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:
The Toyama Wind Dancers continued their strong run and after earning a market size in 2038, were awarded an in-game increase from HUGE to ASTRONOMICAL. Note that currently v25 shows the Wind Dancers at HUGE, despite the correct score under the hood.
The Neo-Tokyo Akira, who have fallen on hard times in the cut-throat Rising Sun Division - losing market size in 2037, gained that back this year, improving from ABOVE AVERAGE to BIG.
Decrease:
The Reno Zephyrs, who had just gained market size last season as having the best performance, lost it this year to the OOTP gods, dropping from VERY BIG to BIG. Had they simply performed poorly, they would have been exempt. Bad Luck.
OOTP game generated changes in Fan Loyalty are as follows:
Increase:
The Shin Seiki Evas, despite failing to make the playoffs the past three seasons - finishing with their worst record in their history, saw their Loyalty increase from VERY GOOD to GREAT.
Decrease:
The San Antonio Calzones of Laredo saw their loyalty drop of VERY GOOD to GOOD after a 103-loss season - their 5th straight 100-loss season.
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.
There were no violations this season.
Consecutive, Increasing Negative Balance:
After a perfect 2039, one club finished with a greater negative balance than in 2039: Crystal Lake, who lost -$3.6M in '39 and finishing with -$11.2 in '40. The will lose 1 point fan interest. Overall, a Great Job to all clubs.
Profit/Loss greater than -$30M:
There were two team that finished in this category.
Madison lost -$30.7M this season, and choses to sell 1 FI points to 'buy out of' the Market Size penalty. Aurora lost -$37.2M, and choses to sell 3 FI points to 'buy out of' the Market Size penalty.
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 is a former PEBA champ who were relegated to the WIL during PEBA's dark hours, then reclaimed 9-seasons ago during PEBA's 'rebirth' - the Tempe Apollos (nee Knights). The Apollos were 58-23 on July 1 and coasted the rest of the way, earning the top seed in the SL. Tempe sees their market size increase from AVERAGE to ABOVE AVERAGE. They are exempt from P/L market changes for three seasons. Finishing 2nd to 5th and gaining Loyalty boosts are the Charleston Statesmen, from POOR to BELOW AVERAGE; the Scottish Claymores, from VERY GOOD to GREAT; the Palm Springs Codgers, from GOOD to VERY GOOD; and the Florida Farstriders, who were awarded an increase last season and thus were exempt from change. Congrats to all of the Top 5 for an excellent season.
The bottom of the barrel includes Kentucky and Aurora, who will be exempt due to change in 2039. Reno received a double-whammy, finishing 30th and seeing a drop in loyalty, from GOOD to ABOVE AVERAGE, and West Virginia, in a vagabond season that saw them surrender the division crown for the first time in 13-years, finished 31st and in the bottom for the first time since at least 2027, their loyalty dropping from GOOD to ABOVE AVERAGE. For the third straight year the Shin Seiki Evas missed the playoffs and finished with the lowest score. After losing market size in 2038, they are exempt for one more seasons.
Lastly, 2040 Rodriguez Cup winner Florida is exempt from negative future change for three years, extending through 2043. 2037 Champ West Virginia sees their exemption expire, Toyama is exempt through 2041. and last seasons Champs, Florida, extend their exemption.