Woody Johnson, Madden, and the Meddling Owner Archetypes

[Steve_OS]

My favorite type of palace intrigue story in sports is the meddling or incompetent owner storyline....

Written By: Chase Becotte

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[ChaseB]

Was thinking of ways to spice up franchise mode, what owner archetypes would you like to see in Madden that goes beyond just "rebuilding, win now, on the cusp" or other generic terms for where your team is in terms of roster construction.

[brunopuntzjones]

You probably couldn't get away with archetypes that suggested anything negative about owners in a licensed game, but it would be fun if there were a mechanism (possibly one you could toggle) that featured owner variation. Something where from year to year, your internal budget and preferences might change or you'll get general tasks to complete. There could be a little narrative with it, like maybe your existing owner is changing their mind or the team is sold to someone with different priorities.

Like maybe you start out with a team that spends to the cap or luxury tax, but after five years (especially if you have a couple losing seasons or maybe even just after a championship), your owner decides it's time to cut back and you have to trim down under a certain threshold. The owner could also make it known whether they're willing to spend on free agents or prefer to build from within (which could have fun dynamics, like getting more money for scouting/coaching but having very limited ability to sign free agents). Maybe they want you to swing a big trade, trade a particular player, or upgrade a certain position (whether it's a need or not). Your ability to accomplish those goals plays into your security, along with actual results.

You could build your own narrative around it, too, which would be more fun that the game prescribing them, imo.

[Ghost Of The Year]

I need a storyline where Woody leaves my Jets alone and goes to work for Tyson Chicken.
If I can get fermented alcoholic chicken in exchange for him its a win-win-lose.
(Winner, me.Winner, Jets. Loser, Tyson Chicken.)

[King Gro23]

Some of the ones I came up with

“Managing for their job security” where managers may go against their tendencies or beliefs and follow the consensus ideal of developing the roster/staff

Analytical - based on analytics only. Don’t draft guys over certain ages. Manage cap into future

The shifter- GM who brings in all his preferred styles and all matches receive a small boost to performance (player & coach)


Cost Saver - GM style that is reluctant to spend big money on any personnel, coaches or stadium

Unproven and Impulsive- unpredictable team building decisions , often demands uprooting coaches/team favorites and prospects

Offseason Warriors - GM style excels at finding and securing vital draft picks and off season acquisitions






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[nolesfan3]

Using AI, this was how it sorted the owners for MLB based on their spending preferences. I think it would be possible to dig into this a little more and use it for a franchise if you wanted. It would definitely be possible to create a template that had AI use information from your season to help decide draft picks, resigning, free agent signing, random events, etc.

High Spending/Highly Involved:

Los Angeles Dodgers: (Guggenheim Baseball Management) - Consistently high payroll, willingness to acquire top free agents, and significant investment in stadium renovations.
New York Mets: (Steve Cohen) - Since acquiring the team, Cohen has shown a clear willingness to spend big on player salaries, making them a top spender.
New York Yankees: (The Steinbrenner Family) - A long history of high payrolls and a focus on winning championships, although their spending has fluctuated somewhat in recent years.
San Diego Padres: (Peter Seidler) - In recent years, the Padres have dramatically increased spending, acquiring big-name players and pushing for contention.
Philadelphia Phillies: (John Middleton) - Have shown a willingness to spend to compete, especially in recent years.

Mid-Level Spending/Moderate Involvement:

Atlanta Braves: (Liberty Media) - They've shown a willingness to spend to keep their core players but are generally more measured than the top spenders.
Boston Red Sox: (Fenway Sports Group) - While they've had periods of high spending, they've also shown a willingness to rebuild and focus on younger players at times.
Chicago Cubs: (The Ricketts Family) - They've shown a willingness to spend when they believe they have a competitive window, but are generally more measured than the top spenders.
St. Louis Cardinals: (DeWitt Family) - Historically a well-run organization that balances competitiveness with financial responsibility.
San Francisco Giants: (Ownership Group) - They have shown they can spend when they have a competitive window, but they are also careful with their budget.
Toronto Blue Jays: (Rogers Communications) - They have increased spending in recent years to become more competitive.
Houston Astros: (Jim Crane) - While they have a strong core, they haven't consistently been among the very top spenders.
Texas Rangers: (Ray Davis/Bob Simpson) - They have shown a willingness to spend in free agency, but it's not always consistent.
Los Angeles Angels: (Arte Moreno) - Despite having star players like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, their overall spending hasn't always matched expectations.
Arizona Diamondbacks: (Ken Kendrick) - They've shown a willingness to spend when competitive, but generally operate with a mid-level payroll.
Seattle Mariners: (Nintendo of America/Ownership Group) - They have increased spending recently to try and compete in the AL West.
Minnesota Twins: (The Pohlad Family) - They generally operate with a mid-level payroll and focus on developing talent.
Milwaukee Brewers: (Mark Attanasio) - They have been competitive in recent years despite not having a huge payroll.
Chicago White Sox: (Jerry Reinsdorf) - They have had periods of higher spending but are generally more in the middle.

Lower Spending/Potentially Less Involved (or focusing on long-term rebuild):

Oakland Athletics: (John Fisher) - Consistently one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, often trading away star players for prospects.
Pittsburgh Pirates: (Bob Nutting) - Historically a smaller market team with a focus on developing young talent and often operating with a lower payroll.
Cincinnati Reds: (Bob Castellini) - They have had short bursts of spending but generally are more budget-conscious.
Kansas City Royals: (John Sherman) - While there are some signs of increased spending, they're still generally in a rebuilding phase.
Baltimore Orioles: (David Rubenstein) - It's too early to definitively place the new ownership group. Previous ownership was very low spending. Initial signs point towards a more competitive approach but it remains to be seen how much they will invest long term.
Colorado Rockies: (The Monfort Family) - They have occasionally spent in free agency but generally operate with a lower payroll.
Miami Marlins: (Bruce Sherman) - Typically operate with one of the lower payrolls in baseball.
Tampa Bay Rays: (Stuart Sternberg) - Known for their ability to compete despite having a very low payroll.
Cleveland Guardians: (Paul Dolan) - Consistently have one of the lower payrolls in baseball.
Washington Nationals: (Mark Lerner) - They had a period of higher spending when they were competitive, but have since reduced payroll.
Detroit Tigers: (Christopher Ilitch) - They have been in a rebuilding phase and have had a lower payroll in recent years.

It's important to remember that these categories are fluid and can change. This list represents a snapshot in time based on recent trends.

[Dagan]

Popularity at any cost - will do anything for ratings, including signing polarizing players that generate media attention good or bad - will do the same regarding coaches - will mix up uniform changes a lot more than other teams.

Blue Collar Discipline - will stay out of the media for negative reasons at any cost, including shipping out / cutting players and coaches in a heartbeat, if they are locker-room cancer types - will most of the time only take statistical work horse types.

Just Win Baby - mixture of both of the above, focused on wins, though - always going to make the news for what it takes to keep winning.