4 ms·

Just spit balling, one fix could be to just skip the group stage and go right to a big knockout stage, ala domestic cups. That seems too obvious/simple though,

by dfxm12 4y ago

Just spit balling, one fix could be to just skip the group stage and go right to a big knockout stage, ala domestic cups. That seems too obvious/simple though, so I'm sure there's some reason why they don't do it this way. Maybe they want every country to have a minimum number of games... Having a longer group stage will probably make these situation less likely as the best teams will pull ahead, but I don't think we want the players to play so many more games.

madcaptenor 4y ago
But the group stage won't be any longer - they're still groups of 4, so each team still plays three group games. However there might be more "pulling away" in a 48-team World Cup than in a 32-team World Cup just because there will be weaker teams in those groups for the strongest teams to beat up on.
- dfxm12 4y ago
  By making the group stage longer, I meant that a team would play each other team in their group multiple times.
notahacker 4y ago
Going straight to the knockout stages means half the sides in the competition only play one game though, which isn't great for eager anticipation in those countries or travelling fans. Also increases the probability of big sides being amongst the sides going out early due to freak results when they're a bit rusty. The actual solution - playing the final games in a four game group simultaneously - removes most of the incentives for playing out draws (and means that a side that might be knocked out if the two sides in the other game draw is busy trying to win their game rather than watching powerlessly from the sidelines)
dylan604 4y ago
There's not enough money made when you eliminate teams like that. You just eliminated ticket sales and broadcast rights. The tournaments are money making efforts that just happen to entertain people that are fans. Most of it is an excuse for the organizers to get stuff. (yes, I'm very cynical)
Y_Y 4y ago
It's a really bad way of finding the "best" team too. I think this was written about by Babbage criticising the tennis tournament at Wimbledon but I don't have the reference to hand and my memory is unreliable.

by dfxm12 4y ago

madcaptenor 4y ago

But the group stage won't be any longer - they're still groups of 4, so each team still plays three group games. However there might be more "pulling away" in a 48-team World Cup than in a 32-team World Cup just because there will be weaker teams in those groups for the strongest teams to beat up on.

dfxm12 4y ago
By making the group stage longer, I meant that a team would play each other team in their group multiple times.

notahacker 4y ago

Going straight to the knockout stages means half the sides in the competition only play one game though, which isn't great for eager anticipation in those countries or travelling fans. Also increases the probability of big sides being amongst the sides going out early due to freak results when they're a bit rusty. The actual solution - playing the final games in a four game group simultaneously - removes most of the incentives for playing out draws (and means that a side that might be knocked out if the two sides in the other game draw is busy trying to win their game rather than watching powerlessly from the sidelines)

dylan604 4y ago

There's not enough money made when you eliminate teams like that. You just eliminated ticket sales and broadcast rights. The tournaments are money making efforts that just happen to entertain people that are fans. Most of it is an excuse for the organizers to get stuff. (yes, I'm very cynical)

Y_Y 4y ago

It's a really bad way of finding the "best" team too. I think this was written about by Babbage criticising the tennis tournament at Wimbledon but I don't have the reference to hand and my memory is unreliable.