The winner of Major League Baseball’s All-Star game will no longer determine which team gets home-field advantage in the World Series, according to a report by the Associated Press. Instead, the pennant winner with the better regular season record will be awarded home-field advantage.
The change is part of a new collective bargaining agreement signed by players and management just hours before the December 1 deadline. Additionally, the minimum stay on the disabled list has been reduced from 15 to 10 days.
Former MLB commissioner Bud Selig implemented the All-Star Game policy in 2002, after the game ended in a 7-7 tie when both teams ran out of pitchers, leading to Selig being booed by fans in his hometown of Milwaukee. The American League won 11 of the 14 All-Star games played under the rule, with the AL winning the World Series in eight of those seasons.
The rule was implemented on January 2003 after a 30-0 vote by the owners.
“This energizes it. This gives them something to really play for,” Selig said at the time. “People pay a lot of money to see that game. They deserve to see the same intensity they see all year long. Television people pay a lot of money for the game. It was not and should not be a meaningless exhibition game.”
As per the changes starting next season, the players will now have the incentive to play for a pool of money.
Before the All-Star Game was used as a determinate, World Series home field advantage was rotated between the leagues annually.