My immersion and interest comes from replicating real life processes within the structure of the game. That means considering fan reaction, retaining loyal players within reason. Always competitive never tanking or tearing down the roster. Taking chances/opportunities that might not be justified with a strictly clinical approach. It's easy to be clinical in OOTP because there are few consequences. In that sense FM gets it better than OOTP.
Imagine real life MLB run like an OOTP online league. I think popularity attendance and revenue would suffer along with player performance, something OOTP cannot replicate because there is no data. We can make logical deductions though.
I'd love to see a module in OOTP where player reaction to an online or solo league with rampant trading and roster turmoil was always go to FA, always make no-trade demands, always demand short term contracts and have zero loyalty no matter the personality. Fan loyalty would be volatile attendance unpredictable possibly to the point of boycott. Talk about a real challenge.How much is too much.
