Drive Poll – Should All Teams Qualify For H.S. Sports Playoffs?

Late last week, the Maine Principals Association announced their plans to have open postseason tournaments for many sports in the upcoming fall season.

The decision was made to not punish schools or sports programs that may be forced to cancel regular season contests due to COVID-19 related issues. It's the second-consecutive high school sports season with such a format, after the MPA decided to open postseason tournaments to all schools last spring for the same reasons.

While the tournaments will be open to all, it will be up to the individual schools, namely those lower in the standings, to decide whether to compete in a postseason that they may not have otherwise qualified for.

It's also worth noting football, golf and cross country will be unaffected by the changes.

Should this model of open competition continue beyond the pandemic-impacted seasons, or should it return to a select group that makes the playoffs?