Quote:
Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat
I like that format and maybe to simplify, you just go with four divisions of eight teams each -- two per league/conference. You win the division, you get a bye. You don't, you battle to get to the next round and face one of the division winners.
Also, the rumblings seem to be Nashville/Salt Lake City as the two expansion cities. It's too bad Montreal seems to be priced out.
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I like four divisions with 8 teams better. I think that reduces the "terrible division winner" issue, although it does increase the travel by making the divisions geographically larger. Maybe no in-league teams across the continent makes up for it.
Something like:
West:Padres/Dodgers/Angels/Giants/Mariners/Las Vegas As/rockies/Diamondbacks
Central: Astros/Rangers/Cardinals/Royals, Twins, Brewers, Cubs, White Sox
NE: NYY/Mets/Phillies/Bo Sox/Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburg
SE: Marlins/Rays/Braves/Raleigh expansion/Nationals/Orioles/Nashville expansion/Reds
If the expansion is Salt Lake you put them in the West, then you move the Rockies to Central, both Texas teams to the SE, and the Reds to Central.
Edited to add: 7 in-division for 13 games plus 3 games x 24 out of division teams is 163. Play one division team only 12x and you have a 162 schedule.
I'd actually say to go 12 vs each division team and 3 everywhere else. That gets you to 156 games (the same as prior to the 60s expansion). Make the quarterfinals (DS round) 7 games and the wild card 5 and the national tv revenue bump probably pays for the loss of ticket sales.