At my LGS, we have a few people that always insist on playing semi-finals/finals at the end of tournaments (even 8-man drafts). This causes most of the other patrons, as well as the owner, some annoyance. The owner says that the rules presented by WotC say that he is obligated to offer the option of finals (rather than payout based on standing or something else). Now, I recall other stores specifically not allowing the option of finals.
So, my question is this: Is the store owner forced to run finals? If not, I would appreciate a link to any official rules that state this.
Unless otherwise announced, tournaments are assumed to follow the Swiss pairing algorithm. Some tournaments may proceed to single-elimination playoff rounds between the top 2, 4, or 8 (or other number) players after the Swiss rounds are over.
Emphasis mine. There aren't any rules for arbitrary events saying that you have to run a playoff. Specific Premier events (such as GPTs, PPTQs, etc.) have their own fact sheets which do require playoff rounds, but for just a weekly draft or FNM, there is no requirement that you do a cut to top 2, 4, or 8. In fact, for more casual events, I would highly suggest not doing a playoff and instead just doing payout based on record (not standings as that creates feel-bads when one player who went 2-1 gets prize and another who also went 2-1 gets less or nothing).
10.4 Pairing Algorithm
Unless otherwise announced, tournaments are assumed to follow the Swiss pairing algorithm. Some tournaments may proceed to single-elimination playoff rounds between the top 2, 4, or 8 (or other number) players after the Swiss rounds are over.
And later in the same section
For Premier Events, the playoff options above are required, not optional. Premier Events include the following events: Magic: The Gathering World Championship, World Magic Cup, World Magic Cup Qualifiers, Pro Tour, Pro Tour Qualifier, Grand Prix, Grand Prix Trial, WPN Premium Tournament, and WPN Premium Qualifier.
Unless your LGS is doing one of the above, you don't have to have a playoff.
There is nothing listed in the MTR that defines the necessity of finals or anything similar (for any local FNMs). There is also nothing that limits how prize payouts are done.
So, my question is this: Is the store owner forced to run finals? If not, I would appreciate a link to any official rules that state this.
Emphasis mine. There aren't any rules for arbitrary events saying that you have to run a playoff. Specific Premier events (such as GPTs, PPTQs, etc.) have their own fact sheets which do require playoff rounds, but for just a weekly draft or FNM, there is no requirement that you do a cut to top 2, 4, or 8. In fact, for more casual events, I would highly suggest not doing a playoff and instead just doing payout based on record (not standings as that creates feel-bads when one player who went 2-1 gets prize and another who also went 2-1 gets less or nothing).
And later in the same section
Unless your LGS is doing one of the above, you don't have to have a playoff.