Saturday Night Chronicles: Major League Format Changes Announced for Next Season

By Champ Jackson

Big changes are coming to the league next season, and fans won’t want to miss the action-packed excitement these updates promise to deliver. The league office has officially announced a dramatic shift in its structure, introducing a pod system that will redefine how teams compete, create new rivalries, and heighten the stakes for every game.

The New Pod System

Starting next season, teams will be grouped into four pods based on this season’s final media rankings. These pods will dictate which conference each team will compete in:

• Teams 1–4: SEC

• Teams 5–8: B1G

• Teams 9–12: ACC

• Teams 13–15: Big 12

This ensures that teams within each pod will face off against one another regularly, creating a more competitive and engaging regular season. Rivalries will intensify, and every matchup will carry playoff implications.

Media Rankings Drive the Pods

Media rankings will determine alignments for year one, adding a fresh layer of intrigue as teams strive for top placement. The pods will be realigned annually based on the end-of-regular-season conference standings in a promotion/relegation format. Conference champions will be promoted to the next tier, while the lowest-rated user team will be relegated to the next lowest pod. Conference standings will determine relegation, with head-to-head (H2H) records serving as the tiebreaker if needed. This promotion/relegation system will keep the competition dynamic. Fans can expect debates and predictions to heat up during the offseason as teams jockey for position and media members weigh in on the final rankings.

Championship Structure

The league is determined to avoid having divisions directly funnel into the championship game. Instead, we are exploring a model where the top records across the entire conference will determine the championship participants. More details will follow.

FCS Games Remain

Teams will still be allowed one FCS opponent on their schedules. This decision provides teams with scheduling flexibility while maintaining a balanced competition level.

Promotion/Relegation Schedule

At the end of the season, the following changes will occur to each pod:

• Pod 1: Last place relegated to Pod 2

• Pod 2: Champion promoted to Pod 1; last place relegated to Pod 3

• Pod 3: Champion promoted to Pod 2; last place relegated to Pod 4

• Pod 4: Champion promoted to Pod 3

Summary of Changes

To summarize, conference affiliations will change every season based on results from the previous season. Conference champions will be promoted to the next highest pod, while last-place teams will be relegated to the next lowest pod. Each P4 conference will have four user teams, who will all play each other throughout the season. No additional out-of-conference user games are required (but are not prohibited if two users wish to extend a rivalry). One FCS game per user will be allowed each season. All users will play the same number of user games and conference games, ensuring a fair and balanced competition.

What’s Next?

With these exciting changes on the horizon, the offseason promises plenty of buzz. Coaches, players, and fans alike will be strategizing and speculating about how the new format will impact their favorite teams. Expect fierce competition as teams adapt to the updated structure, aiming to prove their dominance in the league’s bold new era.

Stay tuned to Saturday Night Chronicles for further updates as we dive into the implications of these changes and preview how each pod is shaping up for next season. Change is here—and it’s going to be electrifying.