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What was the issue with free agency?
This is a THANK YOU thread for the BBs. I would like to specifically congratulate Marin for his ability to listen to the userbase and understand the concerns repeatedly brought up due to the changes in the ingame economy.

A change in Free Agency policy was long overdue. Great young prospects were retiring and the sales tax introduced a few seasons ago is now fully showing its effects, which, among others, include encouraging Managers to fire rather than sell their low value players, thus reducing the number of players on the transfer list. There was therefore a clear lack of supply at all levels, but more importantly at lower levels (i.e. trainees and cheaper players lower division teams could use)

Instead of paraphrasing as others did in the last few weeks and getting called a liar, I will quote directly.

What did they change?
Marin, our beloved BB, wrote in the new season post (bold mine):

Young, high potential players, with a broader range of skills were forever lost. Therefore, we decided replace the current system with one that determines free agency eligibility based on a wider range of parameters like age, potential and a total skill point count, all the while making sure the cream of the crop doesn't end up retired, as the wouldn't in real life. Older players have a higher tendency to retire and enjoy their hard earned cash, which means that in order to be free transfered, they need to have a wide range of skills. However, young players compensate their lack of skills with high potential.

So from the news post, which is in English, thankfully, we can understand that compared to the previous system:
1) The FA system is getting changed because of stars in the making were retiring and we don't want that
2) The FA system is getting changed because older guys were not retiring, while logically they should have

Based on the News post you would expect the overall number of Free Agents to be roughly the same, but better quality-wise.


So, what happens in practice?
Let's check the reasonable expectation that FA number would remain the same.
Exhibit 1:(118411)
Exhibit 2:(118433)
Under the old rules 10 (or at worst 8) players from these 2 teams would have been made free agents.
Under the new rules 0 players made the cut, including a 27 year old $112k/week salary Superstar Centre.
Marin confirmed to clarify, this is not a bug. We can happily assume everything is working as intended! Thank you Marin.

Let's check if young stars in the making are indeed not retiring:
Exhibit 3: (32928762)
This 22 year old $34k/week Hall of fame Shooting Guard, has not been made Free Agent. Under the old rules he would have, but now he doesn't. 22yo. HoF. $34k salary.

Young, high potential players, with a broader range of skills were forever lost. Therefore, we decided replace the current system

Marin confirmed to clarify, this is not a bug. We can happily assume everything is working as intended! Thank you Marin.

Finally let's check what kind of special players are making the cut lately. How about:
Exhibit 4: (27794455)
A nice balanced 27yo player with 20 JS/HA/DR, 7OD (!), 8JR (!) and 12PA for a $52k/week salary.
Once again, you guessed, to clarify, this is not a bug, everything is working as intended.


Conclusion
Looks to me Marin has done a great job. We wanted more FA ato compensate the lack of supply on the transfer list and Marin duly delivered. Now we have fewer old players who become FA, fewer young stars who become FA, but everything is working as intended and very balanced players like exhibit 4 are still coming to the market! <3

I invite everyone who notice even more clear-cut cases of how the new system is working as intended to post below.

Let's go! We shall all celebrate togethe

Last edited by Lemonshine at 5/20/2015 2:02:31 PM

Poll:  Do you like the new amazing Free Agency policy?

Damn, I knew it!!! The BB gods hate me and cut my title :`-(

It was:
From Marin with love - the new Free Agency policy (to all the naysayers who thought it couldn't get better)

Advertising transfer listed Players is against the rules.

I hope y'all get fined!

Maybe what the BBs could do is introduce a hybrid FA system that combines the old and new FA requirements. If a player meets either the old FA requirements, based purely on salary, or the new FA criteria, based on age and TSP, they would be made a free agent if their team goes bot. This would help get younger players on the market, but would also ensure we don't have too many mid to high skilled players retiring.

I do agree to say that it looks rather strange, however, in this announcement, it is clear that TSP matters, not salary.

The 27-year old has a 106 TSP, what about the younger ones? I saw a 35-year old MVP with 117 TSP going FA. In the same team, a player who is the same age and has twice his salary, retired.

I'd probably go bankrupt. Wait, maybe they did change the rules about bankruptcy without announcing it. I'd be saved!

Last edited by Lemonshine at 5/20/2015 5:52:51 PM

You know what's funny though? Read the history of FA according to the BB supremo here: (270442.5).

Now I would like to draw your attention to his statement: "[we] removed most of the usual FAs that used to clutter the market. Like 30+ high salary players. Those had really low prices and were actually affecting the way the game is played (LI dominance was partly caused by this). "

Now think about which guards who have a high TSP given a level of salary and you will find...LI guards with high IS!!!!

I'm doubtful that using raw TSP or outside/inside TSP will yield better results in preventing LI players from getting to the FA market than salary would. Salary does indeed weigh relevant skills into the calculation, it's not just a random metric tossed out there and since salary does not take into account IS for guards...inside guards would actually be penalised over outside guards if salary was used as a threshold instead of TSP!

Last edited by Lemonshine at 5/20/2015 8:09:54 PM

Yeah I saw that. It's getting better and better, lately, doesn't it?