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THE MERCY RULE IN SPORTS The rules vary widely, depending on the level of competition, but nearly all youth leagues and High School sports associations, and many College sports associations have mercy rules for sports including baseball, softball, football (although not college) and soccer. It is common in Video Game simulations of Sports because it helps move the game along. However, it should be noted that mercy rules usually do not take effect until a prescribed point in the game (e.g., the second half of a football game). That means one team, particularly if they are decidedly better than a weaker opponent, can score as much as they want to before the rule takes effect. For instance:
Baseball and softball In the World Baseball Classic (WBC), games are stopped after five innings when a team is ahead by 15 or more runs and after seven innings when a team is ahead by at least 10 runs. In Little League baseball, rules usually call for the game to end if the winning team is ahead by 10 runs after five innings. In some leagues, this margin may be as little as eight. Softball rules are similar, but some rules call for the game to end if the winning team is ahead by 12 runs or more after three innings. Football At the middle or high school level, the mercy rule may involve a "continuous clock" – that is, the clock continues to operate on most plays when the clock would normally stop, such as an incomplete pass – once a team has a certain lead (e.g., 35 points) during the second half. Under the rules, the clock stops as usual during such events as a touchdown or injury time out, and reverts to normal timing procedures once the lead falls below the prescribed amount. In some states, the rules call for a game to end when one team is ahead by a certain score (e.g., 50 points) in the second half. Note: In some states with the "continuous clock" rule, the coaches and game officials may still choose to end a game in the second half before its natural conclusion, especially if a lopsided margin continues to increase (as in a game involving a far superior team playing a very weak opponent) or threatening weather strikes. Soccer and hockey In both boys and girls competition, the winning margin usually is somewhere from 5-10 goals in the second half. PROS AND CONS Opinions on mercy rules vary widely. For instance, those who believe that the rule is a good idea commonly cite the following reasons:
People who are against a mercy rule often cite one of the following:
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