MetLife Premier League of America (WWSM07)

[Young Drachma]

Okay, the premise on this league is the same as in this dynasty (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=58796), except now I've used Bea Arthur's US league (which replaced the Belgian league with a Canadian one featuring MLS and other teams) as the basic structure for my league. I edited a bunch of the teams names and tried to give it the flavour I've always wanted for an American league, though.

The third division is separated into two separate leagues, as you saw above. The Toshiba Third Division and the Alltel Wireless Third Division. The two winners of both third divisions get promoted, with the 2nd through 4th place teams and the 16th place team in the Championship playing a playoff to see who gets promoted (or stays.)

I'm going to choose a team to start with and then we'll go from there. I haven't decided what angle I want to take yet, but we'll see and start up.

[Young Drachma]

I've decided to take over a third division team and my first task will be to try to get the team from out of the 3rd division to the 2nd division.

From there, we'll see what happens.

Let the games begin.

[Young Drachma]

I've decided to assume control of QUAD CITY METROPOLITAN. The squad plays its games in Davenport, Iowa and is currently stationed in the Alltel Wireless Third Division.

The club expects big things. Last year, they tied Vermont Republic with 68 points and managed to choke in the playoff, which sent 3rd place Providence to the Samsung Championship, rather than the Corn Dogs (as they're often called by their fans) of Davenport.

The two Cup tournaments in the American leagues include the AT&T Super Cup and the Kellogg's Cup. We'll deal with those as we need to, later.

[MrBug708]

Im assuming this is with fake players?

[Young Drachma]

Here is the setup for the 2008-09 Alltel Wireless Third Division
----
Birmingham American
Boston Continental
Chicago Regiment
Colorado Springs
Dakota Thundercats
Fort Wayne
Kitchner
Lehigh Valley Professional
Nashville Metro
New Orleans FC
Ottawa FC
Quad City Metropolitan
San Fernando Valley
Surge of Sacramento
Vancouver
West Virginia

[Young Drachma]

Im assuming this is with fake players?

Nah, I'm using real players. The only difference is, I did equip the American clubs with more money to start off with and increased the league's reputation across the board, because the goal was to make this league one of the best in the world and I knew I had to tweak things a bit to get it there.

[MrBug708]

How does the foreign player rules work?

[Young Drachma]

The team's payroll budget for this year is $47 million and the transfer budget is $44 million.

I did choose these guys because they were the richest of the third division clubs I looked at and I wanted to work with a team that had resources to work with.

I don't know how to print rosters and stuff from FM, so..I'll just post the important stuff to start and go from there.

[Young Drachma]

No foreigner restrictions since the league is using the Belgian league rules.

[Young Drachma]

It's the beginning of the season (July 2008) and I've really just taken the first few days to clean out the staff, hire new coaches and scouts and all of that.

[Young Drachma]

We signed a parent club deal today (July 29, 2008) with defending MetLife Premier League of America champs Rose City. The deal allows Portland to send its players to Quad Cities on loan and we'll play a yearly exhibition against each other.

We could've gone with New York Red Bulls (home of Ronaldo), but I thought it would be better to choose the champions instead.

[Young Drachma]

I had some problems with the database and it crashed for me. I need to tweak the league a bit to see if I can prevent that from happening. I think I know why it happened, too. I think it has to do with the US league not being replaced, so it causes the game to act bizarrely.

So I went back to the drawing board a bit. What I'll do is, once I get it finished, I'll upload the finished database for you all.

[hoosierdude]

Thanks DC. I would love to play it. :)

[Young Drachma]

Ok, I redid the alignment and setup all of the minor leagues down to the unplayable 4th division.

Here are the teams 3rd division all the way up
---

KEYSTONE LIGHT SOCCER LEAGUE (THIRD DIVISION)

Separated into two separate 16 team divisions
---
ALLTEL WIRELESS 3RD DIVISION
---
Portsmouth (VA) Tigers (Pompey Tigers)
Compton L.A. Union
Milwaukee 1846
Dakota Thundercats
Strikers of Minnesota
Tulsa Roughnecks
Nashville Metro
New Orleans FC
Ottawa FC
Providence FC
Quad City Metropolitan
Vermont Republic
Samuel Adams FC of Boston
Surge of Sacramento
Vancouver Pacific
Windsor City

TOSHIBA THIRD DIVISION
----
Arizona Scorpions
Calgary United
Golden AC of California
Desert Sun Las Vegas
Edmonton FC
The Great Alaskan Football Club
Indiana Invaders
Lehigh Valley Professional
Northern Virginia
Raleigh
San Diego
San Fernando Valley
Upper Peninsula
Virginia Beach
Westchester NY Football Club
Winnipeg Dynamos

SAMSUNG CHAMPIONSHIP (2nd Division)
---
Atlanta Silverbacks
Baltimore United
Carolina Brigade
Chicago Regiment
Royal Cleveland
Jersey Atlantic
Kansas City Wizards
Manchester (NH) American
Jacksonville Tea Men
Miami FC
Montreal Impact
Oklahoma Union
Rochester Rhinos
Real Salt Lake
Seattle Sounders
Steel City Pittsburgh
Toronto FC
Wyoming 1890

METLIFE PREMIER LEAGUE
---
Cosmos New York
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
Detroit Motor City
El Paso y Juarez
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Los Angeles Galaxy
New England Revolution
New York Red Bulls
Philadelphia Athletic
Province Quebecois
Portland Rose City Athletic
San Jose Earthquakes
Santa Fe Capital
St. Louis Metropolitan

[hoosierdude]

Nice layout of teams. I look forward to it.

[Young Drachma]

I'm going to go ahead and prepare the db for upload. If you download it, be advised I did a few kooky things to rig is so this American league could jumpstart itself to par with its European counterparts.

The first thing I did was setup a few transfers that basically screw the English teams and transfer cash to a few teams in the PLA. The idea here for me is, I never play with any other leagues turned on but this one, so it doesn't matter to me what happens in inactive leagues that I'm not watching. They're just talent pools for me to get players from.

There are other random things like having increased the reputation of Canada to create better regens down the line.

I view this mostly as a "base" db for you to tweak and adapt for your own purposes. I'm zipping it up now and will upload it here in a bit.

[Young Drachma]

http://rapidshare.com/files/42042870/Premier_League_USA.zip.html

Here is the download link to the db.

[Young Drachma]

My original plan was to just create a new manager and start with a team that I wanted to. But after simming to 2011, I decided to go a completely different route and to simply apply for one of the jobs that was current available at that point.

The date is March 1, 2011 and I figure that it'll be my task to either save a struggling team before the season ends in May.

So we'll see.

[Young Drachma]

I declared interest in two jobs. The Indiana Invaders play at Miller Light Park in Indianapolis. Their best finish in the Toshiba Third Division was 3rd in 2006.

Since then, the team has finished:

(W-L-D)
2007-08: 7-10-13 34 pts. (11th)
2008-09: 5-15-10 25 pts. (15th, relegated from the Toshiba 3rd Division)
2009-10: 4th Division


The team currently sits in 14th, at 5-11-5 with 20 points. If the season ended today, they'd be forced into a playoff to stay in the league.

Frankly, that's a little too close for comfort for my taste. The team is offering me a deal to manage the team and included in my contract is $4.4 million in transfer money.

I've asked them for a week to think it over. I'm hoping I can find a different job by then. I'll take it if I have to, but I could easily see how things could go south, if we're not careful or if we're hit with a rash of injuries.

[Young Drachma]

The Westchester job might be more desirable, since it's NYC and all. But the team's financial situation is kinda crappy, because they're overly leveraged and playing out of their financial league in The Championship. It'd be more prestige, but worse if they manage to screw up and get relegated or something.

Plus, I haven't been offered the job. Indiana fired their coach the day after I declared my interest.

[Young Drachma]

Good thing I waited a week. Another 3rd division job has opened up. This one is the BC General Electric job. They are okay money wise, but I'm not even sure money at this point in the game matters, because it's past the transfer period anyway.

Westchester New York (as expected) fired their manager the day after, too. But given their perilous financial situation, I've declined interest in the post.

[Young Drachma]

BC General Electric have officially offered me their gig. They are current (W-L-D) 10-9-3 (33 pts) on the season, sixth in the Toshiba Third Division. That's just five points out of a playoff spot.

The contract is for $220k for 3 years, the deal with Indiana is just $60k. The transfer budget with BCGE is $2 million, though they've given me the flexibility to choose what sort of payroll/transfer scheme I want.

I like this offer a lot more and obviously, they're a better team.

[Young Drachma]

I accepted the job with BC General Electric. The ownership only approves scouting trips in North America, which limits my plan for the club, but...it doesn't mean we can't make some things happen.

The team agreed to upgrade our training facilities, which I've noticed in past situations that helps players consider committing to the club. We can somehow get into the playoff to move up, that'll be a huge consideration.

[Young Drachma]

Here is our current roster as of April 11, 2011

http://www.omnivore.fm/roster.gif




Here is a live standings table.
http://www.omnivore.fm/april1011.gif

[Young Drachma]

Here are the past champions of the MetLife Premier League of America

2007:
1- El Paso y Juarez
2- Rose City
3- New York Red Bulls

2008:
1- Rose City
2- Manchester American
3- Philly Athletic

2009:
1-El Paso y Juarez
2-New York Red Bulls
3-Philly Athletic

2010:
1-Oklahoma Union
2-Wyoming 1890
3-New York Red Bulls


Here are the past champions of the Samsung Championship of America
2007:
1-Oklahoma Union
2-Manchester American
3-Jacksonville Tea Men

2008:
1-Wyoming 1890
2-Jacksonville Tea Men
3-Montreal Impact

2009:
1-Great Alaska FC
2-Samuel Adams of Boston
3-Westchester New York FC

2010:
1-Samuel Adams of Boston
2-Providence FC
3-Westchester NYFC


Here are the past champions of the Alltel Wireless Third Division

2007
1-Quad City Metropolitan
2-Samuel Adams
3-Vermont Republic

2008
1-Providence FC
2-Windsor City
3-Dakota Thundercats

2009
1-Vermont Republic
2-Windsor City
3-Baltimore United FC

2010
1-Windsor City
2-Dakota
3-Baltimore


Here are the champions of the Toshiba Third Division

2007
1-Westchester NYFC
2-Great Alaskan
3-Arizona Scorpions

2008
1-Samuel Adams
2-Great Alaskan
3-Jersey Atlantic

2009
1-Atlanta
2-Golden AC of California
3-Toronto FC

2010
1-Jersey Atlantic
2-Miami FC
3-Rochester

[Young Drachma]

Here are the Premier League standings as of April 10, 2011.
http://www.omnivore.fm/d1apr1011.gif

Here are the American Championship standings as of April 10, 2011.
http://www.omnivore.fm/d2apr1011.gif

[Young Drachma]

I applied for a parent club for BCGE. We got three offers:

Jacksonville
Cosmos New York
Red Bull New York

The Red Bull deal is the best, but it doesn't include any annual fee from them to us. Both of the others do. But...given how good Red Bull has been the past few years, finishing in the Premier League top 3 three out of the past four years.

I think it'll be a huge shot in the arm for the club.

[Young Drachma]

We just made a deal with Darlington of England to be a feeder club for us.

[Young Drachma]

http://www.omnivore.fm/d35211.GIF
Here are the May 2, 2011 standings for the Toshiba Third Division

Columbus has already captured the title and we're firmly planted in the 6th position as the regular season is over.

Not a bad season all in all. I think with the signings we've made going into next season will make the club one of the favourites for next season. Given this team has never finished higher than 12th in club history, this is a pretty big deal in itself.

[MrBug708]

Columbus did that poorly? Or were their starting locations randomized?

[Young Drachma]

It's 2011.

In 2007, they were relegated from the Premier League. (5-19-10, 25 pts. 18th (last place))

2007-08: 12-17-5, 40 pts. (13th)
2008-09: 9-15-10, 37 pts. (15th)
2009-10: 6-21-7, 25 pts. (18th, last place)

In 2010, they were relegated from the Championship. The team's chairman left in 2010, so maybe that instability hurt their cause. Beats me.

[Young Drachma]

2011 Kellogg's North American Premier Cup

Semi-Finals
---
Manchester American v. Quebecois (6-3, Quebecois advances on aggregate)

D.c. United v. San Jose Earthquakes (2-1, D.C. United on aggregate)

Finals (May 28, 2011)
---
Quebecois v. D.C. United


PAST KELLOGG'S CUP CHAMPS
---
2007: Quad City Metropolitan def. Los Angeles
2008: Rose City def. Vermont Republic
2009: Wyoming 1890 def. Oklahoma Union
2010: Wyoming 1890 def. Quad City Metropolitan

[Young Drachma]

Quebecois win the Kellogg's North American Cup after a 1-0 win over D.C. United.

[Young Drachma]

GOING UP, GOING DOWN

PREMIER LEAGUE
The Oklahoma Union have captured the 2011 League championship with 65 points (19-7-8), it's their second straight title.

Philly Athletic comes in second with 61 points (18-9-7) and Real Salt Lake surprised EVERYONE to come in third place, just a year after being promoted to the PLA with 58 points. (17-10-7)

Meanwhile, Houston Dynamo have been relegated, after coming in at least third in the relegation playoff.

SAMSUNG CHAMPIONSHIP
In the Samsung Championship, Vermont Republic have made the ascent from the 3rd division to the top league, claiming the 2011 Championship title, with 62 points (17-6-11).

On June 12th, Jacksonville Tea Men will play against Windsor City. Windsor City has 10 points in the playoff, Jacksonville has 7. If Jacksonville wins and manages to score six goals and can hold Windsor City scoreless, they will erase Windsor's +6 goal differential and will move to +3 (from -3 currently) and move on to the Premier League.

Otherwise, Windsor City will move up for the first time in their history.

KEYSTONE LIGHT SOCCER LEAGUE
In the third division, Indiana, Upper Peninsula Raleigh, West Virginia and Rhode Island were all relegated. Vancouver Pacific will move up to the third division.

Columbus won the Toshiba and will move up, as will Baltimore who won the Alltel Wireless Third Division.

[MrBug708]

What does Oklahoma's roster look like?

[Young Drachma]

http://www.omnivore.fm/unionchamps11.gif

[Coffee Warlord]

Heh. Obafemi is whining 'cause he's in Oklahoma, obviously.

[Young Drachma]

Estimated $161 million team value (28th worldwide)

They play at 21,236 seat Tulsa Soccer Park.

Defending 2010 AT&T Super Cup champions.

Here is the contract view:

http://www.omnivore.fm/okunioncontract.gif

[Young Drachma]

Heh. Obafemi is whining 'cause he's in Oklahoma, obviously.

http://www.omnivore.fm/martins11.gif

[MrBug708]

What is the prestige on some of these teams? Are players actually wanting to come in and play?

Im thinking I might download this and tinker with it some too, it's very promising. I'm going to edit one of the cities to my hometown :)

[Young Drachma]

I jacked up the prestige on most of the top tier teams and I did it on purpose. I also jacked up the league's prestige in all of the divisions.

I wanted it to be a desirable league. If I wanted it to be real life, I'd just play with MLS. :)

You should totally check it out and tinker away...

[hoosierdude]

I love it. I like the settings he has, and it is very playable. People should definitely check it out.

[MrBug708]

What would you say the prestige level is at right now? Comparable to maybe the Dutch league? A hair below the English/Spanish/Italian Leagues?

[Young Drachma]

What would you say the prestige level is at right now? Comparable to maybe the Dutch league? A hair below the English/Spanish/Italian Leagues?

I just checked the db. The reputation of the league is actually higher than the English league. But perception versus reality, is that it's still a ways away from being there yet.

In general? I'm guessing as far as the way it's playing for me (I never play with the other leagues on..), it's probably somewhere a hair below them at the top levels.

It's hard to say, it might be good to schedule some exhibitions against top-tier teams to find out, especially a few years out.

[BYU 14]

Can I get a peek at Real Salt Lakes roster?

[Young Drachma]

http://www.omnivore.fm/real2011.gif

[MrBug708]

How were the teams filled?

Also, has anyone tried a fictional database?

[Young Drachma]

PREMIER LEAGUE AWARDS
---
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2010-11
---
1st Carlos Tevez, El Paso y Juarez
2nd Fernando Torres, Philly Athletic
3rd Wayne Rooney, Quebecois


2009-10: Nilmar, Oklahoma
2008-09: Carlos Tevez, El Paso y Juarez
2007-08: Didier Drogba, Philly Athletic

Manager of the Year
---
2010-11:
1st Thomas Schaaf, Oklahoma
2nd John Collisn, Quebecois
3rd Steve Cotterill, Salt Lake

2009-10: Arsene Wenger, Oklahoma
2008-09: Nick DeSantis, El Paso y Juarez
2007-08: Erwin Koeman, Rose City

[Young Drachma]

How were the teams filled?

Also, has anyone tried a fictional database?

I've never tried to do it using a fictional database. And most of the teams are sparsely filled if at all to start off. I didn't do any of that. That's why I simulate a few years into the future before doing anything.

[MrBug708]

2009-10: Arsene Wenger, Oklahoma

Heh. It might be a little too high for me. I think I'd prefer rep levels of the Scottish league :)

[Young Drachma]

You can always edit it before you use it. It's jacked high, but with a few modest changes, it wouldn't be hard to fix it, because I didn't even edit all of the teams..just a random few.

[MrBug708]

Ok, enough talk, more pictures :)

[Young Drachma]

I won't front. This little league managing junk sucks. I'm applying for national team jobs and if I get one, I'm leaving BC.

[Young Drachma]

2011 TEAM OF THE YEAR
http://www.omnivore.fm/teamoftheyear11.gif

[MrBug708]

No American's huh?

[Young Drachma]

I think the league is just good enough that they're being trumped for the foreigners, presumably. My notion is that they'll step it up in future generations.

[MrBug708]

Hmmm, I think I'll tweak it so that there are just a couple of American's on each roster.

So are the English teams and other foriegn teams more devoid of talent now?

[hoosierdude]

I won't front. This little league managing junk sucks. I'm applying for national team jobs and if I get one, I'm leaving BC.


Welcome to my world. I dont take the money jobs, I fight in the lower divisions complaining and carping. But, I hope to win thru to higher divisions just the same.

But I understand the frustrations of managing the lower leagues ... I do.

[Young Drachma]

Hmmm, I think I'll tweak it so that there are just a couple of American's on each roster.

So are the English teams and other foriegn teams more devoid of talent now?


Umm...just a few stars that I moved away from teams. But not many. Most of the moves that you've seen over the past five years or so, were completely done by the computer. Which is what I wanted.

[Young Drachma]

Welcome to my world. I dont take the money jobs, I fight in the lower divisions complaining and carping. But, I hope to win thru to higher divisions just the same.

But I understand the frustrations of managing the lower leagues ... I do.

I think if I had a team that I was wedded to, it might be easier. But since I just picked a team that I care nothing about...it made it harder.

I might have to try again with another team in the lower division, because I do like the idea of 'working my way up'.

[Young Drachma]

As it turns out, I haven't been offered any other gigs. So instead of leaving like a girl, I'm staying at BCGE and attempting to see if I can't make it work.

[Young Drachma]

NEW SIGNINGS (2011-12)
---
28 year old Argentine Marcos Angeleri, $375k (D/WB), 4 assists, 63 appearances for St. Louis (2 years in the Premier League, last season in the Championship)

18-year old Canadian Marco Johnson (AM/F C) from Quad City Metropolitan for $950k

27-year old American Jordan Harvey (D, LC) from New Orleans for $45k

18-year old Canadian Ludovic Besson (SW, D C) from Wyoming for $1.4 million

22-year old Argentine Angel Germano (ST) from New Orleans on a free transfer.

29-year old Argentine Roberto Nanni from San Jose Earthquakes for 450k

I also canned two coaches and a scout in an effort to step things up a bit. Considering I didn't get into this job until just March, the fact that the team didn't absolutely collapse is probably a good sign. I think the team has a decent core. It'll be just a matter of what they can do going into this year.

[Young Drachma]

The Kellogg's Cup draw is out.

We're playing Washington City (DC) in the third round. City are a 4th division club.

The winner of the matchup will face off against the winner of Queen City Buffalo (3rd division) v. Bakersfield

[Young Drachma]

I scheduled a friendly against Corinthians of Brazil. We drew 0-0 with them.

[Young Drachma]

RESIGNED

The team, tired of me constantly looking at different offers, gave me the chance to resign or be fired. So, I took their bait and quit before the start of the new season.

What's next, is anyone's guess.

[Young Drachma]

Just as quickly as I said that and wondered whether I'd actually get any offers or not, my first offer shows up in the form of recently relegated Detroit Motor City, who are mimicking their gridiron cousins by underachieving despite money to spend and a gleaming stadium.

(I'm playing as Lebanese-Canadian manager Ahmad Taleb. Dunno why...just decided to do that...go with it.)

http://www.omnivore.fm/deetroit.png

I like the offer and honestly, there aren't many other deals out there that are going to be as sweet as this one. I negotiated for $123m in payroll and $113m in transfer money, plus told them to expand 23,000 seat Chrysler Field.

They've agreed and so...I guess we're headed to Dee-troit.

[Young Drachma]

The first thing I like to do with any new team, is to purge the coaches and scouts that suck. Nothing is worse than getting bad information or having your players forced to work with crappy coaches from the start and so, I'm going to take care of that first.

Then, I'll take stock of the squad's roster and see what we need to improve a team that really has no business being in the 2nd division to begin with having resources like they do.

My goal is really to expect nothing less than the outright Championship title and a return trip back to the PLA. The media predicts we'll be 7th.

[Young Drachma]

Oklahoma Union won the AT&T Super Cup over Quebecois 2-0, claiming their 2nd straight Super Cup title.

[Young Drachma]

The season begins on August 24th, 2011. I'm trying to schedule a few international friendlies against top-tier sides.

[Young Drachma]

Ok, good.

Here is the tour schedule for Motor City Detroit FC prior to the 2011 season start:


8.2 Chelsea (England)
8.3 Arsenal
8.9 Lazio (Italy)
8.10 Fiorentina
8.14 Barcelona (Spain)
8.15 Sevilla
8.18 Chivas (Mexico)
8.19 Pumas

[Young Drachma]

It's not that weird for these European clubs to be playing our teams. Arensal played FC Dallas (Championship) on July 27th and won 2-1.

Milan played Division 3 Vancouver the same day and won 3-1 AND then beat Houston (Championship) 2-1 on July 30th.

So, we're not trendsetters, but simply going along with it.

AUGUST 2, 2011
19,716 saw Detroit Motor City defeat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in London today.

Yakubu and Robert Vittek scored in the victory

[Young Drachma]

I'll post the team's roster just prior to the start of the regular season.

[Young Drachma]

Here is our 2011 opening day lineup, fresh off a 4th round victory over Cleveland in the Kellogg's Cup.

http://www.omnivore.fm/detroitaug11od.png

[Young Drachma]

I didn't inherit all of those guys, notables I've brought in include Hubschman, Dempsey, Thiago, Sarr and a few others. I'll publish that list next.

[Young Drachma]

I love how when you get relegated, teams start to swarm around you to get you to sell off all of your parts. That's what's happened to Detroit now that they're a step down. It's okay though, we'll make it work.

[MrBug708]

*ahem*

[Young Drachma]

What?

[Young Drachma]

http://www.omnivore.fm/purchases.jpg

Here are the transfers I've made since coming to Detroit.

[Young Drachma]

My first major test as Manager of Motor City is our 5th round Kellogg's Cup matchup against Edmonton FC, a third division outfit.

If we win, the sixth round is in October.

[Young Drachma]

We lost 4-2 on penalties to Edmonton. Oh well.

[Young Drachma]

http://www.omnivore.fm/october12011.jpg

I simmed to October 1, 2011. Here are the standings in the Championship so far.

I'm sure I'm managing this team all wrong. Because I suck at this. I wish it were baseball. :)

[Young Drachma]

I think I plan to do this again, but this time..with different teams throughout the leagues. I originally wanted to use the Uruguay model of relegation/promotion, but that's way too confusing to try to imitate it seems.

[Young Drachma]

Though it could just be that I'm lazy.

[Toddzilla]

I think I plan to do this again, but this time..with different teams throughout the leagues. I originally wanted to use the Uruguay model of relegation/promotion, but that's way too confusing to try to imitate it seems.OK, you hooked me. What is the Uruguay model?

[MrBug708]

I thought this was a good idea, but the nationality aspect of it bugged me where I couldn't play it. I would hope that Marc would make it so that we can just edit the league quickly and make it regulation/promotion style and then go from there. I like seeing my teams full of players who are from that country.

[Young Drachma]

From the one thread on the main board:



That would allow real promotion to and from the lower divisions while safeguarding the "big market" teams. Safeguarding teams from relegation would be unusual, but not unique. Uruguay does something vaguely similar (or at least used to).

I got curious. It's hard to find information about this, but..I managed to discover this. Might be time for me to try to create a US league using that structure using WWSM.

NOTES: The structure of the Uruguayan Championship is extremely complicated, and split into three phases. Firstly, the 18 teams play each other once, with the final table being split into three groups. The top two from each group, plus the remaining four best overall go on to compete in the 10 team Apertura and Clausura championships. This ensures that at least two clubs from the interior qualify for this phase. The Apertura and Clausura winners play-off for the championship, to qualify for the Copa Libertadores, along with the winners of the first phase. The play-off losers then join the three next best placed teams from the overall table in a mini-league or "liguilla" to determine the final Libertadores place.

The eight worst teams from the first phase play in the "Torneo Permanencia" to retain top division status. This is divided into a Montevideo (2 relegated) and an Interior (1 relegated) group, to ensure that 5 clubs from the provinces remain at the top level. Division Two is similarly complicated but results in two Montevideo clubs and one provincial club being promoted, although the best placed provincial club will have to play-off against its relegated counterpart if it finishes lower than 5th. There is no automatic relegation to the third level, which is a small amateur league in Montevideo.

According to Wikipedia though, the league is just 16 teams now.

[Young Drachma]

I thought this was a good idea, but the nationality aspect of it bugged me where I couldn't play it. I would hope that Marc would make it so that we can just edit the league quickly and make it regulation/promotion style and then go from there. I like seeing my teams full of players who are from that country.

You know how BADLY I want that? They just ignore the idea of making custom leagues. And I have no idea why it's so darn hard. FaceGen and the other junk doesn't do anything for me. I just want to be able to create a custom league and be done with it.

So...yeah, I'm with you totally. Because the way it is now, is a real pain in the ass using that crap data editor. And none of the 3rd party apps work with WWSM seemingly.

[MrBug708]

How about a super league like they used to do in the FIFA series. You pick a 16 team super league and play from there :) Kind of like Champions League Cup but more consistant.

[Young Drachma]

But just with American teams? And maybe a Canadian team? Hmm...that might work for a dynasty.

[Young Drachma]

Well, they'll have to be Canadian teams regardless with canadian regens because the game won't allow an American league to use a model other than the MLS model. I thought it would do it to where the regens would come from wherever the team's stadium is...but it doesn't seem to work that way. Sucks, but that's how it is. The best you can hope to do -- and I've done this before -- is to pick an obscure country, rename it America and change the languages to match America..so your regens are 'essentially' Americans, but just don't have the USA behind them. Still sucks, but...the current setup doesn't really allow for much else.

[Young Drachma]

I'm currently modifying my db to use the Uruguay setup, but using American teams from the US of A. I'll report my results and if it works, I'll post it.