I've just completed my first off-season in a new fictional league that contains two separate major leagues. League #1 is set up to be a big-money powerhouse similar to modern-day MLB. League #2 is set up as a successful yet smaller league that shouldn't be able to financially compete with League #1 for top free agents.
At least that's the
intention. In practice it's working exactly the opposite. And not only are the big free agents signing with League #2, they're signing for considerably less than their demands from League #1 teams. Let me give you the example of SS Nathan Powers. Here's what he's demanding from a team in League #1:
And here's what he's demanding from a team in League #2:
Obviously I've botched things in the financial setup of my two leagues. What I was trying to achieve was a situation where both leagues paid the same for free agent players but League #1 had greater financial resources that league #2. I want League #2 to be competitive with League #1, but not
dominate as it is right now.
I'm guessing the problem is in the "typical salary" section of the league financial rules. League #2 has lower "typical salaries" than League #1. I didn't think these settings affected what free agents would sign for but it seems like they do. Can anyone confirm this?
For the record, here are the financial rules for each league. First, League #1:
And now League #2:
Again, the goals are to have free agents cost the same for both leagues, for League #1 to have greater spending power than League #2, and for League #2 to remain relatively competitive (i.e. League #2 teams can still sign decent players and doesn't end up as a "junk league"). If anyone can offer suggestions to help me achieve these goals I would be
immensely grateful. This has been hounding me for too long now!