Game Channels and Threads Overview

Choose one workflow

Channels: standalone Discord channels placed under a category.
Threads: lighter-weight conversations created from the current channel.

Do not create both for the same week unless the league intentionally wants both.

Watch the game channels and threads tutorial.

Shared prerequisites

Complete weekly schedule exists on NeonSportz.
Every participating user is approved and assigned to the correct team.
Bot is installed.
Acting user and bot have required Discord permissions.
Naming pattern is decided.
Default message is configured if desired.
Correct week is selected.

Newly created Madden and CFB game channels and threads include Schedule and Availability buttons on the matchup message.

To share availability:

Press Availability. Only the two members assigned to the matchup can use it.
Confirm your time zone. It starts with the league or dynasty default.
Add a start and end time on today or either of the next two days. Times use 15-minute increments, and a window can continue past midnight.
Review your windows, add or remove times as needed, then press Post Availability.

One post can contain up to six windows. Overlapping or adjacent windows are combined. The bot posts the windows in the game chat, tags the opponent, and uses Discord timestamps so every reader sees the times in their own local time zone. Times that are not listed are treated as unavailable. When both players agree, either matchup player or a commissioner can use Schedule to save the game time.

With privacy off, posting availability again creates a new update instead of replacing the earlier message. The picker closes without posting if it is canceled or left open for more than 10 minutes. Game chats created before the Availability button was released must be recreated to receive it.

Commissioners can opt in to Hide Availability Until Both Players Submit in Discord Settings. With it on, a player’s times stay private until both current matchup owners submit (including an explicit No Availability submission). Players can edit or withdraw their own submission. The bot maintains one combined reveal message and edits it in place; a withdrawal removes the current public reveal until both submit again. Availability is limited to current-period unplayed games with two distinct joined owners. Changing a team assignment or leaving and rejoining requires a fresh submission. Commissioners can inspect submissions for administration before both players submit. Legacy CFB controls require /cfbgames link-display to associate their exact channel. If Discord refuses an edit or removal, the bot reports the failure: it does not claim the old public message was removed or silently create another reveal. Times that were already revealed may have been seen or copied and cannot be made private retroactively. Turning the setting off returns new control sessions to public posting; stored submissions are not automatically posted to Discord.

Send a scheduling reminder

Commissioners with edit permission can press Mentions on the matchup message to choose either an unscheduled game or one with an upcoming kickoff. The bot shows the current, joined home and away owners it can actually see in that channel or thread, then requires a separate confirmation before sending. This is a manual reminder only; it does not schedule or automatically send future notifications. Finished, simulated, forced, or stale game channels and threads cannot send a reminder.

Naming patterns

Select one of Discord’s naming choices; the command does not accept a free-form template. Keep names short enough for Discord and avoid characters Discord replaces. Preview the first created name before assuming every matchup will fit.

Privacy

Private channels and threads rely on member-to-team assignments and Discord permission overwrites. A Discord nickname alone is not enough; the Discord ID must match the approved NeonSportz user.

For threads, the role option posts a role mention; it does not add every role member to a private thread. Invite any additional commissioners individually. Without a role, the bot adds the user who ran the command.

Madden and CFB differences

Madden schedule comes from imports and supports update workflows based on played results.
CFB schedule is entered manually.
Command prefixes are /channels and /threads for Madden.
CFB prefixes are /cfbchannels and /cfbthreads.

Matchup branding

Madden Pick’em matchup and result posts and CFB matchup controls reuse team logos: the Away author icon identifies the away team and the thumbnail identifies the home team. CFB side corrections refresh those associations on the original message. Names, scores, and controls remain in the message text. Madden uses its stock logo when a configured URL is invalid; CFB uses text if no valid logo is available. Discord loads external images itself, so a missing or unreachable image does not stop the message or require a replacement post. No new server emojis are created.

Continue with Madden Game Channels and Threads or CFB Game Channels and Threads.

Destructive actions

Delete commands remove Discord content. Channel deletion may also remove the containing category. Deleted content cannot be restored by NeonSportz. Closed threads can be reopened in Discord when you have permission. Verify week and options before sending.