MLB players union would expand post-season
The head of the MLB’s player union Michael Weiner has said that the majority of the union’s members support the League expanding the play-off format.
The proposition would add more teams to the post-season and possibly expand the divisional series to seven games. In addition, Weiner also said that players are interested in lowering the number of regular season games.
The League has also suggested the post-season be expanded. The players union and commissioner Bud Selig have to renew their collective bargaining agreement after the 2011 season. Therefore if any changes were going to be made they would likely come during
those negotiations and be implemented in time for the 2012 season.
Major League Baseball allows the least amount of teams to participate in post-season play with only eight teams given the opportunity. Meanwhile, the National Football League allows 12 teams to participate, while the National Hockey League and National Basketball
Association both allow 16 teams in the post-season.
The concept of giving more post-season berths has to be an enticing one for the owners, as they have the opportunity to generate more revenue. However, the shortened season is not likely to be pushed through during 2011 negotiations, as it takes away from
each club’s home games.
Weiner conveyed the opinions on his members and their desire for a shortened regular season and longer post-season.
“Certainly some of the players have said either we should shorten the regular season because the regular season’s too long, or we should shorten the regular season to accommodate expanded post-season, “said Weiner.
The League has slowly been moving towards a longer season and extended post-season. The regular season expanded from 154 games to 162 in 1961, while the play-offs adopted a seven game series format in the League Championship Series in 1985. The new format
would see more teams make the play-offs and the divisional series expand to seven games.
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