NECBL Postseason Format & Schedule
2025 NECBL Postseason
B. The top four teams in each division will be seeded one through four within their
respective divisions based on winning percentage (no minimum games or win totals) and
tiebreaker rules contained in Section VII.
C. The Opening Round pairings will give the home field advantage (Games 1 and 3) to the
number 1 and 2 seeds within the division. The lower seed will play host in game 2.
D. The Divisional Championship Round will give home field advantage to the teams in each
division with the highest winning percentage and will host the first and third game of the
series. The remaining seed will play host in Game 2.
E. The Championship Series will give home field advantage to the team with the highest
winning percentage and will host the first and third game of the series. The remaining
seed will play host in Game 2.
PLAYOFF STRUCTURE
1. The Opening Round will be "Best 2-of-3” format. Games 1 and 3 (if necessary) will be
played at the #1 and #2 seeds in each division. Game 2 will be played at the opponent’s
home field. The next series may not begin until after the three dates designated for the
round have passed.
- Series 1: North Seed # 1 vs. North Seed # 4
- Series 2: North Seed # 2 vs. North Seed # 3
- Series 3: South Seed # 1 vs. South Seed # 4
- Series 4: South Seed # 2 vs. South Seed # 3
North and South Division Champions and to be played as follows: The next series may
not begin until after the three dates designated for the round have passed.
- Series 5: Winner of Series # 1 vs. Winner of Series # 2
- Series 6: Winner of Series # 3 vs. Winner of Series # 4
necessary) will be played at the best seed remaining. In case of a tie, the better seed will
be determined by winning percentage (no minimum games or win totals) and tiebreaker
rules contained in Section VII. Game 2 will be played at the opponent’s home field.
Championship Series:
- Series 7: North Division Champion vs. South Division Champion
NECBL REGULAR-SEASON STANDINGS TIEBREAKER CRITERIA
The NECBL shall use the following tiebreaker rule for teams eligible for the playoffs that end the regular season with identical winning percentage:
- FIRST - Head-to-Head winning percentage between teams tied.
- SECOND - Head-to-Head winning percentage with First place teams.
- THIRD – Head-to-Head winning percentage with Second place teams.
- FOURTH – Head-to-Head winning percentage with Third place teams (etc., until a winner can be decided).
- FIFTH - Compare in-division winning percentage
- SIXTH - Compare run differential (Total Runs Scored minus Total Runs Allowed) and award higher seed to the team with the largest run differential.
- SEVENTH – In the event all of the foregoing fails to break the tie, it shall be broken by a coin toss.
If three or more teams are tied, they will be considered a "mini-league". The team with the highest winning percentage versus all the teams in the mini-league gains the advantage.
After the top team in a mini-league is determined, the next team is ranked by its record in the original mini-league. If there are any remaining teams tied by their record in the mini-league, then head-to-head results will determine the higher seed.
If two or more teams, but not all, have the same best record in the mini-league, only those specific teams advance to the comparison of each team's record versus the team occupying the highest position in the standings (as listed above in A.), continuing down through the standings until one team gains an advantage. The rest of the teams in the original mini-league are then ranked by their record in that comparison.
