Playoff format.

[PJohnson]

I have watched and enjoyed Mexican League matches on Univision for years. But, as a non-Spanish speaker, it's very difficult to figure out the League structure. Can anyone answer the following questions?

1. How many teams make the playoffs?

2. Is the winner of the playoffs considered the Apertura/Clausura Champion?

3. Why is the league divided into 3 groups?

4. Does the team with the most points in the regular season win anything?

Any help you can give me will be appreciated.

Thanks!

:)

[LMvCP]

1. How many teams make the playoffs?

8 clubs qualify for the playoffs. However, the league does have a wild card series where 2 additional teams have a chance to qualify which is refered to as 'repechaje' or 'reclasificacion'. the whole wild card series served a purpose back when it started, but has run its course and is a burden. MFL teams as it is play enough games and the calender is just too congested. Some owners want to do away with it.

2. Is the winner of the playoffs considered the Apertura/Clausura Champion?

yes.

3. Why is the league divided into 3 groups?

the theory behind it was that too many undeserving teams were entering the playoffs when the league had 4 groups.

4. Does the team with the most points in the regular season win anything?

they do win a trophy, however it not celebrated. Winning the regular season does have its advantages in the playoffs. For example, the higher seed plays the return match at home. The quarterfinals and semifinals, the tie breaker is based on the standings. if America and Atlas draw the 1st match 1-1 and draw the 2nd match 1-1, the agg score is 2-2, but America would advance since they placed higher in the standings. That tie breaker is not used in the final.

[PJohnson]

1. How many teams make the playoffs?

8 clubs qualify for the playoffs. However, the league does have a wild card series where 2 additional teams have a chance to qualify which is refered to as 'repechaje' or 'reclasificacion'. the whole wild card series served a purpose back when it started, but has run its course and is a burden. MFL teams as it is play enough games and the calender is just too congested. Some owners want to do away with it.

2. Is the winner of the playoffs considered the Apertura/Clausura Champion?

yes.

3. Why is the league divided into 3 groups?

the theory behind it was that too many undeserving teams were entering the playoffs when the league had 4 groups.

4. Does the team with the most points in the regular season win anything?

they do win a trophy, however it not celebrated. Winning the regular season does have its advantages in the playoffs. For example, the higher seed plays the return match at home. The quarterfinals and semifinals, the tie breaker is based on the standings. if America and Atlas draw the 1st match 1-1 and draw the 2nd match 1-1, the agg score is 2-2, but America would advance since they placed higher in the standings. That tie breaker is not used in the final.

Thanks for the info. As a follow up question, which 8 teams make the playoffs? Is it the top 2 teams in each group, plus 2 more from the reclasificacion?

[El Kapitan]

Thanks for the info. As a follow up question, which 8 teams make the playoffs? Is it the top 2 teams in each group, plus 2 more from the reclasificacion?

Yep, that's right.

[LMvCP]

Thanks for the info. As a follow up question, which 8 teams make the playoffs? Is it the top 2 teams in each group, plus 2 more from the reclasificacion?

Yes, the top 2 teams from each group qualify directly. The remaining 4 that qualify for the wild card is based on the standings.

Wild Card series (aka repesca, repechaje, reclasificacion) are not considered playoffs. There are 2 phases in the league which are known as Fase Regular (regular phase) and fase final (final phase).

[metalmaster]

Yes, the top 2 teams from each group qualify directly. The remaining 4 that qualify for the wild card is based on the standings.

Wild Card series (aka repesca, repechaje, reclasificacion) are not considered playoffs. There are 2 phases in the league which are known as Fase Regular (regular phase) and fase final (final phase).

is screwed up when a team in second place in one group can advance even when they can have less overall point than a team in third in another group

[Disco Dale]

is screwed up when a team in second place in one group can advance even when they can have less overall point than a team in third in another group
Thats kind of the point of the group system.... otherwise you just have top 8 go through... although, whats up with that I suppose?

I never like a system where knock-outs decide a league.... I would rather see here a normal, top of the table wins the league, then have a decent (and deep) knock-out cup as a separate competition.

[el-choul]

Adding more-

For several years the league had 4 groups, with the top 2 from each group making the playoffs. Complaints about deserving teams missing the playoffs (especially when the MFL still played a year long season) eventually led to the wildcard idea. Rules have changed over the years, but for a while the wild card games would only occur if a 3rd place team had more points than a 2nd place team (unlike wildcard games in NFL that occur every year, regardless of record).

As mentioned above, I think going to 3 groups was another design to allow deserving teams to qualify directly to the playoffs. Not this season, but the last few, the top 2 teams from each group + the 2 best 3rd places would qualify for the playoffs. This season, the top 2 from each group pass directly to the playoffs, and the next 4 teams participate in the wildcard round.

I always had a problem with the group format in the mexican league. Teams already play a balanced schedule (don't play teams in your group more often than other teams). The groups aren't geographically based and they change year to year, so they aren't promoting/conserving rivalries. Why have them at all?

The playoffs are another matter. I understand them as a money-making machine (probably more so through tv revenue than ticket sales), but something has to be done about the amount of games the good teams end up playing (Toluca, Pachuca, America now, Guadalajara last spring, etc.). Part of that is driven by international competitions, but the fact of the matter is Mexico went from the traditional single-table, no playoffs, to regular season + playoffs to where we are now, with two seasons, two playoffs, wildcards (and Interliga if you want to add that). And those are games just facing other Mexican teams.

Interesting to note, in 1986-87 Spain was intrigued enough by the playoff format as a revenue source that they experimented for a year, with the best teams playing for the title and spots in European competitions (round robin?), and the worst teams playing to stay in first division. The experiment wasn't very successful.

[Disco Dale]

There is some sort of system for the groups... from the previous year (two short seasons) the groups are:-
G1 - Top team
G2 - 2nd team
G3 - 3rd team
G3 - 4th team
G2 - 5th team
G1 - 6th team
G1 - 7th team
G2 - 8th team
etc etc back and forth
....so each group should have the same number of top teams, middle teams, lower teams, but it does sort of become random - Pumas had a bad season finishing 16th last year, so are G3's "worst" team... finishing second this season, leaving Toluca in their problems.

I am not convinced, however, that the number of games played here is a major problem, its quite a short season, and the way they referee here means you don't get injuries (how does anyone get injured in this "non-contact" environment?)... however I must be wrong, cos Toulca have got two matches the same time tomorrow thousands of miles apart!

[PJohnson]

I always had a problem with the group format in the mexican league. Teams already play a balanced schedule (don't play teams in your group more often than other teams). The groups aren't geographically based and they change year to year, so they aren't promoting/conserving rivalries. Why have them at all?

You just answered my next question. I wasn't sure if the teams played a balanced schedule. And I agree with you. Why have playoffs? I wonder if this is something that might be changed with the addition of the new Champions League style competition with MLS. The calander is getting pretty full.

Great Post! And thanks for the info. :)

[PJohnson]

Thanks to everyone for the great information. I really appreciate it. :)

[el-choul]

I am not convinced, however, that the number of games played here is a major problem, its quite a short season, and the way they referee here means you don't get injuries (how does anyone get injured in this "non-contact" environment?)... however I must be wrong, cos Toulca have got two matches the same time tomorrow thousands of miles apart!

You are right. It is a short season. And there is no cup competition anymore either. But in the time a European League has a single regular season, the Mexican League has 2 regular seasons + 2 playoffs (again, but no cup). I'd rather have a single, longer season (with or without playoffs), and a resurrected Copa Mexico. No reason, just a pet peeve. I guess the big problem with the playoffs is that they are set up to have a first leg midweek, which is the traditional slot for international competitions.

As I think about it, individual games in each season matter more now (shorter season), but league championships matter less (two per year).

I am blanking on the debate that occurred when the league switched from one season to two. What were the arguments in favor? I am not buying the need for a "winter break" argument. Was it a blatant money grab to have more playoff games?

[Disco Dale]

I'd rather have a single, longer season (with or without playoffs), and a resurrected Copa Mexico.
I am 100% in agreement with you on this, I think it will always be my preference....I know there is not the deep structure of professional clubs here like in England, but I do love the fact that the very lowest Sunday morning teams start in the FA Cup...there are about 5 rounds BEFORE the 1st round proper, and the "big boys" enter at round 3. I'd love something like that here.... Inter Playa v Pumas...ahhh the romance of the cup.....

[smartbomb]

Long season is not exciting for us, the viewers. 10 games before the end, you already know that 3-4 teams have a shot at the title, and 3-4 teams are fighting to avoid relegation. The rest will play some random games, and the only good thing about that is that they will have time to debut players, practice crazy stuff, etc.

Short seasons may be unfair, but I do believe that it will keep the teams pumping until the end of the last game. The bad part is that coaches have little time to make adjustments, and try new players; it's do or die, since the clock is ticking.

I still don't know which one I prefer, but repechaje needs to go. I hope the owners can find an alternate way to make the money from these 4 games, because it's the most unfair part of the league, and there's so much conflict with other torunaments.

[estaticxalde]

I have watched and enjoyed Mexican League matches on Univision for years. But, as a non-Spanish speaker, it's very difficult to figure out the League structure. Can anyone answer the following questions?

1. How many teams make the playoffs?

2. Is the winner of the playoffs considered the Apertura/Clausura Champion?

3. Why is the league divided into 3 groups?

4. Does the team with the most points in the regular season win anything?

Any help you can give me will be appreciated.

Thanks!

:)
\
1.8

2.yes

3.nobody knows

4.homefield advantage against those teams that placed bellow them.. plus if they tie in a playoff series the team with the higher standing goes thru

[Viva RoCkism!]

I for one love FMF playoffs because the games are so exciting and full of pasion, there definitely is a different flavor to a "Liguilla" game.