This post was heavily inspired by Jimi64's Bad Ideas For Spending Money, so I would like to thank him before I begin. His post is way more entertaining than this will be. Please don't blame him for what follows.
The Problem
Our league has a problem. This is a problem that is well known by Head Office, GMs... anyone with a passing interest in the league, to be honest. I probably don't need to explain it for the majority of readers, but I will anyway for the sake of newcomers, and (most importantly) for word count.
It is a straightforward problem - many of us simply have too much money. This leads to the entire contract system being fundamentally flawed, as high draft picks and veterans alike settle for minimum contracts. They simply don't need the money.
As a result of this, GMs have little to no decision making to do when it comes to finances. Teams don't have to compete for free agents on a financial level, as everyone has cap space. In turn, free agents don't need to care about the finances of where they end up and the best ones are easily hoovered up by perennial contenders like Colorado and Orange County (and others, stop writing your comment). This hurts the competitive balance of the league, and therefore the user experience.
The Economy
Our league economy has more in common with the real-world economy than you might expect. Obviously in both, financial success is key to survival on an individual level, but the most striking similarity is on the subject of money creation. In real economies, commercial banks effectively create money when they issue loans and mortgages to their customers. That money didn't previously exist, and the banks only need to hold a fraction of that in order to comply with regulation. It's little more than adding a number to a spreadsheet, then putting it through the system.
In the same way, our league economy creates money whenever someone makes an entry on the Bank Log. When Tesla grades this (other media graders are available, but let's face it, it's usually Tesla) she will count the words of this article, work out what I am owed (possibly even add on a bonus, wink wink) and enter it on the bank log. In that moment, Tesla has the league's version of a banking licence - the power to print money.
The differences between the league and the real world economies are more obvious - lack of user to user transactions means no true market can be formed. Although I think we all sort of want this - it only feels right to pay for that dope signature that you commissioned out of your own pocket - it's absolutely for the best that it is prohibited. Once that Pandora's Box is opened you have the potential for the league currency to be converted into real money, which has led other games to be used for money laundering. Although our Head Office would undoubtedly appreciate the increase in user base and inevitable expansion that this would bring, having multiple cartel members (and various other financial criminals) create players would not be great for the long term health of the league. It would definitely change the dynamics of team locker rooms.
Another obvious difference is fixed costs for purchases. This is a move by the league that theoretically makes balancing the economy easer (that's going well) but more importantly eliminates a key part of the real world economy - inflation. For the uninitiated, inflation is basically the measure of the change in price of purchases over a period of time. It's pretty crucial to the economy in the real world, but not having it here makes life way simpler. Also, given our current oversupply of currency, not having it is probably the only thing that is stopping this league turning into Zimbabwe. Again, you probably know this, but in case you didn't - it's really not going well in Zimbabwe.
Problem #1: DSFL Players make way too much money
Inspiration: The Higher Education systems of the USA and UK, The NCAA
Problem #2: Debt has a low limit and no interest
Inspiration: The world financial system
Of course, this debt needs to be limited and come with consequences. Let's say -$25m forces the retirement of your player, and a reduced debt limit when you decide to create again. That seems realistic.
Problem #3: Media pays too much
Inspiration: The gig economy, the creative economy
Solution: Separate media, graphics, podcasts, etc into two types
Look, by the end of this sentence I will have written 1,317 words and be on course for a payment of $2.2 million. That's more money than my rookie ISFL deal as a first round pick will make me this season. I'm probably heading for about 2300 words and somewhere in the region of 4 million if they grade this (please grade this) - that is way more money than this is worth, by anyone's standards.
I propose streamlining media into two types:
Inspiration: Any right-wing politician since Reagan/Thatcher
Solution: Let's utilise technological solutions
So, here's my idea. How about we formalise the player update template, write scripts to check update pages, and do the updating of the league spreadsheet automatically? Look at the jobs that we no longer have to pay for if we incorporate this... goodbye updaters and auditors. All those salaries, gone, all that money saved. Beautiful. Writing the script won't be an issue - there'll be a rookie or 3 in every draft class capable of coding something like this who will happily do so for the publicity and a shot at going first overall. As a league, we need to start embracing technological advances, except with the sim. DDSPF16 for life. Hold up - what if someone botches the template and the script fails to work? This feels like a segue...
Problem #5: Not enough fines
Inspiration: Banks, courts, etc
Solution: Let's fine people more
So currently it's pretty difficult to get fined. You've got to be a GM missing a deadline on something, or have had a super toxic (and often out of character) moment. Hell, even the most toxic of users have figured out that deleting their posts before they can be screenshot is an easy solution to the latter. We are missing a trick with the current system. Fines are a great way of removing money from the league economy - let's go nuts with them. Get creative. Messed up the template from my last idea? Have a fine. Put your weekly predictions in but messed up the code? Have a fine. Failed to acknowledge your misdeeds and pay the fine promptly? Great, have another fine. You're keeping this league competitive.
Problem #6: Becoming a General Manager is too easy
Inspiration: Medical school
Solution: More "training", more costs
With the solutions I am proposing, GM is an untouched role in terms of importance and prestige. It's what many users strive for, the experience of running your own franchise, and most of the economy changes in this article are aimed at making the role of GM more challenging and rewarding. Indeed, it's universally accepted that the GM role is crucial to the operation of this league, and a good GM will improve the user experience of everyone under them. Sadly, we are shooting for realism, so this prestige comes with a price. Let's make GMs pay for their own training before they assume the role. $5 million a season for 7 seasons should do it, with the last 3 being spent as co-GM of a DSFL team as a form of internship. If these GMs want to take the important jobs (and vote to give themselves point task passes), let's make them pay to get there.
Self-Created Problem #7: With the above changes, isn't this league just rigged for the rich and HO now?
Inspiration: Inheritance tax
Solution: Um... inheritance tax
To answer my own question, yes, this would make the experience of many users more challenging, and the people who could avoid debt from the outset would be massively favoured, as would the people in existing positions of power. Real world solutions, it seems, demand more real world solutions. So we would have to impose a tax - and yes, I know, taxation is theft, but there's no other way - on all recreates. Basing it on the current federal Estate tax regulations of the USA seems like the fair and realistic way to do this. They apply to about the top 0.2% of estates, that's 1 in 500 users... so by my calculations... we'll be taxing Infinite about $50M when he recreates. Problem solved, and he won't even notice.
I hope you will all agree that my above solutions would make a more competitive environment for everyone, while protecting the league economy.
Totally Anticipated Questions (TAQs)
Aren't all of your suggestions and arguments just... terrible?
Why yes they are, thanks for noticing. Please look out for their real-life equivalents.
So, this wasn't really about the League?
Of course it was, how else would it be graded? I... erm... don't know what you mean... cough...
Was this meant to be funny?
No, absolutely not.
Do you have any real suggestions then?
Yeah, remove the cap on Dotts purchases. Job done.
The Problem
Our league has a problem. This is a problem that is well known by Head Office, GMs... anyone with a passing interest in the league, to be honest. I probably don't need to explain it for the majority of readers, but I will anyway for the sake of newcomers, and (most importantly) for word count.
It is a straightforward problem - many of us simply have too much money. This leads to the entire contract system being fundamentally flawed, as high draft picks and veterans alike settle for minimum contracts. They simply don't need the money.
As a result of this, GMs have little to no decision making to do when it comes to finances. Teams don't have to compete for free agents on a financial level, as everyone has cap space. In turn, free agents don't need to care about the finances of where they end up and the best ones are easily hoovered up by perennial contenders like Colorado and Orange County (and others, stop writing your comment). This hurts the competitive balance of the league, and therefore the user experience.
The Economy
Our league economy has more in common with the real-world economy than you might expect. Obviously in both, financial success is key to survival on an individual level, but the most striking similarity is on the subject of money creation. In real economies, commercial banks effectively create money when they issue loans and mortgages to their customers. That money didn't previously exist, and the banks only need to hold a fraction of that in order to comply with regulation. It's little more than adding a number to a spreadsheet, then putting it through the system.
In the same way, our league economy creates money whenever someone makes an entry on the Bank Log. When Tesla grades this (other media graders are available, but let's face it, it's usually Tesla) she will count the words of this article, work out what I am owed (possibly even add on a bonus, wink wink) and enter it on the bank log. In that moment, Tesla has the league's version of a banking licence - the power to print money.
The differences between the league and the real world economies are more obvious - lack of user to user transactions means no true market can be formed. Although I think we all sort of want this - it only feels right to pay for that dope signature that you commissioned out of your own pocket - it's absolutely for the best that it is prohibited. Once that Pandora's Box is opened you have the potential for the league currency to be converted into real money, which has led other games to be used for money laundering. Although our Head Office would undoubtedly appreciate the increase in user base and inevitable expansion that this would bring, having multiple cartel members (and various other financial criminals) create players would not be great for the long term health of the league. It would definitely change the dynamics of team locker rooms.
Another obvious difference is fixed costs for purchases. This is a move by the league that theoretically makes balancing the economy easer (that's going well) but more importantly eliminates a key part of the real world economy - inflation. For the uninitiated, inflation is basically the measure of the change in price of purchases over a period of time. It's pretty crucial to the economy in the real world, but not having it here makes life way simpler. Also, given our current oversupply of currency, not having it is probably the only thing that is stopping this league turning into Zimbabwe. Again, you probably know this, but in case you didn't - it's really not going well in Zimbabwe.
The Solutions
Economics is a complicated subject, and in the real world there are differing schools of thought on how to fix economic problems, in the same way as there are in this league. For the purposes of this article I will be chasing the holy grail of the sim experience: realism. To that end, I will be trying to compare things to real world examples to find us some solutions to the economic crisis we currently face, even if they aren't necessarily my favoured course of action. Come to think of it, I better center and bold that to reduce knee-jerk comments by about 30%.
Economics is a complicated subject, and in the real world there are differing schools of thought on how to fix economic problems, in the same way as there are in this league. For the purposes of this article I will be chasing the holy grail of the sim experience: realism. To that end, I will be trying to compare things to real world examples to find us some solutions to the economic crisis we currently face, even if they aren't necessarily my favoured course of action. Come to think of it, I better center and bold that to reduce knee-jerk comments by about 30%.
The solutions that I offer below are based on current real world situations, and are not indicative of my own preferred methods. I'm just arguing the realistic solutions.
All problems will be outlined, the real world inspiration to my solution given, and the solution offered after that.
Please note, I am just trying to fix economic problems. Any unintended negative changes to the user experience are unfortunate, but - by the realistic application of modern economic thinking - definitely for the greater good.
-----------------------
Problem #1: DSFL Players make way too much money
Inspiration: The Higher Education systems of the USA and UK, The NCAA
Solution: Force new creates into debt to pay for training, limit their earning opportunities.
A DSFL Rookie makes $6m. There's 60 of them, so that's $360m handed out for making creation posts and update pages. I don't plan on doing any research of this, but about $100m has been pumped into the league for 57 TPE guys and Key & Peele names. Probably.
I get that the league needs new users, I really do, in the same way as the above countries need an educated population, but we don't give out freebies in the real world. Why should a rookie make most of a GM's salary? We could compensate the most promising DSFL rookies with 4 weekly training passes as a kind of scholarship system. No, it isn't enough to get them through their rookie season, buy why should it be? They will have opportunities to earn money - though obviously these should be limited by their rookie status. No league jobs for you guys, you have to earn that. Don't worry, there will still be opportunities to earn via media, etc - more on that later.
The current system gives money to those that need it in order to smooth their transition into the rest of the game, encourage engagement and player longevity. Unfortunately, this is possibly the most unrealistic economic concept there is. In fact, it's worse than that, it's socialism. You can find out why that's evil by watching any privately owned news network.
Problem #2: Debt has a low limit and no interest
Inspiration: The world financial system
Solution: Encourage debt, then make it very costly
So those rookies from before go into debt, but how can we make them pay even more than that? Simple, let's charge them interest. Nothing exorbitant, maybe - checks credit card Terms and Conditions - 15% a season. Something like that should be easy enough to implement on the bank spreadsheet. Think of the amount of money that would be taken out of the economy if we did this. This should not be limited to new creates, either. Need that Tier 6 training equipment to hit a key attribute? Here, have this payday loan. Don't worry too much about the fine print of the interest, it's not due until next week anyway. If we can encourage players to be trapped in a cycle of debt, they will have increased motivation to make rational financial decisions when it comes to free agency.Of course, this debt needs to be limited and come with consequences. Let's say -$25m forces the retirement of your player, and a reduced debt limit when you decide to create again. That seems realistic.
Problem #3: Media pays too much
Inspiration: The gig economy, the creative economy
Solution: Separate media, graphics, podcasts, etc into two types
Look, by the end of this sentence I will have written 1,317 words and be on course for a payment of $2.2 million. That's more money than my rookie ISFL deal as a first round pick will make me this season. I'm probably heading for about 2300 words and somewhere in the region of 4 million if they grade this (please grade this) - that is way more money than this is worth, by anyone's standards.
I propose streamlining media into two types:
- The first type would be Gig Media. Instead of users being able to write about whatever they want for guaranteed cash, have the graders post a topic and a desired word count - DSFL Power Rankings: 2500 words, for example. Users then bid on the job, with the lowest bidder awarded the Media contract. They submit it by a deadline, and they get paid. What about quality, though? Well, the grader can deduct a percentage of the payoff if the user doesn't hit some arbitrary standard. This would work for media, graphics, podcasts and Wiki work.
- The second type would be Creative Media. Users can post whatever they want, but are guaranteed absolutely nothing for it. Pay is based on quality, the determination of which is at the absolute discretion of the media grader. This works for media, graphics and podcasts, and though it would leave a lot of power in the hands of the grader, that's life. What you call unfairness, I call realism.
Inspiration: Any right-wing politician since Reagan/Thatcher
Solution: Let's utilise technological solutions
So, here's my idea. How about we formalise the player update template, write scripts to check update pages, and do the updating of the league spreadsheet automatically? Look at the jobs that we no longer have to pay for if we incorporate this... goodbye updaters and auditors. All those salaries, gone, all that money saved. Beautiful. Writing the script won't be an issue - there'll be a rookie or 3 in every draft class capable of coding something like this who will happily do so for the publicity and a shot at going first overall. As a league, we need to start embracing technological advances, except with the sim. DDSPF16 for life. Hold up - what if someone botches the template and the script fails to work? This feels like a segue...
Problem #5: Not enough fines
Inspiration: Banks, courts, etc
Solution: Let's fine people more
So currently it's pretty difficult to get fined. You've got to be a GM missing a deadline on something, or have had a super toxic (and often out of character) moment. Hell, even the most toxic of users have figured out that deleting their posts before they can be screenshot is an easy solution to the latter. We are missing a trick with the current system. Fines are a great way of removing money from the league economy - let's go nuts with them. Get creative. Messed up the template from my last idea? Have a fine. Put your weekly predictions in but messed up the code? Have a fine. Failed to acknowledge your misdeeds and pay the fine promptly? Great, have another fine. You're keeping this league competitive.
Problem #6: Becoming a General Manager is too easy
Inspiration: Medical school
Solution: More "training", more costs
With the solutions I am proposing, GM is an untouched role in terms of importance and prestige. It's what many users strive for, the experience of running your own franchise, and most of the economy changes in this article are aimed at making the role of GM more challenging and rewarding. Indeed, it's universally accepted that the GM role is crucial to the operation of this league, and a good GM will improve the user experience of everyone under them. Sadly, we are shooting for realism, so this prestige comes with a price. Let's make GMs pay for their own training before they assume the role. $5 million a season for 7 seasons should do it, with the last 3 being spent as co-GM of a DSFL team as a form of internship. If these GMs want to take the important jobs (and vote to give themselves point task passes), let's make them pay to get there.
Self-Created Problem #7: With the above changes, isn't this league just rigged for the rich and HO now?
Inspiration: Inheritance tax
Solution: Um... inheritance tax
To answer my own question, yes, this would make the experience of many users more challenging, and the people who could avoid debt from the outset would be massively favoured, as would the people in existing positions of power. Real world solutions, it seems, demand more real world solutions. So we would have to impose a tax - and yes, I know, taxation is theft, but there's no other way - on all recreates. Basing it on the current federal Estate tax regulations of the USA seems like the fair and realistic way to do this. They apply to about the top 0.2% of estates, that's 1 in 500 users... so by my calculations... we'll be taxing Infinite about $50M when he recreates. Problem solved, and he won't even notice.
I hope you will all agree that my above solutions would make a more competitive environment for everyone, while protecting the league economy.
Totally Anticipated Questions (TAQs)
Aren't all of your suggestions and arguments just... terrible?
Why yes they are, thanks for noticing. Please look out for their real-life equivalents.
So, this wasn't really about the League?
Of course it was, how else would it be graded? I... erm... don't know what you mean... cough...
Was this meant to be funny?
No, absolutely not.
Do you have any real suggestions then?
Yeah, remove the cap on Dotts purchases. Job done.
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