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2014 Winter League Playoff Structure 
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BillyBoy Administrator Posts: 1370
1/14/2014
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2014 WINTER LEAGUE PLAYOFF STRUCTURE
Each conference will follow a standard playoff "rolling" model consisting of a division winner and several wildcards. Teams that finish highest will gain byes and other advantages; lower ranked teams will have to face off in earlier matches to try to advance. Due to the asymmetry of the league conferences (Eastern Conference has 9 teams, to the West's 7), the conference playoff schedules will differ slightly, as outlined below:
Western Conference
The top three teams gain entry to the playoffs (division winner, wildcards 1 & 2). The division champion will earn a first round playoff bye, while the "wildcard" runner-ups must face off in round 1 to see who gets to travel to the division champion's home field for the Conference Championship Match, and the chance to represent their conference in the league title match in Foos Bowl XII.
Eastern Conference
The top four teams gain entry to the playoffs (division winner, wildcards 1, 2, & 3). The only difference in this conference is the addition of an early round "preliminary" wildcard match between the two lowest ranked playoff teams (wildcards 2 & 3). After completion of this match, there will be a division winner and two wildcard teams remaining, and the playoff format (and schedule) will then follow the outline described in the section above for the Western Conference.
In summary, the league playoff calendar will look like this:
Round 1 (Preliminary Wildcard)
Conference
| Matchup
| East
| Wildcard 3 at Wildcard 2
| West
| -
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Round 2 (Wildcard)
Conference
| Matchup
| East
| Winner Round 1 at Wildcard 1
| West
| Wildcard 2 at Wildcard 1
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Round 3 (Conference Championships)
Conference
| Matchup
| East
| Wildcard Champion at Division Champion
| West
| Wildcard Champion at Division Champion
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Round 4 (League Championship)
Eastern Conference Champion vs. Western Conference Champion
(Note: round 1 will be expedited in the schedule (played two days after regular season completion), with round 2 commencing a week after regular season.)
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