American sports are so dumb. In Europe, the real trophy is for the best team in the league by points. Tournaments happen throughout the season with varying degrees of importance. Games are intermingled with "season games." The best part is, the bottom 3 teams drop into a lower league. Best 3 go up.
Baseball is a sport that is currently set up for that to happen. It could probably happen with the NHL too. Basketball is close, I think but there is a serious talent drop from the NBA to the other leagues. Football doesn't really have a lower tier, so nope.
I actually think Basketball might be a place to start also because there are so many basketball players that come from European leagues where a relegation system exists.
I don't know though. Like I said, it seems like there is considerable drop in talent from the NBA to the developmental leagues. I can't imagine an NBA team staying there long. But you never know.
If the possibility of was there, there would be investment in the lower leagues. Wrexham stories would emerge. You are right though, Those teams would almost universally just crush in the lower leagues and com right back.
I agree completely. The issue with baseball (and really every sport in the US) is the minor league teams are owned by major league clubs. Actually, Soccer would be a great place to start this here. There are several tiers of professional soccer in the US and they are all governed by the USSF.
While there is not parity between Triple AAA and the Major League, the bottom dwelling MLB teams wouldn't stay there long, I think. I'm pretty sure the owners wouldn't go along with it though.
If terrible MLS teams got relegated and the best USSL teams were promoted to replace them, that would be a huge improvement in the league and other US sports could watch how it works and determine that it would have value for fans. Big problem is fans are not the focus in the way they are in Europe.
not in Europe. FA cup is secondary to the points race. Everything is about points. Champions League is determined by league points. FA cup winner only gets in Europa League.
I'm well aware of European soccer formats. My point is that when it comes to playoffs, the American format is far superior (and the salary cap is better as well, but you're not ready for that conversation)
Copy, i didn't understand what you were saying. i strongly disagree having lived in America and experienced American sports for years. But it's fine. The salary cap doesn't seem to work effectively although the European system of salary control is bizarre .
In Europe, assuming you are speaking of European football/soccer, each team plays a home/home with every other team. The NFL doesn’t do that. The Vikings and their division played the downtrodden NFC West this year all of their records will be inflated compared to others. Win the division.
That's a solid point which probably wouldn't work in the NFL with a 30 season being physically impossible. As pointed out by the original post, the Falcons will get a 4 seed this year and play 13-3 team.
That’s the way the game works. They will have a home game because of their division. And will have to play a three loss team in Detroit the next week anyway. So the home game is the spoils.
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But that's is definitely the problem. Owners would never go for it.
Potentially the best place for it happen would be college....but even then....
I prefer that whichever team garners the most private equity investment wins by default