Rules for moving into a new conference

[lilhook]

What rules do you guys use when you are using a Group of Five team in a dynasty and you want to move them up?

When is the best time to do so? Would love to hear your thoughts

[Skyflame21]

If your are talking about when a team should move from say Conference USA to the ACC. Then I use a 3 year bench mak system. I never move a team into a new conference until I believe they can be successful there. So a team like Boise State. Say they have 3 straight very good years 9+ wins they could be a candidate to join say the PAC-12. However, I will review their recruiting classes. Are they able to draw 2-3 top 100 level recruits. If they have been able to get some then that's another plus. I will also look at geography. A team like Boise is limited in state for top prospects. So they could struggle to attract quality level recruits. But for a team like San Diego State. Would have the California recruiting base and could thrive more due to its fertile recruiting base. The last thing I'll do is see how good their squad should be over the next 2 years. If I think they have a strong squad that can get wins in the new conference that will help recruiting also. But if they have 3 great years but look weak over the next few to graduations or early defections than I won't move them.

I really try to look at whether I believe that school can compete at that level.

[jbrew2411]

I look at a few factors for teams moving up.

1) Value: Does the team in question bring value to the new conference? Using Colorado as a real life example. When they moved from Big-12 to Pac-12 the move was valuable for both team and conference. It brought a new market for the Pac-12 while it opened new recruiting states for the school and a conference that looked to be heading in a better place then the one they were leaving behind.

2) The 5 Year Plan: I look at a 5 year window of success. If a team is owning their conference over a 5 year span, winning the title and win/lose records, then they may have outgrown the conference. In those 5 years I can see the impact of recruiting classes, coaches, and overall strength of the conference. In 5 years recruiting classes will cycle through. Juniors and Seniors are the lifeline for most teams so I can see if teams reload or rebuild. Coaches show me if it is a stopping point for those higher skilled coaches that get fired by the big boys, needing a place to show they can still do the job. I don't move teams that have those 1-2 year HC's. Is the team just good because the rest of the conference is really bad.

3) School Overall: Is the school one that is growing or just a small school? Some schools are growing while others are happy to be a small school. Schools like Boise State or Georgia State are growing schools while the Troy's or Texas State's of the world are not looking to be big boys.

I use this plan but overall it is a video game so everything I stated has little impact on the game. I have moved schools like New Mexico to the Big-12 after a great 5 year run capped off by a national title in my short 3 year run there. They went on to win the Big-12 3 times over the next 5 years and another national title. A better conference can bring better recruits so staying power is not that big of an issue if the team is good enough at time of the move.

[lazytribe]

Rules rules rules

[Cheese2121]

Fantastic post Jbrew. I use a very similar mindset when planning conference realignments and the like. Thank you for the input!

[lilhook]

What about moving user teams?

I'm Toledo currently in a dynasty

[jbrew2411]

Quote: Originally Posted by lilhook

What about moving user teams? I'm Toledo currently in a dynasty

For me I still follow what I posted. The move has check all the boxes. One or two good years is not enough, 5-6 great years is more like it. Toledo to a AAC might work but to the Big-10 I'm not sure would make sense for the Big-10. It has to make sense for both team and conference. Just my thoughts.

[SilverBullet19]

Originally, I made specific success rules. IE to move to a power 5 I had to reach 6* prestige as a mid major, have 2 consecutive conference titles, one undefeated regular season, 3 BCS wins, etc etc. I basically made it hard to reach on purpose.

I, however, had to forgo those rules. In my Sonoma State dynasty, I had 4 consecutive conference titles in the C-USA and Mountain West, and went undefeated in conference for 28 consecutive games. I also had back to back BCS wins. I needed to move for the challenge.

JBrew has excellent guidelines. Realism is the key. Sonoma State moved to the Big 12 and gave them a California market, so the conference got a benefit. Sonoma State got more conference money, and continued the expansion of their successful program, so I got a benefit. Both sides win.