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Season 12 Playoff Schedule

Announcement | April 20, 2016

UPDATED: Here’s a breakdown of how the playoffs will be managed this season:

The top SIX teams from each Division — Upper Playfield, Left Flipper, & Right Flipper — will make the playoffs.
Lower Playfield playoffs begin immediately — the week after the regular season ends (First week of May) — and the Upper Playfield begins the week after
The top TWO teams in each division will have a first round bye, and will host (ie, have home field advantage) the winners of round 1 in the second round.
The 2nd and 3rd seeds will have home field advantage in Round one.
As the rounds progress, the highest seed will always play the lowest remaining seed
Rounds 3 and 4 (Divisional and Conference championships) will be played at a neutral venue.
Left Flipper and Right Flipper champions will face off for the Lower Playfield trophy, AKA “the Iron Claw,” in Round 4

Because of the added round in the Lower Playfield this season, if we are in need of any tie breaker matches to determine the six playoff teams, we will be forced to hold the tie-breaker match on Thursday, April 28, at a neutral venue. If there is a need for an Upper Playfield tie-breaker, it will happen during the first week bye (May 2nd). Here’s the week by week breakdown:

Thursday, April 28 — TIE BREAKERS

Left & Right Flipper Divisions

Neutral venue (effective home team will be determined by coin flip)

May 2 & 3

Left & Right Flipper Divisions (Round 1)

Seed 1 and 2 have byes
Seed 6 at Seed 3
Seed 5 at Seed 4

Upper Playfield

Tie-breaker match, if necessary (effective home team will be determined by coin flip)

May 9 & 10

Left & Right Flipper Divisions (Round 2)

Lowest remaining seed @ Seed 1
2nd lowest remaining seed @ Seed 2

Upper Playfield (Round 1)

Seed 1 and 2 have byes
Seed 6 at Seed 3
Seed 5 at Seed 4

May 16 & 17

Lower Playfield — Division Championship

Lowest Seed at highest Seed — neutral venue

Upper Playfield (Round 2)

Lowest remaining seed @ Seed 1
2nd lowest remaining seed @ Seed 2

May 23

Upper/Lower Conference Finals

Lowest seed @ highest seed — neutral venue