(This is a reposting from another thread...I hope that is ok, I try not to do that often...but I'm so excited by and 'into' this idea that I really wanted to place it in a more visible area)
(Also, this idea comes from the list of 11 suggested ideas written in the summary of ideas thread, but is my own input into how something like it could play out and impact the game).
It seems that player popularity in real life MLB plays many roles in team finance, stadium attendance, contract considerations, national television contracts, award voting results, and all star balloting.
There have been times when some young and inexperienced MLB teams have played very well (at or near the top of the division in the early part of the year, for example), but due to not having any big name players the attendance numbers (though elevated due to performance) were not 'off the charts' as one would expect for a similarly performing team with all of the Theme Park Player characteristics of the Yankees.
Actually, it also seems to me that one 'first step' for rebuilding a team with ailing financials and season performance is not only to focus on developing future players, but perhaps also to buy some 'names' who may be past their prime as it pertains to performance, but who could give a greater sense of identity to the team and give the local fans someone identifiable to cheer for while the minor league players develop. (besides the other function of such veterans in offering guidance to the young players....perhaps leadership of this type is already in the game engine? It seems that it probably is)
Even when Roger Clemens isn't pitching well...and even if not pitching for the Yankees...his mere existence in a game would seem to increase attendance. Similarly, a Mark McGwire playing for a St. Louis team already out of the playoffs would still draw fans based on his popularity.
Also, if there is a relationship between fan attendance and player popularity, then it would seem that players (the superstars like Jeter who covers the magazines and the TV commercials) would know that the 'entertainment factor' of their image also contributes to team financials. Team merchandise would also be higher in sales where popluar players exist.
One further note is if there were categories ascribed to various ranges of popularity ratings that the attainment of 'Legendary' status by a player that was drafted, nursed along, believed in, persuaded to remain via contract extensions, etc. would be quite a gratifying goal to attain and is something that can be experienced during that player's carreer.
A player such as Koufax or Fydrich who, for whatever reason had their careers cut short could become Hall of Fame eligible...or at least recognized in an Almanac listing of players who attained status of 'legendary' during their careers despite not having an opportunity to produce career sized numbers which are, as far as I can so far see, the criteria used for induction considerations.
Managers and coaches and "teams as a whole" could also be preserved in the Almanac in a similar way via 'popularity status'.
Also possible here is the existence of a record for 'youngest player to attain legendary status'.
One challenge to the formulation of an algorithmic design for 'popularity' seems to me to be the phenomenon (which has seemed to not be all that uncommon in MLB) of a player performing very well, putting up very good numbers, and yet receiving very little recognition or popularity.
Events 'off the field' could affect popularity such as controversial statements made to the press...a player acting on his 'non-loyalty' and leaving behind his home crowd for a bigger contract...home crowds could 'ride' a player after a big flub or a big strikeout leading to 'pressure handling' considerations for the player in question.
The possibilities just seem to go on and on.
I really like what player persona characteristics the game already has. And, they seem a great framework for implementing player popularity.
Big market/small market teams...fan loyalty considerations: these things would seem a natural part of an algorithm for how much a player (manager) could be in the 'dog-house' of a hometown crowd. With player popularity it may be possible to better approximate the atmosphere of 'The Bronx Zoo' that gives Yankee Stadium a significant part of its personality.
As to off-the-field controversies: players could be given ratings of 'controversy vulnerability'. Some players just seem to have personalities (Billy Martin)...that...well...need I say more?
Of course, even bad publicity can be better than no publicity at all. Perhaps there could be ratings for both fame and popularity since it seems that the two are quite independent of one another (Bud Selig, George Steinbrenner and that guy who used to be the Braves' closer (his name escapes me....but he's the one who would sprint onto the field... are the first examples that come to mind.)
At a player's attainment of status just below legendary (or just some other status depending on how it worked out) the player could become a 'household nickname'. By this I mean that to mention "The Bird" or "Sweet Lou" or "Gibby" or "Barry" or "Junior" (perhaps regional only nickname would fall under this one: Donnie in New York is very identifiable) or "Rocket", etc.
At the attainment of 'familiar nickname' popularity, the human player could be prompted to choose a famous nickname for his player...i envision this to simply be a text box and could be a decision that could be deferred by the human user to be returned to for the 'knighting with a nickname' at a later time: i.e. when he has thought of one
. Of course, there IS already the option to give nicknames to each and every player. But, to give nicknames to each player is, to me, sometimes daunting. I don't know how to go into depth just now as to why it would be more fun to have special MLB-wide 'known' nicknames than to simply have a standard nickname entry location, but it seems to me that it would be a lot of fun and add greater distinction to key players.
....there could be a list of suggestions offered by the computer but that could be very difficult to generate appropriately...although some built in generic offerings that could be ascribed to computer team players could also be determined....such nicknames would need to be 'unique' to the league so once a nickname was chosen it must go to only that player.
Another possibility is that the ascribing of an actual nickname is optional....and simply having the player achieve a rating of 'household nickname' would suffice for producing the effect I've been describing.
Another popularity application is that of minor league veterans being willing to 'stick it out' another year due to their popularity with the home crowd. Would it also be realistic to consider something like in the movie Bull Durham? where the leadership of a minor league veteran could affect the overall performance of a minor league team. I know this last idea is a bit picky and micro-small and therefore probably not such a great idea....but, well,...i had fun mentioning it LOL
Thanks,
Kevin
walksincircles73@yahoo.com