Baseball is called the Great American Pasttime because so many Americans share a passion for the game. The game may live or die by the pitcher or the next power batter, but the schedule is dependent on modeling.  The Sports Scheduling Group uses mathematical programming and high-performance computers running virtually non-stop for months to develop a schedule for major league baseball.    According to one of the partners of SSG, “a typical model for a sports scheduling problem is a combinatorial design with nasty side constraints and multi-objectives.”

Schedule-makers deal with conflicting requirements and preferences as a matter of course, but as the financial and competitive stakes in athletics rise, so does the complexity of creating a balanced schedule.  To maximize revenue, it is crucial to have important games televised on the right days and times. These requirements frequently conflict with more traditional requirements of a "fair" schedule that balances strength of schedule, home and away games, and travel.

SSG must consider the following constraints when developing a schedule:
• Each club plays 162 games and 52 series, including 13 at home on weekends.
• Games within each month and during summer dates should be reasonably balanced between teams.
• Single-series and four-series home stands and road trips should be minimized; two- and three-series home stands and road trips are preferred.
• No more than four series home stands or road trips should be scheduled
• No doubleheaders in original schedule.
• Considerations must be made to the miles traveled by one team during a season. No team should travel in excess of 50,000 miles over the course of the season.
• Three game series are optimal (minimize number of two or four game series).
In addition, SSG entertains the requests of the teams, the television networks broadcasting the games, and the MLB Players Union.