Hopefully they will change this in the future, but it is because of Persistent Placement.
You could REMOVE yourself and defenders from you BG group during off-season, but then you would have to remember to re-join your defenders before the beginning of next Season.
*or, to preserve your “slot” in your BG, and to mark what nodes your “normal” defenders are placed on, you could swap your normal defenders with their equivalent 3* or 4* champs on the same nodes, in ALL 3 Potential (current tier and +/-) Tier Maps. And then still have to remember to switch them back again before season starts.
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You could REMOVE yourself and defenders from you BG group during off-season, but then you would have to remember to re-join your defenders before the beginning of next Season.
*or, to preserve your “slot” in your BG, and to mark what nodes your “normal” defenders are placed on, you could swap your normal defenders with their equivalent 3* or 4* champs on the same nodes, in ALL 3 Potential (current tier and +/-) Tier Maps. And then still have to remember to switch them back again before season starts.
Why wouldn't you do AW offseason? Just leave your defense placed and get free loyalty...