Playoff System
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Playoff System
I was reading an article about Bobby Valentine and it mentioned a new playoff system in Japan, I believe for the Pacific League only. I was wondering if someone could explain how it would work in a six team league.
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Re: Playoff System
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Apr 5, 2004 9:56 PM
| YBS Fan
]
The play-off system was announced in May of 2003 [see this thread for some reactions]. Details at the time were sparse, so this seems as good a time as any to expand in detail.
The Pacific League will have all of their games completed by the end of September. For this, they cut back to 135 games this season and will be more agressive than in past years with making up games, even taking double headers under consideration. (I've forgotten how many years it's been since a team has played a double header.)
Starting October 1 will be "Stage 1," which will pit the second and third place teams against each other in a best two out of three series (first to win two decides it). The winner of this goes on to "Stage 2" to play the first place team in a best three of five games between October 6-11 (8th off).
One point I had read was that all of the games are to be played at the higher ranking team's home ground, with said team retaining all broadcasting rights. So the second place team will host Stage 1, and the first place team will host Stage 2. But reading the actual Playoff Agreement [Official Pacific League Site, in Japanese], Item 3 states that games may be played at the opposing (lower) team's park. It's too vague to tell if that team gets any broadcast rights or not, or gets to claim the gate receipt for that matter. Giving all rights to the higher team in the standings is supposed to work as incentive to not "settle" for second or third place. [I think that this could be used as an arguement that, at least in the Pacific League, some people are thinking of baseball as something other than an advertising tool.]
That's bascially all there is to it. It's a pair of short series' to decide who plays the top Central League team, giving a chance to the three teams that finish in A-Class. Finishing on top of the Pacific League gets you the high seed (and home ground and broadcasting rights).
The sentiments in the above mentioned thread reflect many of the sentiments in Japan, i.e., concern that the third place team going to the Nihon Series will somehow cheapen it. But I've come around to see it as a great way to keep fans of three team in the season all the way to October. Overall, this should have a good effect on Pacific League attendance, which I'm in favor of.
The Pacific League will have all of their games completed by the end of September. For this, they cut back to 135 games this season and will be more agressive than in past years with making up games, even taking double headers under consideration. (I've forgotten how many years it's been since a team has played a double header.)
Starting October 1 will be "Stage 1," which will pit the second and third place teams against each other in a best two out of three series (first to win two decides it). The winner of this goes on to "Stage 2" to play the first place team in a best three of five games between October 6-11 (8th off).
One point I had read was that all of the games are to be played at the higher ranking team's home ground, with said team retaining all broadcasting rights. So the second place team will host Stage 1, and the first place team will host Stage 2. But reading the actual Playoff Agreement [Official Pacific League Site, in Japanese], Item 3 states that games may be played at the opposing (lower) team's park. It's too vague to tell if that team gets any broadcast rights or not, or gets to claim the gate receipt for that matter. Giving all rights to the higher team in the standings is supposed to work as incentive to not "settle" for second or third place. [I think that this could be used as an arguement that, at least in the Pacific League, some people are thinking of baseball as something other than an advertising tool.]
That's bascially all there is to it. It's a pair of short series' to decide who plays the top Central League team, giving a chance to the three teams that finish in A-Class. Finishing on top of the Pacific League gets you the high seed (and home ground and broadcasting rights).
The sentiments in the above mentioned thread reflect many of the sentiments in Japan, i.e., concern that the third place team going to the Nihon Series will somehow cheapen it. But I've come around to see it as a great way to keep fans of three team in the season all the way to October. Overall, this should have a good effect on Pacific League attendance, which I'm in favor of.
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