[Alsfastball] Series vs. Tournament

[Al Doran]

From: Andy Bader <abader at bowesnet.com>
Subject: Series vs. Tournament
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004 08:59:18 -0400


Joel

I read with interest your comment about series to decide playoff champions. 
We here in the South Perth Men's Fastball League, a 21-team league this 
past season, have been using a tournament-style "get-it-over-with-one 
weekend" playoff for the past 3 seasons with great success.

Sure there are teams which would prefer to have series, and we had series 
prior to our change to a tournament, but for simple logistics, the SPMFL 
decided to try a tournament and it's been a great boon to our game. First, 
the sheer size of our league has made it difficult to have series unless we 
end our regular season a lot sooner or play until mid-to late-October when, 
in the past anyway, we've froze our collective butts off. Second, our 
league has grown geographically where we cover a wide area, and having 
series does nothing for building rivalries unless two rivals happen to be 
within close proximity or have been long-time rivals where the history has 
already been there. Third, we're finding that teams are relying on younger 
players all the time, and are gone off to post-secondary education sooner 
or continuing their hockey careers in the junior or university ranks 
somewhere and have no interest in returning for Game 2 of a best-of-five 
series at 8 p.m. in a dark, cold park on a Tuesday night. Besides, the 
veteran, core players now have kids to cart to hockey practice or games 
right after work.

The tournament-style playoff, where the top 16 teams compete in a true 
double-knockout event ranked according to their regular season record, has 
increased our fan base, not eroded it. The timing - two weekends after 
Labour Day - and the setting (Keterson Park in Mitchell, a four-diamond 
complex) has been as fairly close to central as possible for the teams 
competing, and the weather (believe it or not) has been outstanding each 
and every year.

Sure the best team might not always win in a tournament, which makes it 
even more exciting for the players and the fans. In our league anyway, 
where any team can defeat another on any given night, it merely added to 
the drama. It happened this year when both a #2 and a #3 seeded team was 
knocked off in the opening game by a #15 and a #14 seed. It also gave 
loyal, die-hard fans a chance to see the best players on the teams they 
might not always see at one location. Are they going to drive to Elora and 
see Todd Uhrig pitch, or to Bridgeport and see the Schnarr boys? Unless 
you're from that neighbourhood, sure, but not if you're a loyal fan from 
St. Pauls or Fullarton. Especially when you have to bring 3 sweaters, your 
favourite toque, woolly mitts and a blanket to "enjoy" the game....

No system is perfect. But in order for the great game of fastpitch softball 
to grow and prosper, we took this bold step and I personally think it was a 
good one to take. Many players have agreed, and there appears little chance 
of it reverting back.

Just one man's opinion. Thanks for your time.

Andy Bader
South Perth Men's Fastball League
Secretary/Statistician
and former player & coach
Mitchell Mets intermediate men's fastball club

From: Andy Bader <abader at bowesnet.com>




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