# Crazy New Rules in Sports that you'd like to see **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 29, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241 "2010-03-29T19:32:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/61 "2010-04-02T15:43:45Z")
> [@KennerTheGreat](#): > > If the pitcher hits the batter in the nuts with a fastball, the batter doesn’t get first base. Instead, it’s called a _scroball_ and it’s a called strike. Instead, make this an automatic home run. It would be interesting to see how many batters would be willing to “take one for the team” in this manner. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/62 "2010-04-02T16:09:59Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Instead, make this an automatic home run. It would be interesting to see how many batters would be willing to “take one for the team” in this manner. “OK, Johnny, it’s the bottom of the 9th, we’re down by 3, bases are loaded and there are two outs. Get out there and take one for the team.” “But… but I don’t wanna, coach…” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/63 "2010-04-03T07:38:09Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Football would become MUCH more interesting if they gave three of the players on each team baseball bats and told them to swing away. Three? Is that all? This time it’s the [Irish](http://www.martindriscoll.com/Images/MDC/originalsforsale/The-Hurling-Match.jpg) who are way ahead of you. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/64 "2010-04-09T15:14:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > \*\*Twelve inning football. \*\* This was proposed and tried a few times: the idea is that each team is given the ball twelve times and keeps it until they either score, turn it over, or have to punt. The other team then gets a chance to score. The clock is no longer a factor. > > The same guy who proposed this also proposed **Three-set baseball**. Each game consists of three, three-inning sets. The team ahead at the end of the third inning gets one set and the score is reset. If a team scores a bunch of runs in the first inning, the other team gets a chance to come back. > > Finally, there isn’t a sport that wouldn’t be improved by trying any one of the rules of [43-Man Squamish.](http://madcoversite.com/quiz_olympics.html). We used to play rec baseball sort of like what you’re saying (I think). We would play three innings in a row on offense or defense then switch it up. No rule changes other than not alternating at the half inning. If you had men on base and the 3rd out was made, you cleared the bases, the next batter came up and you started the next half inning for that same team. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/65 "2010-04-09T15:19:23Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > _All_ women’s sports will shoot up in attendance. That’s not the only thing that would shoot up! Bazinga! (I’m going to really hate myself if someone already made this joke) ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/66 "2010-04-09T16:30:14Z")
> [@KennerTheGreat](#): > > Another new baseball rule. There are still nine innings, and still 27 outs. But the arrangement of them is a little different. > > In one inning, you get one out. > In another inning, you get two outs. > In another inning, you get four outs. > And in another inning, you get five outs. > The rest of the innings, you get the usual three outs. > > Managers may choose the innings where they want to have irregular number of outs, but they must do so at the pre-game meeting with the umpire at home plate. I really, really like this idea. But I’d allow them to make the decision on the fly. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/67 "2010-04-13T05:53:47Z")
I really dislike cheap “have to settle for” field goals, so… FGs attempted from closer to the goal line than the 15 yard line are worth only one point. Between the 15 and 35 yard lines an FG is worth two points, but…if the kicker misses it, the defending team gets one point. From beyond the 35 the FG is good for the usual three points, but a miss will give the defending team two points. Also, each team is limited to one field goal per quarter, plus a bonus FG good for three points from anywhere on the field provided it is drop-kicked. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/68 "2010-04-13T17:16:06Z")
American football _does not_ need to be more complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/69 "2010-04-13T20:10:10Z")
> [@BlueOhio](#): > > I would like football to be played on fields of varying sizes, like baseball does with its ballparks. > Imagine some fields that were really narrow or very wide; some much longer than normal; others with small hills. > Great fun. It does sound fun. How about some with pools of mud, like the field the guys in the TV commercials are always playing in? 😉 I’d actually like to see greater variance in ballparks. Right now, we have some variation in outfield dimensions and the height of outfield walls, and there are a few parks with much more foul territory behind the plate and to either side than others. Then there’s the matter of roofs–a couple have fixed roofs, a few more have adjustable ones. That’s about it. There’s not _that_ much variation in outfield dimensions. For example, there are no ballparks anywhere with outfields so deep that out-of-the-park home runs are really drastically reduced, even approaching zero. Think about what such a huge outfield would mean. With such enormous expanses of fair territory _inside_ the walls, and many more fly balls dropping in fair territory, there would be many more contests between baserunners and fielders. More triples. More _inside_-the-park home runs. More outfield assists (“baserunner kills”). On the other hand, how about outfields of normal depth (or even short), but with _very_ high walls. Imagine a yard where the entire outfield wall was an even-bigger Green Monster, and _most_ long hits were played off the wall. Again, there would be more contests between fielders and baserunners, but the ideal outfielder would be a different sort than in the first example. Stamina for running all over the place would be less important, and accurate judgment of the “rebounds” would be much more so. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/70 "2010-04-13T21:43:50Z")
For college sports, we implement handicapping like they do for yacht racing. Except, we handicap based on academic standing. So Northwestern with actual student athletes starts the match with more points than USC who has trouble finding players who can finish college. You would have to watch out for the basketweaving courses, but it could make it interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/71 "2010-04-14T00:33:08Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > For college sports, we implement handicapping like they do for yacht racing. Except, we handicap based on academic standing. > > So Northwestern with actual student athletes starts the match with more points than USC who has trouble finding players who can finish college. You would have to watch out for the basketweaving courses, but it could make it interesting. [Been done.](http://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/blogposts/2009/third_annual_academic_bowl_championship_series_rankings-25250) ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/72 "2010-04-20T09:23:35Z")
Not my original idea, but the best idea I’ve seen: Figure skating (men’s/women’s/pairs). Groups of five must do their routine at the same time. I would pay good money to watch this. Also, in soccer in most leages around the world, there are promotions/relegations. The top two-three teams move up to a higher league next year, and the bottom two-three teams are relegated to a lower league. I think this is a _great_ idea, and should be used in our four majors sports: The Royals and Astros should be in Triple A. Ditto the Rams and Lions, Timberwolves and Nets, etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241/73 "2010-04-20T10:35:16Z")
I’ve always thought that F1 could be improved immensely by removing a few random nuts during pit stops. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-new-rules-in-sports-that-youd-like-to-see/534241.md?page=3)