One-game playoff
Encyclopedia
A one-game playoff, sometimes known as a pennant playoff or play-in 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 (such as best-2-of-3).
This is distinguished from the more general usage of the term "playoff
", which refers to the post-season tournament itself.
(MLB). When two or more MLB teams are tied for a division championship or wild card playoff berth at the end of the regular season, a one-game playoff is used to determine the winner, except in cases where the tie is a two-way tie for a division championship and the tied teams' records are higher than the records of the second place teams in the other divisions. In this scenario, the winner of the season series between the two teams is deemed division champion for purposes of playoff seeding, and the loser of the season series is given the wild card. Through the 2008 season
, home-field advantage for one-game playoffs was determined by a coin flip
, but effective in , home advantage is based on a set of performance criteria, with the first tiebreaker being head-to-head record. For statistical purposes, one-game playoffs are considered part of the regular season. The result of the playoff is included in the regular season standings and individual player statistics are included along with the statistics for the rest of the season. One significant playoff-like deviation from normal regular season games in force is that six-man umpire
crews are used (as opposed to the four-man crews of the regular season).
The tie-breaking procedures become more complicated if three or more teams are tied. This would require a series of one-game playoffs, taking more than one day. There have been several occasions where this scenario was possible as late as the last game of the season, but it has not yet happened.
Avoiding any confusion with the term "Playoffs" as the oft-used but unofficial name of MLB's post-season tournament, the term "Tiebreaker" is now MLB's preferred term for a one-game playoff.
Prior to the wild card playoff system, all five pennant playoffs in the National League had involved the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
(which won the coin toss for home field all five times, yet lost all except the 1959 one), and both American League playoffs had involved the Boston Red Sox
(who hosted both and lost both). None of the one-game playoffs since 1994 have involved those teams.
, the Houston Astros
and St. Louis Cardinals
tied for first in the National League Central
with record of 93–69. In 2005
, the New York Yankees
and Boston Red Sox
each finished 95–67 in the American League East
. In 2006
, the San Diego Padres
and Los Angeles Dodgers
finished tied with records of 88–74 in the National League West
. In all three situations, the team with the better head-to-head record (the 2001 Astros, 2005 Yankees, and 2006 Padres) were declared winners of the division, thus receiving a better seed in the playoffs. The other team (the 2001 Cardinals, 2005 Red Sox, and 2006 Dodgers) entered the playoffs as the wild card.
On September 23, 1908, Johnny Evers
of the Chicago Cubs
capitalized on a base-running mistake by young Fred Merkle
of the New York Giants
to invalidate a game-ending winning run. As thousands of fans were on the field and darkness was approaching, the game did not immediately resume. As it turned out, the Cubs
and Giants
ended the season in a tie for the pennant, and the postponed game was replaced by a new game played on October 8, 1908 at the Polo Grounds
. The Cubs prevailed 4–2, and advanced to the 1908 World Series
.
In 2008, the Chicago White Sox
ended the season 1/2 game behind the Minnesota Twins
. The fractional difference was due to the September 13 game between the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers
, which had been rained out and not yet rescheduled. To determine whether, if the game had not been rained out, there would have been a tie between the Twins and White Sox, the White Sox and Tigers played the make-up game at the end of the season on September 29. The White Sox won, resulting in a Twins-White Sox tie. To break the tie, the White Sox and Twins played a one-game playoff in Chicago (see below). Make-up games were also played after the season's end in 1973 and 1981.
Between 1901 and 1938, during a time when games were more often delayed by darkness and not always made up, there have been at least nine occasions on which making up postponed games might have resulted in a different pennant outcome, but the games were not made up.
now has an elaborate formula for breaking ties in the qualification for its playoffs. One game playoffs are no longer possible - in the highly unlikely event that two teams tied in all relevant statistical criteria, the rules stipulate that a coin toss settle the tie. However, before the merger
of the National Football League
and the American Football League
in 1970, it was possible to have a playoff game if 2 teams tied for a division title. The NFL had 9 of these playoffs occur between 1941 and 1965. The AFL had 2 playoffs in 1963 and 1968. The All-America Football Conference
, which merged with the NFL after the 1949 season (with the NFL absorbing three of the AAFC's franchises - the Cleveland Browns
, San Francisco 49ers
, and the original Baltimore Colts
) also held a playoff tiebreaker game in 1948.
The Chicago Bears
and the Portsmouth Spartans
of the National Football League
tied at the end of the 1932 season. They held an extra game to determine the champion. Unlike subsequent post-season playoffs, this game
was considered part of the regular season, as are the baseball tie-breaking playoff games described above.
The great interest generated by the 1932 playoff game led the NFL to split into two divisions in 1933, and began playing a single post-season NFL Championship game. If two teams in a single division tied for first place, the rules also provided for a one-game tie-breaking playoff to determine which team would advance to the league championship game. This was the practice from 1933 to 1966. Unlike the 1932 contest, these tiebreakers were not part of the regular season's standings. The league's last one game playoff occurred in 1965. Since 1967, when they split into 4 divisions, the NFL has used a set of tiebreaking rules to break ties. The AFL did not adopt tiebreakers before the merger.
* During the time that tie-breaker games were in use, NFL teams were grouped into both "Divisions" (from 1933-1949), and "Conferences" (1950 and later).
* Not to be confused with the modern day Buffalo Bills
and Indianapolis Colts
.
held tie-breaker games at the end of the season, if necessary. The first two games (a three team playoff) were played during the 1947-48 season, the leagues second year in existence, when it was still known as the Basketball Association of America
. The second of these, however, was only used to determine the playoff seeding for the Chicago Stags
and Baltimore Bullets. In fact, five of the seven one-game playoffs in NBA history were used for seeding purposes, and both teams advanced to the playoffs despite the outcome.
The American Basketball Association
, which formed in 1967, did not hold a tie-breaker game in its first season, when the Kentucky Colonels
and New Jersey Americans (later known as the New York Nets, and currently as the New Jersey Nets
) tied for fourth place in the Eastern Division with a record of 36-42. A game was scheduled between the two teams in New Jersey, but the Americans' facility
was booked and the replacement site
picked by the team was in such poor condition that they were forced to forfeit the game by the league office. The Colonels were given the playoff spot despite going just 4-7 against the Americans during the regular season. The next time two teams finished tied for the final playoff spot in a division, the ABA did hold a tie-breaker game. The ABA would later merge
with the NBA, with four teams from the ABA joining the NBA: the Denver Nuggets
, Indiana Pacers
, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs
.
* Not to be confused with the modern day Washington Wizards
, who were originally known as the Baltimore Bullets.
The New Jersey Americans (now the New Jersey Nets
of the NBA) forfeited the playoff game to the Kentucky Colonels when the Commack Arena on Long Island
, where the game was scheduled to be played, was deemed unsuitable due to a wet floor from a leaky ice surface.
, the only major professional ice hockey
league in North America, has never had one-game playoffs in its nearly century long existence, the World Hockey Association
, which operated in the 1970s, did. Only one such game was played, a neutral site game played in Calgary
after the WHA's first regular season between the Alberta Oilers (now Edmonton Oilers
) and the Minnesota Fighting Saints
. The WHA would later merge
with the NHL, with four WHA franchises switching leagues: the Oilers, the Hartford Whalers
(now Carolina Hurricanes
), the Quebec Nordiques
(now Colorado Avalanche
), and the Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes
).
, Ivy League
rules call for a one-game playoff if two teams are tied for the conference title in both men's and women's basketball, with the winner claiming the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. If more than two teams are tied, a series of one-game playoffs is held.
In men's basketball, eight seasons have ended in such a playoff, with the most recent being the 2010–11 season
in which Harvard
and Princeton
finished tied. Before 2011, the last time a playoff was needed was 2001–02, when Yale
, Penn, and Princeton ended in the only three-way tie in Ivy men's basketball history. A three-way playoff in women's basketball occurred most recently in the 2007–08 season, in which Cornell
, Dartmouth, and Harvard all finished at 11–3 in league play. It was determined that Dartmouth would play Harvard in the first playoff game, with the winner facing Cornell. Dartmouth won the first playoff game, with Cornell winning the playoff final.
, the one-game playoff is called a "knockout game". In all instances, all games are held in neutral venues, since the home-and-away system is not used.
(PBA), one-game playoffs are held when teams are tied in a last qualifying seed in the team standings. An extra game will be played in order to determine which team would be eliminated and which team will advance.
With the restructuring of the playoffs starting at the 2005-06 season
, one game playoffs are also held which do not merit automatic elimination. When two teams are tied on the last qualifying seed for a stage (such as the #2 seed for the last semifinal berth), a classification game will be played in order to determine which team will clinch the higher seed. If the two teams are not tied on the last qualifying seed (such as the #1 seed where both teams are in the semifinals already), the points difference between the tied teams will be used to determine which team clinches the higher seed. Consequently, one-game playoffs that don't eliminate the loser are called "knockdown games."
Playoffs such as those after the 2004 restructuring are common due to the low amount of games played in the elimination round (14-18). In fact, each conference was able to feature at least one playoff game, until the 2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup
where even though there were tied teams, the team's positions aren't critical so they were resolved on the point differential
among the tied teams' games.
Curiously, no elimination playoff game has been held right after the elimination round; therefore all games mentioned were for seeding purposes and no teams were eliminated, although losing teams had a tougher road to qualify to the succeeding stages.
on 1993 (actually first used on 1994 since UST
swept the playoffs and were named automatic champions on 1993), where the top 4 teams qualify for the semifinals, with the top 2 teams clinching the twice to beat advantage, a playoff will be held if two teams were tied for the fourth and last semifinal berth.
Lately, when three or more teams are tied, all three teams undergo a series of one-game playoffs to determine the top seed and which team is eliminated.
Men's playoff results include:
Ties may also broken when two teams are tied for third, second and first seeds, although the competing teams still qualify for the playoffs when they lose; a playoff game for the #2 seed serves as a de facto game 1 of a best-of-three series.
The UAAP has also used this format for the volleyball tournaments.
Tiebreaker
In games and sports, a tiebreaker or tiebreak is used to determine a winner from among players or teams that are tied at the end of a contest, or a set of contests.-In matches:In some situations, the tiebreaker may consist of another round of play...
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 (such as best-2-of-3).
This is distinguished from the more general usage of the term "playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
", which refers to the post-season tournament itself.
Major League Baseball
One-game playoffs are currently used in Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB). When two or more MLB teams are tied for a division championship or wild card playoff berth at the end of the regular season, a one-game playoff is used to determine the winner, except in cases where the tie is a two-way tie for a division championship and the tied teams' records are higher than the records of the second place teams in the other divisions. In this scenario, the winner of the season series between the two teams is deemed division champion for purposes of playoff seeding, and the loser of the season series is given the wild card. Through the 2008 season
2008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
, home-field advantage for one-game playoffs was determined by a coin flip
Coin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
, but effective in , home advantage is based on a set of performance criteria, with the first tiebreaker being head-to-head record. For statistical purposes, one-game playoffs are considered part of the regular season. The result of the playoff is included in the regular season standings and individual player statistics are included along with the statistics for the rest of the season. One significant playoff-like deviation from normal regular season games in force is that six-man umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
crews are used (as opposed to the four-man crews of the regular season).
The tie-breaking procedures become more complicated if three or more teams are tied. This would require a series of one-game playoffs, taking more than one day. There have been several occasions where this scenario was possible as late as the last game of the season, but it has not yet happened.
Avoiding any confusion with the term "Playoffs" as the oft-used but unofficial name of MLB's post-season tournament, the term "Tiebreaker" is now MLB's preferred term for a one-game playoff.
History
Through the 2009 MLB season, there have been 13 occasions where a playoff was needed to break a tie in a league, division, or wild card race. Of these playoffs, nine have been one-game playoffs and the other four were three-game playoffs. Prior to the advent of divisional play in 1969, the National League broke ties for its league championship with a three-game playoff. The American League has always used one-game playoffs.Prior to the wild card playoff system, all five pennant playoffs in the National League had involved the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(which won the coin toss for home field all five times, yet lost all except the 1959 one), and both American League playoffs had involved the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(who hosted both and lost both). None of the one-game playoffs since 1994 have involved those teams.
No playoff needed
A tiebreaking game is held only to determine who is in or out of the playoffs, not to determine seeding within the playoffs. Since the advent of the wild card in 1995, there have been three occasions on which a tiebreaker was not necessary as the two teams that were tied for a division lead were also atop the wild card standings. In 20012001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, the Houston Astros
2001 Houston Astros season
The Houston Astros' 2001 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros successfully attempting to win the National League Central.-Offseason:*January 2, 2001: Charlie Hayes was signed as a Free Agent with the Houston Astros....
and St. Louis Cardinals
2001 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 2001 season was the team's 120th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 110th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 93-69 during the season and finished tied for first in the National League Central division with the Houston Astros...
tied for first in the National League Central
National League Central
The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League...
with record of 93–69. In 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
, the New York Yankees
2005 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2005 season was the 103rd season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 95-67 finishing with the same record as the Boston Red Sox but winning the division due to a head-to-head advantage over Boston. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee...
and Boston Red Sox
2005 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox' 2005 season included the Boston Red Sox attempting to win the American League East in the American League. The Red Sox finished 95-67, with the same record as the New York Yankees...
each finished 95–67 in the American League East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
. In 2006
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
, the San Diego Padres
2006 San Diego Padres season
The 2006 San Diego Padres season captured their second consecutive National League West crown, with a record of 88-74, and for the first time in franchise history back-to-back postseason appearances, and three consecutive winning seasons...
and Los Angeles Dodgers
2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season
In 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to improve their record from 2005. The team switched General Managers from Paul DePodesta to Ned Colletti, and hired Grady Little as the new manager. The Dodgers were able to win 88 games...
finished tied with records of 88–74 in the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
. In all three situations, the team with the better head-to-head record (the 2001 Astros, 2005 Yankees, and 2006 Padres) were declared winners of the division, thus receiving a better seed in the playoffs. The other team (the 2001 Cardinals, 2005 Red Sox, and 2006 Dodgers) entered the playoffs as the wild card.
Make-up games
On some occasions a previously postponed game may be made up at the end of the season in order to settle entry into the playoffs. Although such a game is technically a mere regular-season game, it can have the effect and feel of a playoff.On September 23, 1908, Johnny Evers
Johnny Evers
John Joseph Evers was a Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946...
of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
capitalized on a base-running mistake by young Fred Merkle
Fred Merkle
Frederick Charles Merkle , also known as "Bonehead" Merkle, was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball...
of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
to invalidate a game-ending winning run. As thousands of fans were on the field and darkness was approaching, the game did not immediately resume. As it turned out, the Cubs
1908 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Cubs winning their third consecutive National League pennant, as well as the World Series...
and Giants
1908 New York Giants season
The New York Giants season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Giants finished second in the National League.Paced by Turkey Mike Donlin, the offense scored the most runs in the league...
ended the season in a tie for the pennant, and the postponed game was replaced by a new game played on October 8, 1908 at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
. The Cubs prevailed 4–2, and advanced to the 1908 World Series
1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
.
In 2008, the Chicago White Sox
2008 Chicago White Sox season
The 2008 Chicago White Sox Season is the organization's 109th season in Chicago and 108th in the American League. The White Sox won the American League Central division title for the first time since 2005. They finished the regular season tied with the Minnesota Twins and won a one-game playoff...
ended the season 1/2 game behind the Minnesota Twins
2008 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins season was the 48th season for the franchise in Minnesota, and the 108th overall in the American League. After tying the Chicago White Sox for first in the AL Central Division with an 88–74 record, the team lost a one game playoff to finish second and miss the league...
. The fractional difference was due to the September 13 game between the White Sox and the Detroit Tigers
2008 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers 2008 season was the team's 108th season in Major League Baseball's American League. After being picked by many to win the AL Central Division and the World Series, the Tigers started the season a disappointing 0-7, being swept by the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox....
, which had been rained out and not yet rescheduled. To determine whether, if the game had not been rained out, there would have been a tie between the Twins and White Sox, the White Sox and Tigers played the make-up game at the end of the season on September 29. The White Sox won, resulting in a Twins-White Sox tie. To break the tie, the White Sox and Twins played a one-game playoff in Chicago (see below). Make-up games were also played after the season's end in 1973 and 1981.
Between 1901 and 1938, during a time when games were more often delayed by darkness and not always made up, there have been at least nine occasions on which making up postponed games might have resulted in a different pennant outcome, but the games were not made up.
National Football League
The National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
now has an elaborate formula for breaking ties in the qualification for its playoffs. One game playoffs are no longer possible - in the highly unlikely event that two teams tied in all relevant statistical criteria, the rules stipulate that a coin toss settle the tie. However, before the merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
in 1970, it was possible to have a playoff game if 2 teams tied for a division title. The NFL had 9 of these playoffs occur between 1941 and 1965. The AFL had 2 playoffs in 1963 and 1968. The All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
, which merged with the NFL after the 1949 season (with the NFL absorbing three of the AAFC's franchises - the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, and the original Baltimore Colts
Baltimore Colts (1947-50)
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The first team to bear the name Baltimore Colts, they were members of the All-America Football Conference from 1947–1949, and then joined the National Football League for one season before folding...
) also held a playoff tiebreaker game in 1948.
The Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Portsmouth Spartans
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
tied at the end of the 1932 season. They held an extra game to determine the champion. Unlike subsequent post-season playoffs, this game
NFL Playoff Game, 1932
The 1932 NFL Playoff Game was the first ever playoff game held by the National Football League , the major professional American football sports league in the United States. Due to extremely cold weather, the game was played indoors on December 18, 1932 at Chicago Stadium in Chicago...
was considered part of the regular season, as are the baseball tie-breaking playoff games described above.
The great interest generated by the 1932 playoff game led the NFL to split into two divisions in 1933, and began playing a single post-season NFL Championship game. If two teams in a single division tied for first place, the rules also provided for a one-game tie-breaking playoff to determine which team would advance to the league championship game. This was the practice from 1933 to 1966. Unlike the 1932 contest, these tiebreakers were not part of the regular season's standings. The league's last one game playoff occurred in 1965. Since 1967, when they split into 4 divisions, the NFL has used a set of tiebreaking rules to break ties. The AFL did not adopt tiebreakers before the merger.
NFL one game playoffs
Home teams in bold.| Year | Division* | Winning Team | Losing Team | Score | Championship Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 1941 NFL season The 1941 NFL season was the 22nd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Elmer Layden was named the first Commissioner of the NFL, while Carl Storck resigned as league president.... |
West | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
33-14 | Bears defeated the New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... , 37-9 |
| 1943 1943 NFL season The 1943 NFL season was the 24th regular season of the National Football League. As more players left to serve in World War II, three teams were affected by the depleted rosters. The Cleveland Rams were granted permission to suspend operations for this season. The Philadelphia Eagles and the... |
East | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
28-0 | Redskins lost to the Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... , 41-21 |
| 1947 1947 NFL season The 1947 NFL season was the 28th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season by one game from eleven games per team to twelve, a number that remained constant until the 1961 season.... |
East | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
21-0 | Eagles lost to the Chicago Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... , 28-21 |
| 1950 1950 NFL season The 1950 NFL season was the 31st regular season of the National Football League. The merger with the All-America Football Conference expanded the league to 13 teams. Meanwhile, television brought a new era to the game. The Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to have all of its games – both... |
American | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
8-3 | Browns defeated the Rams, 30-28 |
| National | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
24-14 | ||
| 1952 1952 NFL season The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, New York Yanks owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL... |
National | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
31-21 | Lions defeated the Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , 17-7 |
| 1957 1957 NFL season The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:... |
West | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
31-27 | Lions defeated the Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , 59-14 |
| 1958 1958 NFL season The 1958 NFL season was the 39th regular season of the National Football League.The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants, 23–17, in the first sudden-death overtime in an NFL Championship Game... |
East | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
10-0 | Giants lost to the Baltimore Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... , 23-17 (OT) NFL Championship Game, 1958 The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 28, 1958 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first ever National Football League playoff game to go into sudden death overtime. The final score was Baltimore Colts 23, New York Giants 17. The game has since... |
| 1965 1965 NFL season The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the... |
West | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
Baltimore Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
13-10 (OT) | Packers defeated the Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , 23-12 |
AFL one game playoffs
Home team in bold.| Year | Division | Winning Team | Losing Team | Score | Championship Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | East | Boston Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
26-8 | Patriots lost to the San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , 51-10 |
| 1968 | West | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
41-6 | Raiders lost to the New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , 27-23 |
AAFC one game playoff
Home team in bold.| Year | Division | Winning Team | Losing Team | Score | Championship Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | East | Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills (AAFC) The Buffalo Bills was an American Football team, based in Buffalo, NY, that played in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. During its first season in 1946, the team was known as the Buffalo Bisons... * |
Baltimore Colts Baltimore Colts (1947-50) The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The first team to bear the name Baltimore Colts, they were members of the All-America Football Conference from 1947–1949, and then joined the National Football League for one season before folding... * |
28-17 | Bills lost to the Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , 49-7 |
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.
National Basketball Association
In its early years, the National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
held tie-breaker games at the end of the season, if necessary. The first two games (a three team playoff) were played during the 1947-48 season, the leagues second year in existence, when it was still known as the Basketball Association of America
Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
. The second of these, however, was only used to determine the playoff seeding for the Chicago Stags
Chicago Stags
The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities...
and Baltimore Bullets. In fact, five of the seven one-game playoffs in NBA history were used for seeding purposes, and both teams advanced to the playoffs despite the outcome.
The American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, which formed in 1967, did not hold a tie-breaker game in its first season, when the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
and New Jersey Americans (later known as the New York Nets, and currently as the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
) tied for fourth place in the Eastern Division with a record of 36-42. A game was scheduled between the two teams in New Jersey, but the Americans' facility
Teaneck Armory
Teaneck Armory at 1799 Teaneack Road is an armory and arena located on a site in Teaneck, New Jersey. A facility of the New Jersey National Guard, it is home to the Soccer Coliseum.-History:...
was booked and the replacement site
Long Island Arena
Long Island Arena was a 4,000-seat indoor arena in Commack, New York from 1959 until 1996. The Long Island Ducks of the Eastern Hockey League, a popular team in the small community, called the Arena home from 1959 until the league folded in 1973, one year after the New York Islanders came into...
picked by the team was in such poor condition that they were forced to forfeit the game by the league office. The Colonels were given the playoff spot despite going just 4-7 against the Americans during the regular season. The next time two teams finished tied for the final playoff spot in a division, the ABA did hold a tie-breaker game. The ABA would later merge
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
with the NBA, with four teams from the ABA joining the NBA: the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
.
NBA one game playoffs
Home team in bold.| Year | Division | Winning Team | Losing Team | Score | Afterward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947-48 1947-48 NBA season The 1947–48 BAA season was the second season of the Basketball Association of America , the league that would eventually become the National Basketball Association... |
West tie-breaker | Chicago Stags Chicago Stags The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities... |
Washington Capitols Washington Capitols The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach.... |
74-70 | Second game was for seeding purposes only, and both teams advanced to the playoffs. Stags lost to the Bullets in the semifinals. Bullets defeated the Philadelphia Warriors Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... in the BAA Finals. |
| West 2nd place | Baltimore Bullets* | Chicago Stags Chicago Stags The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities... |
75-72 | ||
| 1949-50 1949-50 NBA season The 1949–50 NBA season was officially the 4th season of the National Basketball Association. However, it is the first season that the league is officially called the National Basketball Association... |
Central 1st place | Minneapolis Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
Rochester Royals Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association... |
78-76 | This game was for the division title only, and both teams still advanced to the playoffs. Royals lost the Fort Wayne Pistons Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... in the Central Division Semifinals. Lakers defeated the Syracuse Nationals Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... in the NBA Finals. |
| 1955-56 1955-56 NBA season The 1955–56 NBA season was the 10th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Philadelphia Warriors winning the NBA Championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :... |
East 3rd place | Syracuse Nationals Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... |
New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
82-77 | Nationals lost to the Philadelphia Warriors Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... in Eastern Division Finals. |
| West 2nd place | Minneapolis Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
St. Louis Hawks Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... |
103-97 | This game was for seeding purposes, and both teams advanced to the playoffs. Lakers lost to the Hawks in the Western Division semifinals. Hawks lost to the Fort Wayne Pistons Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... in the Western Division Finals. |
|
| 1956-57 1956-57 NBA season The 1956–57 NBA season was the 11th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship , beating the St... |
West tie-breaker | St. Louis Hawks Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... |
Fort Wayne Pistons Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... |
115-103 | These games were for seeding purposes, and all three teams advanced to the playoffs. Pistons lost to the Lakers in the Western Division Semifinals Lakers lost to the Hawks in the Western Division Finals. Hawks lost to the Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... in the NBA Finals. |
| West 1st place | St. Louis Hawks Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... |
Minneapolis Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
114-111 (OT) |
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, who were originally known as the Baltimore Bullets.
ABA one game playoffs
Home team in bold.| Year | Division | Winning Team | Losing Team | Score | Afterward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-68 | East 4th place | Kentucky Colonels Kentucky Colonels The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did... |
New Jersey Americans New Jersey Nets The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
Forfeit | Colonels lost to the Minnesota Muskies Minnesota Muskies The Minnesota Muskies were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, born with the league's creation on February 2, 1967. L.P. Shields and Fred Jefferson bought in to create the franchise for $30,000... in the Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1970-71 | West 4th place | Texas Chaparrals San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
Denver Rockets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
115-109 | Chaparrals lost to the Utah Stars Utah Stars The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:... in the Western Division Semifinals |
| 1973-74 | West 4th place | San Diego Conquistadors San Diego Conquistadors The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego... |
Denver Rockets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
131-111 | Conquistadors lost to the Utah Stars Utah Stars The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:... in the Western Division Semifinals |
The New Jersey Americans (now the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA) forfeited the playoff game to the Kentucky Colonels when the Commack Arena on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, where the game was scheduled to be played, was deemed unsuitable due to a wet floor from a leaky ice surface.
World Hockey Association
Though the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, the only major professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league in North America, has never had one-game playoffs in its nearly century long existence, the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
, which operated in the 1970s, did. Only one such game was played, a neutral site game played in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
after the WHA's first regular season between the Alberta Oilers (now Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
) and the Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
. The WHA would later merge
NHL–WHA merger
The 1979 merger of the NHL and WHA was the culmination of several years of negotiations between the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association that resulted in four WHA franchises joining the NHL as expansion franchises for the 1979–80 season...
with the NHL, with four WHA franchises switching leagues: the Oilers, the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
(now Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
), the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
(now Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
), and the Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
).
WHA one game playoff
| Year | Division | Winning Team | Losing Team | Site | Score | Afterward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-73 1972-73 WHA season -Avco World Trophy finals:New England Whalers defeated the Winnipeg Jets, 4 games to 1. The Whalers defeated the Jets 9 to 6 in the deciding game, with Larry Pleau scoring a hat trick.-WHA awards:-Debuts:... |
West 4th place | Minnesota Fighting Saints Minnesota Fighting Saints The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and... |
Alberta Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
Stampede Corral Stampede Corral The Stampede Corral is an ice hockey, rodeo, and Davis Cup tennis arena venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$1.25 million to replace Victoria Arena as the home of the Calgary Stampeders Hockey Club... , Calgary |
4-2 | Saints lost to the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Division Semifinals. |
Ivy League basketball
In U.S. college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
rules call for a one-game playoff if two teams are tied for the conference title in both men's and women's basketball, with the winner claiming the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. If more than two teams are tied, a series of one-game playoffs is held.
In men's basketball, eight seasons have ended in such a playoff, with the most recent being the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Ivy League men's basketball season
The 2010–11 Ivy League men's basketball season marks the continuation of the annual tradition of competitive basketball among Ivy League members that began when the league was formed during the 1956–57 season, continuing from the predecessor Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League, which was...
in which Harvard
2010–11 Harvard Crimson men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Harvard Crimson men's basketball team represented Harvard University in the Ivy League athletic conference during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played its home games in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the Lavietes Pavilion, which has a capacity of 2,195. The...
and Princeton
2010–11 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University in intercollegiate college basketball during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Sydney Johnson, who was in his fourth season. The team's tri-captains were senior Kareem Maddox,...
finished tied. Before 2011, the last time a playoff was needed was 2001–02, when Yale
Yale Bulldogs
The Yale Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the Yale University. The school sponsors 35 varsity sports. The school has won two NCAA national championships in women's fencing, four in men's swimming and diving, and twenty one in men's golf.-Men's baseball:...
, Penn, and Princeton ended in the only three-way tie in Ivy men's basketball history. A three-way playoff in women's basketball occurred most recently in the 2007–08 season, in which Cornell
Cornell Big Red
The Cornell Big Red is the informal name of the sports teams, and other competitive teams, at Cornell University. The university sponsors 36 varsity sports, as well as numerous intramural and club teams. Cornell participates in NCAA Division I as part of the Ivy League.The men's and women's hockey...
, Dartmouth, and Harvard all finished at 11–3 in league play. It was determined that Dartmouth would play Harvard in the first playoff game, with the winner facing Cornell. Dartmouth won the first playoff game, with Cornell winning the playoff final.
Lamar Hunt U. S. Open Cup
When the 2011 Premier Development League qualifiers in a region could not be settled by the four-stage qualifier of points, then wins, then goal difference, and goals scored, for the final position, the two teams, Kitsap Pumas and Portland Timbers U23's, agreed to discard the traditional lottery draw for the final slot and replace it with the result of their next scheduled game in the league also a one-game playoff to determine the final slot in the U. S. Open Cup. If the game ended in a tie, penalty kicks would be used to determine the U. S. Open Cup qualifier, but not for PDL standings.Use in the Philippines
In the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the one-game playoff is called a "knockout game". In all instances, all games are held in neutral venues, since the home-and-away system is not used.
Philippine Basketball Association
As opposed to North American usage, in which one-game playoffs are held to determine a champion, in the Philippine Basketball AssociationPhilippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
(PBA), one-game playoffs are held when teams are tied in a last qualifying seed in the team standings. An extra game will be played in order to determine which team would be eliminated and which team will advance.
With the restructuring of the playoffs starting at the 2005-06 season
2004-05 PBA season
The 2004-05 PBA season is the 30th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. Instead of the usual calendar year of February-December, the league changed its schedule to the current October-July format, while limiting the number of conferences from three to two...
, one game playoffs are also held which do not merit automatic elimination. When two teams are tied on the last qualifying seed for a stage (such as the #2 seed for the last semifinal berth), a classification game will be played in order to determine which team will clinch the higher seed. If the two teams are not tied on the last qualifying seed (such as the #1 seed where both teams are in the semifinals already), the points difference between the tied teams will be used to determine which team clinches the higher seed. Consequently, one-game playoffs that don't eliminate the loser are called "knockdown games."
Playoffs such as those after the 2004 restructuring are common due to the low amount of games played in the elimination round (14-18). In fact, each conference was able to feature at least one playoff game, until the 2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup
2007-08 PBA Philippine Cup
The 2007-08 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup or known as the 2007-08 Smart PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the first conference of the 2007-08 PBA season. The tournament was formally opened on October 14, 2007 and ended on March 2, 2008...
where even though there were tied teams, the team's positions aren't critical so they were resolved on the point differential
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
among the tied teams' games.
| Season | Conference | Seeding | Winning team | Losing team | Score | Afterward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 2004-05 PBA season The 2004-05 PBA season is the 30th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. Instead of the usual calendar year of February-December, the league changed its schedule to the current October-July format, while limiting the number of conferences from three to two... |
Philippine | Outright semifinal berth (#2 seed) | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | Shell Turbo Chargers Shell Turbo Chargers The Shell Turbo Chargers is a former Philippine Basketball Association team under the ownership of Pilipinas Shell Corporation. Shell has been a member of the PBA since 1985 until 2005 when the team filed for a leave of absence after the season. Shell sold its franchise to PBL team Welcoat Paints... |
85-79 | Talk 'N Text eliminated Shell in the semifinals |
| Outright quarterfinal berth (#4 seed) | Alaska Aces Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
San Miguel Beermen San Miguel Beermen The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food... |
98-91 | San Miguel eliminated Alaska in the quarterfinals | ||
| Fiesta 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference -Wildcard playoffs:The #3 vs. #10 and the #4 vs. #9 matchups are in the "twice-to-beat" format; the team with the higher seed only needs to win once to advance, but needs to be beaten twice in order to be eliminated. The other two matchups are a best-of-three series.... |
Outright semifinal berth (#2 seed) | San Miguel Beermen San Miguel Beermen The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food... |
Alaska Aces Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
73-71 | San Miguel won the championship Alaska was eliminated the quarterfinals |
|
| 2005-06 2005-06 PBA season -Final results:*Fiesta Conference Finals: Red Bull def. Purefoods , 4 games to 2**Finals MVP: Lordy Tugade *Third place: Air21 -Final results:*Fiesta Conference Finals: (3) Red Bull (9-7) def. (1) Purefoods (10-6), 4 games to 2**Finals MVP: Lordy Tugade (Red Bull)*Third place: Air21 -Final... |
Fiesta 2005-06 PBA Fiesta Conference -Second seed playoff:-Bracket:-Survivor playoffs:-Air21–San Miguel series:-Alaska–Sta. Lucia series:-Red Bull–Alaska series:-Talk 'N Text–Air21 series:-Purefoods–Air21 series:... |
Outright semifinal berth (#2 seed) | Barangay Ginebra Kings Barangay Ginebra Kings The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation... |
Red Bull Barako Red Bull Barako The Barako Bull Energy Boosters was a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association that is owned by the Photokina Marketing Corporation... |
109-102 | Red Bull eliminated Ginebra in the semifinals |
| Outright quarterfinal berth (#4 seed) | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | Air21 Express Air21 Express The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association... |
101-91 | Air21 eliminated Talk 'N Text in the quarterfinals | ||
| Philippine | Outright quarterfinal berth (#5 seed) | Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola Tigers The Powerade Tigers is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2002 when the then-San Miguel Corporation-owned Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines bought the RFM-owned Cosmos Bottling Corporation. In 2006, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company under the Coca-Cola... |
Air21 Express Air21 Express The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association... |
87-73 | Coca-Cola was eliminated by Alaska in the quarterfinals Air21 was eliminated in the wildcard phase |
|
| 2006-07 2006-07 PBA season The 2006–07 PBA season is the 32nd season of the Philippine Basketball Association . The season started September 28 in Guam and began its formal opening on October 1 at the Araneta Coliseum, and ended on July 20... |
Philippine 2006-07 PBA Philippine Cup The 2006-07 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup or known as the 2006-07 Talk 'N Text PBA Philippine Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the first conference of the 2006-07 PBA season. It started on September 28, 2006 in Guam and ended on February 7, 2007... |
Outright quarterfinal berth (#5 seed) | Purefoods Chunkee Giants | Sta. Lucia Realtors Sta. Lucia Realtors The Sta. Lucia Realtors was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association.The Universal Robina Corporation team is one of the founding members of the PBA. Formerly known as Great Taste and Presto-Tivoli Ice Cream, they have won a total of 6 championships. Sta... |
92-78 | Purefoods and Sta. Lucia were eliminated in the quarterfinals |
| Fiesta 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference -Barangay Ginebra-San Miguel series:-Talk 'N Text-Air21 series:-Red Bull-Talk 'N Text series:-Alaska-San Miguel series:-Third-place playoff:-Finals:Prior to Game 1, Sandwich performed "Laban kung Laban," the TV theme song of the PBA.... |
Outright semifinal berth (#2 seed) | Alaska Aces Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
Barangay Ginebra Kings Barangay Ginebra Kings The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation... |
103-95 | Ginebra was eliminated by San Miguel in the quarterfinals Air21 was eliminated in the quarterfinals Alaska eliminated San Miguel in the semifinals on the way to their championship |
|
| Outright quarterfinal berth (#5 seed) | Air21 Express Air21 Express The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association... |
San Miguel Beermen San Miguel Beermen The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food... |
103-99 | |||
| 2007-08 2007-08 PBA season The 2007-08 PBA Season was the 33rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The season was formally opened on October 14, 2007 at the Araneta Coliseum... |
No games held. | |||||
| 2008-09 | Fiesta 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference The 2009 Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference or known as the 2009 Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference for sponsorship reasons, is the last conference of the 2008-09 PBA season. It started on February 28 and finished on July 17... |
Outright semifinal berth (#2 seed) | Barangay Ginebra Kings Barangay Ginebra Kings The Barangay Ginebra Kings is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 1979 and owned by the Ginebra San Miguel, Inc., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corporation... |
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters | 114-71 | |
| Knockout wildcard playoffs berth (#8 seed) | Coca-Cola Tigers Coca-Cola Tigers The Powerade Tigers is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association founded in 2002 when the then-San Miguel Corporation-owned Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines bought the RFM-owned Cosmos Bottling Corporation. In 2006, the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company under the Coca-Cola... |
Alaska Aces Alaska Aces (PBA) The Alaska Aces is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association since 1986 under the ownership of the Alaska Milk Corporation and the owner of 13 PBA championships with the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference as their latest... |
81-74 | Alaska was eliminated in the wildcard phase | ||
Curiously, no elimination playoff game has been held right after the elimination round; therefore all games mentioned were for seeding purposes and no teams were eliminated, although losing teams had a tougher road to qualify to the succeeding stages.
College sports
Starting at the reformation of the playoff structure of the UAAP basketball tournamentBasketball tournament
Basketball tournament is a series of contests involving a relatively large number of competitors. A number of basketball teams compete and the one that prevails through the final round or that finishes with the best record is declared the winner....
on 1993 (actually first used on 1994 since UST
UST Growling Tigers
The UST Growling Tigers are the varsity team of the University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The women's varsity team is called the UST Growling Tigresses. Originally called the Glowing Goldies, the name has been changed starting with the 1992–93 season....
swept the playoffs and were named automatic champions on 1993), where the top 4 teams qualify for the semifinals, with the top 2 teams clinching the twice to beat advantage, a playoff will be held if two teams were tied for the fourth and last semifinal berth.
Lately, when three or more teams are tied, all three teams undergo a series of one-game playoffs to determine the top seed and which team is eliminated.
Men's playoff results include:
| Season | League | Winning team | Losing team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 NCAA Season 84 basketball tournaments The basketball tournaments of National Collegiate Athletic Association 84th season hosted by the Mapúa Institute of Technology began on June 28 at the Araneta Coliseum with Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando as the keynote speaker... |
NCAA | Mapua Mapúa Cardinals The Mapúa Cardinals is the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of the Mapúa Institute of Technology.The Mapúa Cardinals holds the NCAA record for the most number of General Championships in the seniors division with a total of 20—the last of these championships was won in 1993... |
San Sebastian San Sebastian Stags The San Sebastian Golden Stags are the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of the San Sebastian College – Recoletos.... |
63-54 |
| 2007 UAAP Season 70 men's basketball tournament The UAAP Season 70 men's basketball tournament is the flagship tournament of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines basketball championships.... |
UAAP | UST UST Growling Tigers The UST Growling Tigers are the varsity team of the University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The women's varsity team is called the UST Growling Tigresses. Originally called the Glowing Goldies, the name has been changed starting with the 1992–93 season.... |
FEU FEU Tamaraws The FEU Tamaraws is the collegiate men's varsity team of Far Eastern University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines... |
80-69 |
| 2004 NCAA Season 80 -Fourth-seed playoff:-UPHDS–San Beda series:-PCU–Letran series:-Finals:-Juniors basketball tournament:In the NCAA Junior's Basketball Tournament, San Beda High beat Letran High in three games to capture their third straight title... |
NCAA | San Beda San Beda Red Lions The San Beda Red Lions are the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of San Beda College.San Beda is the only founding member left in the league.... |
Mapua Mapúa Cardinals The Mapúa Cardinals is the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of the Mapúa Institute of Technology.The Mapúa Cardinals holds the NCAA record for the most number of General Championships in the seniors division with a total of 20—the last of these championships was won in 1993... |
59-52 |
| 2001 | UAAP | NU NU Bulldogs The National University Bulldogs is the collegiate men's varsity team of National University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines... |
UE UE Red Warriors The UE Red Warriors is the men's varsity team of the University of the East in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The women's varsity team is called the Amazons, while the junior varsity team is called the Junior Warriors .-About UE:University of the East is one of the eight... |
108-102 (2OT) |
| 2000 | UAAP | UST UST Growling Tigers The UST Growling Tigers are the varsity team of the University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The women's varsity team is called the UST Growling Tigresses. Originally called the Glowing Goldies, the name has been changed starting with the 1992–93 season.... |
UE UE Red Warriors The UE Red Warriors is the men's varsity team of the University of the East in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The women's varsity team is called the Amazons, while the junior varsity team is called the Junior Warriors .-About UE:University of the East is one of the eight... |
65-61 |
| 1998 | UAAP | UST UST Growling Tigers The UST Growling Tigers are the varsity team of the University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The women's varsity team is called the UST Growling Tigresses. Originally called the Glowing Goldies, the name has been changed starting with the 1992–93 season.... |
UP UP Fighting Maroons The Fighting Maroons is the name of the collegiate men's varsity teams of the University of the Philippines Diliman. The collegiate women's varsity teams are called the Lady Maroons. They compete in all of the sports of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines . The University of the... |
80-72 |
Ties may also broken when two teams are tied for third, second and first seeds, although the competing teams still qualify for the playoffs when they lose; a playoff game for the #2 seed serves as a de facto game 1 of a best-of-three series.
The UAAP has also used this format for the volleyball tournaments.