Systems and methods for roster management in fantasy sports contest applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339344-A1
Application number	US-201615157832-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 18, 2016
Priority date	Aug 30, 2002
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster.
The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.

First claim

1 - 32 . (canceled)

33 . A method for using a fantasy sports contest application to manage a fantasy sports team roster, the method comprising:
receiving, at an input device at a first time, a user input to create a fantasy sports team roster associated with a fantasy sports contest, wherein the fantasy sports team roster comprises a first real-life sports player; receiving, at a second time, a real-life sports team roster associated with the first real-life sports player; determining, based on the real-life sports team roster, availability of the first real-life sports player with respect to a round of the fantasy sports contest; and in response to determining that the first real-life sports player is unavailable with respect to the round:
identifying a second real-life sports player that is available with respect to the round;
retrieving data identifying a first role of the first real-life sports player and a second role of the second real-life sports player;
determining that the second real-life sport player is a replacement for the first real-life sports player when the first role matches the second role; and
alerting a user to the unavailability of the first real-life sports player, wherein an alert identifies the second real-life sports player as a replacement for the first real-life sports player.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein determining that the second real-life sports player is a replacement for the first real-life sports player further comprises:
identifying a third real-life sports player that is available with respect to the round; computing a first performance score of the second real-life sports player and a second performance score of the third real-life sports player, wherein the first performance score and the second performance score are proportional to athletic performance of the second real-life sports player and the third real-life sports player, respectively, with respect to the fantasy sports contest; and selecting the second real-life sports player in response to determining that the first performance score exceeds the second performance score.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the first performance score is computed based on converting real-life sports statistics for the second real-life sports player to a first score in the fantasy sports contest in accordance with rules of the fantasy sports contest, and wherein the second performance score is computed based on converting real-life sports statistics for the third real-life sports player to a second score in the in the fantasy sports contest in accordance with rules of the fantasy sports contest.

36 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
determining a start time corresponding to the beginning of the round; determining, within a threshold amount of time before the start time of the round, that the first real-life sports player is unavailable with respect to the round and that the first real-life sports player in a starting lineup of the fantasy sports roster; and in response to determining that that the first real-life sports player is unavailable with respect to the round and is in a starting lineup of the fantasy sports roster, replacing the first real-life sports player with the second real-life sports player.

37 . The method of claim 33 , wherein alerting the user to the unavailability of the first real-life sports player further comprises generating for display a plurality of selectable elements related to replacing the first real-life sports player with the second real-life sport player.

38 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising:
receiving a user selection of a selectable element of the plurality of selectable elements; and in response to receiving the user selection, replacing the first real-life sports player with the second real-life sports player in the fantasy sports team roster.

39 . The method of claim 33 , wherein alerting the user to the unavailability of the first real-life sports player further comprises:
identifying a user equipment device associated with the user; and transmitting the alert to the user equipment device.

40 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the second real-life sports player is on a reserve lineup of the fantasy sports team roster, and wherein the first real-life sports player is on a starting lineup of the fantasy sports team roster, further comprising:
replacing the first real-life sports player with the second real-life sports player by placing the second real-life sports player on the starting lineup of the fantasy sports team roster and placing the first real-life sports player on the reserve lineup of the fantasy sports team roster.

41 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
generating for display a plurality of real-life sports players associated with the fantasy sports team roster; and visually distinguishing the first real-life sports player with respect to the plurality of real-life sports players associated with the fantasy sports team roster in response to determining that the first real-life sports player is unavailable with respect to the round.

42 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
generating for display a plurality of real-life sports players associated with the fantasy sports team roster; and visually distinguishing the second real-life sports player with respect to the plurality of real-life sports players in response to determining that the second real-life sport player is a replacement for the first real-life sports player.

43 . A system for using a fantasy sports contest application to manage a fantasy sports team roster, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:
receive, at an input device at a first time, a user input to create a fantasy sports team roster associated with a fantasy sports contest, wherein the fantasy sports team roster comprises a first real-life sports player; receive, at a second time, a real-life sports team roster associated with the first real-life sports player; determine, based on the real-life sports team roster, availability of the first real-life sports player with respect to a round of the fantasy sports contest; and in response to determining that the first real-life sports player is unavailable with respect to the round:
identify a second real-life sports player that is available with respect to the round;
retrieve data identifying a first role of the first real-life sports player and a second role of the second real-life sports player;
determine that the second real-life sport player is a replacement for the first real-life sports player when the first role matches the second role; and
alert a user to the unavailability of the first real-life sports player, wherein an alert identifies the second real-life sports player as a replacement for the first real-life sports player.

44 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining that the second real-life sports player is a replacement for the first real-life sports player, to:
identify a third real-life sports player that is available with respect to the round; compute a first performance score of the second real-life sports player and a second performance score of the third real-life sports player, wherein the first performance score and the second performance score are proportional to athletic performance of the second real-life sports player and the third real-life sports player, respectively, with respect to the fantasy sports contest; and select the second real-life sports player in response to determining that the first performance score exceeds the second performance score.

Assignees

• Rovi Tech Corp

Inventors

• Hughes Patrick J
• Junkin William
• Barber David

Classifications

• A63F2011/0097

  Watching television being part of the game, e.g. using the television broadcasting of a sporting event · CPC title

• A63F13/828 Primary

  Managing virtual sport teams · CPC title

• A63F13/20 Primary

  Input arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• A63F2300/69

  Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video · CPC title

• A63F2300/8052

  Ball team management · CPC title