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45-618: The Capital Classic is an annual American all-star game featuring high school basketball players. It is the country's longest-running high school all-star basketball game. The game pits a team of all-stars from the Washington, D.C., area against stars from around the United States. In its prime in the late 1970s and 1980s, the game drew star players such as Patrick Ewing , Grant Hill , Magic Johnson , Michael Jordan , Ralph Sampson , and Dominique Wilkins . The Capital Classic

90-478: A combination of strength and conditioning workouts, skill, development sessions, and team building activities. Athletes may also participate in recreational sports or activities to maintain their competitive edge while enjoying a break from the rigors of their primary sport. Furthermore, athletes may take advantage of the off-season to pursue personal interests, further their education, or engage in community service and outreach initiatives. Beyond individual training,

135-663: A desire to limit travel expenses. In the scheduling system used in the NFL , it is possible for two teams to only meet every four years, and to only have 2 common opponents in a season. Major League Baseball has the most uneven schedules of all the four major North American sports. In MLB, the conferences are called leagues instead, but have exactly the same effect as conferences (as with all North American major leagues , leagues, conferences, and division are not based on skill, but instead geography, history, and rivalries). Prior to scheduling changes in 2023, teams played 19 games against each of

180-468: A double round-robin "regular season". The Football League started its promotion playoffs in 1987, with the third up to the sixth-ranked teams participating for the final promotion berth (the two top teams are automatically promoted). Elsewhere, relegation playoffs are also held to determine which teams would be relegated to the lower leagues. One prominent top-level football league, the Eredivisie of

225-571: A goaltender. Due to the reduced team sizes, penalties that normally cause the penalized team to lose a skater instead give the non-penalized team an extra skater. The term "all-star" is mainly used in North America. All-star games are rare in international sports, such as association football , where games between national teams are more popular than all-star games would be. In the United Kingdom, all-star teams are usually denoted with

270-681: A league in a particular sport will operate their regular season at roughly the same time as the others, international tournaments may be arranged during the off season. For example, most European football league club competitions run from July or August to May, subsequently major international competitions such as the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Football Championship are organised to occur in June and July. The table represents typical seasons for some leagues by month. Blank or white denotes off-season and pre-season months and solid colors mark

315-620: A one-time event, its great success resulted in playing the game annually. Ward's contribution was recognized by Major League Baseball in 1962 with the creation of the Arch Ward Trophy, given to the All-Star Game's most valuable player each year. The 2024 All-Star Game reverted to its original East vs. West format. Football Basketball Other sports High school baseball High school basketball High school football (Longest running football all star game in

360-503: A playoff system (except during the two World Wars) since 1899. South Africa's Currie Cup has determined its champions by playoffs since 1968, and New Zealand's National Provincial Championship , the top level of which is now known as the Mitre 10 Cup , has used playoffs since its creation in 1976. Argentina's Nacional de Clubes has determined its champion by playoffs since its inception in 1993. Currently, two separate competitions feed into

405-399: A playoff tournament played against the league's top teams to determine the league's champion; and the offseason, the time when there is no official competition. In association football, many clubs tour and then they have a series of exhibition games for training purposes. In baseball, many clubs go to spring camp and then they have spring training . The National Football League preseason

450-457: A single game, the event is organized as a four-team knockout tournament, with each team representing one of the league's divisions. Additionally, each game within the event is contested as a single 20-minute period, making the playing time of the All-Star Game identical to that of a regulation NHL game. The most radical difference is the on-ice team composition—instead of five skaters and one goaltender at full strength, each team has three skaters and

495-418: A two-round knockout stage to determine the champions. It has since been expanded to the 4-round knockout stage today. The Copa Libertadores has applied a knockout stage since the 1988 tournament, expanding to the current four-round format next season. All intercontinental club football competitions now feature a knockout stage. The off-season , vacation time , or close season is the time of year when there

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540-462: Is a highly structured three-game series of games in which teams are afforded a larger roster limit and play games that do not count toward the record. It is used to evaluate and prepare talent for the upcoming regular season. In the highest levels of professional tennis , the preseason (November–December) consists of extensive period of training on and off the court (gym/fitness work as well as working on tennis-specific skills like for example improving

585-678: Is more important than winning the regular season. This includes the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada ( MLB's World Series , the NBA Finals , the NFL's Super Bowl , the NHL's Stanley Cup Finals , the MLS Cup , and the CFL's Grey Cup ), and the major Australian sports (BBL Grand Final, NBL Grand Final , A-League Grand Final , AFL Grand Final and NRL Grand Final ). European leagues have also started holding playoffs after

630-417: 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

675-661: Is played in a double round-robin format in the same way as the European championships. A system similar to the Apertura and Clausura developed independently in Philippine professional basketball , with formerly two, now three tournaments (called "conferences") in one season, with each conference divided into an "elimination round" (the single round-robin group stage) and the playoffs in the North American sense. Winning

720-419: Is reserved for the country's cup winner, only three of the four teams are guaranteed a place in the next season's European competitions (unless both the cup winner and runner-up are already qualified for Europe by other means). The playoff determines the country's second Champions League participant, and the points at which the two or three Europa League entrants join that competition. Conversely, some leagues like

765-624: Is sometimes used instead of regular season. Many football leagues in Latin America have a very different system. Because most Latin American countries never had a football cup competition, they instead split their season into two parts, typically known as the Apertura and Clausura ( Spanish for "opening" and "closing"). Most countries that use this system, Argentina being one notable example, crown separate league champions for each part of

810-544: The Los Angeles Clippers (a team within their division, a subdivision of the conference) four times in a regular season, while both will only play the Toronto Raptors , who are in the opposite Eastern Conference , twice. Part of this is due to the vast geographic distances between some teams in North America — measured in a straight line, Los Angeles is 3,494 kilometres from Toronto, for instance — and

855-687: The Premier League do not hold a postseason, and therefore these leagues' champions and relegation are instead based on the regular season records. Although rugby union did not become professional until 1995, that sport has a long history of playoffs, primarily in France and the Southern Hemisphere. The French national championship, now known as Top 14 , staged a championship final in its first season of 1892, first used more than one round of playoffs in 1893, and has continuously operated

900-584: The Roman numeral corresponding to the number of players allowed on the field – for example, a soccer or cricket XI , a rugby league XIII and a rugby union XV . Major League Baseball organized the first professional league all-star game as part of the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago . It was the brainchild of Arch Ward , then sports editor for the Chicago Tribune . Initially intended to be

945-587: The Capital Classic; twelve were placed on the U.S. team, while three local players were added to the team of Washington, Maryland , and Virginia players. With McDonald's backing in 1978, Geoghan started the national all-star game, the McDonald's All-American Game . Sonny Vaccaro , founder of the rival Dapper Dan Roundball Classic , accused the Capital Classic of telling some players that they needed to compete in their game if they wanted to be selected to

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990-605: The McDonald's All-American Team, which Geoghan denied. McDonald's stopped sponsoring the Capital Classic after the 1991 contest. The game's appeal fell in the late 1990s, losing players to the McDonald's All-American Game and the Roundball Classic. Since 1982, the NCAA limited high school seniors to playing in only two all-star games. The Capital Classic regained its stature after partnering with Nike in 2002. The event

1035-753: The Nacional, the Torneo de la URBA (for Buenos Aires clubs, held since 1899) and Torneo del Interior (for the rest of the country); both use playoffs to determine their champions. Super Rugby , involving regional franchises from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa and national franchises in Argentina and Japan, has used playoffs to determine its champions since its creation as Super 12 in 1996. By contrast, other European countries were slow to adopt playoffs in rugby union. The English Premiership only began playoffs in 1999–2000 , and did not use them to determine

1080-631: The Netherlands, uses two different playoffs—one for relegation purposes, and the other to determine one of the league's entrants in the following season's UEFA Europa League . In Superleague Greece , which currently has two places in the UEFA Champions League and three in the Europa League, the teams that finish second through fifth in the regular season enter a home-and-away "playoff" mini-league. Since one Europa League place

1125-501: The accuracy of serve). In sport, the term "regular season" or "home-and-away season" refers to the sport's league competition . The regular season is usually similar to a group tournament format: teams are divided into groups, conferences and/or divisions, and each club plays a set number of games against a set number of opponents. In most countries the league is played in a double round-robin format, where every team plays every other team twice, once at their home venue, and once away at

1170-411: The attendance fell to an average of about 3,000. All-star game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league . The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, but sometimes dividing the players by an attribute such as nationality . Selection of

1215-414: The country. EST. 1935) (www.CarolinaBowl.com / EST. 2015) High school hockey High school lacrosse Season (sports)#Regular season A year can often be broken up into several distinct sections (sometimes themselves called seasons). These are: a preseason, a series of exhibition games played for training purposes; a regular season, the main period of the league's competition; the postseason ,

1260-438: The demands of competitive play. This period of rest is essential for preventing burnout, reducing the risk of injuries, and allowing the body to recover from the wear and tear of regular training and competition. Athletes may use this time to focus on rehabilitation from any lingering injuries, undergo medical evaluations, and engage in cross-training activities to maintain overall fitness levels. In addition to rest and recovery,

1305-638: The game and to avoid injury. In ice hockey , for example, there is no serious checking , while in American football no blitzing is allowed. In basketball, there is virtually no defense played until the final quarter; instead, the Australian State of Origin series involves physicality that often leads to on-field scuffles. The current format of the NHL All-Star Game differs significantly from that of normal league games. Instead of

1350-501: The game was delayed by a half hour. In 1977, Geoghan wanted to create a national game with the East versus the West, but McDonald's rejected the idea. Instead, their national office asked him to select their first All-American team. Fifteen players—including future NBA players Gene Banks , Magic Johnson , and Albert King —were named to the inaugural McDonald's All-American Team to play in

1395-588: The league champion until 2002–03 . The Celtic League, now known as Pro14 , resisted a playoff system even longer; its champions were determined solely by league play from its inception in 2001–02 until playoffs began in 2009–10 . When the UEFA Champions League reformatted in 1993, it added a "knockout stage" involving four teams that finished at the top two places in their respective groups. Like North American sports leagues, this setup prevented some participants from facing each other, necessitating

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1440-451: The next regular season. The Off-season is characterized by a break in regular league or tournament play, allowing athletes, coaches, and staff to rest, recover, and prepare for the upcoming season. The off-season typically follows the conclusion of the regular season or playoffs and precedes the start of preseason training or conditioning camps. During the off-season, athletes often take time off to recuperate both physically and mentally from

1485-454: The off-season is also a critical time for teams to regroup, strategize, and plan for the upcoming season. Coaching staff and management may conduct player evaluations, analyze performance data, and make personnel decisions such as trades, drafts and free agent signings. Team bonding activities, such as retreats, workshops, and social events, may be organized  to foster camaraderie and cohesion among teammates. As most countries which have

1530-459: The off-season provides athletes with an opportunity to address weakness and areas for improvement in their performance. Many athletes use this time to work on specific skills, refine techniques, and build strength and conditioning through targeted training programs. Coaches and training staff often collaborate with athletes to develop individualized offseason training regimens tailored to their specific needs and goals. Off-season training may include

1575-457: The opposition's venue as visitors. The results over all games are accumulated and when every team has completed its full schedule of games, a winner is declared. In North America, the scheduling is different. Rather than every team playing all others twice, teams usually play more games against local rivals than teams in other parts of the country. For example, the NBA 's Los Angeles Lakers will play

1620-465: The players may be done by a vote of the coaches and/or news media; in professional leagues, fans may vote on some or all of the roster. An all-star game usually occurs at the midpoint of the regular season . An exception is American football 's NFL Pro Bowl , which occurs at the end of the season. All-star games are usually organized like regular games, but are often played with less emphasis on victory. Competing goals are to give many players time in

1665-498: The playoffs is the ultimate goal of every team for every conference; while there is no season championship, winning all conferences within a single season is rare and has only happened five times since 1975, with the two most recent examples occurring in 1996 and 2013–14 . The qualifying round and playoffs setup has permeated down to the local level and in most team sports, although seasons are not divided into conferences. Many sports leagues have playoffs or "finals" that occur after

1710-435: The postseason World Series , and thus MLB teams did not play the other league's teams at all). In 2023, teams played all interleague teams in a single season for the first time; teams now play a 3-game series against all teams, except their designated interleague rival with 4 games, totalling to 46 games (later increased to 48 games and a 6-game series with their interleague rival for the forthcoming 2025 season). In Australia,

1755-411: The regular season is complete. A subset of the teams enter into a playoff tournament , usually a knockout tournament , generally a pre-determined number with better overall records (more wins, fewer losses) during the regular season. There are many variations used to determine the champion, the league's top prize. In many of these leagues, winning the league's top prize at the conclusion of the postseason

1800-679: The season, using only league play. A few others, such as Uruguay, crown one champion at the end of a playoff involving top teams from each half of the season. Mexico operates its Apertura and Clausura as separate competitions that both end in playoffs. Brazil has a different system, the season starts with the state championships in January (every Brazilian state have his own championship), these state championships ends in April. The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A itself starts in May and ends in early December, and

1845-428: The teams in their own division each year but only played 20 games total against all of the teams in the other league. Because each of the inter-league match-ups was part of a 3-game series or a 2-game series, teams played no games at all against most teams from the other league. They played 6 of the 15 teams in the other league, a historically high number (until 1997, interleague play was limited to exhibition matches and

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1890-460: The two largest football leagues, the AFL ( Australian rules football ) and NRL ( rugby league ), both grew out of competitions held within a single city (respectively Melbourne and Sydney) and only began expanding to the rest of the country when inexpensive air travel made a national league possible. These leagues use a single table instead of being split into divisions. The term "home and away season"

1935-646: Was fired from his executive position with the Wizards, he attempted to move the event from the D.C. area to New York. However, Geoghan refused, and Nike's sponsorship of the Classic ended as Jordan started the Jordan Brand Classic in New York's Madison Square Garden in 2005. The Capital Classic competed with the new Jordan game for players. Since the 2003 game featuring James drew a crowd of 18,424,

1980-565: Was renamed to the Jordan Brand Capital Classic, after Nike's separate label endorsed by Michael Jordan , who was playing with the Washington Wizards at the time. With Jordan Brand, practically all of the top players in the Classic were from Nike programs or teams they sponsored. In 2003, LeBron James committed to play in the game, citing his relationship with Michael Jordan as a motivation. After Jordan

2025-537: Was started in 1974 by Bob Geoghan, and was originally sponsored by local McDonald's franchises. The inaugural game was held at the new Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland , and drew over 11,000 fans. Moses Malone was the big draw. Officials expected a smaller crowd. They had only planned for one ticket window to be open. However, around 7,000 walk-up tickets were sold, and three more windows were opened. Cars were backed up, reportedly for five miles (8.0 km), and

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