Auction Academy · Strategy
Who should you nominate in a football auction?
Choose a nomination that helps you make your next squad decision. You can test the price of a position, try to buy someone you want or offer a player who suits a rival. Always be prepared for the room to stop bidding and leave you with the player.
Know what you want to learn
It is your turn and nobody has sold a goalkeeper. You have allowed £6m for the position, but that number has not met the room yet. Nominating an acceptable goalkeeper now can tell you whether the plan is realistic while you still have money to adjust it.
This is an invented situation. If the player sells for £3m, you may have missed a purchase you would have liked. If he sells for £10m, you have learned something about demand, but not that every goalkeeper deserves £10m. Note who bought him and how many rivals still need that position.
Give the nomination a maximum price
Before saying the name, write down the amount you would actually pay. The test is simple: if everyone else goes quiet at your next bid, do you want the result? A nomination designed to make a rival spend can become your own purchase.
There is no need to bid on a player just because you nominated him, unless your group has agreed a rule that requires an opening bid. Set that rule before the evening begins. Auction League's initial auction happens outside the app, so the room needs a clear way to call and confirm sales.
Compare three reasons to name a player
Use this as a choice between actions, not a fixed order for the evening.
| Purpose | Useful when | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Buy your target | You can afford him and still complete the squad | A better-priced alternative sells later |
| Test a position | Its price will change your next budget decision | You pass on a player you could have bought |
| Offer a rival an option | You understand their empty places | Nobody bids and you have to own your opening bid |
Do not hide every useful player until the end
A late nomination can face fewer bidders. It can also find you with the wrong squad places left. If your final affordable target is a midfielder and you still need a defender, the cheap price does not solve the problem.
Revisit your next nomination after each purchase. The answer can change when your own squad fills, when a rival completes a position or when the last acceptable alternative sells. Pick the name that helps the team you can still build.
Common questions
Should I always nominate players I do not want?
No. That can spend nomination opportunities without improving your squad. It also creates a risk if you make an opening bid and nobody raises it.
Does nominating a player give me priority to buy him?
No. In an open auction, the winning bid decides ownership. Agree any opening-bid or sale rules with your group beforehand.
Put the plan into practice
Read six real auction prices from our founding league.
Ready to bring your group? Run your auction, then enter the final squads in the app.
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