Triple-A National Championship Game
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{short description|Single contest to determine a champion of the Triple-A classification of Minor League Baseball}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = Triple-A National Championship Game
| logo =
| image = File:Triple-A_National_Championship_Game_Logo_2024.png
| imagesize =
| caption =
| alt =
| frequency = Annual
| location = Varies (see prose)
| years_active =
| first = September 19, 2006
(AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States)
| last = September 28, 2024
(Las Vegas Ballpark, Summerlin, Nevada, United States)
| next = September 27, 2025
(Las Vegas Ballpark, Summerlin, Nevada, United States)
| participants = League champions of the two Triple-A baseball leagues
| attendance =
| organized = Minor League Baseball
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
The Triple-A National Championship Game is a single interleague postseason baseball game between the league champions of the two affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball (MiLB)—the International League (IL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL)—to determine an overall champion of the classification. With the exceptions of 2020 and 2021, the game has been held at the end of each season since 2006.
The event was originally known as the Bricktown Showdown from 2006 to 2008, when it was held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was renamed in 2009, but continued to be held in Oklahoma City. From 2011 to 2019, it was contested in a different Triple-A city each year. The 2020 game was cancelled along with the entire minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to the lack of a 2021 championship game. Since 2022, the event has been held at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin, Nevada.
The Sacramento River Cats and Durham Bulls have won three championships. The Columbus Clippers and Omaha Storm Chasers have each won two titles. Seven other teams have won one championship each. Ten titles have been won by PCL teams, while the IL has won seven titles.
History
=Previous postseason series=
Periodically from 1904 to 1975, the champions from the top-classification leagues of Minor League Baseball met in the postseason to determine a champion amongst them. The Little World Series (1904–1931) and Junior World Series (1932–1975) usually consisted of a best-of-seven (or eight) series modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. Most often, it was held between the champions of the International League (IL) and the American Association (AA). A one-time Triple-A World Series was held in 1983 as a round-robin tournament featuring the champions of the AA, IL, and Pacific Coast League (PCL). The AA and IL champions met in the Triple-A Classic, a best-of-seven series played from 1988 to 1991 in conjunction with the Triple-A Alliance. From 1998 to 2000, the Triple-A World Series was revived as a best-of-five championship series between the IL and PCL champions.{{cite web|url=http://www.tripleabaseball.com/PostSeasonOthers.jsp|title=Triple-A Baseball Interleague Post-Season Play Results|website=Triple-A Baseball|access-date=June 13, 2022|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710202943/https://www.tripleabaseball.com/PostSeasonOthers.jsp|archive-date=July 10, 2019}} The Triple-A World Series was discontinued because of poor attendance.{{cite news|last=Gault|first=Earl|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103700988/knights-have-impressive-turnaround/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Knights Have Impressive Turnaround|work=The Herald|location=Rock Hill|date=May 5, 1984|page=3D}}
=Bricktown Showdown (2006–2008)=
File:Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.jpg in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was the site of the first five championship games (2006–2010).]]
In 2006, Triple-A Baseball announced the creation of a single championship game between the league champions of the International League and Pacific Coast League to determine an overall champion of the classification. The game, called the Bricktown Showdown, was to be played at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, home of the PCL's Oklahoma RedHawks, following each league's postseason playoffs to determine their league champions. In addition to serving as the pinnacle of the Triple-A and MiLB season, the leagues sought for the championship game to develop and prosper like the Triple-A All-Star Game did since its creation in 1988.{{Cite web|url=http://tripleabaseball.com/releases/btsd01.pdf|title=Bricktown Showdown To Determine Triple-A Baseball Champion|publisher=Triple-A Baseball|date=July 12, 2006|access-date=June 13, 2022|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920201042/https://tripleabaseball.com/releases/btsd01.pdf|archive-date=September 20, 2020}}
The first Bricktown Showdown was played on September 19, 2006, between the IL-champion Toledo Mud Hens and the PCL-champion Tucson Sidewinders. In front of an announced paid attendance of 12,572 people and a national television audience watching on ESPN2, Tucson defeated Toledo, 5–2.{{Cite web|url=https://www.triple-abaseball.com/NCGResults.jsp|title=Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game Results |website=Triple-A Baseball|access-date=June 13, 2022|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812201332/https://www.triple-abaseball.com/NCGResults.jsp|archive-date=August 12, 2020}} Tucson left fielder Scott Hairston won the game's first Most Valuable Player Award after going 2-for-4 at the plate with 1 run batted in. The game was approved only as a one-time meeting by Major League Baseball, but subsequent meetings were planned for 2007 and 2008 following the success of the initial event.{{Cite web|url=http://tripleabaseball.com/releases/btsd03.pdf|title=Triple-A Baseball Championship Game To Remain in Oklahoma City for 2007 and 2008|website=Triple-A Baseball|date=January 11, 2007|access-date=June 13, 2022|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009004907/http://tripleabaseball.com/releases/btsd03.pdf|archive-date=October 9, 2007}} The next two editions, however, experienced successively lower attendances (11,124 in 2007 and 8,213 in 2008).
=Triple-A National Championship Game (2009–present)=
The Bricktown Showdown was rebranded as the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game in 2009, and later to simply the Triple-A National Championship Game, to increase the event's national appeal and to emphasize its significance as a championship game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-6302048|title=Triple-A Championship Game Renamed|website=Pacific Coast League|publisher=Minor League Baseball|date=August 7, 2009|access-date=June 12, 2022}} It continued to be held in Oklahoma City, but as attendance continued to diminish (6,777 in 2009 and 7,525 in 2010), the 2010 Triple-A championship would be the last to be decided at Bricktown Park.
File:RailRiders celebrate championship game 2016.jpg celebrating on the field after winning the 2016 Triple-A Championship]]
Since 2011, the game has been held in a different Triple-A city each year. The first city to host under this new format was Albuquerque, New Mexico, home of the PCL's Albuquerque Isotopes, who played at Isotopes Park.{{Cite web|last=Hill|first=Benjamin|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-16594946|title=Isotopes to Host Triple-A Championship|website=Minor League Baseball|date=February 8, 2011|access-date=June 13, 2022}} The 2012 edition was held at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina, home to the IL's Durham Bulls. It continued to alternate host sites thereafter, similar to the Triple-A All-Star Game, but with two consecutive years of PCL hosts followed by two years of IL hosts. No host city has ever had its team qualify for the championship game.
The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.{{cite news |title=A Message From Pat O'Conner|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}{{cite news |title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|website=Minor League Baseball|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020}} This resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 game, which had been slated for Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin, Nevada, home of the PCL's Las Vegas Aviators.{{cite web|title=Las Vegas Ballpark to Host 2020 Triple-A National Championship Game|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/08/19/las-vegas-ballpark-to-host-2020-triple-a-national-championship-game/|website=Ballpark Digest|date=August 19, 2019|accessdate=August 19, 2019}} In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the IL and PCL disbanded, and Triple-A teams were reorganized into the Triple-A East and Triple-A West.{{cite web|last=Mayo|first=Jonathan|title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|website=Major League Baseball|date=February 12, 2021|access-date=February 12, 2021}} Opening Day for the 2021 season was postponed for nearly a month to temporarily eliminate commercial air travel and give players the opportunity to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the season started.{{cite web|last=Harrigan|first=Thomas|title=Triple-A Start Delayed; Alternate Sites to Return|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/start-of-2021-triple-a-season-delayed|website=Major League Baseball|date=March 2, 2021|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=May 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505053523/https://www.mlb.com/news/start-of-2021-triple-a-season-delayed|url-status=live}} The schedule did not include a postseason for league championship playoffs or the Triple-A National Championship Game.{{cite web|last=Reichard|first=Kevin|title=2021 MiLB Schedules Released|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/02/18/2021-milb-schedules-released/|website=Ballpark Digest|date=February 18, 2021|accessdate=February 18, 2021}} Instead, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into the schedule as a postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch, in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/triple-a-classification-to-add-10-games-to-2021-schedule |title=MiLB Announces 'Triple-A Final Stretch' for 2021 |website=Minor League Baseball |date=July 14, 2021 |access-date=July 16, 2021 |archive-date=July 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716205138/https://www.milb.com/milb/news/triple-a-classification-to-add-10-games-to-2021-schedule |url-status=live }}
In 2022, the Triple-A East and West were renamed the International League and Pacific Coast League, respectively, and they carried on the history of those leagues prior to reorganization.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2022|archive-date=March 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325180745/https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|url-status=live}} The 2022 game was the culmination of a three-day event called the Triple-A Triple Championship Weekend, in which league champions of the IL and PCL were determined on the first two days, and the Triple-A National Champion was crowned on the last. On September 30, the two division winners from the PCL competed for their league championship. The two IL division winners did the same on October 1. The league champions determined on those days competed for the Triple-A National Championship on October 2. The event was held at Summerlin's Las Vegas Ballpark.{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/las-vegas-to-host-inaugural-triple-a-triple-championship-weekend |title=Las Vegas to Host Inaugural Triple-A Triple Championship Weekend |website=Minor League Baseball |date=May 3, 2022 |accessdate=May 3, 2022}}
Since 2023, each Triple-A league operates under a split season format with the winners of each half meeting in best-of-three series to determine their league champions. The winners then meet in Las Vegas to determine a Triple-A champion.{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/triple-a-national-championship-game-2023 |title=2023 Triple-A National Championship Game Set for Sept. 30 in Las Vegas |website=Minor League Baseball |date=March 28, 2023 |accessdate=March 28, 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://www.milb.com/news/2024-milb-triple-a-national-championship-date |title=2024 MiLB Triple-A National Championship Game Set for Sept. 28 at Las Vegas Ballpark |website=Minor League Baseball |date=March 12, 2024 |accessdate=March 12, 2024}}
Structure
The game itself consists of a single nine-inning game to determine a champion. The only championship game to go beyond the prescribed nine innings has been the 2009 contest, which went to eleven innings. From 2006 to 2016, the league that won the Triple-A All-Star Game earned the distinction of having its team designated as the home team. This changed in 2017, when home team status began being awarded to the team from the hosting league.{{Cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/documents/5/3/0/247770530/Governors_Cup_Preview_8_11_2017.pdf|title=2017 Governors' Cup Playoffs Preview|website=Minor League Baseball|date=August 11, 2017|access-date=June 14, 2022|page=4|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812021016/http://www.milb.com/documents/5/3/0/247770530/Governors_Cup_Preview_8_11_2017.pdf|archive-date=August 12, 2017}} Designated hitters bat in place of pitchers.
The game is staffed by a four-umpire crew, with one umpire behind home plate and the others covering each base. Two of the umpires work in the IL, while two work in the PCL. Positions rotate each year, such that IL umpires are assigned to home plate and second base in odd years, and PCL umpires cover those positions in even years.{{Cite web|url=http://triple-abaseball.com/NCGPersonnel.pdf|title=Triple-A National Championship Game Personnel|publisher=Triple-A Baseball|access-date=June 14, 2022|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920101619/http://triple-abaseball.com/NCGPersonnel.pdf|archive-date=September 20, 2017}}
Results
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:85%"
|+Key !scope="row"|{{Dagger|alt=home team}} |Indicates home team |
Most Valuable Player Award
File:A. J. Pollock on September 15, 2012.jpg A. J. Pollock of the Reno Aces was selected as the game's MVP in 2012.]]
One player from the winning team is recognized for their outstanding play in the game and is given the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.
Appearances by team
Active Triple-A teams appear in bold.
| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|Apps.|Appearances}} !scope="col"|Team !scope="col"|League !scope="col"|Wins !scope="col"|Losses !scope="col"|Win % !scope="col"|Most recent !scope="col"|Most recent | |||||
| rowspan="1"|5
!scope="row"|Durham Bulls |IL | 3 | 2 | .600 | 2022 | 2022 |
| rowspan="2"|4
!scope="row"|Columbus Clippers |IL | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2011 | 2019 |
| scope="row"|Omaha Storm Chasers
|PCL/IL||2||2||.500||2014||2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|3
!scope="row"|Sacramento River Cats |PCL | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 2019 | 2019 |
| scope="row"|Memphis Redbirds
|PCL||1||2||.333||2018||2018 | |||||
| rowspan="3"|2
!scope="row"|Reno Aces |PCL | 1 | 1 | |.500 | 2012 | 2022 |
| scope="row"|Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Yankees)
|IL||1||1||.500||2016||2016 | |||||
| scope="row"|Pawtucket Red Sox
|IL||0||2||.000||{{sort|0|—}}||2014 | |||||
| rowspan="9"|1
!scope="row"|Fresno Grizzlies |PCL | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2015 | 2015 |
| scope="row"|Norfolk Tides
|IL||1||0||1.000||2023||2023 | |||||
| scope="row"|Sugar Land Space Cowboys
|PCL||1||0||1.000||2024||2024 | |||||
| scope="row"|Tucson Sidewinders
|PCL||1||0|||1.000||2006||2006 | |||||
| scope="row"|El Paso Chihuahuas
|PCL||0||1||.000||{{sort|0|—}}||2016 | |||||
| scope="row"|Oklahoma City Dodgers
|PCL||0||1||.000||{{sort|0|—}}||2023 | |||||
| scope="row"|Richmond Braves
|IL||0||1||.000||{{sort|0|—}}||2007 | |||||
| scope="row"|Tacoma Rainiers
|PCL||0||1||.000||{{sort|0|—}}||2010 | |||||
| scope="row"|Toledo Mud Hens
|IL||0||1||.000||{{sort|0|—}}||2006 |
Broadcasts
The event has been televised nationally every year. It aired on ESPN2 from 2006 to 2009 and on NBC Sports Network (formerly known as Versus) from 2010 to 2018. The game aired on Fox Sports in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2019/05/03/fox-sports-becomes-tv-home-of-triple-a-national-championship-game/|title=FOX Sports Becomes TV Home of Triple-A National Championship Game|website=Ballpark Digest|publisher=Sports Reference|date=May 3, 2019|access-date=June 14, 2022}} Since 2022, the game has been televised on MLB Network.{{Cite web|last=Heneghan|first=Kelsie|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/vidal-brujan-keys-durham-bulls-2022-international-league-championship|title=Bruján Keys Durham's International League Title Win|website=Major League Baseball|date=October 3, 2022|access-date=October 3, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/start-time-broadcast-partner-set-for-2023-triple-a-championship-game|title=Start Time and Broadcast Partner Set for 2023 Triple-A Championship Game|website=Major League Baseball|date=August 17, 2023|access-date=October 1, 2023}}
See also
{{Portal|Baseball}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official|https://web.archive.org/web/20210504011620/https://www.triple-abaseball.com/PostSeason.jsp}} (Archived)
{{Triple-A interleague postseason championships}}
{{International League}}
{{Pacific Coast League}}
Category:Baseball competitions in the United States
Category:Minor league baseball playoffs and champions