New FIFA based Challenge League

by **Afro** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 10:02 am

First topic message reminder :

The Challenge League is coming to the end of season 3 and preparing for a reboot as we move on to FIFA 19. We are spreading word to see who is interested in playing.

In short, you buy and sell players, build a squad, then pick a team/tactics to play matches that are simulated on FIFA19 (CPU v CPU). The games are streamed live on Twitch, so you can also watch your games (and other teams for scouting purposes!!) each week.

Think Football Manager, but with the game engine being FIFA 19.

Players can be traded within the league with other managers, but each week you will also get randomly generated offers for two of your players. On top of this, you also get to buy two players from out of the league each week.

All player valuations are done based on the TM website http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche.
Players values are frozen at the start of each season so that their value remains unchanged throughout that season. All offers from outside the league are based on the frozen value, and all purchases of players outside the league are based on the current TM value.

If you want to know a bit more, have a look here:

https://www.606v2.com/f265-the-miky-challenge-league
https://www.606v2.com/t66501-challenge-league-rules

We have the final week of the existing game still to play, so you can also take a look on Twitch to get a feel for it.

https://www.twitch.tv/hero606v2

The new league will start with a low level of players and build, with FIFA 19 rating caps. The aim is that these caps will increase each season so that the league grows with them. We also plan to move on to each new version of FIFA, each year, which offers the options of buying for future potential too!

At the moment, it looks like being League 2 teams, with some degree of a mini-draft to start shaping your side. Budgets and ratings cap will then be set to what is appropriate to the teams we have in the league.

This page is to gauge interest, so please sign up below.

Signed Up
1. Afro
2. Hero
3. Fluxy
4. Olly
5. Bam
6. Marky
7. Nadz
8. TAB
9. Azzy
10. Ska
11. Twist
12. Soddy
69. Trebs
14. Rof
15. Nando
16. Dolph

by Azzy Wed 17 Oct 2018, 2:24 pm

Afro wrote:You'll be pleased to know that he hasn't exactly shone on the FIFA league either

I plan to counter him with Riccardo Montolivo, freeing up Steve Sidwell to play through balls for Michael Owen. I've done my research, I know how to get this job done.

by **Hero** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 2:31 pm

Afro's brought in David Villa and Samuel Eto'o into the league so not fully out of place there!

by **Afro** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 2:42 pm

Villa did a decent job for me.

Eto'o never actually played before Nadz bought him from me

by BamBam Wed 17 Oct 2018, 2:48 pm

Azzy wrote:1. Yes, I'm signing up. Need to show you lot how to beat that inbred scamp.

His Uncle has also been invited to the league for the very same reason

by Azzy Wed 17 Oct 2018, 3:35 pm

BamBam wrote:His Uncle has also been invited to the league for the very same reason

I feel for those poor 15 year-old Peruvian wunderkids about to sign for Yeovil Town Laugh

by Marky Wed 17 Oct 2018, 4:12 pm

Azzy wrote:3. Luka Modric remains bang average, he was towed through the WC by Rakitic

Preach!

by Trebs Wed 17 Oct 2018, 7:30 pm

Afro wrote:
Hero wrote:Wow howdi Azzy, how did you hear about this if you don't mind me asking?

I might have had something to do with it....

PM bombed a load of people

Thank you for not PM bombing me. That sounds icky.

by **Afro** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 7:56 pm

Sorry Trebs. Didn’t think you’d want to play as you have previously been against FIFA leagues.

You are of course very welcome to sign up. It would be great to have you on board.

by $ka Wed 17 Oct 2018, 9:37 pm

Evening fellas,

Made an account on the basis of the recruitment drive on ja606 earlier today. Happy to sign up and get used to where everything is on this site.

by **Afro** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 9:45 pm

Welcome sir Hug

Glad to hear my efforts on Ja606 earlier have borne fruit

by $ka Wed 17 Oct 2018, 9:50 pm

Aye it's a really interesting idea. I wanted to do something similar a few years back but CPU games on FIFA in 2012 seemed to always be a 0-0 unless one side was massively better. I like the idea of the twitch stream, as well.

by **Afro** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 9:54 pm

We have done two seasons (one 18 games long, one 9 seasons long) and it has worked really well.

Bit of a learning curve at the beginning, but it has been a real positive being able to watch the games.

by $ka Wed 17 Oct 2018, 10:02 pm

Will we be able to pick what League 2 team we want to be or will they be assigned at random?

by **Afro** Wed 17 Oct 2018, 10:07 pm

We haven't got that far in the discussions tbh. We did say we would go with ones together alphabetically just as it makes life a little easier for Hero when changing squads around.

I would imagine though that if someone wants a particular team and no one else objects or wants them, then they could have them. Otherwise we will assign randomly

by $ka Wed 17 Oct 2018, 10:21 pm

Cool, because I was going to ask for Bury

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:30 am

Can't see an issue with that unless anyone specifically wants the Shakers?

I want Macclesfield, anyone else want the Poopie team both in TM value and Fifa score?

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:34 am

Draft players.

So how many shall we do per team?

Range seems to be between 2-5, I'm happy to go with majority vote on what people prefer. Would be good though to make a decision and then the next step is working out the players for it. I was thinking perhaps a selection of decent young players that aren't as yet getting big values on TM, the likes of Angel Gomes and Reiss Nelson etc but open to ideas.

by Take a boo Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:37 am

I'd certainly have no objections with you guys picking those teams, I wouldn't mind taking Forest Green Rovers if we do have the option to choose.

I also like the idea of the draft Hero, be nice to add our own personal stamp to the sides whilst also bringing some decent youngsters into the league.

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:44 am

We're on 10 at the moment. I'm also assuming Twist is playing, but he hasn't confirmed.

Trebs - a maybe, not quite sure?
Nando?
Renegade said he was going to sign up on Ja yesterday

Potentially 14 then.

Would be good if we could get up to 16, as we could add in a knockout cup competition as well

by BamBam Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:45 am

I would say no more than 3 players drafted.

Do we want to do a free draft of any player up to the TM/rating caps or are we going for a select pool of players? I favour the free draft as I think it should be up to each manager to do their own research, and have the option of going for players with potential for future TM increases or ready made players who are unlikely to rise in value

If we go for the pool of players to select from, I think the auction type idea has more merit than a snake draft - based on experience of running the same kind of thing on an NFL fantasy game its much fairer.

For example, each manager gets a £10m budget to spend on up to 3 of the players from the pool we put up for the draft. They can blow it all on one player, or spread it around. Could be run as best blind bids via PM so no one knows what anyone else is bidding and it doesn't get drawn out with people bidding £0.1m higher than the previous bid

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:45 am

I like my idea of one player for each position - and young people too is cool, the cap on TM Value/FIFA rating is deffo needed - maybe a Fifa rating cap of 70, and TM value cap of £1m?

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:46 am

Nando will be in

by Fluxy Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:48 am

In my short time in the league, I would say to start that 3/4 four is the maximum if we are to do a draft.
And definitely a cap of 70 in the FIFA rating.

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:51 am

I reckon 3 players in the draft.

I wouldn't worry about the TM cap, and just do the FIFA rating at 70.

If anyone wants to blow more than £1m on someone rated at 70, then more fool them.

We need to give some though to budgets, bonuses etc. Needs to be set at an appropriate level for the typical value of players in the 60-70 FIFA rating basis. Just going to pull over the team list from the other page, as that had TM squad values on it

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 9:53 am

Afro wrote:Values added and sorted alphabetically!

Name ATT MID DEF OVR TM Value (£m)
Bury 64 64 62 63 3.83
Cambridge Utd 61 62 60 61 1.98
Carlisle United 55 61 63 62 2.34
Cheltenham Town 64 61 62 62 2.43
Colchester 64 65 64 64 1.6
Crawley Town 60 63 61 62 2.54
Crewe Alexandra 62 58 59 60 2.05
Exeter City 64 64 64 64 3.13
Forest Green 64 64 62 63 2.68
Grimsby Town 66 61 62 62 2.84
Lincoln City 64 64 65 64 4.1
Macclesfield 60 59 60 60 1.51
Mansfield Town 65 63 64 64 3.94
MK Dons 66 62 64 65 5.4
Morecambe 63 60 58 60 2.05
Newport County 59 61 60 61 1.6
Northampton 64 63 61 63 3.83
Notts County 63 64 63 64 3.4
Oldham Athletic 62 63 61 62 3.98
Port Vale 62 61 61 62 2
Stevenage 62 61 60 61 1.58
Swindon Town 63 61 62 62 2.88
Tranmere Rovers 63 61 60 61 1.96
Yeovil Town 62 62 63 62 1.8

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:02 am

That's an average of around £2.5m per squad. Say on average 25 players per team, players are typically worth £100k each.

I'm going to do the same on League 1, as I guess that is the next natural target for player value progression

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:05 am

How about the following for the draft...

Each person nominates 3 players, a defender, midfielder and striker.
Those players have to be under Fifa rating 70 and under TM value 1m.
All nominated players then get put into the draft pool and are openly bid upon so you could end up deciding to not go for the player you put up for draft.

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:07 am

Divvying up the teams wise, should a lesser team get any extra cash to make up for the shortfall? 50% value of difference between it and top team? Or just tough?

by TwisT Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:10 am

I'm in....again

by TwisT Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:12 am

Hero wrote:Divvying up the teams wise, should a lesser team get any extra cash to make up for the shortfall? 50% value of difference between it and top team? Or just tough?

At that level I don't think there will be much difference. So would say tough.

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:13 am

Hero wrote:Divvying up the teams wise, should a lesser team get any extra cash to make up for the shortfall? 50% value of difference between it and top team? Or just tough?

Give me two seconds and I'll answer with my thoughts.....

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:17 am

Based on TM values, the average player value in League 1 is £214,503.

So how about everyone gets £5m which is split between team and cash. We take MK Dons out of the list, as they are a bit of an outlier in terms of valuation.

So if you have Bury, its £3.8m for the existing squad and £1.2m budget.

Everyone then gets £1m extra for the draft, which can be spent on up to 3 draft players, or added to the budget for future use

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:21 am

And the cap is set at 70 on all players, draft or normal, until the end of season 1.

Again, I wouldn't bother with TM cap as most players are going to be below that anyway, and if they're not, your a bit daft for spending over a £1m on a 70 rated player

by Marky Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:42 am

Unless it was a player who may grow of course.

Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden are only rated 73 at the moment, but by the time Fifa do ratings updates they could well be in the 80's. Nothing stopping anyone willing to take a punt.

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:43 am

Having given it some thought, I say tough cheese on the difference between team values.

Everyone have a £1m budget, plus £1m for the draft. And what isn't spent on the draft can be put into the budget.

Weekly bonuses? - £250k?

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:44 am

Marky wrote:Unless it was a player who may grow of course.

Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden are only rated 73 at the moment, but by the time Fifa do ratings updates they could well be in the 80's. Nothing stopping anyone willing to take a punt.

Fair point.

by Marky Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:44 am

Hero wrote:Can't see an issue with that unless anyone specifically wants the Shakers?

I want Macclesfield, anyone else want the Poopie team both in TM value and Fifa score?

Me Crawley etc etc

by Trebs Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:49 am

Afro wrote:Sorry Trebs. Didn’t think you’d want to play as you have previously been against FIFA leagues.

You are of course very welcome to sign up. It would be great to have you on board.

Yeah I've got my views on FIFA, but anyways. Nadz sent me a message inviting me to join.

If you do end up with a knockout tournament you could always compromise and make that side traditional tactics and the main league FIFA based?

I suppose wait and see what numbers you get. Imagine if you got a full league....

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:50 am

I'd say the formula should be 5m - CV (club value) x 75%.
Doing it as just 5m - CV means those with the higher CV have their resources stuck in players they don't want and have to either release or wait for lawyers.
Doing it without any extra bonus works the other way with a low weekly cash pot in that whilst it's only 3 -4m difference it's also that some clubs are worth 3 times that of others.

by BamBam Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:55 am

Talking of releases, we need to make sure we're capping the number of players that can be released.

I've got no interest at all in doing traditional tactics as part of this, even if just for a knockout competition.

How are we going to enforce budget control? Is there any interest in using a Google Doc set up?

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:56 am

Hero wrote:I'd say the formula should be 5m - CV (club value) x 75%.
Doing it as just 5m - CV means those with the higher CV have their resources stuck in players they don't want and have to either release or wait for lawyers.

Yeah, I changed my mind and backtracked to saying it should be tough cheese.

Trebs - I don't see anyone wanting to go back to a traditional tactics basis in any competition tbh. I personally don't see any benefit from doing so. The big attraction to FIFA is being able to watch your games, form your own opinions on your own and others tactics, and it not rely of subjective voting

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 10:57 am

BamBam wrote:Talking of releases, we need to make sure we're capping the number of players that can be released.

I've got no interest at all in doing traditional tactics as part of this, even if just for a knockout competition.

How are we going to enforce budget control? Is there any interest in using a Google Doc set up?

Releases - keep the same as current rules

Budget control - I would be, but given how nobody could be bothered to complete it last time, I don't see it working. I just think everyone should have to list all their spend on their team page.

by Fluxy Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:00 am

It's probably more work, but why don't we do a cup, but include the rest of the teams from the original league two?
Simple knockout system, play the games in which teams from our league are drawn against as usual, but then any OG ties, just put in a result.

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:03 am

Fluxy wrote:It's probably more work, but why don't we do a cup, but include the rest of the teams from the original league two?
Simple knockout system, play the games in which teams from our league are drawn against as usual, but then any OG ties, just put in a result.

Its a good idea. The obstacle is going to be that the other teams are likely to lose players when we start buying them.

We could still do a cup competition, but we just have some byes in the first round of games. Wouldn't be quite as good, but doable

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:19 am

We could technically do actual domestic cups for the first couple of seasons, whilst we may be League 2 teams I don't envisage we're going to be ravaging the squads of other League 2 teams in the same manner as we did with the top teams for this season.

by BamBam Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:35 am

Afro wrote:
BamBam wrote:Talking of releases, we need to make sure we're capping the number of players that can be released.

I've got no interest at all in doing traditional tactics as part of this, even if just for a knockout competition.

How are we going to enforce budget control? Is there any interest in using a Google Doc set up?

Releases - keep the same as current rules

Budget control - I would be, but given how nobody could be bothered to complete it last time, I don't see it working. I just think everyone should have to list all their spend on their team page.

I'm considering building something on Google Docs which would include each team, and update it myself / with the help of anyone else who is willing

Think it would help with monitoring players in / out of the league, as well as having the oversight on budgets

Realistically the main activity on transfers is only one day a week when lawyers etc kick off, so I think I should be able to keep on top of it

If everyone has no problem with Big Brother Bam watching over all activity then I can do that. Everyone would still have responsibility for their own budgets etc, but this would be a back up and something to check back to if we need it

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:36 am

For the cup, see where we are on manager numbers and then have however many CPU run teams we need (from the remaining League 2 teams) to make it up to 16. Keeps it simple then. The other question is would we run these in parallel with the league weeks or separate weeks.

Separate weeks means anyone knocked out of the cup wouldn't be playing that week

by **Afro** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:37 am

BamBam wrote:
Afro wrote:
BamBam wrote:Talking of releases, we need to make sure we're capping the number of players that can be released.

I've got no interest at all in doing traditional tactics as part of this, even if just for a knockout competition.

How are we going to enforce budget control? Is there any interest in using a Google Doc set up?

Releases - keep the same as current rules

Budget control - I would be, but given how nobody could be bothered to complete it last time, I don't see it working. I just think everyone should have to list all their spend on their team page.

I'm considering building something on Google Docs which would include each team, and update it myself / with the help of anyone else who is willing

Think it would help with monitoring players in / out of the league, as well as having the oversight on budgets

Realistically the main activity on transfers is only one day a week when lawyers etc kick off, so I think I should be able to keep on top of it

If everyone has no problem with Big Brother Bam watching over all activity then I can do that. Everyone would still have responsibility for their own budgets etc, but this would be a back up and something to check back to if we need it

Happy with that and happy to help out where needed

by Fluxy Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:52 am

BamBam wrote:
Afro wrote:
BamBam wrote:Talking of releases, we need to make sure we're capping the number of players that can be released.

I've got no interest at all in doing traditional tactics as part of this, even if just for a knockout competition.

How are we going to enforce budget control? Is there any interest in using a Google Doc set up?

Releases - keep the same as current rules

Budget control - I would be, but given how nobody could be bothered to complete it last time, I don't see it working. I just think everyone should have to list all their spend on their team page.

I'm considering building something on Google Docs which would include each team, and update it myself / with the help of anyone else who is willing

Think it would help with monitoring players in / out of the league, as well as having the oversight on budgets

Realistically the main activity on transfers is only one day a week when lawyers etc kick off, so I think I should be able to keep on top of it

If everyone has no problem with Big Brother Bam watching over all activity then I can do that. Everyone would still have responsibility for their own budgets etc, but this would be a back up and something to check back to if we need it

As long as there are no cameras in the toilets...

by **Hero** Thu 18 Oct 2018, 11:56 am

On the Doc would you be able to track and update Yellow Cards each week.

by Sponsored content

Name	ATT	MID	DEF	OVR	TM Value (£m)
Bury	64	64	62	63	3.83
Cambridge Utd	61	62	60	61	1.98
Carlisle United	55	61	63	62	2.34
Cheltenham Town	64	61	62	62	2.43
Colchester	64	65	64	64	1.6
Crawley Town	60	63	61	62	2.54
Crewe Alexandra	62	58	59	60	2.05
Exeter City	64	64	64	64	3.13
Forest Green	64	64	62	63	2.68
Grimsby Town	66	61	62	62	2.84
Lincoln City	64	64	65	64	4.1
Macclesfield	60	59	60	60	1.51
Mansfield Town	65	63	64	64	3.94
MK Dons	66	62	64	65	5.4
Morecambe	63	60	58	60	2.05
Newport County	59	61	60	61	1.6
Northampton	64	63	61	63	3.83
Notts County	63	64	63	64	3.4
Oldham Athletic	62	63	61	62	3.98
Port Vale	62	61	61	62	2
Stevenage	62	61	60	61	1.58
Swindon Town	63	61	62	62	2.88
Tranmere Rovers	63	61	60	61	1.96
Yeovil Town	62	62	63	62	1.8