So I’ve long thought of this idea on how to “fix” MLB, as floated on the Zonk today, and I figured I’d take my lunch to discuss it more in-depth. Perhaps, if I do this right, Bob McCown will want to have me on his show and I can credit all you Zonkers live on-air.
So the facts are that, of all professional sports leagues right now, it’s MLB that’s perhaps in the best position. Lots of games, lots of revenue, things seem to be doing quite well. But in the area of competition lies the facts that some teams just simply can’t compete at the same level. As long as the Toronto Blue Jays are in a division with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and apparently now the Tampa Bay Rays, they won’t be able to compete effectively. When a maximum of two of those teams can make the post-season at any time it means sad days for the others. Similarly, with their increased in-division competition, teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers find an easy ride to the playoffs in a sub-par division while better teams find themselves on the outside looking in.
So what if we looked at the American and National leagues in new light? What if we took a page from the Premier League:
The three lowest placed teams are relegated into the Football League Championship and the top two teams from the Championship, together with the winner of play-offs involving the third to sixth placed Championship clubs, are promoted in their place.
Perhaps not a direct copy, but looking at it this way.
- The National League becomes the ‘A’ League; the American League becomes the ‘B’ League.
- The top 16 teams compete in the National League, no longer broken into three divisions, but equally playing amongst all other 15 teams. The other 14 teams compete in the American League.
- At the end of the season a playoff featuring the top eight teams in the National League decides the World Series Champion.
- Following the World Series the bottom three National League teams are demoted to the American League; the best three American League teams are promoted to the National League.
This new system is simple and ensure some level of competition at all times. The downfall? Perhaps a lack of “quality” teams coming into ‘B’ League cities, possibly harming attendance and viewership?
What are your thoughts?
The NHL needs to contract. The talent is far too thin and there are way too many teams. Cities where people really don’t care about the team or league. Get rid of Atlanta, Columbus, Minnesota, Phoenix to name a few. The league has been subpar once it got to be more than 21 teams.
Wow, Cliff really is drunk today. Rick, it’s a good idea… but will americans understand it?
I can’t say I like this idea. You hit the nail on the head with the attendance going down, etc.
Why not shuffle around the divisions and make them not-regional, so all the strong teams are in one division, but they still play all the other teams and whatnot?
Yes, Cliff is right. Contract Phoenix. That way Gretzky will be out of a job.
Rob is right too, why not re-shuffle the divisions?
Make the Dodgers and Yankees in the same division, muahhahahaha… since I’m sure many old-time fans miss the Dodger-Yankee rivalry. Who cares if they have to meet 18 times a year and travel all the way to square off? They can afford the plane trips since they’ve got all that money. Besides, their players are higher paid than other teams’, so they should be able to handle the long trips. muhahahaha…