Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010

Does "play-in" game _mean_ a group game, i.e. not in the play-offs?

I've not met this phrase before. It seems to be American.

In the context of basketball:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Basketball_Opening_Round_game

   The Opening Round game, (formerly known as the Play-In Game) of the
   NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is the first game of
   the tournament, played between the two last-seeded (i.e. 64th and
   65th) teams.

   The reason the game is not officially referred to as a "play-in" is
   because the two teams are officially in the tournament before the
   game is played. As recently as 1991, the NCAA has conducted play-in
   games (usually between champions of what were considered to be the
   weakest conferences[citation needed]) prior to the announcement of
   the brackets; the losers were not considered to have been in the
   tournament. Note that the loser of the current opening round game is
   still credited with a tournament appearance for purposes of sharing
   in the NCAA basketball contract revenues, while the winner receives
   a share for being in the round of 64.

In the context from which you quote it appears to be what in some other
sports would be a "Repechage". I first met this word in rowing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repechage

   ....
   ....
   It is also used in rowing. Often only the first one or two boats in
   a race will qualify automatically for the next round, and all of the
   other boats must race again in one or more special heats (known as
   the repechage) to qualify. Because conditions such as wind vary
   between the heats, often significantly affecting a competitor's
   time, rowing's repechage system allows the "fastest losers" to
   qualify independent of the variable conditions in the opening heats.

It is a last chance game, the winner moves on to the next round the loser is
out.

...

"First time I've seen..." by the way.

--
Jerry Friedman