Development Budget - Any Effect?
 

The age old question - does the development budget do anything? Seems to come up each year and there's strong opinions on both sides. Some say maxing it out has an effect, some say having it at zero has no effect yet there's really no way to produce much data to support either side.

Thus far, any anecdotal opinions on the subject for the 18 release?

I haven't noticed any effect, positive or negative. I generally put less $$ than other teams and my prospects develop well, and I get more random high ceiling IFA than other teams. So if there is an effect, it's minimal.

I always advise against spending significant amounts of $$ here.

I have had better luck in 18 spending more money on development. I have definitely noticed a better result with developing prospects.

I find that coach ratings does more in the development of a player(s) on each level than spending money.

can't see the ratings though :p

(not that i don't rationalize looking)

it definitely has an effect or it wouldn't be there... how much? no idea. i would assume it's a small-ish effect. development is quite volatile to know by the eye. i've had stretches where nearly everone develops well with max budget, then a few lemons.

if you turned off some of the competing and similar effects it would reduce sample size needed to know. e.g. turn off coaching and personality.

easy to assume this: ~baseline is a neutral effect... makes sense, may or may not be correct, of course. as far as going over i'd assume a slow reduction of ROI to the point of being negligible (limit of max % bonus)

i'd assume and equal negative effect possible, but the limit occurs above $0, i hope. just to be rational relative to context. not rational that a team spens "0" on dev. could be a reason for a much larger negative effect, too, if not equal... spend zero - so no pitching machines, no balls etc, lol :p