It may be August, but Major League Baseball has released the 2016 postseason schedule. It begins on October 4th and 5th with the Wild Card Games and if the World Series goes the full seven games, it will end on Wednesday, November 2.

Like last year, the World Series avoids Monday and Thursday Night Football. It would begin on Tuesday, October 25 with a potential Game 5 on Sunday, October 30 on opposite the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys Sunday Night Football game. The last time a World Series game beat the NFL in viewership was in 2011.

This season, TBS will air the American League half of the playoffs while ESPN, Fox, FS1 and MLB Network take the National League.

As for the rest of the postseason, let’s look at the schedule and the conflicts:

WILD CARD PLAYOFF GAMES:

Tuesday, October 4 — American League Wild Card Game on TBS (Conflict: Vice Presidential Debate)
Wednesday, October 5 — National League Wild Card Game on ESPN

DIVISION SERIES

Thursday, October 6 — ALDS Game 1 on TBS (Conflict: Thursday Night Football –Arizona at San Francisco on CBS)

Friday, October 7 — ALDS Game 2 on TBS, NLCS Game 1 on FS1 or MLB Network

Saturday, October 8 — NLDS Game 2 on FS1 or MLB Network (Conflict: College Football)

Sunday, October 9 — ALDS Game 3 on TBS (Conflicts: NFL afternoon games/Sunday Night Football — New York Giants at Green Bay/2nd Presidential Debate)

Monday, October 10 — ALDS Game 4 on TBS (if necessary) and NLDS Games 3 on FS1 or MLB Network (Conflict: Monday Night Football — Tampa Bay at Carolina)

Tuesday, October 11 — NLDS Game 4 on FS1 (if necessary)

Wednesday, October 12 — ALDS Game 5 on TBS (if necessary)

Thursday, October 13 — NLDS Game 5 on FS1 (if necessary) (Conflict: Thursday Night Football — Denver at San Diego)

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Friday, October 14 — ALCS Game 1 on TBS

Saturday, October 15 — ALCS Game 2 on TBS, NLCS Game 1 on Fox or FS1 (Conflict: College Football)

Sunday, October 16 — NLCS Game 2 on Fox or FS1 (Conflict: Sunday Night Football — Indianapolis at Houston)

Monday, October 17 — ALCS Game 3 on TBS (Conflict: Monday Night Football — New York Jets at Arizona)

Tuesday, October 18 — ALCS Game 4 on TBS, NLCS Game 3 on Fox or FS1

Wednesday, October 19 — ALCS Game 5 on TBS (if necessary), NLDS Game 4 (Conflict: 3rd Presidential Debate)

Thursday, October 20 — NLCS Game 5 on Fox or FS1 (if necessary) (Conflict: Thursday Night Football — Chicago at Green Bay)

Friday, October 21 — ALCS Game 6 on TBS (if necessary)

Saturday, October 22 — ALCS Game 7 on TBS (if necessary), NLCS Game 6 on Fox or FS1 (if necessary) (Conflict: College Football)

Sunday, October 23 — NLCS Game 7 on Fox or FS1 (if necessary) (Conflict: Sunday Night Football — Seattle at Arizona)

WORLD SERIES

Tuesday, October 25 — Game 1 at American League on Fox
Wednesday, October 26 — Game 2 at American League on Fox
Thursday, October 27 — Travel Day
Friday, October 28 — Game 3 at National League on Fox
Saturday, October 29 — Game 4 at National League on Fox (Conflict: College Football)
Sunday, October 30 — Game 5 at National League on Fox (if necessary) (Conflict: Sunday Night Football — Philadelphia at Dallas)
Monday, October 31 — Travel Day
Tuesday, November 1 — Game 6 at American League on Fox (if necessary)
Wednesday, November 2 — Game 7 at American League on Fox (if necessary)

There’s not much MLB can do about the fall conflicts, but with the Presidential debates thrown into the mix, baseball will do its best to present one of sports’ best postseaasons.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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