The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be either a single game, a series of games, or a tournament, and may use a single-elimination system or one of several other different playoff formats. Playoff, in regard to international fixtures, is to qualify or progress to the next round of a competition or tournament.
The Apertura and Clausura tournaments is a split season format for Spanish-speaking sports leagues. It is a relatively recent innovation for many Latin American football leagues in which the traditional association football season from August to May is divided in two sections per season, each with its own champion. Apertura and Clausura are the Spanish words for "opening" and "closing". In French-speaking Haiti, these are known as the Ouverture and the Fermeture, while in English-speaking Belize, they are respectively the Opening and Closing seasons. When used in the United States and Canada, they are known as the Spring and Fall seasons.
The 1998–99 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999, after a new six-year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. All 29 teams played a shortened 50-game-per-team regular season schedule and the 16 teams who qualified for the playoffs played a full post-season schedule. That season's All-Star Game, which would have been held in Philadelphia, was also canceled. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs winning the franchise's first NBA championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the 1999 NBA Finals. This was the 50th season since the BAA and NBL had merged into the NBA.
There are a number of formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the single elimination, the best-of- series, the total points series more commonly known as on aggregate, and the round-robin tournament.
A one-game playoff, sometimes known as a pennant playoff, tiebreaker game or knockout game, is a tiebreaker in certain sports—usually but not always professional—to determine which of two teams, tied in the final standings, will qualify for a post-season tournament. Such a playoff is either a single game or a short series of games.
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the wild card teams are the three teams in each of the two leagues that qualify for the postseason despite failing to win their division; the three wild card teams in each league possess the three best winning percentages in their league after the league's three division winners. The wild card was first instituted in MLB in 1994, with one wild card team per league advancing to the Division Series in the postseason to face a division winner.
The 2011 North American League season was the inaugural season of the North American League, after three previous independent baseball leagues in the Golden Baseball League, United Baseball League and the Northern League merged to form the NAL. The NAL was set for 12 teams in 2011, however only played with 10. The Henderson Roadrunners never played as Norse Field wasn’t ready in time for the 2011 season.
The 2012–13 Australian Baseball League season was the third Australian Baseball League (ABL) season, and was held from 1 November 2012 to 9 February 2013. The season started with a game between the defending champions Perth Heat and the Adelaide Bite at Norwood Oval in Adelaide.
The 2018 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2017–18 season. The playoffs began on April 14, 2018, and ended on June 8 with the Western Conference, and defending NBA, champion Golden State Warriors sweeping the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0. Kevin Durant was named the NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year.
The Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) playoffs have taken several different forms throughout the organization's history. Japanese baseball is divided into two leagues; the Pacific League (PL) is less popular and less profitable than the Central League (CL). As a result, the PL has employed various playoff formats throughout its history in an effort to increase fan interest. The PL's first true playoff system was introduced in the 1973 season. It involved a split season plan that divided the season into two halves and the two teams that won each half went on to play each other in a five-game playoff series, with the winner advancing to the Japan Series. While popular with fans, the format was scrapped after ten seasons because of major issues and criticisms. In the year following their last split season, the PL returned to a single season, however if five or fewer games separated the first- and second-place teams at the end of the season, the two teams would play each other in a five-game playoff series. This playoff system was unpopular and ridiculed by media and fans. It only lasted three seasons with a playoff series never needing to be played.
The 2022 Frontier League season was the 29th season of operation of the Frontier League (FL). The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the Empire State Greys. The league had an May-to-September regular season scheduling and a full 96-game regular season. The season began on May 12.
The 2022 Pecos League season was the 12th season of professional baseball in the Pecos League, an independent baseball league which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas and Texas, since its creation in August 2010. There are 16 Pecos League teams, split evenly between Mountain and Pacific divisions.
The 2023 Frontier League season was the 30th season of operation of the Frontier League (FL). The regular season began on May 11, 2023, when the Florence Y'alls were hosting the Gateway Grizzlies at Thomas More Stadium.
The 2012 North American League season was the second season of the North American League. There was no inter division play between the North and United division. San Rafael Pacifics outfielder Maikel Jova held a NABL record 37 game hit streak during the season.
The 2019 Pacific Association season was the seventh season of the Pacific Association. There was a five team 64 game schedule. The Salina Stockade were added as a travel team to be the sixth team, but the Pittsburg Diamonds announced they would be going on a hiatus in April just weeks after the Stockade were announced. The Martinez Clippers also folded after the 2018 season.
The 2018 Pacific Association season was the sixth season of the Pacific Association. There was a six team 80 game schedule. Most series included a two-game series with each team having 40 home games. The Napa Silverados and Martinez Clippers were both added as new franchises.
The 2017 Pacific Association season was the fifth season of the Pacific Association. There was a four team 78 game schedule. Most series included a three-game series with each team having 39 home games.
The 2015 Pacific Association season was the third season of the Pacific Association. There was a four team 77 game schedule. Most series included a three-game series with each team having 39 home games. The Pittsburg Mettle became the Pittsburg Diamonds for the 2015 season.
The 2014 Pacific Association season was the second season of the Pacific Association. There was a four team 78 game schedule. The Pittsburg Mettle and Sonoma Stompers were both introduced to the league. Sonoma did not host a home game until July 1 due to field renovations.
The 2024 Frontier League season is the 31st season of operation of the Frontier League (FL). The regular season will begin on May 9, 2024, and will end on September 1, 2024. The playoffs are then planned to begin shortly afterwards, ending with the Frontier League Championship Series in September with the last possible date being on September 15, 2024.
