Running Live Drafts

The full playbook for hosting a smooth in-person draft.

Beginner9 minUpdated Aug 5, 2026

This is the commissioner's playbook for a smooth in-person draft, from the moment people arrive to the final pick.

Read this first

Pair this with the pre-draft checklist and you'll be ready for anything.

On the night

  1. 1

    Set the room up

    Connect the HUD to the biggest screen and confirm audio cues are audible.
  2. 2

    Confirm the order

    Review the draft order with the room, then lock it.
  3. 3

    Start the clock

    Kick off round one and let the clock keep everyone honest.
  4. 4

    Manage the flow

    Use pause, undo, and +time sparingly to keep momentum.

If something goes wrong

Miskeyed a pick? Ctrl+Z to undo. Someone drops off a remote draft? They'll auto-reconnect — see Remote Draft Issues.