In an organised sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April to September; in European football (soccer), it is generally from August until May (although in some countries, especially those in Scandinavia, the season starts in the spring and finishes in the autumn due to the weather conditions encountered during the winter). A year can often be broken up into several distinct sections (sometimes themselves called seasons). These are:
Pre-season
Most team sports have a period of training and exhibition games or friendly matches prior to the official start of the season. The games' results have no meaning for the upcoming season, but serve as a way to prepare the players and the team, and to raise the team profile through lucrative overseas tours.
Regular season
The terms season (UK) or regular season (North America) are used to denote the time when the bulk of games are played. In North America, it is common for a set number of games to be played in the regular season, before a playoff in the post-season. Elsewhere, a league and/or cup competitions are played during this time. Depending on the sport and league, all teams may or may not play against each other. There is normally a predetermined number of games. Typically, a team will play half the matches at their "home" ground and the other half "away".
Post-season
In sports with playoffs, they generally occur after the regular season is finished. A select number of teams, generally the ones with the best overall record (most wins, fewest losses) from the regular season, enter into a playoff tournament. Each sport may use one of many playoff systems to determine the champion. The teams compete against each other for the top prize of their league.
Off-season
The off-season, vacation time, or close season is the time of year when there is no official competition. Although upper management continues to work, the athletes will take much vacation time off. Also, various events such as drafts, transfers and important off-season free agent signings occur. Generally, most athletes stay in shape during the off-season in preparation for the next season. Certain new rules in the league may be made during this time, and will become enforced during the next regular season.
Seasons by League
Regular seasons of certain leagues occur usually during these months:
- NFL — September through December, sometimes early January
- English Premier League — August through May
- NBA — November through April
- Euroleague — October through February
- This Europe-wide competition for elite basketball clubs is unusual in that its "Regular Season" (an official term) is only the first of four phases of competition. The Regular Season is followed by a second group phase known as the Top 16, a quarterfinal round, and a Final Four.
- NHL — October through April
- MLB — April through September, sometimes early October
- WNBA — May through August
- MLS — April through November
- NASCAR — February - November
See also
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