FACT SHEET: SEASON STRUCTURE AND PLAYOFF FORMAT PROPOSAL

Major League Baseball spokesman Glen Caplin released the following statement today regarding Collective Bargaining:

“Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players. A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans—with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer Division Series, and more opportunities to see the game’s best pitchers on the biggest stage. And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones.”

Key Highlights of MLB’s Season Structure and Playoff Format Proposal

• MLB’s existing season structure presents several challenges: (1) many fans believe the regular season is too long, (2) limited off days exacerbate roster churn and issues related to pitcher health and usage, and (3) MLB’s season is not well-suited for the modern media landscape with few exclusive broadcast windows in the regular season and a compressed postseason.
• To address these issues, MLB is proposing to shorten the regular season to the 154-game schedule used until 1960, create a standard off day every Monday (with the potential to broadcast 1-2 games in a new national exclusive broadcast window) and add postseason games by moving to a best of seven Division Series format.
• Features of the proposal include
  • 154-Game Regular Season with One Off Day Per Week
    • Beginning with the 2029 season, a return to the 154-game regular season schedule, which has a substantial history in baseball (used almost exclusively from 1904-1960). The format allows for additional scheduling flexibility in the postseason (see more below).
    • A scheduled off day every Monday, with the exception of 1-2 games which could be broadcast in a new, exclusive national broadcast windowto increase national exposure for the sport.
      • The Monday off day has been well-received across Minor League Baseball, creating back-to-back nights off for most players following Sunday day games.
      • Increased off days benefits player health and may reduce roster churn.
      • The off day on Monday would not be in effect for national holidays and select special-event games (e.g., if July 4th fell on a Monday).
      • Teams that play on Monday would be off on Thursday.
      • During the period from 2022-2025, teams averaged 24% fewer optional assignments per week when they had an off-day (1.45 optional assignments per week when they had an off-day, compared to 1.90 in weeks when they didn’t have an off-day).
      • No downward adjustment will be made to player salaries. Thresholds for bonuses, options and similar provisions will be adjusted proportionally (e.g., 154 /162).
      • 2029 start date coincides with the beginning of MLB’s next national media agreements.
  • Opponent Selection, Postseason with Seven-Game DS and Additional Off Day
    • Higher-seeded Clubs in the Wild Card and Division Series select their opponents beginning in 2027.
      • In the Wild Card round, the 3 Seed would select whether to play the 5 or 6 Seed, with the selection coming immediately following the conclusion of the regular season.
      • In the Division Series, the 1 Seed would select which Wild Card winner to play, with the selection coming immediately following the conclusion of the Wild Card round in that league.
      • Opponent selection would allow the top seed to avoid playing a stronger opponent in the Division Series, increase the importance of regular season records and generate significant fan engagement while stoking rivalries.
    • The expansion of the Division Series from best-of-five to best-of-seven.
      • Beginning with the 2029 season, extending the length of the Division Series adds eight potential games to the Postseason.
      • Off days would be added during the Postseason to increase ratings and enhance the value of the sport’s media rights:
        • Staggered start to the Postseason by league would create more viewing opportunities for fans and eliminate the need for daytime windows (e.g., eliminates fan unfriendly 4 Wild Card games in one day)
        • The addition of off days prior to each non-guaranteed game (i.e., Game 5, 6, and 7) in the LCS would ensure these games occur without competition from the other league. Further, the additional off days provide greater opportunities for star pitchers to be available to pitch.
        • With more off days throughout the regular season, the regular season would end one week earlier, and a Game Seven of the World Series would end two days later than the current system. Each team would play four split double-headers (one against each divisional opponent) during the regular season.