BuzzerBeater Forums

So here is what we learned so far. Prices are low right now but people are making money and they should increase sooner or later. On the other hand Charles indicated that the BBs have no intention of making any rapid changes that would affect the economy so this would be a slow process.

In my opinion the prices for mid-level players will not increase much this way. People making more money could increase the demand for top players instead. Right now the market is full of half-trained half-anygood players so the demand for those wont change much. Top players on the other hand people are abit more reluctant to sale because of the low prices and I can see the demand for those increasing parallel to the increase of cash reserves.

The bottom line is you have to search long and hard these days on the transfer list for players that are actually any good. I'll elaborate before I get torn to shreds on this.

No-one who has played this game for any length of time is going to buy a SF/PF with less than Mediocre Outside Defence.

Most managers won't touch a Guard without Mediocre Passing... etc, etc

We have all built up in our minds the type of players we wish to put out on court and although we are prepared to accept some inadequacies, the high percentage of transfer listed players have not been trained effectively enough to justify consideration to purchase... inflation or deflation.

Then you have the really great players (that also have the heftiest wages)... most top teams have the nucleus or core players they are happy with and bar an exceptional injury or push at a must win cup game its a big call to spend 3,4,5,6 or any amount of millions on a guy who at 26 is going to cost you $175k + a week and you know if you buy him you will either be owning him for 1-2 weeks or most likely 3-5 seasons.

The lower division teams don't have the luxury of choices that the higher division teams have and if I was them I wouldn't be rushing to buy other teams poorly trained cast offs if I can quietly go about improving my own roster from within.

This isn't me talking down the market - I'd gladly jump in and buy if the inflationary signals are there - I'm trying to spend money and I just don't see like previously many players even worthy of bidding on. People might wish to moan and blame deflation - I'm confident that we are just seeing more cast-offs and unwanted players hit the transfer list in a climate where there are more mature teams out there that just don't need them.

Well, I am willing to wait and see on this one and give Charles the benefit of the doubt... Mostly because I already bought players to try and actually have a good season. If he is wrong, no problem. I will be happy to join the tanking bandwagon again.

You know, though, one possibility is that all the tanking teams - like yourself - are actually temporarily holding the market down...

I don't really believe it is a lack of "good" players, either. It is true that they are rare (which is what makes them good), but I have seen some on the market. They still sell for what seems like low prices. And from my own experience, in trying to sell what I considered a pretty solid player, people expect that because of the market climate that you are going to sell for really cheap.

Last edited by HeadPaperPusher at 10/31/2010 1:34:09 PM

How many tanking teams do you estimate there are and with what sort of bank balance/weekly saving power?

50 - 100 - 500 - 1000?

I will continue to insist there is a distinct lack of quality on the transfer list.

a) The average team is more mature now and closer to 'salary/income' cap which means taking someone new on likely means losing someone (which where prices are now managers don't want to risk)
b) Teams have adapted to the deflation and more are training with intention to keep (less need to use the TL)
c) Liverpool have just beaten Bolton - GET IN THERE!!

you get a like for point c

How many tanking teams do you estimate there are and with what sort of bank balance/weekly saving power?

50 - 100 - 500 - 1000?

I will continue to insist there is a distinct lack of quality on the transfer list.

Let's say there are only 10 teams tanking in division I at the moment, each sitting on 30 million each. That's still 300 million sitting out there not being used. Maybe that's a drop in the BB economy... Then again, what if it is 50? I can't even imagine what 1000 tankers would do to the economy.

Not to mention that this past off-season, a few of the tankers were selling off their assets at about the same time. Yes, I agree that many teams loaded up and don't need players at the moment. But once again, the tankers helped.

I am also not surprised that "rare" players are hard to find. But... this is not something new to the current market. In fact, in the past 6-7 seasons I have never seen a time when there has been such an abundance of fantastic players on the market. Although admittedly, I have not been looking the past 1-2 weeks.

If I go back to when free agents did not exist (during a time of huge inflation), I remember looking for a shooting guard for about 6-7 weeks before I gave up and settled on an inferior one. During the off-season, I had to stop myself from bidding quite a few times because there were just so many top-notch players available.

Anyhow, I don't really know. I am always out of touch when it comes to the market. But like I said, I will see what happens and adapt as the season goes along.

I think it is interesting that you are putting these arguments out there. It is certainly in your best interests to see the deflation continue, is it not? ;-)

(Edit to add smiley ;-) )

Last edited by HeadPaperPusher at 10/31/2010 10:25:21 PM

I am also not surprised that "rare" players are hard to find. But... this is not something new to the current market. In fact, in the past 6-7 seasons I have never seen a time when there has been such an abundance of fantastic players on the market. Although admittedly, I have not been looking the past 1-2 weeks.

Ok - fantastic players are out there sure. BUT wage efficient players are not. In the argument of training vs buying off of the TL you can't consider buying big men off the TL any more. A half decent big man will have a wage of $70k+ so over a season he'll set you back $1mil in wages. You won't be able to increase his value by $1mil unless you can train him 14 weeks in Passing.

I think it is interesting that you are putting these arguments out there. It is certainly in your best interests to see the deflation continue, is it not? ;-)
Edit to add smiley ;-) )

You know I love the TL full stop. I'll have fun as long as there is a direction (up or down). Right now I still see pockets of value in certain skillsets and because of my strategy I feel I can eek out profits because I have no limitations on training. (who and where to play in my matches).

Rest assured I won't sit back and watch if I read or feel that prices are reversing and we start to enter a new inflationary cycle but I believe right now there is no harm discussing this openly as we are not at the end of the deflation unless there is intervention of some kind.

As the season progresses we'll get more people booted from the cup and resigned to playing 2 competitive games as opposed to 3 and we'll also get our customary buying blip (although less prevalent in recent seasons) around the transfer playoff deadline. During the play-offs historically prices plummet then for no valid reason whatsoever people suddenly start paying 1.5-4mil for 18yo trainees.

Sometimes there really is no financial rationale behind player purchases. Right now I'm happy to sit on a couple of key trainees that have sufficiently low wage that I am confident I'm improving their value to combat this during the season. The rest are $6-10k interesting trainees that with a skill up here and there cost me $100-150k to keep each season and again I'm confident I can tack that on in their value even in deflationary times like we are in now.

Edit: Is it too early to check this weeks Free Agents :D


Last edited by Superfly Guy at 10/31/2010 11:14:25 PM