Playoff schedule needs changing doesn't it?

Question

All these long layoffs are hurting baseball. Very few series go to 7 games anymore and the competition is slipping. MLB made it's schedule to appease the FOX network so it could work around House and some of their other shows. Doing this has created longer layoffs than EVER before and giving certain teams unfair advantages.

Has the MLB allowed FOX to mess up the postseason?

Red Sox fan. There are articles about this w/ stats proving game 7's are down more than ever since the 1994 season due to the Wild Card and TV times.

And I'm a Yankee fan btw. We deal in facts. There aren't "lots of game 7's" as you say. Please read news articles.

Read this article for more info on what I'm saying.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3099910

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

I don't think you can blame Fox for this one, solely. There are a ton of factors at work here on a variety of levels.

1. The calendar. It is ridiculous to play baseball games in the Northeast in late October and early November. And some games will be played there. You are playing the most important baseball of the season at the worst time of the year.

2. The schedule. Baseball would be smarter to go to 154 games, take the small revenue hit, and get the postseason started more than a week earlier.

3. Starts of games. Postseason games take forever these days, partially because of the stakes. It is silly to have these games start at 8:30 Eastern, especially on the weekend. Some of America just isn't willing to stay up past 12 for a game. Does the Super Bowl go that late?

4. The schedule was stretched out a bit this year. In the Rockies' case, though, it's a tough situation. They won in four games and the Red Sox won in seven. It's a little tough to ask Boston to start a day or two after winning the ALCS, especially with the logistics involved. But, it would be nice to have a more flexible schedule, so that you wouldn't have a situation when both teams have to sit around. I know Fox doesn't like to start on Saturdays because the homes using sets figure is lower, but if you show the games on a good schedule you might get more of a build-up.

5. In a world of 57 channels, the big numbers for a non-big event (like the Series, over up to seven days, instead of the one-shot Super Bowl) are never going to be what they used to be.

6. Regional sports networks have made a national broadcast less of an event. I can see baseball year-round on a couple of cable outlets. Seeing them on Fox or ESPN isn't as big a deal as it used to be. And I wonder if people tend to just stop watching when their favorite team is done, since the novelty is gone.

Baseball took in $6 billion last year, and the sport is in good shape. Let's not be afraid to invest a little of that to grow the game in the form of more sensible decisions in all these areas.

Answer 3

Baseball sold its soul for TV cash. Players are always moaning there's too many games in a season, so how about making the Wild card and divisional play-offs a one off sudden death game like the NFL. and make the LCS a best of five?

Answer 4

Yes it does, and yes they have.

The last 2 years The LCS has gone to game 7; resulting in those teams winning (Boston & St Louis) while the other teams (Detroit & Colorado) had to wait.


I'd love to see the divisional series be the best of 3, the league championship best of 5 and the WS best of 7.

But the owners would never go for that.

Answer 5

Well what do you want them to do, and maybe hurring up and finshing up your series is not always a good idea. And it looks like you are talking about, the junior version of the Chicago Cubs, AKA the Colorado Rockies, who may have been more deserving to win the World Series, but they played like the Chicago Cubs during the World Series, so maybe it was fixed.

Answer 6

I have been saying that for years, all other major sports have a playoff format of about 20 percent of their regular season, baseball's is around 12 percent, the playoffs need to be longer, and more teams involved.

Answer 7

Is this some ticked off Rockies fan that they lost after theyre 8 days rest?

I disagre, there are still game 7s, and lots of em.

Edit: There has been 1 game seven every year for the past 5 years, except in 2005. And what the heck! Just givig me a thumbs down because I thought you were a Rockies fan!? Give me a break.

Answer 8

The NHL replaced it this season to play extra out of convention video games. Divisional video games has long previous decrease back to 6 video games, and there is one game scheduled against each group in the different convention.... some 2 video games. as an occasion, the Sabres play 2 video games against the Coyotes this season. 8 video games against each group interior the branch is in basic terms too many. i like the replace and being waiting to be certain extra of the different convention.

Answer 9

Yes it does, games are too late; and why not have the weekend games as day games. Play each series on consecutive dates, with one day off before each series. In this day and age, they don't need off for travel days.