
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 18, 1993                   TAG: 9306180056
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DENVER                                LENGTH: Medium

BASEBALL EXPANDS PLAYOFFS

Major-league baseball owners, breaking with 25 years of tradition, decided Thursday to double the number of teams in their playoffs to eight starting in 1994.

The owners, feeling financial pressure because their national television revenue will be cut in half next year, hope to increase late-season attendance and television ratings with the new tier of playoffs. The change is subject to approval by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

"We're in the 1990s heading into the 21st century and the realities of today are different from 1941," said Bud Selig of the Milwaukee Brewers, chairman of the ruling executive council. "That's hard for some to understand. Baseball doesn't exist in a vacuum."

Baseball had resisted the lengthy postseasons of other sports. Twelve of 28 NFL teams make the playoffs, while 16 of 27 NBA clubs qualified this season and 16 of 24 NHL teams made it.

"The traditionalist point of view, of which I happen to be one, holds us to a higher standard of accountability than other sports," Selig said. "On the other hand, we have a huge body of people who say our reluctance to consider change has been harmful."

The proposal passed 26-2, with the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers in opposition. Teams will play a best-of-five first-round series, with the winners advancing to the league championship series.

After a series of relatively close straw votes, owners put off until September a decision on whether to have the second-place teams in each division qualify or the two non-winners with the next-best records. Owners said they would attempt to negotiate the exact plan with union head Donald Fehr, whose approval is necessary on all details.

Owners backed their action with a survey showing fans favor expanded playoffs 54 percent to 44 percent and ticket buyers favor it 54 percent to 43 percent. The survey of 1,163 fans and 10,726 ticket buyers (7,440 season-ticket holders and 3,286 people who purchased seats for three or more games in 1992) was conducted during the winter. Fans ages 18-24 supported expanded playoffs 66 percent to 32 percent.

by CNB