Starting up a renegade league - Financials, etc.

BennyTheMarlin · 06-17-2019, 10:41 AM

I'm trying to set up a renegade third league like the Continental League, beginning in 1968. I'm looking to use the model of the old Federal League or ABA/WHA from basketball/hockey: Offering up some enticing or at least competitive contracts and see who I can get to cross over. I see some problems where I'll need advice from you vets and historical experts, as I'm not too strong on the business side of the game:

-Since it is 1968, the reserve clause is in effect. By adding a new league, I'm sort of breaking that code. How can I set the game up so players can choose to join me, or stay in the old AL or NL with its reserve system?

-The historical leagues start up with a March date, and all rosters filled. As it is, the new league has no inaugural or expansion draft, so how best to fill out my rosters? I'd like to use all real-world players, but with few free agents, that means purging. What's the best way? Do I need to offer cash trades? What?

-Any financial suggestions for the financial side of the leagues? In particular, I'd like to keep the new league from going under, despite the healthy salaries. Does this mean a big TV contract, or higher local revenues, or what? I'm probably looking at revenue sharing for the new league. Like I said, I've never looked too hard into budget details on my games.

Any other tricks people have used for similar leagues are welcome! It's a fun new project for me, a chance to learn something extra about that era in baseball and the magic powers of OOTP as well.

Thanks.

BennyTheMarlin · 07-23-2019, 02:12 PM

I'm ready to start experimenting on my own with this

, but thought I should give it one more bump first...

TomVeal · 07-23-2019, 07:47 PM

Let me address one point. So far as I can see, OOTP has no provision for breaking players' contracts. It would probably be difficult to implement. "Outlaw" leagues have played a significant role in baseball history (the Players' League, the Federal League, the Mexican League right after WWII, etc.), but no game can include everything that man can devise.

discodude5 · 07-23-2019, 10:50 PM

I have no experience with what you're doing but since you need to figure things out if I was you I would make a quickstart of your league. In the quickstart release all the players and delete them then fill all teams with fictional players so you don't know how the current players develop.
From there you could try different settings, simming seasons to see how things look and adjust.
This way you won't ruin your current league with things that can have a major impact like the financials and player movement.

BennyTheMarlin · 07-24-2019, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the replies. The reserve clause is the real trouble with this scenario. I'm thinking of using mostly work-arounds for the first couple of years, then have free agency hit early as a result of the new league. I'm thinking of temporarily turning off the reserve clause rules to allow purchasing, then raiding a modest haul of players to MLB teams for a price. I'll be active looking for cash trades after turning off the off-season purchasing option. The new league will have higher salary standards, so hopefully will pick up released players. I will play supreme dictator commissioner until free agency opens up, then loosen things up.

discodude5: Good point, the league has been fully backed up

TomVeal: Sounds like I'm heading to the request new features page...

06-17-2019, 10:41 AM	#1
BennyTheMarlin Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Hamden, CT Posts: 131	Starting up a renegade league - Financials, etc. I'm trying to set up a renegade third league like the Continental League, beginning in 1968. I'm looking to use the model of the old Federal League or ABA/WHA from basketball/hockey: Offering up some enticing or at least competitive contracts and see who I can get to cross over. I see some problems where I'll need advice from you vets and historical experts, as I'm not too strong on the business side of the game: -Since it is 1968, the reserve clause is in effect. By adding a new league, I'm sort of breaking that code. How can I set the game up so players can choose to join me, or stay in the old AL or NL with its reserve system? -The historical leagues start up with a March date, and all rosters filled. As it is, the new league has no inaugural or expansion draft, so how best to fill out my rosters? I'd like to use all real-world players, but with few free agents, that means purging. What's the best way? Do I need to offer cash trades? What? -Any financial suggestions for the financial side of the leagues? In particular, I'd like to keep the new league from going under, despite the healthy salaries. Does this mean a big TV contract, or higher local revenues, or what? I'm probably looking at revenue sharing for the new league. Like I said, I've never looked too hard into budget details on my games. Any other tricks people have used for similar leagues are welcome! It's a fun new project for me, a chance to learn something extra about that era in baseball and the magic powers of OOTP as well. Thanks.

07-23-2019, 02:12 PM	#2
BennyTheMarlin Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Hamden, CT Posts: 131	I'm ready to start experimenting on my own with this , but thought I should give it one more bump first...

07-23-2019, 07:47 PM	#3
TomVeal All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Spanaway, Washington Posts: 1,181	Let me address one point. So far as I can see, OOTP has no provision for breaking players' contracts. It would probably be difficult to implement. "Outlaw" leagues have played a significant role in baseball history (the Players' League, the Federal League, the Mexican League right after WWII, etc.), but no game can include everything that man can devise.

07-23-2019, 10:50 PM	#4
discodude5 Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 363	I have no experience with what you're doing but since you need to figure things out if I was you I would make a quickstart of your league. In the quickstart release all the players and delete them then fill all teams with fictional players so you don't know how the current players develop. From there you could try different settings, simming seasons to see how things look and adjust. This way you won't ruin your current league with things that can have a major impact like the financials and player movement.

07-24-2019, 10:34 AM	#5
BennyTheMarlin Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Hamden, CT Posts: 131	Thanks for the replies. The reserve clause is the real trouble with this scenario. I'm thinking of using mostly work-arounds for the first couple of years, then have free agency hit early as a result of the new league. I'm thinking of temporarily turning off the reserve clause rules to allow purchasing, then raiding a modest haul of players to MLB teams for a price. I'll be active looking for cash trades after turning off the off-season purchasing option. The new league will have higher salary standards, so hopefully will pick up released players. I will play supreme dictator commissioner until free agency opens up, then loosen things up. discodude5: Good point, the league has been fully backed up TomVeal: Sounds like I'm heading to the request new features page...