1. OOTP in-game adjustments
We see game generated changes at the end of each season, and though I suspect their generation centers around much of what we examine, I cannot say with any certainty at all what causes these changes. OOTP game generated changes in Market Size are as follows:
Increase:
None in 2039
Decrease:
The Charleston Statesmen saw their already small market drop from BELOW AVERAGE to SMALL.
OOTP game generated changes in Fan Loyalty are as follows:
Increase:
The New Jersey Hitmen saw their Loyalty increase from GOOD to VERY GOOD.
Decrease:
None in 2038
2. Financial Management Penalties
As per The Constitution:
Article IV of the Constitution, regarding Financial Management outlines the following penalties:
Cash Minimum:Constitution wrote:
- a) For every $5M below league cash minimum (-$35M) a team ends a season with, the team will lose a point of fan interest: -$40M is a point lost, -$45M is 2 points lost, etc.
- b) An additional fan interest penalty is also assessed to teams who end consecutive seasons with negative total cash and who have failed to make progress towards break-even. Consecutive seasons that move deeper into debt will trigger the penalty. Consecutive seasons that move towards solvency will not trigger a penalty.
- c) Teams that suffer losses in excess of -$30,000,000 (Season Profit/Losses figure) will also suffer a loss of one market size. Teams may chose to seek Owner-Provided Cash Relief to avoid this penalty (see below). Owner-Provided Cash Relief is capped at $10M – thus teams that suffer loses greater than -$40M will lose one Market size.
- d) 1st-year GMs shall be exempt from these penalties above, unless it is deemed by the Board that they are negligent in their handling of the team.
- e) Losses in excess of -$35,000,000 will be reviewed by the Board and could be grounds for dismissal from the league.
- f) Intentionally driving a team’s debt beyond the -$35,000,000 limit, such as by releasing multiple expensive contracts during one season, will be grounds for immediate dismissal, pending Board investigation.
The last season we had three teams that finished below the cash minimum, while in 2037 there were seven and six in 2036, this year there was 1 team. Excellent! There were a number of teams that as of now show a zero balance thanks to the activities of their owners - as did the owner help the team with the lone Cash Minimum violation that would have been penalized - Crystal Lake.
Consecutive, Increasing Negative Balance:
There were none in 2039 - for the second straight season. Great Job to all clubs.
Profit/Loss greater than -$30M:
There were three team that finished in this category.
Yuma lost -$40,319,003 this season, and choses to sell 4 FI points to 'buy out of' the Market Size penalty. Crystal Lake lost -$35,098,115, and choses to sell 2 FI points to 'buy out of' the Market Size penalty. Charleston lost -$56,007,416 and was beyond the buyout threshold and would have lost a point of Market Size, but OOTP did that for us.
3. Performance Based Market/Fan Loyalty Adjustments
The PEBA also looks at Fan Expectations and Team performance as it relates to Loyalty and Market Size, and we used the same rubric and formula that we have since 2028. As stated by the Constitution:
As such, the idea is a team goes into a season with Expectations, and those are based on Market size (larger Market, more expectations), Budget size (spend more money, more is expected), and your record over the past 5-seasons and play-off appearances over the past 10-seasons - playoff spots carry a little more fan hope over the long-term. A team's results are measure against League averages to create an Expectation score. Like-wise, a team is graded on their current performance - in essence, did you meet expectations? A performance score is determined similarly to the Expectation score, using 2038 Final Record, Division Standing and Playoff finish (all teams receive a minimal score of 1). The difference between Performance and Expectation is your score. The results are below.Constitution wrote:
- A team’s performance has the potential to affect its fan loyalty and market size. Since expectations are different in different markets, each team will be reviewed based on the expectations for their market. Teams with the largest markets and largest budgets will have the greatest expectations. Teams in smaller markets with smaller budgets will have lesser expectations. Teams will be awarded or penalized based on how they fared against those expectations.
- The team that exceeds expectations by the greatest amount will receive a market size increase. The next 4 teams who most exceeded expectations will see a fan loyalty increase.
- The team that performs the worst against expectations will see a market size decrease. The next 4 teams who most faltered against expectations will see a fan loyalty decrease.
- Expectations will be based on market size, team budget, playoff appearances in the last ten seasons, and team record over the last 5 seasons. Points are awarded/subtracted based on team record, place in division, playoff appearance, and winning a championship.
- A minimum of 2 years must pass between fan loyalty changes, and a minimum of 3 years must pass between market size changes. Winning a PEBA championship makes a team exempt from market size/fan loyalty drops for the next 3 years.
This year's team that garnered the highest score is probably no surprise. The Reno Zephyrs turned back-to-back playoff appearances and trips to the post-season in 5- of the past 8-seasons into a top P/L score - a first for the Zephyrs (at least dating back as far as 2028), and they have earned themselves an increase in Market Size (BIG to VERY BIG). They are exempt from P/L market changes for three seasons. Finishing 2nd to 5th and gaining Loyalty boosts are the Florida Farstriders who receive a Loyalty (GOOD to VERY GOOD); Duluth (who are EXEMPT due to a boost in 2037); Tempe (GOOD to VERY GOOD); and London (who are EXEMPT due to a boost in 2038). Congrats to all of the Top 5 for an excellent season.
The bottom of the barrel includes Bakersfield, who will be exempt due to change in 2037, and Havana, whose exemption last year ran out and will see a drop in Loyalty (ABOVE AVERAGE to AVERAGE). Kentucky and Aurora finished 30 and 31st in the standings and they, too, received a drop in Loyalty. For the T-breds it is a lowest they've finished since the '33 and '32 seasons (they drop from GOOD to ABOVE AVERAGE), while the Aurora finds themselves in the bottom for the first time since '31 and drop from VERY GOOD to GOOD. After failing to make the playoffs for the 1st time last year, the Shin Seiki Evas missed again in 2039 and finished with the lowest score for the 2nd straight season. They are exempt for the next two seasons after last seasons penalty.
Lastly, 2038 Rodriguez Cup winner Florida is exempt from negative future change for three years, extending through 2042. 2036 Champ Niihama sees their exemption expire, West Virginia is exempt through 2040. and last seasons Champs, Toyama, are exempt through 2041.