Financials

[Your_Imaginary_Friend]

I'm completely confused at how the financials work in this game (other than the cap).

There is a box in the lower right hand portion of the Staff Screen called 'Training Staff Allocated Budget'. Every team has the same four options, most have chosen the max. I cannot change this when it goes low. Why?

How is this calculated? What can I do to get more here? Even if I'm well under the Cap, my options are the same as money-burning teams like GS.

During Staff hiring, I'm told my choice will take me over the staff salary budget. However there is no number referenced and I have no idea what that amount is. Where is this hidden? Why is it so low? How do I get more when I'm 20 million under the Cap?

How is the Staff Budget calculated and where do I find it so I can plan for the future?

[Gary Gorski]

The staff/training budget is a separate budget from the player budget and both are set by the ownership each season. Your staff budget is shown right on the main office screen where your expectations are shown for winning success and roster demands. The remaining staff/training budget is also shown at the top of the team staff page where it says REMAINING BUDGET.

This number is going to be calculated based on your ownership's willingness to spend. It has nothing to do with the salary cap or anything like that.

[Your_Imaginary_Friend]

Ah, now I see the numbers on the two screens. Since I always ignore owner demands (which make no sense most of the time--another matter entirely) I rarely look at the office screen. Perhaps if the key numbers were moved to the staff screen where the remaining budget figure appears would be better. I never was able to figure out how that was calculated or what it meant--I thought it was a miscalculation of the salary cap.

[Gary Gorski]

Well if you're playing in sandbox mode it really doesn't matter but you can't ignore the owner demands in challenge mode - in fact the owner demands became more important in DDSPB19 because he now gives you stated amounts to spend on items and has certain desires for the roster as well.

[Your_Imaginary_Friend]

Yes, that's the reasons I never play in Challenge Mode. IRL, I would have established the goals with the owner each year or not signed-on in the first place. Having the Nets owner ask for a deep playoff run is simply silly and makes for a poor game.

[Gary Gorski]

Yes, that's the reasons I never play in Challenge Mode. IRL, I would have established the goals with the owner each year or not signed-on in the first place. Having the Nets owner ask for a deep playoff run is simply silly and makes for a poor game.

I could not disagree with you more - do you really think a guy like Mark Cuban is not wanting his team to make a deep run into the playoffs each season? In fact I emailed him in 2013 and asked him why don't the Mavs just tank, get a good draft pick or two and clear up cap room to build around Dirk's final productive years and he actually replied and said basically because he thinks they can win doing what they were doing which was signing ok free agents and drafting late in the first round each year. They went on to have three straight first round exists and then two missed playoff years and now have finally ended up with what looks like that star in Doncic (although too late for Dirk) so what they did turned out wasn't effective but you think that anyone in that front office thought Cuban was satisfied with the results?

There are owners out there that feel their team is much better than it really is and there are some owners out there that are completely clueless and know nothing but that owning a team seems to be a good investment and think anyone could win the championship. But that's exactly why there is challenge mode where owners have a personality and desires (even if they might not be attainable) and why there is a sandbox mode where it doesn't matter and you can do whatever you want. I think that makes for a GREAT game, not a poor one. It gives you a REALISTIC challenge - you might get an owner that is understands you need to rebuild and is happy with that for a while, you might get an owner who could care less if you win as long as you have a star player that puts butts in the seats every night, you might have an owner that wants you to win right now so who cares what your preferred strategy is for building a team - just trade it all to win today. The fact that you might get an owner with the Nets that wants you to make a deep playoff run is EXACTLY the purpose of challenge mode - its a CHALLENGE (and honestly one that is not as silly as you make it out to sound - the East is not good and the Nets are a playoff team as of right now and that's without their best player)

[Your_Imaginary_Friend]

I understand what you are saying--it is a challenge. However, IRL I would never work for Cuban or anyone else asking for unrealistic goals. During the job interview, I would get goals established and then work toward. If the man doing the hiring was unrealistic, I simply would not take the job. That's my issue with Challenge Mode. If I don't start up a game as each franchise to see what the goals are, then I don't know which teams I'd be happy playing as. So far EVERY team I've tried has said, "make a deep playoff run" and that's why I only play sandbox. It isn't worth my time to keep firing up new games to see which one I'd like in Challenge Mode.

[spitfire]

Y.I.F., you must be one heck of a coach if you think it's realistic to turn down every job offered to you until you get just the right situation! ;-)

[Your_Imaginary_Friend]

Y.I.F., you must be one heck of a coach if you think it's realistic to turn down every job offered to you until you get just the right situation! ;-)

No, I simply don't want my game playing time wasted with extraneous factors.

And there are many coaches in all sports who have turned down jobs until they get what they want. John Gruden being a recent example.

[spitfire]

No, I simply don't want my game playing time wasted with extraneous factors.

And there are many coaches in all sports who have turned down jobs until they get what they want. John Gruden being a recent example.

Yeah, I know. Just having a little fun. But let's face it, for every coach in a position to turn down jobs till they get the right situation [i.e. either proven winners who can call their own shots or those who are independantly wealthy!] there are a bunch who'll take any pro job they can get their hands on. Some just love to coach, some just love to eat and need the gig. Very cool that Gary has covered both bases. You wanna set yourself up in sandbox, no problem. Or you can put yourself in the position of a coach who DOESN'T have the clout to get just the right deal and play the hand you're dealt by management. Two different challenges, and both part of DDSPB19!