This discussion makes me think that it would be a good idea to create 2 separate divisions : a UPPER and a (I don't know how to say it without being disrespectfull :D )
By this mean, the weaker could hope for 1/3 of wins, and the best could not hope for more than 80% easily.
But, we should be more than 18...
While I understand this is something that may divide opinions to some degree, personally I think positives of having
only one same level league where every HGL team plays against every other HGL team far outweighs the possible negatives of this current setup/practice.
It´s a long discussion (with many points already presented), which has been had before, actually multiple times before, also on Homegrown teams II-thread if my memory serves me).
Actually, when you look at top8-salaries of teams for Season 2, here
(327516.63), we actually haven´t got quite as layered salary structure as on Season 1, especially what becomes to lowest ranked teams.
Basically we have HAD at 742K, followed by 4 teams within $90K of each other (525-435K).
Then teams ranked from 6th to 15th are within $106K of each other (342-236K).
Team ranked 16th on the other hand is way behind in salaries at $80K/week.
Also, worst teams always tend to struggle to find wins, or best team(s) in lower division, should there be a 2 division setup in use, would struggle to not to win, as they´re still strongest of the group. So while it would likely make worst teams lose a bit less (or possibly find an occassional win slightly more often), again there are many many negatives in having a 2 different level divisions, such as likely having to play multiple times with each other during one season, causing more administrative work, making wins, records and statistics uncomparable to each other, and so on.
And like you mentioned, it would also require more teams. With current intrerest levels (unless we´re able to awaken loads of more interest of participation), I´d find it better to think of different possibilities to add/replace teams to current setup if maximum limit within current league setup
would be exceeded (which it currently hasn´t). That could be small play-in type league/playoffs (during real HGL playoffs), into which only new-to-HGL teams, or also worst team(s) in HGL would participate, which would determine participation rights for the next season of HGL. The downside would be, that it would possibly cause some HGL teams to drop out due to not having successful teams enough, and in one way I'd like to guarantee a league place for existing HGL teams for the next season(s) as well as long as their team qualifies and they comply with HGL rules.
We could also have possibility to expand current setup to up to 18 (or so?) teams, if that´s required by adding few more matches on some weeks. But as mentioned, there are many things to consider, such as when adding teams with salary budgets on the highest or lowest ends - nobody will ever agree on every decision. Adding a super strong team(s) will make it harder for other to win championship, while adding very weak teams in terms of salaries causes games which score isn't hard to guess beforehand. So in that sense some kind of play-in series/playoff could work in determining participation rights for next season, but as also said before, I kind of don't like the idea that team would lose their place in HGL due to that.
Like I´ve mentioned, having 2 separate level divisions wouldn´t solve the problem of weakest teams either (if wins are their ultimate goal) to have separate level divisions, as they are most likely only going to have somewhat equal matches with each other only, and within current league setup they´ll also meet each other (and have that chance).
So given this - and all that I´ve said about this matter during a year or so on forum discussions - I strongly think we should stick with current one league level league setup.
Last edited by Wagner at 8/3/2025 8:04:09 AM