When MLB was pushing for a 14-team playoff format in collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations, people were not particularly open to the idea because they thought teams would have to do less to make it to the postseason, thus promoting mediocrity.
In the end, the league and the Players Association ended up agreeing to an expanded 12-team playoff format, up from the 10 that usually made it.
To accommodate things, MLB added a full Wild Card round in which four teams per league sought a place in the next round, the Division Series.
By playing best-of-three series in the Wild Card round, the league did not keep the chance to get eliminated with just one loss.
In the end, the Wild Card round, at least in 2022 (its first implementation) ended up being a success.
A Rare Win For Rob Manfred
MLB analyst Dan Clark qualified it as a rare win for Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“Rob Manfred hasn’t had many W since taking office, but I’ll give MLB credit where it’s due – this new playoff format is a winner. Keep it,” he tweeted.
Rob Manfred hasn't had many W since taking office, but I'll give MLB credit where it's due – this new playoff format is a winner. Keep it.
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) October 9, 2022
Of course, opinions can and will vary, but many fans took advantage of the times to watch three or four games per day over the weekend.
For true supporters, it was a dream weekend.
Stadiums were mostly at full capacity or almost full, too.
The MLB format does not have as many playoff teams as other major professional leagues in the country (NFL has 14 and the NBA up to 20 if we count the play-in tournament, which is the equivalent of the Wild Card round in MLB), so 12 seems to be the perfect number.
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