1. Judge the season, not the name
Every player-season is judged against its own era, so a great year in 1974 counts like a great year in 1974 — not like an average one today. That means the biggest name on the board is not always the best pick in front of you. An unfamiliar era-great having a monster season can out-play a household name having an ordinary one. Read the real stats and context on the card, then take the better season.
2. Build strength across the whole board
Every pick feeds a position-weighted team score. Premium seats can carry more weight, but there is no hidden multiplier that makes one lowest card decide the season. A superstar raises the average; every soft pick lowers it. Before you chase a luxury upgrade, make sure the rest of the board can hold its own.
3. Spend re-rolls on the holes
Re-rolls are scarce, so treat them as insurance, not greed. If a round spins an era that cannot improve any seat you still have open, throw it back for the board’s committed replacement. Do not spend it because a good option is not quite your favorite name; save it for a round that leaves you no credible fit.
4. Draft for the seats you have left
You can fill the board in any order, so use that freedom. Keep flexible slots available when a specialist can cover only one role, and watch any displayed out-of-position cost. The best player in a round is not automatically the best pick if taking him strands a more important seat later.
Then go run the table
That is the whole method: judge the season, strengthen the board, re-roll dead rounds, and preserve useful seat options. Learn the full rules in how to play, or read exactly how the ratings work. Then build one of your own.