BuzzerBeater Forums

Hi there, Im playing this game for quiet a while now, like 3-4 months, and I got one hell of a problem. Im losing money, really fast. I got these expenses :

- Wages : $ 75 639
- Staff : $ 56 621
- Scouts : $ 20 000

And I only got income from games which is like $ 100 000 and from the fanshop something like $ 15 000. Which makes that I lose like 30-40 k each week. Now I dont know what I should do. I got 12 players so I cant really sell some since my team will be too small. I think the scouts are worth the money so the only thing I can really win some money is the staff. Problem is that I cant fire any staff members. So I got some questions for you, more experienced players:

- Is a level 10 trainer worth the money or should I take a level 5 trainer?
- Should I have a PR-manager because I dont see the point of spending 20k on him?
- Do I get more money in a higher division?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT : Another question :

- Are my prices too high if I still havent got a full stadium and Im on a winningstreak of allmost 30 games in the competition.

Last edited by Kwyjibo88 at 7/15/2008 4:02:20 PM

I don't think its unusual for newer teams to lose a little bit each week...you should be cash positive though if you factor in income from TV, right?

You can probably cut back on staff and scouting. I'm in USA II and am spending less on staff -- I'd got with a lvl 10 trainer, lvl 5-6 pr guy and lvl 2-3 doc.

On scouting, you can drop to 10k/week and still get 2 players scouted each week.

Also, if you can't expand your arena, I'd recommend increasing your low level seat prices.

Those three things should put you pretty close to break even.

I'd just continue training for now, looks like you have a good chance to promote (and the money will be better at the next level) and when your trainees hit 21ish, you can probably sell them for really good money.


Steve
Bruins

As another Division 4 team, here's what I've got:

Doctor 3, PR 3. I've had one injury the entire span (1 1/2 seasons), so I've not found a huge need for the doctor. I plan to up that, in time. The PR manager, I'm still sketchy on how it works as a whole... so the level 3 is kinda a test for me. Likely, I'll go back to level 1 before too long.

The Trainer is level 10. This is key, in my opinion. I want my guys to train as fast as possible, as efficiently as they can, not only to be the best that they can be on the court -- but so I can get max profit from selling them (and as soon as possible). If, within the same time period, a level 5 trainer would get 5 pops -- and a level 10 would get 10, it's obvious why it's well worth that trainer.

Price-wise, your tickets aren't too far off mine, but are mostly expensive. It looks like your arena upgrades have all been in the more expensive sections... try adding some bleachers next time. They're easier to fill, and will likely pay you back quicker.

Let me make one more point about getting a high level trainer, above and beyond the point that Jim made that training can really be your profit center.

Even if a lvl 10 trainer is not that much better than a lvl 9 trainer and so on down the line, the issue is that the level can drop at anytime and it might be weeks (with the current system) before another acceptable one comes along. So if you decide on only a lvl 6 for example...its not impossible for them to drop a couple of levels before another decent trainer comes up. Hence, you might be training towards the end of the cycle with a crappy lvl 4 trainer.


Steve
Bruins

You get more money in III. When I was in D.IV I'd lose money most weeks and the make it up in the TV week.

I'd cut back your scouting, given the number of bot teams, and the teams that haven't been logging in in your league. Even if they get new owners, there is probably a fifty fifty chance that they won't change their draft order.

I'd also cut back the PR guy since I don't know they do. I might keep a 10 trainer if I already had him, but perhaps not hire one. Your doctor kind of depends on your players. Are you depending on a couple of players who could cost you the playoffs if they were injured in the last game e season, or do you have more depth.

I don't think you can come close to selling that may luxury boxes or even courtsides. They are very reliable, but that means they won't drop off quickly if you lose, or jump dramatically if you win. I think I would drop the luxury prices. If attendance increases by 2, that is a 40% bump in attendance.

I don't know whether you can consistently sell out bleachers, which may also depend on the opponents. I might expand the bleachers and lower tier, or raise prices a bit. I'd probably drop the courtside maybe 10% and see if you can get a 10% increase in attendance. I'd be more drastic with the luxury boxes.

You might be 'overdoing' it a bit with your players, too. I'm 2nd place in my league, currently, and my player salaries are:

Player salaries:
$ 49 759
Staff salaries:
$ 35 388

If you're 20k more than that, you must have much better players -- which likely aren't necessary for DIV. Sell off one or two of them, make some big cash, and buy some new trainees with the cash.

I wouldn't sell players just to reduce salary -- you're not really in bad financial shape. What you need to do before you sell a top trainee, is look at the market value of the player currently and then if you trained him another level or two. In some case, you'll get decent money for selling a strong player...but the money for levels above that are much, much more.


Steve
Bruins

So if you decide on only a lvl 6 for example...its not impossible for them to drop a couple of levels before another decent trainer comes up. Hence, you might be training towards the end of the cycle with a crappy lvl 4 trainer.

Maybe it's not impossible, but isn't that still a bit unlikely?

Like in two months there wouldn't be any trainer that is at least level 6? Of course it can happen, but I'd consider it so unlikely that I wouldn't bother...

Save on staff and scouting. Get a much cheaper PR guy and cut scouting expenses in half and you don't lose too much money anymore. It's good if you can win games, improve your team, and maintain a pretty balanced weekly budget. TV games will then bring in some money that you can use to buy players or expand your arena.

Are my prices too high if I still havent got a full stadium and Im on a winningstreak of allmost 30 games in the competition.

If you have background in Hattrick, you know there is an optimal way to contruct your stadium in that game. I need to first say that there is no optimal way in BB.

Having said that, your arena is not optimal. :-) You have way too many luxury boxes for a lower division (I have the same number in Div I and have trouble filling them!). So, don't build any more of those. You may want to add some of the cheaper seats though, since you are selling them out nicely. I see you have already increased the ticket prices for next month, which is a good idea.

Thanks for all the advise. Ill use it in the future. And for the salaries of the players, I cant do anything about it. It raised due to training from 40k to more than 70k...

Last edited by Kwyjibo88 at 7/16/2008 3:28:35 PM