Were you in favor of playoff expansion?

[PA Season Ticket Holder]

They voted out the proposal for playoff expansion. Everything is so competitive now, and with only 2 wildcards now, I think they should've went to 14 teams.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

The more football, the better life is.

[WG]

The more teams that make the POs, the more meaningless the season becomes. If all you knew you were going to get was a WC and no home games, then why not dog the last 2-3 games by resting your star players if a PO spot was virtually assured?!

It would render the regular season as meaningless as it is in the NBA and NHL. Over .500 and you make it and we've already done the analysis that w/ 16 teams, half of them making it, that 8-8 teams would routinely make the POs.

I know this discussion was for 14, but IMO 16 wouldn't have been far behind and should have if only the top seed were to get a rest. That's about as silly a discussion as it comes.

[WG]

Late season games are often meaningless enough to get me to go to freezing cold temps just to see us play when we're out of it. The last thing I need is to have the last 2-3 games be routinely irrelevant for one reason or another.

I would probably have dropped my seasons w/ a 16 team format. I would have just scalped for any potential home playoff games. It loses something IMO when all you have to do is be .500 or 9-7 at worst in order to virtually automatically qualify for the playoffs.

It would take the meaning out of games for me to an extent. It would also alter the tactics of the coaches. Why play players when you're 7-6 and the division leader is 9-4 and all you need is another single win to "make the playoffs" and the odds of other teams making it an knocking you out are remote as are the odds of you winning the division?

So coaches would have added incentives, ala the Detroit Red Wings, to duff games late in the year for that reason.

Teams would be better off heading into the playoffs at full-strength vice having to kill themselves and risk further injuries by playing full strength for just a possibility w/o even the guarantee of a home game. At least that's the stance that'd I'd take as a coach. If I knew my PO chances were all but locked up, I'd be more concerned about having everyone healthy for them than winning an extra game or two.

As I've said for years now w/ many of you arguing w/ me, it's not the fact that you "make the playoffs" that counts, it's the fact that you can win in them that does!

[The_Philster]

Couldn't agree more, Wys. Too many playoff teams cheapens the game. That's the big beef I have with the Arena League...12 teams make the playoffs...out of 16 teams this year. :eek: