silly seasons

Noun

silly season (plural silly seasons)

1. (idiomatic) A period, usually during the summertime, when news media tend to place increased emphasis on reporting light-hearted, offbeat, or bizarre stories.
   • "Constant readers" of the Times […] must have been often amused by watching the change which yearly comes over the great journal during the months of autumn. When Parliament is no longer sitting and the gay world is no longer gathered together in London, something very different is supposed to do...1861 July 13, “The silly season”, in The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science, and Art, volume 12, number 298, London: Published at the office, Southampton Street, Strand, →OCLC, page 37...
2. (idiomatic) A period of time, as during a holiday season or a political campaign, in which the behavior of an individual or group tends to become uncharacteristically frivolous, mirthful, or eccentric.
   • Yes, Virginia, there is a presidential election in 1984—and it has begun: A former Vice President goes ice fishing and poses with a puny perch dangling from his line. A 68-year-old Senator dons athletic shorts and runs a 60-yd. dash in a San Francisco track meet. […] Such hijinks can mean only one...1983 February 28, Walter Isaacson, “Opening the silly season”, in Time, archived from the original on 15 Apr 2016
3. (idiomatic) The early part of a competition’s offseason, where many roster and staff changes are made based on the outcome of the season just concluded.
4. The time of year when contract negotiations start, trades, and competitors change affiliations, frequently starting at mid-season or just before the start of free-agency, and extending to the start of the next season.