<P> The World Series used several different formats in its early years . Initially it generally followed an alternating home - and - away pattern, except that if a seventh game was possible, its site was determined by coin toss prior to the sixth game . In 1924 the Series began using a 2 - 3 - 2 format, presumably to save on travel costs, a pattern that has continued to this day with the exception of a couple of the World War II years when wartime travel restrictions compelled a 3 - 4 format (used in 1943 and 1945, but not in the 1944 series, which was all in the same stadium in St. Louis). From the start of the 2 - 3 - 2 format through the 2002 season, home - field advantage generally alternated between leagues each year . Prior to the 1994 strike, the National League champion received home - field advantage in even - numbered years and the American League champion in odd - numbered years; these were reversed for 1995--2002 (because 1994 would have been the NL's turn to have home - field, but the World Series was cancelled by the aforementioned strike). That changed starting in 2003 . </P> <P> The 2002 All - Star Game had ended in a tie, much to the displeasure of both fans and sportswriters who complained about a lack of intensity and competitiveness on the part of the players . This hit especially close to home for Commissioner Bud Selig, as the game had been played in his home city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin . In response, to give some real meaning to the game, in 2003 MLB began assigning home - field advantage in the World Series to the winner of that year's All - Star Game, which is typically held in mid-July . </P> <P> Following the acceptance of a new collective bargaining agreement after the 2016 season, home - field advantage in the World Series will no longer be tied to the outcome of the All - Star Game, but will instead go to the team with the better regular - season record . </P> <P> Until 1998, the LCS alternated home - field advantage with a 2 - 3 format in the best - of - 5 era (1969--84) and a 2 - 3 - 2 format when it went to best - of - 7 (1985--present). Since 1998 the team with the better record has had this advantage, except that in no case can the wild card ever secure the extra home game, regardless of regular - season records . </P>

Who gets home field advantage in world series