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Post by BlueJaysGM_Fin on Jul 12, 2018 15:07:01 GMT -5
Where do you see that number Sean? Please explain. While I am highlighting the finanacials with the post, I am simply trying to be green so that my budget actually goes up. In past, being red has caused it to drop and/or remain the same. My other focus, as mentioned, is actually trying to win more (with the resources I have). Hope that comes around this season and all things finally start to rise! Last year your budget was $70 mil. You had $54 mil in expenses, and generated $75 mil in revenue. So budget wise, it appears you didn't spend roughly $15 mil that your owner allocated for you to spend. Then, you made a $5 mil profit so you ended the year with $20 mil in cash. Owner then takes his cut to knock it back down to $10 mil of starting cash or whatever. So the point I'm making is that you're kind of shooting yourself in the foot, because your owner is seeing money not being spent. Hey Sean. There is no need to help a fellow Division team my friend. Thank you. HAHAHAHAHA Only teasing. Ron made this point in another thread, and it makes sense to do it!
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Post by David_ExposGM on Jul 12, 2018 16:29:29 GMT -5
Where do you see that number Sean? Please explain. While I am highlighting the finanacials with the post, I am simply trying to be green so that my budget actually goes up. In past, being red has caused it to drop and/or remain the same. My other focus, as mentioned, is actually trying to win more (with the resources I have). Hope that comes around this season and all things finally start to rise! Last year your budget was $70 mil. You had $54 mil in expenses, and generated $75 mil in revenue. So budget wise, it appears you didn't spend roughly $15 mil that your owner allocated for you to spend. Then, you made a $5 mil profit so you ended the year with $20 mil in cash. Owner then takes his cut to knock it back down to $10 mil of starting cash or whatever. So the point I'm making is that you're kind of shooting yourself in the foot, because your owner is seeing money not being spent. Yes, that makes sense. And I agree with your assessment. Sorry, I was trying to find the $11M number you mentioned. While I have included several graphics in this thread, I haven't included enough to specifically track the profit progress. But I can tell you this franchise has truly been a challenge.
When I picked up Montreal, the team was well into the red and, as I recall, the owner still snapped up all of the money (what was left over from revenue sharing), leaving me with essentially nothing as a starting balance. I thought the owner would occasionally add funds for you, to give you at least something to play with, but not in this case. In fact it was so bad, I actually sent the zip to someone outside the league, but versed in the financials to analyze. He basically said (and I did write about this elsewhere) that the franchise was beyond the point of no return and it would never again be profitable - what happens when the league financials skew too far between have and have not teams.
That just prompted me to explore some additional strategies, like making enough to at least start with some money. Which is where I am now.
I found, in past, that if I was indeed "red" in my profit number, the next year budget always seemed to revert to the current year budget (or in fact drop). It seems each year I start with a projected $3-4M increase for the next season (almost regardless of my financial/profit projections), but slowly that reverts to status quo or a drop by end of season.
Although not seen in the full budget graphic above (I left it out) I am already projecting a slight larger budget increase for both the next season and the one following. We'll see if that holds as things progress.
My main reason for starting with some balance is to be able to explore opportunities, should they present themselves. - Simple extensions. - A larger contract on the waiver wire (except Hadde Lieder, that's madness) that might be an upgrade. - A free agent dropped through the season (when few have spare change to sign him). - Release a (for me at least) boat anchor contract. - Take a bad contract in a trade.
Admittedly, that really didn't materialize in any way last season, hence my slightly higher than anticipated profit. My fault. I am working to be much closer to the red line this season. I will specifically update this part of my franchise when things shake out next October!
Thanks for the input. Again I hope this is the year EVERYTHING, not just the numbers, takes a turn for the better.
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Post by David_ExposGM on Sept 23, 2018 7:27:59 GMT -5
2048 - The "Next" Step
As there is little for the Expos to do this off-season, other than promote some youth for a look in Spring Training, I might as well do a preview nice and early this off-season.
2047 - AL East in Review
We ended 2047 with a 71-91 record (.438) which is exactly the same as 2047. I thought last year we would make more progress, but we did not (even though I am more than convinced my team is in much better shape). We ended the season 35gb, the year prior only 29gb. That suggests things were tougher within the division. With the New York Mets now the legit leader in the NL East, with 4 consecutive post-season appearances and Pittsburgh still a powerhouse, there is little room for error when hunting wins within the division for both Philadelphia and Montreal.
Of note this past season, the Pirates did NOT make the post-season after 33 consecutive seasons (which included 6 World Series Championships). A tweak or two and that will be remedied in 2048 I am certain, so the two-headed ALE monster means wins will again be very hard to come by.
2048 - The Next Step After my preview last year, a couple of fellow GM's pointed out that I was being too kind for my owner and lining his poclets with a modest season and overall profit and that might be keeping my stagnant budget from advancing annually, even showing slightly better progress on the field (althought having not reached .500 in...well, forever).
Through a combination of factors, mainly my young team beginning to grow and needing more arbitration money annually, this year will be different and, if the theory holds, should prompt a more agressive budget - especially if we can also have a far better record this season.
I did receive a $2M bump 2047-2048, which puts us at $80M for the coming season. Although creeping at a snails pace, this is the highest is has been in well over a decade. The trick will be to keep this rolling.
The previous balance of $17.6M still means I am lining the owners pockets, but as mentioned things will change after 2048 and hopefully will more positively impact 2049 - as we are projected to have an overall "loss" of $6M at this point, with only a small profit to move forward. We shall see.
The revenue sharing adds almost $5M. Thank You!
Mr. Gonzalez, as a result, has taken out $13.8M and is feeling good, at least from a money standpoint, if not wins/losses standpoint.
That leaves me a starting balance with which to work of $8.7M.
I should point out that we are just in January as I write this and I've been told numerous times, by people with extensive knowledge of the game, that the off-season financials are normally a little flaky, so I made revisit this as we start the season should things change at all.
At this time, the future budget projections remain $80M. Usually that increases initially, but then moderates through the year. We'll see if this year is any different, given the season projections on the accounting page.
Where does our $80M position us within the league, in terms of team budgets:
Tied for last of course. A familiar position.
By the way, the "Top 3" on this list are: LAD - $266M CIN - $242M OAK - $236M
Los Angeles is expected to be there perennially, but the presence of both Cincinnati and Oakland gives hope that, regardless of market or from where you started, provided you can start to win and develop "Fan Interest" to at, or very near, 100, then things really start to hum. For the record - LAD 99 - CIN 100 - OAK 100 - are their respective fan interest numbers this off-season!
Here's our snapshot:
This is virtually the same as it has been for years. We must improve in this area...Period!
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Post by David_ExposGM on Sept 23, 2018 7:33:43 GMT -5
So as not to appear "laser-focused" on the numbers, although I am on their importance, here's the core of players that MUST have great years to take us, and the rest of the young collection of ballplayers to the next level:
I might have slotted someone else in that third position, but certainly the top 2 are critical to our overall success this season.
And, I believe we are now positioned to have a conveyor belt of talent coming up through the ranks, so if we can sustain a little success, I think we can keep things going. OR, should we position ourselves as a wild card this season - a tall order - maybe some of the young talent in the system can be exchanged for some more elite talent to push us over the top?!?
I say it every season - more optimism that reality - but THIS YEAR we have to take the next step!
Regardless of my Owners goals for the coming season, mine are (more realistically than every I truly believe):
Record - .500+ Fan Interest - Increased
See you on the field!
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Post by David_ExposGM on Dec 1, 2018 12:14:20 GMT -5
I truly thought that 2048 was the season would took a big leap and the season some of the talent that has been on the cusp took another step and, as a team, we actually managed a .500 season. Maybe even daring to think about contending to a degree in 2049?!
Hard Nope!
We actually took a step back, from back-to-back 71 win seasons to a mere 64 wins. A kick in the gut.
Oh, and I'm sure this will be a huge help in trying to quickly regroup and take things to another level:
Considering our budget is ranked dead last in PBL, I am really not sure what that last line means. It would appear the quick answer is that we will remain dead last in PBL, with an $80M budget.
Last year one of the comments in this thread was that I left some money on the table and, as a result, my budget need not increase in the eyes of ownership. This season I tried my very best to "slightly" outspend my budget and end the "slightly" in the red. I say "slightly" only because I did not want to completely handcuff myself if that advice did not hold true.
Without being stupid, and with "red" showing for free agent dollars, and "red" showing for contract extensions, and a lot of "red" for projected player budget space, try as I might, I ended the season $6M in the "red", yet showed a total balance of $1.6M. As a result of that, here's where I start the 2049 off-season:
Top line - Budget (lowest in the league - less than a THIRD of the top teams - $13M & $11M below the other major rebuilds MIL & MIA)
The next line is my $1.6M profit. Some revenue sharing (pity pay). My owner's cut (at least I have established that I will not be lining the new owner's pockets to the same degree as the old). And finally my starting balance for the year.
Before ANY input of me in 2049, it would appear I am already headed to a substantial loss, so we'll better be able to test the theory about whether that will start to "help" my budget ( uhhh, except for that previous "fan loyalty drop" thingy).
Last season, getting slightly ahead of myself when we had a decent start AND trying to spend my way to a "slight" sunburn on my accounting page, I did go out and hire some "power bats" that I thought might lend a hand. That was a BIG mistake. This season, it will be all about promoting from within, playing the young talent and hoping they will start to develop.
I predict a quiet off-season in Montreal.
I alluded to MIL and MIA. I should actually include both HOU and TOR in the conversation, because the two of them occupy spots between us. It will AT LEAST be interesting to see where the paths of all five of our franchises lead in 2049.
Time to sharpen the pencil and get to work.
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Post by Sean_RedsGM on Dec 1, 2018 12:24:38 GMT -5
The recommendation was to turn a profit and not leave money for your owner to take away.
Not spending the $ and ending in the green is not turning a profit.
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Post by David_ExposGM on Dec 1, 2018 13:17:10 GMT -5
The recommendation was to turn a profit and not leave money for your owner to take away. Not spending the $ and ending in the green is not turning a profit. I must be missing something Sean. If I turn a profit, then there is money for the owner to take away? That is further augmented by revenue sharing...more for him to take away.
As seen, I turned a small $1.6M profit (I was actually shooting for a small loss) having turned a substantial (for me) profit in past. As also seen, that is augmented by $5.7M in revenue sharing dollars. The owner, thankfully, took only $1.4M, leaving the rest with which to start my off-season.
How do you turn a profit, yet not leave money for the owner to take away (leaving aside the revenue sharing dollars I receive)?
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Post by David_ExposGM on Dec 1, 2018 13:33:43 GMT -5
Fin referenced a post by Ron elsewhere. I think this is the one, so will add it here (if only so I can find it again in the future): I have some theories with handling budgets with frugal owners. Curious to hear how they mesh with yours. It seems that budgets are tied more closely to revenue than anything else. While I do think a frugal owner will slow down budget increases to some degree I think the more significant number is revenue. So wins always matter, ticket sales always matter. The largest impact of a frugal owner seems to be starting cash. PBL allows a max cash carry over, but a frugal owner will cut you off well lower. To me, money back to the owner is a wasted resource. Might as well set barrels of cash on fire. It does not seem to have any impact on an owner's mood or budget. If my theories are correct, a common "mistake" I see many rebuilding teams make is to cut their spending to almost zero and allow the owner to pocket huge sums of cash. With small market, frugal owner teams I attempt to balance the budget as close to zero as possible while still staying in the green. A perfect season to me is revenue about $2 million over expenses. I invest heavily in player development and scouting and if I have any funds left I love to spend on veteran free agents that will accept short term contracts. Especially ones that provide leadership to control the locker room or popularity to put butts in the seat. Maybe, regardless of how I read the recommendation, I have stumbled upon (if only this season) Ron's suggestion of turning a "small" profit. The owner has taken away roughly that amount, BUT not as much as recent years.
Either way, it's a moot point as I look to be headed for more red this season, Unless I can massage things in the off-season. We'll see...
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Post by Commish_Ron on Dec 1, 2018 19:12:32 GMT -5
This looks good David. I think you pretty much nailed it. Ending with $1.6 profit and getting some revenue sharing leaves you with a a positive balance heading in to the next season and no money was wasted.
When you are staying within that $1-$10 million range the owner is going to do what the owner is going to do. In your case he took a little bit out. That is fine, that will happen. When you go over $10 million, that is strait wasted money. No matter what kind of owner you have you are exceeding the max and that money is burned. Additionally, the cheaper the owner the closer you want to get to zero. Some owners set $2 million as the max cash and will pocket anything beyond that. $10 million is max cash for everyone though.
What I am saying is that ending with a $1.6 million profit is perfect. No financial resources were wasted. That, unfortunately does not guaranty help for your budget situation. Budget is driven by revenue. Over time the investment in the team should lead to greater revenues which will drive up the budget. There are no short cuts for this. Eventually you need to win games to put butts in the seat to increase revenues to increase the budget.
The point of not lining the owners pockets is just to reinvest back in the team, not to directly affect revenues. Does that make sense?
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Post by David_ExposGM on Jun 13, 2019 7:13:30 GMT -5
It has been a while since the last update, essentially while I was holding my breathe through, pretty much, the entire 2050 season while we flirted with the division. And, after 162 games, we ultimately sat atop the NL East.
While I have, for several seasons, suggested "this is the year" we turn the corner on the Expos franchise, a lot of that - I'll freely admit - was more "I HOPE this is the year" we turn the corner. And it rarely was. But...
If we can sustain the growth and success we achieved this past season, to any degree in 2051, then we may actually HAVE turned the corner on this franchise. And a couple of things point to that, at least in my mind.
Our record has been inching it's way to success. I was rather worried a couple of seasons ago when we dipped rather substantially (for us) and hoped we had not lapsed into futility once again, to the point where it might be throw in the towel time because there was never, ever going to be a way to dig out the franchise. And with a couple of notable contracts looking at dominating what little budget I had, I was forced to make a couple of moves the past two seasons just to have any budget with which to work, I had hoped that too would not send us back into a death slide.
But, for the first time since I took over, as conveniently seen in this chart (it's ONLY taken a DECADE) we have indeed cracked .500 on the season.
The tougher part has been to get this chart to consistently budge. That said, being above $80M and no longer the 32 franchise on the budget list (we're #30 - Woo Hoo), is a few steps in the right direction.
THIS may be the chart a reflect on the most as things hopefully progress even higher. When you have a budget in the mid-50's there is almost no point continuing. In fact, some may recall the discussion about "contracting" this (and another) franchise back in the day (one of the reasons I kindly asked if I could take it over - plus it's the only other Canadian squad).
I am truly hoping the budget keeps going in the right direction and we NEVER again fall to the 50's. Whether we ever hit Top 5 is highly unlikely as the market conditions would have to really improve (and that takes time, if ever), but if we can get into the teens, then I would consider this a huge victory and it would give far more flexibility to the Expos.
More to come... Hopefully a LOT more!
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