Franchise Budget Explanation

[ohfour238]

It has been a couple years since I've played The Show, 18 is the first one I've played with the new franchise budget system that is based more on a weekly basis. Right off the bat I was totally confused but I did some research on it and found a thread from last year's game (I think) that clarified some things to an extent. So I am now operating under the assumption that (cash flow * 26 = available money to use in free agency). As long as (salary offered < (cash flow * 26)), it should clear.

So, I started a franchise with the Phillies, just to sim through and get a feel for how the whole season/off-season worked this year. At the beginning of the off-season I did not offer arbitration to anybody, no pending offers. I went right after Bryce Harper. At the time, my cash flow was around 2.5, so (2.5 * 26 = 65), meaning I had $65 million available to spend on free agents for 2019, correct?

Harper signs immediately for $30m a year. My cash flow is now down to 1.6x or something. So, (1.6x * 26 = 41.6), I should now have $41.6 million to spend on free agents for 2019, correct? I could not even sign another player for $1m. When attempting to sim to the next day it would tell me "The Phillies cannot afford the contract offered to....etc..."

So what am I missing? Is it somehow limiting me based on my need to fill roster requirements? If so, $40 million worth? Any information is much appreciated.

[Jr.]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

Check that the 40 Mann roster is close to full. In the past, the game made sure you had enough money to fill up your 40 man so if you only have 35 or so on there, you aren't able to offer more contracts.

It's really strange

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[ohfour238]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

Thanks for the tip. I quickly made sure that I had 39 out of 40 man roster, same result. I then tried with a full 40, same thing. But many of the players I added to the 40 man roster were not currently under contract so I am not sure if that had anything to do with it. However, it seemed once I got past the arbitration and contract tendering phase, it allowed me to sign more players despite the fact that neither of my organzation's rosters were full, A was completely empty. So I'm not exactly sure at what point it is allowing me to sign more players and why. All I know is, at the time, I have plenty of cash flow to do so. I think I'm going to do some further investigation and tests to figure out their triggers.

[ktd1976]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

Thanks for the tip. I quickly made sure that I had 39 out of 40 man roster, same result. I then tried with a full 40, same thing. But many of the players I added to the 40 man roster were not currently under contract so I am not sure if that had anything to do with it. <B>However, it seemed once I got past the arbitration and contract tendering phase,</b> it allowed me to sign more players despite the fact that neither of my organzation's rosters were full, A was completely empty. So I'm not exactly sure at what point it is allowing me to sign more players and why. All I know is, at the time, I have plenty of cash flow to do so. I think I'm going to do some further investigation and tests to figure out their triggers.

This is (I think) because up until that point, it accounts for the players that aren't under contract, but are arbitration eligible, or contract renewable. Those players aren't technically under contract until they have their arbitration hearing, or their contract is renewed. But, they have to be accounted for, as those players are under team control....

[KBLover]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

They really need to just make it plain on the budget screen. Then folks can tell where the money is going. Would be nice to have something like $5,500,000 (A) next to the player so that you can see that Player X is accounting for $5.5 million of whatever is being held because that's his probable arbitration number if you offer it and can't sign him prior to his hearing.

[ohfour238]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

This is (I think) because up until that point, it accounts for the players that aren't under contract, but are arbitration eligible, or contract renewable. Those players aren't technically under contract until they have their arbitration hearing, or their contract is renewed. But, they have to be accounted for, as those players are under team control....

I think this is primarily it. Before and during the first phase of free agency, there is so much going on with eligible arbitration and contract tenders. It seems to be accounting for those possible contracts as well as taking into account the pending offers, which there always seems to be at some point early on in the off season process. Once you get through all that, you really notice it open up for you. It's just unfortunate there isn't some more transparency at that point, so you know how much money you really have to play with at the moment and how much is currently being reserved for those other possible contracts.

I made sure I signed the majority of players to at least 2 year contracts, then simmed through year 2 so I didn't have to deal with as many contracts in the offseason, only minor leaguers. Because the team did well, I had about 2.5m in cash flow and was able to sign 2, 1.xm/w contracts right off the bat.

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[tabarnes19_SDS]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

I cannot understand the budget process. How much money is left to spend or even what the budget is.

There isn't even a notification any longer to explain if the budget has been increased or decreased the next season.

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[sink4ever]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

I've found some success by copying the CPU's strategy (at least in '17). During the first week, don't offer contracts to anyone other than players who will be actual free agents. Don't offer arbitration or contracts to arb-eligible players until right before that cutoff. Don't offer contracts to renewable players until right before that cutoff.

I believe as soon as you offer a contract to a controllable players it sets aside a certain dollar amount even though you might not be able to see it. By copying what the CPU does, I've found I can offer a lot more in the initial stages of free agency.

[forme95]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

I've used this stradegy every year, and it works to perfection.

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...offseason.html

[tabarnes19_SDS]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

Question is what defines your budget anymore? Did it go down or up? There are so many different numbers and there is.no definitive answer as to what they are using. On one screen they have team salary for competitive tax, then they have weekly breakdown, then contract is in yearly salary.

The whole system is confusing and disjointed.

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[ohfour238]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

I've used this stradegy every year, and it works to perfection.

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...offseason.html

Awesome post, thank you for that.

[ohfour238]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

Question is what defines your budget anymore? Did it go down or up? There are so many different numbers and there is.no definitive answer as to what they are using. On one screen they have team salary for competitive tax, then they have weekly breakdown, then contract is in yearly salary.

The whole system is confusing and disjointed.

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I agree they kind of mixed different representations of salaries and financial information together and made it confusing. During the season I believe your budget, or "cash flow", varies depending on the factors shown in the budget breakdown screen (revenue, team salaries, etc...). There isn't a set million dollar amount that you have to work within, you just have to attempt to stay within your available cash flow throughout the season. The more revenue you generate, the more sponsorships you gain, the more you lower your player and staff salaries will all increase your cash flow. For instance, you do not have a set budget of $100 million for the season, instead you have a varying $x/week budget to work within. You work to maintain that budget. If you are close to that limit and your team does poorly, you may end up going into the red entirely and have no money to spend, but instead must shed some.

[Caulfield]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

Is the only way to increase your budget by weekly Revenue Sharing and sponsorships of Batter Walk-ups, News Ticker & Active Replay or using stubs increase your budget with Bank Purchase or does attendance do anthing too? I don't really want to sell t-shirts & dodger dogs, winning games would be enough for me but I play station-to-station baseball & rarely steal so the Adidas stolen base sponsorship does little for me. The New Balance winning games deal is perfect but the Rawlings Double Play sponsor is only a little easier than stealing bases.

It looks like there are 2 other sponsorships to unlock, if that's true what are they and what do you have to do to unlock?

[ktd1976]

Re: Franchise Budget Explanation

I agree they kind of mixed different representations of salaries and financial information together and made it confusing. During the season I believe your budget, or "cash flow", varies depending on the factors shown in the budget breakdown screen (revenue, team salaries, etc...). There isn't a set million dollar amount that you have to work within, you just have to attempt to stay within your available cash flow throughout the season. The more revenue you generate, the more sponsorships you gain, the more you lower your player and staff salaries will all increase your cash flow. For instance, you do not have a set budget of $100 million for the season, instead you have a varying $x/week budget to work within. You work to maintain that budget. If you are close to that limit and your team does poorly, you may end up going into the red entirely and have no money to spend, but instead must shed some.

Technically, there IS a set amount you have to work within, it just doesn't come right out and say it.

If you go to the screen where you are attempting to sign a free agent, you can figure out what your available budget actually is (not counting outstanding offers, arbitration, etc.)

On the top, the SALARY is TOTAL for the duration of the contract. Thus, 28.4 Million would be 7.1 Million per year.

Years is obviously total years.


Now, where it says TEAM BUDGET INFORMATION is where it gets tricky, and hard to understand.

Basically, it goes like this:

TOTAL PAYROLL=The total amount of your contracts. FOR THE YEAR.
CASH FLOW=Your WEEKLY cash flow.
MAX OFFER= The max PER WEEK that you can offer in contracts.

Now, here is where it gets tricky.

There are 27 weeks in the baseball season.

THUS, your MAX offer (say 2.10 Million) multiplied by 27 weeks in the season=56.7 Million.

This is your APPROXIMATE budget room left for the season. (not taking into account any outstanding offers, or players that are under control, but not actually signed, or offered arbitration but have no contract, ETC)