So, question is this... how do we ensure, if game isn't being organized/played (and please note there isn't any way for any one of us to verify that, as these games do not show up on team schedule for others than teams involved in PU match) that:
A) Team has actually sent an invitation to PU match
B) Team responsible for accepting the invitation has actually accepted it.
I don't want to be negative, but this is one of the few problems running a PU system will need to be addressed.
The answer to your question, Wagner, is simple: we are reliant on managers doing what needs to be done. As for sharing...a screen shot is not ideal (as you noted) but one possibility. Another is that Managers check-in to the thread (the new one that you will need to create for the new league) and make it known that the game was/or was not played.
If it was not played, then what will happen next? Bbmail the manager who didn't do their job? Re-schedule it? These are some of the issues that will likely have to be dealt with on the run. Hopefully, not too many of these issues occur.
Indeed it's something we need to figure out, if possible. If we can't come up with clear and easy solution (which I hope we eventually will), then we need to think of ways how we could live with it (I've tried to consider both approaches recently). It is realistic to take a look at the challenge from eye to eye, I don't see this as you trying to put down the project.
Please other managers share your thoughts if you have some of those "light bulb moments", and can figure out a surefire way to handle this (what I mentioned in my message that has been quoted on the top, with A) and B)). I mean sometimes when you try to overthink, or think one thing over and over again, you might not see the obvious solution.
But as MrJ said he also doesn't see an easy solution for this seemingly obvious challenge, I guess we need to be giving this a further thought. For the couple of days I've spent some time creating some draft of rules and penalties, and will likely share some of it quite soon. The draft version right now is exactly that, so I don't prefer to throw it out to the forum just yet. It also needs some tuning and certain changes, and later on likely also small additions - and also like I mentioned, when rules are being created, it's essential what we can verify and what we can't (and therefore what we can penalize and what we can't, and if we can't, how do we handle problematic scenarios so that it's fair as possible to both teams mainly involved, and ultimately to all teams, etc. etc.
So with the risk of repetition, why I threw an open question to all managers to the forum is because in order to be able to create certain rules, it would be absolutely essential for me to know an answer to the A)/B)-question above... because if we can´t veriry it, I need to go back to drawing board big time (but things will get ready soon enough, do not worry about it - we still have weeks before the season starts). I will likely throw some ideas back and forth about that partially ready draft with MrJ by BBMail (if that's fine for you?) and see what we can come up with.
But all fellow managers, please, if you can also think it over/figure out any challenge whatsoever that we could face when we play this league as a pickup game (PU) league, I'd appreciate it if you can share it here on the forum or by BBMail as it will tremendously help in preparation work for the league. There will be certain hiccups with new project no matter how well you try to plan and prepare, but I'd like to make it as smooth ride as possible by being prepared to most likely problematic scenarios.