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Author Topic: Not having relegation makes American sports stale [Locked]
Yukishiro1  4 stars
Posts: 3,243
Registered: 2002-9-20 23:52:57
Look at all the people arguing about who is going to come in last to get the best picks for next season.


It's sorta ironic that losing in American pro sports can actually give you an advantage whereas losing in European sports can result in financial armageddon via relegation. A bit different than the typical characterization of the two societies.


The lack of relegation in American sports leads to bad incentives for losing teams which in turn leads to stale games. One of the best parts of the European soccer league system is that people at the bottom end of the table are absolutely fighting backs to the walls for their lives every game instead of just lamely waiting for the end of the season so they can get preferential picks.


European soccer leagues = capitalism and natural selection in action.


American sports leagues = "everybody wins" communism.


Elocism  3 stars
Title: Pseudonym
Posts: 787
Registered: 2002-5-3 01:50:00
i would love to see this

 

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paulg_68  4 stars
Posts: 2,469
Registered: 2009-7-27 18:45:54
This thread would probably have more legs if Americans had any idea what "relegation" was.

 

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Yukishiro1  4 stars
Posts: 3,243
Registered: 2002-9-20 23:52:57
I forgot that Americans refuse to look up words they don't understand.


Relegation means the bottom three teams in the league get demoted to the lower league. In return, the top three teams from the lower league get promoted into the top league. It's a little more complicated than that in practice but that's basically how it works.


It means that come the end of the season it isn't only the top teams that care. Some of the best games of the season generally come between two bottom teams desperately slugging it out to try to climb above eachotehr to be able to survive in the league.
Crooq_Lionfang  1 star
Title: Master Zergling
Posts: 185
Registered: 2003-3-11 11:53:17
The loser is moving down to another league for lack of success, and the winner of the minor league is moving up to majors. So if you suck in the majors you move down to the minors and loose a bunch of potential income until you get back in the majors

 

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vn_nnanji  4 stars
Title: Outpost Music Expert
Posts: 1,964
Registered: 2001-6-30 17:22:56
Again Yuki's internal bias leads him to assume things not in evidence.

We get it. You don't like football. That's normal for a soccer loving pencil necked geek.

Maybe we can fix this though. Allow me to apologize for all those big scary football players that picked on you in school.

 

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paulg_68  4 stars
Posts: 2,469
Registered: 2009-7-27 18:45:54
Yukishiro1 posted:

I forgot that Americans refuse to look up words they don't understand.

Relegation means the bottom three teams in the league get demoted to the lower league. In return, the top three teams from the lower league get promoted into the top league. It's a little more complicated than that in practice but that's basically how it works.


I did look it up. That definition wasn't in my dictionary.

That actually seems like a mostly good rule though from a competition standpoint. However, the NFL is a business. If Chicago, the New York Giants, and Dallas all had bad seasons, it would be financial suicide for the NFL to boot them for a year or three.

 

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Crooq_Lionfang  1 star
Title: Master Zergling
Posts: 185
Registered: 2003-3-11 11:53:17
Sounds like another dumb case of too big to fail.

 

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Yukishiro1  4 stars
Posts: 3,243
Registered: 2002-9-20 23:52:57
vn_nnanji posted:

Again Yuki's internal bias leads him to assume things not in evidence.



What does that even mean?


You don't believe relegation has any impact on how hard a bottom of the table team plays? All you have to do is watch one match. Even you would be able to see the difference it makes.


It's just a fact that in American football bad teams are rewarded next year with preferential treatment where in European football they're kicked out of the league entirely. Pretty big contrast.


edit: It also isn't really a soccer vs football thing. Rugby has relegation too. And the American soccer league doesn't have relegation, which is part of why it is considered a joke league by the rest of the world.


paulg_68  4 stars
Posts: 2,469
Registered: 2009-7-27 18:45:54
The NFL is a monopoly. They all stay rich by keeping it that way.

Fans are okay with the affect that has on competition because they know it's as likely to help their teams as hurt them.

 

-----signature-----
If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch...
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"Everyone has a chance to become rich." - Groucho48
"Most of the human wealth on earth exists between the ears of live human beings." - theredkay1

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