Forum topic: Sponsor Availability when you Relegate - Potential Issue for Teams

Just wondered...

In S1 I signed sponsors for S2 and beyond when I was still in a Div.2 league. All was ok.

Now I have dropped to a Div 3 league, many sponsors are unavailable to me to extend again, even ones I already have a contract for, they won't now negociate with a Div 3 team. Makes sense, team is worse, they wouldn't want to deal with you in that state.

Could this be a future issue for teams wanting and heading for promotion though?

Looking at it, the Div 3 pool is financially woeful in comparison to the Div 2 pool of sponsors.

It's a good job I signed multi year contracts, because if I had none, I would really struggle to build a sponsor income at the Div 3 pool right now. The offers are a lot worse, and far fewer to choose.

I'm OK, but I am thinking for the other teams starting here. How on earth can you compete when promoting if you can only sign those Div 2 sponsors when you join a Div 2 league?

On top of developing, and on top of putting all your commercials into negociating deals, you'll barely be able to develop. Your first few weeks of promoting will be wasted chasing sponsors, you'll fall behind and not develop properly and never have a proper chance to stay up.

I see this being a possible issue with promoted teams struggling continuously from the get-go.

To assess it, lets get a list of all promoted teams, and see how many aren't at the bottom of the standings at mid-season; and see those who drop for S3.

I'll return to this post in a few weeks to see if I am right!

Well i didnt even get relegated and my section 5 sponsor has changed from being available to Div.3 to just Div.2, only a 2 star wealth too They are really interested in signing a new deal with me but it's not allow as they dont want Div.3, confusing hey!

The Div.3 pool is pretty terrible in terms of finance but if you look at real life the teams lower down in F1 dont have a lot of income from sponsors when compared to the big boys.

Although tough i think the custom system is pretty realistic. I guess time will tell, if we end up with a Red Bull style dominance at the top then maybe some tweaking will be needed.

I dear hear somewhere too that development is quicker when in a lower division... someone will need to confirm that for me though.

I think there needs to be a financial incentive to fight for promotion. Especially if development is slower in the higher leagues, as otherwise many people would sandbag for a few seasons in div 3 to build up the car.

I just think I am lucky enough to have dropped with a massive nest egg of cash in order to jump back up again, because looking at the current income of Div 3 sponsors available, anything new I sign now is pathetic.

Sure, I won't spend on development much this year as I feel I will walk my division. But if I sign away S3 deals now, I'll enter S2 Div 2 with an income that just won't match the other teams there.

So how can a promoted team compete with backing of Div 3 income?

You'll need to put all your staff on commercial duty to have the cash to develop, and even then you'll be behind as Div 2 teams will be richer to start with and develop from day 1!

Thus newer or promoted teams will likely always be behind?

I do think a title winning bonus needs to be quite high if promoted to bridge this financial gap and ability to hit the ground running, or as I predict, most (if not all) promoted teams are going to to relegate.

Unless you have a crap Div the year before and develop a stunning car, which I guess makes the game variable good!

if you create a sponsor... does it allow Div3 teams to negotiate?

whats the create link again ill try!

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

If it doesn't, make another!

The link is on the sponsors page now, at the top...

I don't see this as an issues due to the fact that development isn't liked to sponsorship. Development is linked straight to how good your designer is; so design a good car from a financial stand point only means how long will it take to get to the full potential of your designs.

In beta I was in division 3 for two season with less money but due to no competition and a good designer I jumped to division 2 in the final season of beta with the best car and best contracts. It was an advantage to fund your team correctly with limited salary, bonuses to allow winning to develop your car.

Look at 2.1 this season and our fast two teams just promoted so I don't think the funding has hurt them!

The system was created this way to reduce sandbagging by providing smaller sponsorship rewards for being in the top division similar to soccer or football in England. Top teams simple earn more since they cost are also higher due to longer development & salaries of top drivers.

It depends on how much you spend. I think div 3 sponsors pay enough. I might change my mind when I have a mega factory and very expensive people in the team.