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goosedennis · 08-03-2018, 04:28 PM

MLB to move to Promotion/Relegation Format
Former Continental, Federal Leagues make comeback

The late Kenesaw Mountain Landis, pictured here, helped dissolve the Federal League, which is now to play its first season in 105 years.

March 27, 2018

NEW YORK -- In deliberations held in secret, the owners of Major League Baseball's 30 teams debated over moving to a promotion/relegation format, where the best teams from each league are promoted, and the worst demoted.

Today, that proposal passed.

"As everybody can see, the MLB has been moving away from competitiveness for quite some time," said commissioner of baseball Rob Manfred in a press conference this morning. "Teams in bigger markets can, and have, spent the most money on players, thereby shutting the door on smaller market teams' competitiveness."

The new structure, which splits the MLB into four leagues -- the National, American, Federal, and Continental Leagues -- is based originally on teams' budgets. The first year, teams with the smallest budgets will play in the Continental League, and teams with the largest ones will play in the National League.

After the first year, the champion of each league will be promoted to the next level; the team with the worst record will be relegated. For the Continental League, however, the worst team will remain in the league, while in the National League the reigning champion will face its competition again.

"We've discovered that our revenue-sharing proposals have not worked as intended," Manfred said. "The league's owners were opposed to a salary cap. They instead decided that the best solution would be to move to a four-league format."

To ensure balance, there will be a two-team expansion. Manfred did not announce what cities would have new teams, but said the teams would be revivals of former ones.

All four leagues will contain eight teams in one division, and playoffs will be between the best four teams in each league. Schedules will be 161 games, allowing each team to play each other 23 times. The designated hitter has been implemented for every league in baseball.

Manfred said teams know what the new teams will be, and said expansion draft protection lists have already been submitted. The draft will be held tomorrow, at which time the announcement will be made.

08-03-2018, 04:28 PM	#1
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	The Four Major Leagues MLB to move to Promotion/Relegation Format Former Continental, Federal Leagues make comeback The late Kenesaw Mountain Landis, pictured here, helped dissolve the Federal League, which is now to play its first season in 105 years. March 27, 2018 NEW YORK -- In deliberations held in secret, the owners of Major League Baseball's 30 teams debated over moving to a promotion/relegation format, where the best teams from each league are promoted, and the worst demoted. Today, that proposal passed. "As everybody can see, the MLB has been moving away from competitiveness for quite some time," said commissioner of baseball Rob Manfred in a press conference this morning. "Teams in bigger markets can, and have, spent the most money on players, thereby shutting the door on smaller market teams' competitiveness." The new structure, which splits the MLB into four leagues -- the National, American, Federal, and Continental Leagues -- is based originally on teams' budgets. The first year, teams with the smallest budgets will play in the Continental League, and teams with the largest ones will play in the National League. After the first year, the champion of each league will be promoted to the next level; the team with the worst record will be relegated. For the Continental League, however, the worst team will remain in the league, while in the National League the reigning champion will face its competition again. "We've discovered that our revenue-sharing proposals have not worked as intended," Manfred said. "The league's owners were opposed to a salary cap. They instead decided that the best solution would be to move to a four-league format." To ensure balance, there will be a two-team expansion. Manfred did not announce what cities would have new teams, but said the teams would be revivals of former ones. All four leagues will contain eight teams in one division, and playoffs will be between the best four teams in each league. Schedules will be 161 games, allowing each team to play each other 23 times. The designated hitter has been implemented for every league in baseball. Manfred said teams know what the new teams will be, and said expansion draft protection lists have already been submitted. The draft will be held tomorrow, at which time the announcement will be made.