Why critics call it unfair
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| Item | Count | Out of | Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennant winner missed the Japan Series | 8 | 39 Final Stages | 2007 Central Chunichi (seed 2), 2010 Pacific Lotte (seed 3), 2014 Central Hanshin (seed 2), 2017 Central DeNA (seed 3), 2018 Pacific SoftBank (seed 2), 2019 Pacific SoftBank (seed 2), 2024 Central DeNA (seed 3), 2026 Central DeNA (seed 3) |
| Entered with a sub-.500 record | 7 clubs (0 reached the Japan Series) | 116 entries | 2009 Yakult, 2013 Hiroshima, 2015 Hanshin, 2016 DeNA, 2018 Yomiuri, 2021 Yomiuri, 2022 Hanshin |
| Overturned against a gap of 10+ games | 3 | 22 matchups with a 10+ game gap | 2008 Central First Hanshin → Chunichi (11-win gap), 2017 Central Final Hiroshima → DeNA (15-win gap), 2021 Central First Hanshin → Yomiuri (16-win gap) |
In 4 of the times the pennant winner lost, the third-place club went to the Japan Series.
The 2007 Final Stage was played without an advantage for the champion.
How far ahead were the pennant winners who lost, and would the new format have saved them? Climax Series upsets and games back
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Why supporters call it necessary
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| Item | Count | Out of | Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third and fourth within one game | 8 league-seasons | 38 league-seasons | 2008 Pacific, 2010 Pacific, 2011 Pacific, 2012 Pacific, 2013 Pacific, 2015 Central, 2019 Central, 2022 Central |
Clubs that beat the pennant winner to reach the Japan Series went on to win it 5 of 7 times.
Every matchup and result, and the third-place upsets? Climax Series results by year
How much do standings gaps and the advantage decide? What decides the Climax Series
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