The Trade Deadline is the latest a trade can be offered and accepted. After the trade deadline passes, managers will NOT be able to send/accept trade offers from other teams. This is to ensure the playoffs are not influenced by trades between contenders and eliminated teams. The date of the Trade Deadline depends on which type of league you are in.
TRADE DEADLINES IN PUBLIC LEAGUES
In all ESPN Public fantasy leagues, there is a universal Trade Deadline set by ESPN.
TRADE DEADLINES IN LEAGUE MANAGER / CUSTOM LEAGUES
When creating a League Manager (LM) league, you can choose different trade deadlines for the available dates/times. After the trade deadline has passed, managers will NOT be able to send/accept trade offers to other teams.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
- Trades must be ACCEPTED by the trade deadline
- Voting must be finished PRIOR to the trade deadline
- Team managers are still free to add and drop players via free agency and waivers throughout the entire season
- LM vetoes/upholds must be executed PRIOR to the trade deadline
EXAMPLE SCENARIOS
NOTE: For these examples, the Trade Deadline is August 19 at 12:00 EDT
Scenario #1
Public League - 1-day trade review period
Team A proposed a trade to Team B on Aug 18 at 7 pm EDT, and Team B accepted the offer at 8:30 pm EDT the same day. (would process Aug 19 at 8:30 pm EDT.
Other teams will have until the trade deadline (Aug 19 at 12:00 PM EDT) to either vote to uphold or veto the trade. After the deadline, if the trade does not have enough veto votes, it will be processed as normal on August 19 at 8:30 pm EDT.
Scenario #2
Public League - 1-day trade review period
Team A proposed a trade to Team B on Aug 19 at 11:15 am EDT, and the manager of Team B did NOT see the offer till 1 pm EDT the same day.
Team B will NOT be able to accept the offer as the trade deadline has passed. The trade will automatically disappear when it expires.
Scenario #3
Private League - 2-day trade review period
Team A proposed a trade to Team B on Aug 18 at 2 pm EDT, and Team B accepted the offer at 8:30 pm EDT the same day (Aug 18). The trade would be scheduled to process on Aug 20 at 8:30 pm EDT.
Other teams will have until the trade deadline (Aug 19, at 12:00 PM EDT) to either vote to uphold or veto the trade. After the deadline, if the trade does not have enough veto votes, it will process as normal on Aug 20 at 8:30 pm EDT.
If the League Manager wants to bypass the trade review period, it must be done BEFORE the trade deadline.
For League Managers who want to uphold/veto the trade after the trade deadline has passed, they will need to extend the trade deadline. Please note the deadline CANNOT be reverted to the original.