The Triple-A National Championship Game is a interleague postseason baseball game between the league champions of two affiliated Triple-A leagues of Minor League Baseball—the International League and Pacific Coast League—to determine an overall champion. The game has been held annually since 2006. The two Triple-A leagues were established in 1993, when Major League Baseball (MLB) restructured its Minor League Baseball operations. Previously, the Triple-A classification was applied to a third tier of teams in all of MLB's affiliated minor leagues; after 1993, it became the highest level of play in the minors.
The championship game pits the champions of the International League against the champions of the Pacific Coast League in a one-game, winner-take-all showdown. The site of the game alternates between the home ballparks of each league's champion.
The first Triple-A National Championship Game was held in 2006, with the Durham Bulls, champions of the International League, defeating the Sacramento River Cats, champions of the Pacific Coast League, 5-4. In 2007, the Toledo Mud Hens, also of the International League, defeated the Sacramento River Cats 3-1 in 11 innings. The 2008 game saw the Richmond Braves of the International League defeat the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League, 3-2.
In 2009, the game was not played due to scheduling conflicts with MLB's World Series. The 2010 game saw the Durham Bulls defeat the Memphis Redbirds 4-0. The 2011 game was played on October 18, with the Pawtucket Red Sox defeating the Reno Aces 3-1.
The 2012 game saw the Charlotte Knights defeat the Reno Aces 2-1 in front of a then-record crowd of 12,562 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The 2013 game was once again played at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, with the Pawtucket Red Sox defeating the Omaha Storm Chasers 3-0 in front of a crowd of 10,831.
The 2014 game was played at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, home of the Dash, with the Pawtucket Red Sox defeating the Durham Bulls 5-3 in front of a crowd of 7,210.
The 2015 game was played at AutoZone Park in Memphis, home of the Redbirds, with the Columbus Clippers defeating the El Paso Chihuahuas 5-2 in front of a crowd of 10,025.
The 2016 game was played at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, home of the Rainiers, with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeating the El Paso Chihuahuas 6-5 in front of a crowd of 7, undue.
The 2017 game was played at PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania, home of the RailRiders, with the Durham Bulls defeating the Memphis Redbirds 3-1 in front of a crowd of 9,002.
The 2018 game was played at Southwest University Park in El Paso, home of the Chihuahuas, with the Durham Bulls defeating the Memphis Redbirds 2-1 in front of a crowd of 9,019.
The 2019 game was played at AutoZone Park in Memphis, with the Durham Bulls defeating the Reno Aces 3-1 in front of a crowd of 10,076.
The 2020 game was initially scheduled to be played at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on September 22, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The game was rescheduled for October 2 and was again postponed due to the pandemic. The game was eventually played on October 6 at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, home of the Isotopes, with the Durham Bulls defeating the El Paso Chihuahuas 3-1 in front of a crowd of 8,156.
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