<P> Through the 2016--17 season, the second - level RFU Championship uses play - offs--but unlike the Premiership, the Championship officially uses the term "play - offs". At the end of the league stage, top teams advance to a series of promotion play - offs . From the first season of the Championship in 2009--10 to 2011--12, the top eight teams advanced; since 2012--13, the top four have advanced . A relegation play - off involving the bottom four teams existed through the 2011--12 season, but was scrapped from 2012--13 on . </P> <P> The original promotion play - offs divided the eight teams into two groups of four each, with the teams within each group playing a home - and - away mini-league . The top two teams in each group advanced to a knockout phase . In 2010, the semi-finals were one - off matches; in 2011, they became two - legged . The top team in each pool played the second - place team from the other group in the semi-finals; the winners advanced to the two - legged final, where the ultimate winner earned promotion to the Premiership (assuming that the team met the minimum criteria for promotion). </P> <P> In the first year of the play - offs in 2010, all eight teams started equal . After that season, it was decided to reward teams for their performance in league play . in 2011 and 2012, the top two teams at the end of the league stage carried over 3 competition points to the promotion play - offs; the next two teams carried over 2; the next two carried over 1; and the final two teams carried over none . (Points were earned using the standard bonus points system .) </P> <P> The relegation play - offs, like the first stage of the promotion play - offs, were conducted as a home - and - away league, with the bottom team at the end of league play relegated to National League 1 . As with the 2010 promotion play - offs, that season's relegation play - offs started all teams equal . in 2011 and 2012, each team in the relegation play - offs carried over 1 competition point for every win in the league season . </P>

How many teams in baseball go to the playoffs