If one relegation can help you on the long run isnt one plan? Relegate, but you will have large arena, you can have some young players to built around, and the next time that you gonna advance the division you will be able to stay having enough income to compete. This is what i call long term strategy.
I totally agree with this point. Since most teams start in the lowest division, they should focus on arena as point one, and use this time with the starting players to figure out tactics and how the GE works. When the staff level changed I had level 3 and 4 coach for a long time, level 1 doctor and PR, and did not upgrade until I found an affordable one. It took time, but by not rushing I saved a lot of money. Perhaps my players could have had a few pops more, but it does not matter, they are getting there even if they won't be "finished" until they get 25-26 or more (meaning they are maxed out within the salary that I am willing to pay). An important part of success would be that you need to be more salary efficient and keep a higher turnover than your competitors to advance. This is an impossibillity if you neglect arena (in any country). It may seem strange to risk demotion to be enough to promote, but it is as I see it a neccesity to have a fertile ground for future progress.
If you can afford to buy better players that means that your rival can do the same. Nothing will change that will make your life easier
Good point, and a key element in this discussion. combined with the importance of building arena from the very start and utilizing tactics with as cheap players as possible. I have never been a fan of very specialized tactics because it makes you predictable (losing the tactics) and forces you to have expensive players if it should be effective. I understand it is a hard way to the top to have several divisions to beat, but it also presents a team with new challenges all the time. The fact that it is hard to stay at the top is a sign of healthy competition and proves that BB's are close to their goals. BB-Charles' numbers on promotion/demotion percentages illustrates that there is little to worry about, and I think the BB politics on the subject are very good. Especially this part:
On the other hand, we cannot create a set of rules where the best team in Japan can never hope to compete with the best team in Italy, because it's always possible that the best manager in the game resides in Japan
If this part had not been present, it would be unfair and definitly halting BB growth in new and small countries.