SNARL 2008 Tiebreaking Procedures

SEEDINGS AND MATCHUPS
The six postseason participants from each conference will be seeded as follows:

1. The division champion with the best record.
2. The division champion with the second-best record.
3. The division champion with the third-best record.
4. The division champion with the fourth-best record.
5. The Wild Card club with the best record.
6. The Wild Card club with the second-best record.

The first playoff round will be #6 at #3, and #5 at #4.

In the second round, #1 will host the remaining team with the worst record (determined with tiebreaking procedures, if needed). #2 shall host the remaining team.

The following procedures will be used to break standings ties for postseason playoffs.

OVERRIDING ONE-GAME PLAYOFF RULE
In any situation in which two teams are tied for a division title or wild-card berth AND if playoff participation is at stake, the two teams will meet in a one-game playoff to determine which team will make the playoffs. This rule shall also be used where more than two teams are tied for a division title or wild card berth, and shall apply to the last two teams in contention for a playoff berth after application of the below-listed tie-breaking procedures.

EXCEPTION: In any case where two teams would otherwise play a one-game playoff game, and in the event that one of the two teams has a head-to-head sweep of the other, then the playoff spot shall go to the team who swept the other.

No playoff games will be played merely to determine seeding between teams which will both be in the playoffs regardless of the application of tiebreaking procedures.

If a team that would be eliminated by tiebreakers from winning a division title would still be tied with other teams for a wild-card berth, then there would be a one-game playoff for the wild-card berth rather than for the division title.

TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION
If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.

Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.

Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM
If it is necessary to break ties to determine the two Wild-Card clubs from each conference, the following steps will be taken.
1. If the tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tie breaker.
2. If the tied clubs are from different divisions, apply the following steps.

Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory.
5. Strength of schedule.

Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)
1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.

When the first Wild-Card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated to name the second Wild-Card, i.e., eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. In situations where three or more teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie breaker if the top-ranked team in that division qualifies for a Wild-Card berth.

OTHER TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURES
1. Only one club advances to the playoffs in any tie-breaking step. Remaining tied clubs revert to the first step of the applicable division or Wild-Card tie breakers. As an example, if two clubs remain tied in any tie-breaker step after all other clubs have been eliminated, the procedure reverts to step one of the two-club format to determine the winner. When one club wins the tie breaker, all other clubs revert to step 1 of the applicable two-club or three-club format.
2. In comparing division and conference records or records against common opponents among tied teams, the best won-lost-tied percentage is the deciding factor since teams may have played an unequal number of games.
3. To determine home-field priority among division titlists, apply Wild-Card tie breakers.
4. To determine home-field priority for Wild-Card qualifiers, apply division tie breakers (if teams are from the same division) or Wild-Card tie breakers (if teams are from different divisions).
5. Tie games count as one-half win and one-half loss for both clubs.
6. "Strength of Victory" means the season-ending won-lost-tied percentage of all the opponents a team has defeated. Multiple games against the same opponent means that such opponent's W-L-T pecentage is counted multiple times.
7. "Strength of Schedule" means the season-ending won-lost-tied percentage of all the opponents a team has played. Multiple games against the same opponent means that such opponent's W-L-T pecentage is counted multiple times.
8. Division titles shall be decided before determining wild-card teams.