End of the championship season shouldn’t mean end of progress

Every athlete and coach wants to be competing on the final day of the season. But what becomes of those whose season ends early?

In many sports, this is not a problem. On the Premier League’s final day, much will likely be riding on the matches at either end of the table. Rugby is not too dissimilar, with top-four finishers playing off soon after the regular season.

In contrast, the post-season in the NFL and NBA, stateside, can add many weeks to the campaign for those who make it.