New CBA Changes Rules on World Series Home-Field Advantage: Report

Since 2002, the winner of the MLB All-Star Game has determined home-field advantage in the World Series, but according to an AP report, that practice may be coming to an end

If the Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox are able to make it to the World Series in 2017, whether or not they have home-field advantage in the Fall Classic will reportedly no longer be in another team’s hands.

According to the Associated Press, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement reached between MLB owners and the MLBPA on Wednesday night included a provision that the All-Star Game will no longer determine home-field advantage in the World Series.

That practice, which was adopted after the 2002 All-Star Game ended in a tie, will be replaced in 2017, as the team with the better record will get to host four of the seven games of the World Series.

For the Cubs, that rule change would have come in handy during the 2016 Fall Classic, as they didn’t get home field advantage despite winning nine more games than the Cleveland Indians. The American League team won the All-Star Game in San Diego, giving the home-field edge to the Indians.

According to the AP, the American League won home-field advantage in 11 of the 14 years that the All-Star Game decided the location of the Fall Classic, and they ended up winning the World Series in eight of those seasons.

Contact Us