By UTH Contributor, Subscriber, and Superfan Katie Flower (Skyler399 in the forum)
Check out Katie’s mammoth submission, Building a Dynasty: Startup Journey, which was very well-received:
Whether you are new to dynasty or have been in your league for a while, you will find that the owners you need to trade with can be divided into several different categories. How you approach trading with these types can be dramatically different. Here are some ways to help identify the type of owners in your league as well as some tips for how to deal with each. I have divided them into two categories, impatient owner types and patient owner types.
IMPATIENT OWNER TYPES
Impatient owners have some similar tendencies even among the different types. They tend to value name cachet, hype, and can be swayed by the next big thing, as long as that player has “proven” it on the field. At first glance they seem like they would be hard to deal with, and they certainly are annoying. However, once you learn how to deal with them, you will find that you can get some of the better deals from this type of owner. These are the guys that are more likely to sell you their entire roster of unproven players for big names; in other words they will “buy high” and “sell low”.
“The Greasy Salesman”
- Always tries to tell you the highlights of the player they are selling
- Starts off by saying: “You really need a good xyz position” in an effort to get you to panic about being weak at that position
- Overvalues his player and says something to shed “undervalue” light on yours (yet for some reason he is asking for you to trade said “bad” player)
- Is prone to several counter offers to get the deal done
- Typically has a good feel for player values
- Preys on owners who are “Loose Cannons”
How to Deal With Them
- Fight fire with fire, pump up the positive side of your player and say something that shows why who he is trading has some deficiencies
- Keep them talking by asking them questions and discuss values, salesmen types love to talk
- Be clear with them what you want from the trade, calmly stand your ground
- Every now and then email/text/pm a question about a player on your team “what do you think about…” All you are doing here is fishing for information for the future.
“The Bully”
- Always sends lopsided offers in their favor
- Takes any reasonable offer and counters it being lopsided in their favor
- Acts dominant on message boards and the words they use in the trade offer
- Always feel like they need to win every trade
- Typically has a skewed sense of player values
- Preys on owners who are “Loose Cannons”
How to Deal With Them
- Early on explain your view of why the trade is lopsided, be clear what you think is fair
- After you have explained a few, if the offers keep coming, go silent and decline with no comment
- The bully type hates to be ignored, they will start to send offers that are closer, counter them but stay silent
- Offer 3 for 2, 2 for 1, 3 for 1 trades, or throw in a late round draft pick as a sweetener
- Every now and then email/text/pm a question about a player on your team “what do you think about…” All you are doing here is fishing for information for the future.
- Conclude each trade with a comment like “that was a good trade for you”, make them feel like they won the trade
“The Loose Cannon”
- They like the thrill of the trade and will do it often with aimlessly
- Highly swayed by player hype and recency bias
- Will overpay for their favorite players, regardless of if their team needs to fill that roster spot or not
- Will turn a 1 for 1 offer into a 4-for-4 blockbuster counter offer
- Typically do not understand player value
- Is prone to dropping rookies and players that are under performing, or will practically give them away
How to Deal With Them
- Early and often, this is the kind of owner that you should want to teach
- Send them a few links to dynasty rankings
- Keep the dialogue open on every trade, discuss and reinforce player value
- Get to them before the “Bully” and the “Salesman” do
- Too many of these in any league is toxic
PATIENT OWNER TYPES
Patient owners have their own spectrum of tendencies. Patience can be and usually is a virtue, but it can also be a handicap as you will see in a couple of these owner types. Owners who fall under the “Tightwad” and “Absent” categories are among the very most difficult to deal with because they just do not trade much. Owners who are an “Island” have built their dynasty the UTH way and have assets at every position, so they do not need to trade as often and can be highly selective when they do. They are in the best position to buy low and sell high.
“The Tightwad”
- New to dynasty or a redraft owner dabbling in dynasty
- Typically don’t do very much research or make many moves
- Fear trading because they don’t understand player value and don’t want to get ripped off
- When they do send an offer it will usually be very lopsided and not necessarily in their favor
“The Absent Owner”
- Doesn’t participate in league votes or discussion
- Will go weeks on end during the offseason without visiting the league site
- Won’t even decline the trade offers being sent, lets them expire
How to Deal With Them
- Reach out to them and try to engage them in player value conversations
- Ask them what they are looking for, what do they need
- Send them links to dynasty rankings, ask if they have any questions
- Too many of either of these type owners is toxic to a league
“The Island”
- Highly patient owner who has built his team using a balanced approach
- Team is loaded at every position and has all kinds of assets
- Does research, understands player values
- Typically will avoid trade discussions with owners like themselves
- They have insulated themselves from the need to make a trade unless it suits them
How to Deal With Them
- Have a target in mind and know what assets you are willing to part with
- Be prepared to hold your ground if the offer is fair, don’t over pay
- Be prepared to walk away from the trade talks and be patient yourself
Good dynasty leagues that can last and thrive are going to be filled with active owners who maintain a balance. Turnover is more likely to happen when you have too many “Absent”, “Tightwad” or “Loose Cannon” type owners. I hope this better equips you in your trade strategy, now go on out and make some offers!
