Division (sport)

A division in sport consists of a group of teams who compete against one another for a divisional title, or other honour.

Related Topics:
Team - Divisional title

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It is often part of a league system, which is a set of divisions, in which teams can move between differently ranked divisions. Divisions are then organised in such a way that teams or players in any given division are comparably adept at their chosen sport, so that matches are more even, and therefore more exciting. Often this is achieved by ensuring that the victors of one division are promoted to some 'higher' division upon achieving their divisional title, swapping places with the bottom-placed team in that higher league. Variations on this idea exist in the form of playoffs.

Related Topics:
League system - Player - Matches - Exciting - Promoted - Playoffs

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Sometimes divisions are based on geography--for instance, Major League Baseball's National League has East, West, and Central divisions. In some sports, the geographical divisions bear a very loose relation to actual geography; this is sometimes a source of controversy, as in the National Football League.

Related Topics:
Major League Baseball - National League - National Football League

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The term "league" is also sometimes used to describe an individual division within a league.

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In soccer, each nation has its own football league.

Related Topics:
Soccer - Football league

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