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Is there anything to suggest that investing heavily in the draft will give you a better picks on average than not scouting at all? Obviously anything could happen if you only looked at one season in isolation, but if we looked at say 10 seasons, do we think you would end up with significantly better draftees to justify the extra scouting expenses each week?

Just wondering as I haven't spent a single dollar on the draft since my second last season in III.

I dont scout anymore, especially when I'm not keen on relegation yet.
I got gab wall in like s15 when I promoted to div 3. Since then I've been saving the $200k a season by not scouting.
I'm happy with lucky pick, can still get the odd $50k value guy.

I have made a profit from draft I believe.

Scouting is the worst part of this game and needs a serious overhaul. I couldn't tell you the last time I spent any money on it. When I did scout (and heavily) I got the same rubbish players I do now without scouting. I don't know many people that have managed to get a player that was worth the investment.

well you got my brain thinking on this one.
Ive participated in 8 drafts, the first one only a few weeks after i started playing the game so i dont count that one.

Overall ive sold players in total culminating in $1.4million profit. I probably sold most of those guys straight away, or trained for less than one season then sold.

Only one guy Ive sold was after 6 seasons I think, so i didnt really get his 'peak' value.

Ive had one sale over $400k, 2 sales over $300k, (only one of those was a 'trained' player) 2 sales over $100k, and the rest less than $100k sales.

BUT, i still have 3 draftee's on my team :) Alcide, Rex and Farrugia. Rex is just a $7k backup, but Alcide was runner up MVP few season back and polls well in All-star game, and is essentially an awesome player. probably could sold him at his peak for $1m.
Farrugia is Superstar potential and will probably be U21 material or very close in the next few season. And i drafted him after finishing top of the league.
Doing some numbers, if i exclude the guys currently on my roster, then $1.4m over 7 drafts (im excluding the first one) is $200k per season on average.
and I havent spent that much on scouting. Last season i spent maybe $5k for half the weeks. And in the past ive very rarely spent more than $10k per week.. I know I have, but probably max 5 times ever. (why pay more per point right?)
so i can tell u right now, I love the draft.
I generally skip every second draft, that is, i dont use points every year. save em up, then use them. Last season i didnt spend any, (cause i didnt have any) and this season i probably wont either, because everyone else is scouting the talent and i wont get a look in.

so yer. i will argue that there is an element of luck involved, but there is also a very big element of strategy with the draft.

Where's the strategy element?

As far as I see it, it's total luck as to which guys you scout, luck as to whether you will draft them and then more luck as to whether they turn out to be any good.

The only strategy element I can see is choosing which draft to be involved in, but that's hardly a strategical decision.

I'm thinking the draft is more likely to give you a player you might be able to train, rather than a player you can sell straight away and make a profit on. Having said that, it's not like there's much of an incentive to train your own draftees (other than some extra merchandise revenue)... it's not like there's a bonus to their skills or anything because they originated from your team.

Saving your money and buying a trainee should in theory give you the same net result as spending money on the draft and getting a trainee that way. The big advantage with buying a trainee is that you know his exact skills when you buy him.

Matt made a ton of money when I bought Maclean off him many many seasons ago :)

I would argue that the merch bonus is huge. I believe when yoda was in div 2 his merch was 40k above mine a week. This is back when I had original players/aussies on team but obviously not as many as he.

I haven't pulled a worthy draft since they changed to the current system. Mind you I also have not spent any money on scouting either. It's far easier to check the TL and pick up a couple of trainees that have stats better suited to your long term plan.

The only downside there is you don't have any chance of picking up a future Aus National player, nor reap the economical benefits that comes with it.

Still a no brainer for me though.

Yup both good points there, and lordy touched on something which i had a bit of experience with this year, i sold a bench player whom i had as a draftee for 6 or so seasons. Merchandise per week went down $11k, which was more than the guys salary!

as the violator said, unless you have oodles of cash to burn, you will never draft a future U21/national team member from the transfer league... why? because they are sooooooooo overpriced. even just trying to get hold of a guy withP-allstar potential is an effin nightmare money wise.
But you get what you pay for and yes, you will know exactly what you are getting, so you pay for it.

strategically and tactically, the draft is quite a unique beast. Of course, you get ur points somehow, and u dont just randomly get draft picks, so there is always an element of strategy. how you get there is the main thing. Strategically its probably more important for teams finishing near relegation. Do you spend money on scouting points, or do you save the dough so you can buy a sweet-as backup for your relegation series? ooo decisions decisions...
even during scouting, long term strategy comes into it. maybe you spend 15 points and find just total rubbish. Do you continue or save the rest of your points for the next season? Should you spend $40k on scouting points such that you can scout the entire draft? etc etc. do you interview the guy who got 40points in his box score, yet only has a 3-ball rating?
Also the prepardness to draft say, a 4 ball potential player. yer ok so he will be All-star potential. Does that fit into your training plans, etc etc etc etc i wont go on.

Ive done both... drafted, and purchased draftee's to train, and there are pro's/cons to both. But like anything in this game, the more you do it, the better you get at it :) I think there is a time to draft, there is a time to buy young guys, and there is also a time to do nothing.

Yeah I paid the following for my two trainees and they are both superstar potential, fair prices I think. Certainly enjoying molding them into the players I want them to become.

Tankut Mahsun Bought 1965Manisaspor 23/05/2012 $ 1 000 000
Natan Silva Peres Bought FYH 19/05/2012 $ 750 000


Last edited by Violator at 7/20/2012 2:01:41 AM