Bladeball


 * For the professional bladeball league, see Greatian Bladeball League.

Bladeball is Greatian sport played in a large indoor arena. It is the national sport of Greatia.

History
Bladeball was invented in 1945 by Kreasi Kornblatt during an era that involved a lack of sports in Greatia. The invention of bladeball put an end to this era as it immediately became popular among Greatians, but never spread worldwide. The Greatian Bladeball League, the highest organization of professional bladeball, formed in 1947 and the first season was played that year. The league consisted of six teams, but has since expanded to 18 teams, based in 18 different cities around Greatia. Each team competes to win the Kreasi Cup (named after Kreasi Kornblatt), the championship trophy, by beating each other out in this sport. The league will expand to 20 teams by 2023. The game is also frequently played on a minor league level in high school and colleges as well.

Summary
Bladeball involves two teams enter life-sized pods with non-harmful blades around the edges, who try to knock a specialized ball into a single pit (goal) in the center of the court. Each team consists of a 20-man roster, but only five players per team are permitted on the playing field at once, plus the two goalies for the defending team. Rather than having two goals at the ends of the playing area, there is one large goal in the center, defended by two goalies of the same team. The game is played over four rounds, or periods. In Rounds 1 and 3, the home team plays offense and the away team must defend the goal, playing defense. In Rounds 2 and 4, the away team plays offense and the home team must defend the goal, playing defense.

Rounds last 15 minutes and there are four rounds, each having a 10 minute intermission period between them. If the score is tied at the end of the 4th round, the game will proceed into overtime until a team wins. Overtime lasts seven minutes, and the away team plays offense during the first overtime, while the home team defends. The away team can score more than once during this overtime, but once the seven minutes are up, there is a three minute intermission and the overtime enters a second round, where the home team is now playing offense, and can now score. If the away team failed to score during their overtime and the home team scores at any tine during this overtime, the game is over and it is a "walk-off" win. If the home team fails to score during their overtime and the away team has more goals by the end, the game is over and the away team wins. However, if the score is still tied at the end of the home team's overtime, the overtime will enter a third and fourth rounds and the process repeats. The away team cannot achieve a walk-off win, as the home overtime is always played if the score is tied at the end of regulation.

Trivia

 * Bladeball is commonly known as "hi-tech soccer" or "futuristic soccer" to non-Greatians, due to its resemblance to soccer, except using pods rather than feet. There is also one goal in the center, rather than two goals at thee ends of the playing field. The ball is also larger than a soccer ball. Greatians do not refer to bladeball as such.
 * Professional bladeball is played in an arena that usually accommodates from 25,000 to 35,000 fans.