year: Current ACTION! PC NFL Season
Season Length: 16
Homefield Advantage: Yes
Homefield Advantage Drop Down Menu: Advantage of 2 (3 for the playoffs)
Two Point Conversions=Yes
Ten Minute Ticker: No
Allow Audibles: No
Minutes/Quarter: 15 minutes
League Type: Draft League
Injuries: Yes
Injuries Drop Down Menu: Normal Frequency
Salary Cap: No
Field Goal Miss Line: Kick Spot
Kickoff Line: 30
Goal Post Location: Endline
Usage and Fatigue Rules and Penalties: See Section 6.4

Challenge: Yes

11.4 - The Modify Team screen should be set as follows:

Team Type: Draft

Penalties: 2

12.0 - PLAYOFFS

12.1 - Conference champions and the 3 teams with the best winning percentages of the remaining League teams shall qualify for the playoffs in each League. The two wildcard teams in each conference will meet in a wildcard game. The Conference champion with the highest winning percentage in the League will host the winner of the wildcard team game. The Conference champion with the second highest winning percentage will host the wild card team with the best record. In the event teams have an equal winning percentage, the tie breaking factors mentioned in Rule 7.6 will be used for tie breaker determination. Conference champions retain home field advantage throughout the playoffs until the Super Bowl, which will take place at a neutral field.

12.2 - Injuries will carry over throughout the regular season, the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

12.3 - The Super Bowl will be played on a neutral field.

13.0 - STADIUMS

13.1 - Each team will use the NFL stadium for their franchise with the home field advantage set to '2' as detailed in Section 12.2.

13.2 - The name and weather effects of the given NFL stadium will be used during the U.S.A.F.L. season.

14.0 - RULE CHANGES

14.1 - The rulebook may not be altered once the season begins (regular season or playoffs) unless the Commissioner determines that a rule change is needed in the best interest of the league

14.2 - During the month of February, owners are encouraged to suggest any changes and/or clarifications to the rulebook. If the Commissioner determines any of the suggested changes will better the league, he will ask for a league vote on the given rule and a majority is required for the adoption of the new rule for the next season.


15.0 - EXPULSION

15.1 - Intentional disregard for the articles of these by laws will result in immediate expulsion from the U.S.A.F.L.

15.2 - Throwing games on purpose in order to gain a better draft position the following year will result in a loss of between five and ten positions in the draft and possible expulsion from the League.  

Last Updated:  8/24/2008