Shaughnessy playoff system
Encyclopedia
The Shaughnessy playoff system is a method of determining the champion of a sports league that is not in a divisional alignment. It involves the participation of the top four teams in the league standings in a single elimination tournament. While the first round of the playoffs involve the pairing of the first- and fourth-place teams in one contest (whether it be a single game or a series of games) and the second- and third-place teams in the other, a variant of the Shaughnessy playoffs would pair the first- and third-place teams in one semifinal round and the second- and fourth-place teams in the other. In either variant, the winners of the first two games would then compete for the league championship.
, the general manager
of the Montréal Royals
minor league
baseball
team of the International League
. After its successful implementation by the International League, the popularity of the new postseason format spread to other leagues in other sports, including the All-America Football Conference
(which used the Shaughnessy playoff system in the league's last season of existence) and the minor American football league American Association
, which used the format in five of its championship seasons. The format has also been widely used in minor league baseball on all levels.
In the Original Six era of the National Hockey League
(1942-1967), the circuit adopted a Shaughnessy playoff system (first place vs. fourth place and second place vs. third place) in which the paired teams played in a best-four-of-seven-games series with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup championship
round.
Although Women's Professional Soccer
has a four-team playoff format, it does not use the Shaughnessy system. WPS instead uses a stepladder tournament, in which the second-place team at the end of the regular season receives a bye into the semifinal and the first-place team receives a bye into the final.
, the format has been used to determine the winner of the Premiership in rugby union
; the Celtic League
in Ireland
, Scotland
and Wales
adopted an identical system starting in 2009–10, the season before that league expanded to include two teams from Italy
.
In French rugby union, the Shaughnessy playoff is currently used to determine the second of two promotion spots in the second-tier Rugby Pro D2
, though in that case the teams involved are the second- through fifth-placed teams, as the first-place team earns automatic promotion. Previously, the pure Shaughnessy system had been used to determine the champion of Top 14, but that league's playoffs expanded to six teams starting in 2009–10
.
countries (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia), and remains in use for national competitions in the first two.
The Super Rugby competition, featuring teams from all three SANZAR countries, used the Shaughnessy format throughout its history as the Super 12 and Super 14, ending in 2010. With the competition's expansion to 15 teams as Super Rugby in 2011, the playoffs now involve six teams, with three conference champions and three "wild cards" advancing.
In South Africa, the Currie Cup
uses a Shaughnessy playoff to determine the champions of both of its two divisions (Premier and First).
In New Zealand, the professional ITM Cup (formerly Air New Zealand Cup) adopted the Shaughnessy format in 2009, after having used an eight-team playoff bracket in its first two seasons in 2007 and 2008. In 2011, the ITM Cup split into two divisions, effectively re-creating the three-division system that existed in the National Provincial Championship
era. The playoffs in both the new Premiership and Championship divisions use the Shaughnessy system except in World Cup
years, in which only the top two teams contest a final. Since its inception in 2007, the amateur Heartland Championship
has used the Shaughnessy system, implemented at the last group stage, to determine the winners of both of its trophies, the Meads
and Lochore Cups.
Australia currently has no nationwide domestic competition. The latest attempt to establish such a league, the Australian Rugby Championship
, used a Shaughnessy playoff, but was scrapped after its only season in 2007.
North America
The Shaughnessy playoff system was invented in 1933 by Frank ShaughnessyFrank Shaughnessy
Francis Joseph "Shag" Shaughnessy was an American athlete and sports executive. Shaughnessy played both baseball and football and was an executive in baseball, football and ice hockey. He was born in the United States and moved to Canada in the 1910s, where he was involved with football and ice...
, the general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Montréal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. After its successful implementation by the International League, the popularity of the new postseason format spread to other leagues in other sports, including 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 used the Shaughnessy playoff system in the league's last season of existence) and the minor American football league American Association
American Association (football)
The American Association was a professional American football league based in New York City. Founded in 1936 as a minor league with teams in New York and New Jersey, the AA extended its reach to Providence, Rhode Island prior to the onset of World War II...
, which used the format in five of its championship seasons. The format has also been widely used in minor league baseball on all levels.
In the Original Six era of the National Hockey League
National 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...
(1942-1967), the circuit adopted a Shaughnessy playoff system (first place vs. fourth place and second place vs. third place) in which the paired teams played in a best-four-of-seven-games series with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup championship
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
round.
Although Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
has a four-team playoff format, it does not use the Shaughnessy system. WPS instead uses a stepladder tournament, in which the second-place team at the end of the regular season receives a bye into the semifinal and the first-place team receives a bye into the final.
Europe
More recently, the Shaughnessy playoff system has been adopted outside of North America. In EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the format has been used to determine the winner of the Premiership in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
; the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
adopted an identical system starting in 2009–10, the season before that league expanded to include two teams from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
In French rugby union, the Shaughnessy playoff is currently used to determine the second of two promotion spots in the second-tier Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
, though in that case the teams involved are the second- through fifth-placed teams, as the first-place team earns automatic promotion. Previously, the pure Shaughnessy system had been used to determine the champion of Top 14, but that league's playoffs expanded to six teams starting in 2009–10
2009–10 Top 14 season
Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility...
.
Southern Hemisphere
In rugby union, the Shaughnessy system has been widely used throughout the SANZARSANZAR
SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...
countries (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia), and remains in use for national competitions in the first two.
The Super Rugby competition, featuring teams from all three SANZAR countries, used the Shaughnessy format throughout its history as the Super 12 and Super 14, ending in 2010. With the competition's expansion to 15 teams as Super Rugby in 2011, the playoffs now involve six teams, with three conference champions and three "wild cards" advancing.
In South Africa, the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
uses a Shaughnessy playoff to determine the champions of both of its two divisions (Premier and First).
In New Zealand, the professional ITM Cup (formerly Air New Zealand Cup) adopted the Shaughnessy format in 2009, after having used an eight-team playoff bracket in its first two seasons in 2007 and 2008. In 2011, the ITM Cup split into two divisions, effectively re-creating the three-division system that existed in the National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
era. The playoffs in both the new Premiership and Championship divisions use the Shaughnessy system except in World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
years, in which only the top two teams contest a final. Since its inception in 2007, the amateur Heartland Championship
Heartland Championship
The Heartland Championship New Zealand Division One competition, known for sponsorship reasons as the AA Rewards Heartland Championship, is a domestic rugby union competition in New Zealand. It was founded in 2006 as one of two successor competitions to the country's former domestic competition,...
has used the Shaughnessy system, implemented at the last group stage, to determine the winners of both of its trophies, the Meads
Meads Cup
The Meads Cup is a rugby cup named after the All Black Colin Meads. It is a cup played for in New Zealand between provincial rugby teams. The Meads Cup is played for during the Heartland Championship...
and Lochore Cups.
Australia currently has no nationwide domestic competition. The latest attempt to establish such a league, the Australian Rugby Championship
Australian Rugby Championship
The Australian Rugby Championship, often abbreviated to the ARC , was a domestic Rugby union football club competition in Australia which ran for only one season in August–October 2007...
, used a Shaughnessy playoff, but was scrapped after its only season in 2007.