Welcome!
This is a website where we promote the most American idea that is used everywhere in the world of sports, except for the United States. I’m talking about that notion of a system which gives everyone a chance and rewards those who work the hardest no matter where they come from. In the rest of the world, they use a far more exciting, fair, economical and ironically, more American, league system. It’s called a promotion-relegation system and put simply, it makes sports way more fun for fans. Here’s what it would look like in baseball, if the season ended right now: (…if you’re confused, just read on)
Last updated: 13 May 2012 18:20 UTC. Current up to all games through the 12th
CGB games behind a club is from winning the championship or promotion
PGB games behind a club is from making the playoffs
NOTES:
+ At the end of the season, the bottom 4 teams in the BPL get relegated to the 1. League
+ The top 3 B1L teams move up to the BPL. Teams 4-7 playoff for the 4th promotion spot
+ Baseball Premier League concept by Baseball Ink
What is Promotion-Relegation? (from here on out we’ll just call it P-R) The P-R system is one in which teams are in tiered leagues (i.e. in baseball: the Majors, Triple-A, AA, and so forth) and at the end of each season, the top few teams in each league trade places with the bottom few in the league above them. In some countries, there is a playoff, rather than automatically trading places. A P-R league is open (the best teams rise, the lesser teams fall), the worst teams have to fight for their lives at the end of the season. This creates a passion that’s hard to find outside of some college sports.
Who does P-R benefit? Fans (more exciting), small teams (they have a chance), fans of bad teams (they have something to care about), players (they get paid more), coaches (paid more), minor leagues (people start following them), the integrity of the sport (more fair), entrepreneurs (easier to start your own team), and the list goes on.
Who does P-R hurt? A really unlucky yet loveable team (they could get relegated and might never rise again), and team/franchise owners. To the first, I say too bad. You’ve got to fight to stay above the water. Regarding team owners, they love that they are guaranteed to make a killing every season no matter what. This isn’t sports; this is child’s play. All the teams get a trophy at the end of the season. That trophy is the opportunity to come back next year. There is no glory in making it in a fixed system. Promotion-Relegation is more exciting and more American, and we as fans deserve it.
My favorite thing about the P-R system: It makes the minor leagues very exciting. Imagine if that team from your hometown could eventually rise up through good coaching, sponsorship, expansion, investment, and one day play in the majors. The joy felt by the fans of a team that makes it to the top flight for the first time is unmatched in the world of sports. It puts your city on the map and gives you a chance at the ultimately glory which might have taken decades to earn.
The current system has all sorts of flaws. First of all, the leagues are closed. In order to get your team into the NFL, NBA, MLS, NHL, MLB, you need to have tens of millions of dollars and you need to schmooze. What if Kansas City wanted a basketball team in the NBA? Too bad. What if Los Angeles wanted a football team in the NFL? Too bad. The worst teams in the league don’t have to try. They’ll be back next season with plenty of money and first draft picks. If you cant make the playoffs, it’s best to be at the bottom. The structure isn’t fair. Teams don’t have the same match-ups, the number of home and away matches isn’t always even and the playoff systems for the most part are mathematically irrelevant. Let’s make our sports mean more. Let’s look into promotion-relegation.
