<P> For most of its history, the Little League World Series has featured either a consolation bracket, or consolation games . Currently, the tournament features a single consolation game between the United States runner - up and the International runner - up . Like the championship, the game allows an American team to compete against an International team . All other games are played within their respective American or International pool of eight teams each, except two exhibition games which match the United States teams and International teams which went 0 - 2 in their respective brackets . </P> <P> Third place games (and consolation games for lower placings) are common in early season college basketball tournaments, as it gives each team an opportunity to play more games before the conference games start in earnest . It also provides the tournament venue with additional games . </P> <P> Many sports tournaments do not have a third place playoff, mostly due to a lack of interest from the competitors and also from the fans . Two of the most celebrated knockout tournaments--the FA Cup Third - fourth place matches (1970--1974) and the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship (1946--1981)--did feature the third place game for a period of time, but later abandoned it . For most of its years, the NCAA consolation game held interest because it usually featured two nationally ranked teams in which only a few teams qualified for the tournament . However, as the field expanded beyond 32 teams, the game lost significance . In addition, eliminating the game allowed the losing teams to return home rather than remaining in the Final Four city for an additional two days to play a game many believed was irrelevant . Relevancy aside, others supported the game for competitive reasons because it typically featured a match between two of the best college teams in the nation; and, it allowed each of those teams to be honored as a Final Four team for the entire weekend . </P> <P> The National Football League had a consolation game, the Playoff Bowl, from 1960 to 1969, which pitted the second - place team in each of the two conferences (based on regular season record from 1960 to 1966) against each other in Miami, Florida . Through the 1966 season, the only scheduled NFL playoff game was the Championship Game (with unscheduled conference tie - breaker games as necessary; only in 1965 during the 1960s). In 1967, the NFL playoff field expanded to four (division champions), and its first round losers went to the Playoff Bowl, increasingly unpopular with the participating players . With interest declining for a third - place game and an eight - team playoff field arriving with the AFL--NFL merger in 1970, the Playoff Bowl was abandoned with little objection . </P>

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