Position rounds

[Joany]

For several years, our league has had a split season. There are 2 position rounds at the end of each session with a roll-off between the first place teams at the end of the season. The positions are re-set i.e. cleared at the start of the 2nd session. There is now a proposal for 6 position rounds without a roll-off. What are the advantages/disadvantages of these options i.e. 2 position rounds with roll-off or 6 position rounds without a roll-off? Are there other position round implementations which we should consider?

[J Anderson]

For several years, our league has had a split season. There are 2 position rounds at the end of each session with a roll-off between the first place teams at the end of the season. The positions are re-set i.e. cleared at the start of the 2nd session. There is now a proposal for 6 position rounds without a roll-off. What are the advantages/disadvantages of these options i.e. 2 position rounds with roll-off or 6 position rounds without a roll-off? Are there other position round implementations which we should consider?

Just to be clear; are you saying that the second to last and last week of each half is a position round?

The advantage of the split season is that unless one team wins both haves no team can lock things up before the finals. Without the split in my experience teams that start poorly often just give up, sometimes even dropping out.

[Joany]

Thank you for your response. Let's say our bowling season consists of 21 weeks. At the end of 10th and 20th weeks there is a position round. At the 21st week there is a roll-off with the two first place teams. Some of us are confused regarding the advantage of several position rounds. Your mentioning of the lowered positioned teams getting discouraged and possibly dropping out is food for thought. I'm pro split season, but many of us are struggling with this new proposal - sounds like many position rounds is only an advantage for the top teams.

[vdubtx]

Our league runs a split season with a winner each half. They then bowl off at end of season while rest of us bowl sweeper.

I prefer this as if one team is just trouncing all, they would win entire league and not give others a chance. We so also have position rounds during season, not just at end of each half.

[J Anderson]

A thought on position rounds: If the first place team can't be caught, they have little incentive to bowl well. They may even be tempted to sandbag, giving the second place team an easy sweep. This is definitely not fair to the third place team which probably is fighting a tough match with the fourth place team. Many leagues put in a rule that matches the first place team against the last place team, if first place is locked up.

[bowl1820]

My Tuesday night league is a split season (36 weeks total), we have position rounds on the 9th & 18th weeks and the 27th & 36th weeks. Which is a pretty standard method.

I've also been on 34 week leagues that were not split season, but used the same type of positions rounds (8th, 17th week etc) and ones where the last 2 weeks were both position rounds.

Now I have heard once of a league were every week was a position round. Though I never heard how that worked out

As for the reasons for position rounds, for the most part it gives the lower teams more of a chance to move up in the standings.

Because as the schedule progress's the teams that get grouped together in the standings are more likely to be nearer one another in ability. Which gives them a better chance to improve your position, by not having to bowl against a higher ranked team.

As for what method is the best, I don't think there really is one. I've never really heard of any advantages or disadvantages.

Now If you had too many, you could wind up playing the same teams a lot and maybe not playing some teams at all (If it's a large league)