Play Off Quarter Final needed?

[nate24]

Should we get rid? At the moment 80% of the league qualifies for the playoffs. This makes for a very lack lustre season once people clinch the 'mathematical' qualification. Seedings don't seen too important to the teams.

If just four teams are going to qualify I'm sure things would be feisty til the end. Look at the 2-9 points spread this season. Teams would of had to fight to the bitter end.

[spik]

I see the PO as another competition of course. So as we keep complaining that it is top 'weak' (look at the CUP its far harder to win that - tell Sheffield)we need to enhance it rather than break it up.

My 'old record' moan of shortening the league for a better CUP and PO is my dream schedule. ie)  PO groups to be reinstated as before.

All competitions seemed to work much better years ago with Autumn Cup and PO groups...now we just have a slapdash quarter or a round robin CUP that excludes only one team for all the effort.

[panthertom93]

I think if anything, this season has proved that teams will do whatever it takes to qualify for 8th place. Look what happened on the last day of the season.

QF's also give the "underdogs" the chance to cause an upset. Braehead and Fife would not have qualified otherwise.

It's the CC QF's I'd be questioning, not the playoffs.

[nate24]

That's a fair piunt but I really don't think they format promotes full on competition down the stretch. OK It does for the last spot but that's about it.

Maybe spiks group idea is the way forward. I just don't think 8 out of 10 is good for competitiveness.

[pantherdman]

We just need to make it always on bank holiday and over 3 days, then we can have quarters, semis and final, straight knock out.
More teams involved, more matches, more value for money.

[nate24]

3 games in 3 days would be knackerimg. I worry you would see a tail off in quality.

[gump]

Go to a real playoff as most pro leagues have not this one off stuff.. Deciding a champion by Xmas leaves little to cheer or play for if you are place 2- 10 as this year. Best of 3 quarters and semi followed by best of 5 or 7 final.

[The Flying Shirt]

You really think any of the teams are going to throw away the chance of another non season ticket home game? lol

Not in a million years

[spik]

Apr 8, 2014 12:07:32 GMT nate24 said:

That's a fair piunt but I really don't think they format promotes full on competition down the stretch. OK It does for the last spot but that's about it.

Maybe spiks group idea is the way forward. I just don't think 8 out of 10 is good for competitiveness.

Reason why I keep drawing to something like that I mentioned in the 'fixtures' thread. Whereas where you finish in the league decides on your fate in the PO.
So a fight to every position in the league which will better your chances,
If the league is to assemble the teams for play-offs why not have a round/quarter that the lower teams can be part of in orde to join those who faired better in the season.

[gump]

Playoff gates would be the individual teams not the leagues. If teams are that hard pressed to stay a float maybe it is time to do away with them and allow the survivors the chance to play in a Euro league where 4 or 5 of the UK teams would be competitive.

[grazza]

Play offs should decide overall league champions even if they are relatively short. What I would do is allow the regular season winners a bye into the final 4. Then have teams 2-7 play off for 3 remaining places.

[spik]

Apr 9, 2014 6:16:43 GMT grazza said:

Play offs should decide overall league champions even if they are relatively short. What I would do is allow the regular season winners a bye into the final 4. Then have teams 2-7 play off for 3 remaining places.

Or even better, round one 4th v 7th and 5th v 6th for the right to play round two, the 2nd and 3rd placed teams for TWO spots (league winner goes straight to finals as you say)...THEN losers of 2nd v 4/7 and 3rd v 5/6 (round two) to play off for final spot. 
Thereby those lower in the league play a longer route having not secured a better position in the league from regular play.

[gump]

Playoff format needs to be changed with a best of 3 or 5 in quarter and semi with a best of 7 final with no playoff weekend

[GuinnessMan]

Sounds great,
if it is an inter-conference teams final, say panthers v steelers,
we would potentially have had 8 games in the league
2 games in CC qualifiers + 2 more games in subsequent rounds
and then 7 more in a PO final.

Too much imo.

[gump]

As you have probably never seen or experienced a true hockey playoff you cannot appreciate the intensity and excitement created. Follow the NHL Stanely Cup playoffs and you will see how great they can be vs the one off playoff weekend or the over by Xmas first place race in the present EIHL

[Yotes]

We're not going to be getting playoff series, none of the teams could get the dates for that many possible games.

Plus they'll not give up the POFW.

[kgw]

Apr 9, 2014 15:09:15 GMT gump said:

As you have probably never seen or experienced a true hockey playoff you cannot appreciate the intensity and excitement created. Follow the NHL Stanely Cup playoffs and you will see how great they can be vs the one off playoff weekend or the over by Xmas first place race in the present EIHL

Patronising, much?

Everyone knows the Stanley Cup playoffs are great and that format works well for the NHL. People were complaining on here (and all other forums) that we play each other too much already. What would they say if another 3 - 5 games were added and it ended up being Steelers v Panthers? Would people even bother to attend? The Steelers only got a reasonable attendance for their quarter final because they reduced ticket prices. I don't recall Nottingham's attendance being great, and this is likely because it was a week day.

Further play-off games are likely to be week day games for 'arena' teams.

I just don't think it would work.

[panthersdave]

So how many games should the teams book and pay for in advance to get the ice time that they may not need?

[Deleted]

I can t wait til the league introduce 2 more franchises in the next 2 years, that would mean we d play Steelers LESS !!

[nate24]

It does water down rivalries when you play the same guys so much. Aren't we changing it next season so it's an equal amount of games against all?

With more teams an 8 team playoff gets more interesting. We get away from 8 out of 10 qualifying and get to a more challenging road to the quarters.

[spik]

Apr 10, 2014 16:51:15 GMT nate24 said:

It does water down rivalries when you play the same guys so much. Aren't we changing it next season so it's an equal amount of games against all?

With more teams an 8 team playoff gets more interesting. We get away from 8 out of 10 qualifying and get to a more challenging road to the quarters.

So good you said it twice..lol

I thought we were making all games in the league a true round robin affair but have been told its not set on stone yet.

[nate24]

Apr 10, 2014 22:03:01 GMT spik said:

Apr 10, 2014 16:51:15 GMT nate24 said:

It does water down rivalries when you play the same guys so much. Aren't we changing it next season so it's an equal amount of games against all?

With more teams an 8 team playoff gets more interesting. We get away from 8 out of 10 qualifying and get to a more challenging road to the quarters.

So good you said it twice..lol

I thought we were making all games in the league a true round robin affair but have been told its not set on stone yet.

Ha ha, I didn't notice I'd double posted. I've deleted one. I hope it does change. I didn't get too see some teams under this format which is a shame.