Minor premiers / League champions

[BobbyMorri]

Do all European sporting leagues not have a finals system. I don't know enough about Handball or Euro-ball to say. I will say that the FA Cup final was as grand as the AFL grand final back in the day, but that didn't translate on the continent.

Americans have long had "play-offs", so we are not unique in that regard. you never be able to change it. Not even cricket can get rid of the Shield final, where one team bats for 3 days to get a draw.

It is Australian sporting culture. The only sport which may change is soccer, and that is due more to the nature of the sport. The local Tasmania state soccer league got rid of finals, as the cup became bigger and sort of replaced finals as the "perform on the day" metric.

 

[Les Malone]

Do all European sporting leagues not have a finals system. I don't know enough about Handball or Euro-ball to say. I will say that the FA Cup final was as grand as the AFL grand final back in the day, but that didn't translate on the continent.

Americans have long had "play-offs", so we are not unique in that regard. you never be able to change it. Not even cricket can get rid of the Shield final, where one team bats for 3 days to get a draw.

It is Australian sporting culture. The only sport which may change is soccer, and that is due more to the nature of the sport. The local Tasmania state soccer league got rid of finals, as the cup became bigger and sort of replaced finals as the "perform on the day" metric.

How long ?, i cant find any earlier than the 1940's, maybe there is though.

Traditionally we did not have finals here , it was just top of the ladder at the end of the H&A

 

[BobbyMorri]

How long ?, i cant find any earlier than the 1940's, maybe there is though.

I would say 1940's would be long enough. I don't know enough about American sports to say how long.

 

[NoobPie]

How long ?, i cant find any earlier than the 1940's, maybe there is though.

Traditionally we did not have finals here , it was just top of the ladder at the end of the H&A

Baseball was earliest with "playoffs" in the US (earlier 20th century) and I'm pretty sure American football and Basketball were soon before world war 2.

But ultimately the football through the VFL was the first mass spectator sport to introduce finals type concepts anywhere in the world. The break away of the VFL from the VFA also ensured that the promotion / relegation type system would not evolve in Australia. The Australian finals systems are materially different from the US play off system in that they typically:
-are qualified for through a single league system
-use double chance mechanisms to advantage

English soccer retained a first past the post system and eventually used pro/rel and has cup systems. This has clearly influenced the evolution of soccer systems around the world but also how other sporting leagues (eg in rugby and league) operate in the UK which traditionally also have used the first past the post systems and pro rel though have more recently adopted playoff/finals

 

[Bomberboyokay]

It's funny where your mind wanders to in isolation.

I think there is an area of the season that just doesn't get enough attention and that is what is know as the 'minor premier'.

In the EPL the league champions title is almost as prestigious as the UCL competition that it leads too.

Isn't it about time that the AFL league champions (not the demeaning title minor premiers) were given more recognition and celebration than it currently does?

A big presentation on Brownlow night?

It's a missed opportunity to me and in this year of so many changes to tradition maybe it's time to create more currency in being the best team across the season?

Finishing top of the ladder in England's Premier League is a big deal because that's the champion and no finals.

 

[Saucery]

Finishing top of the ladder in England's Premier League is a big deal because that's the champion and no finals.

Agreed but it is still a great achievement. Plus you are neglecting the FA cup which is a knock out competition, and required to complete the double. I know it is not just restricted to those teams who finish top of the league but with the number of teams in our finals series there's very little difference is essence.