Blitzball

Blitzball is a competitive team sport played in most major cities across Hesper. The game is played in a rectangular pool that is 120ft long, 60ft wide, and 25ft deep. An enclosure (typically a rigid frame supporting a fiber netting) extends the play area another 25ft above the surface of the pool. Each team consists of 6 members that can be within the playing field at any given time, all but one of whom participate in both offensive and defensive roles. One member of each team, the GoalKeeper carries with them a Goalies Stick, a long handled net that can easily catch and throw the Blitzball.   A point is scored when a team passes a 2ft white, yellow, and red ball, the eponymous Blitzball, through one of two hoops on the opposing teams side of the field. Both hoops are centered on the back wall of either end of the field, 10 feet forwards from the edge, and located halfway up or down between the surface of the water and the floor or ceiling of the arena. The goal suspended in the air is worth 2 points, as it is wider (6ft diameter) and harder to defend than the goal submerged below the water (4 ft diameter), which is worth 5 points. The ball is slightly weighted so that it finds a neutral buoyancy at around the 12ft depth.   The sport is wildly popular across all of Hesper, with professional matches turning out thousands of spectators, many traveling from distant cities to cheer on their favorite teams.

Rules

The complete set of rules are extensive, and vary somewhat between professional or amateur leagues, and with regional preferences, but most games follow a simple set of rules.

• At most six members of a team are permitted in the Blitzball Arena at a time.
• All players may only wear a team uniform, colored and designed in a way that clearly indicates their team membership, safety equipment (goggles, mouthguard, etc) as approved by the referee, and the Goalie-stick. No other equipment is allowed.
• Only four members of a team at a time are permitted to "invade" the opposing teams side of the arena by crossing over the center line.
• When the ball is above the surface of the water, it may only be hit, bumped, or struck with any part of the body.
• While the ball is below the surface of the water, players are free to grab, carry, move, and throw the ball.
• Physical contact with other players is permitted, though limited to strikes, tackling, and pushing. Despite the generous contact rules, outright brawling is usually stopped by the referee (despite it's popularity with the crowd).
• Players are permitted to move in and around the arena with any means available to them, provided they stay inside the arena. This includes flight above the water, walking along the floor of the pool, climbing on the ropes/frame, etc.

Gameplay

Once all team members are on the field and have taken their positions, the referee will begin a round of play by a "Top Off", where the ball is tossed up into the air at the center of the arena. From there, teams compete for control of the ball in order to pass it through one of the two goals on the opposing teams side.   When the referee calls an infraction, mis-play, or foul, a loud whistle is blown. All play stops and the ball is given to the referee, whom will resume play by tossing the ball into the center of a teams side of the arena, or the players will reset for a new top off at the center of the arena. For Example, if a player from one team is seen by the referee to be holding the ball above the water, the referee will call a halt to the play, collect the Blitzball, and resume play of the gamy by tossing it into the opponents' side of the field, giving them control of the Blitzball.   Once a point is scored, the ball is collected by the referee and an opening tip off resumes the play.

Professional Teams

Besaid Aurochs

The Aurochs are a low tier team, usually near the bottom seed of the tournament bracket, but with exceptionally loyal and dedicated fan base. They wear yellow uniforms with crossed black straps and black pants. The Aurochs home town is Besaid, a small coastal villiage on the Harbringer-side of Agartha.  

Bell Harbor Bad Boys

Hailing from Bell Harbor, a trading port on the Tower-side edge of Nibiru, where the Rookery Mountains meets the Aurrus Sais. The Bell Harbor Bad Boys are infamous for particularly rough play, fouling opponents, and aggressive offense.  

Cherut Das Cheezheds

The Cheezheds are a team that call their home in the city with a very notable lack of a dairy industry or tradition. They were not always the Cheezheds, but were forced to change their name after a long dispute among the ruling council of families over rights to the former name (the Cherubs). A contest was held among fans of the team, and the Swill King at the time submitted the name Cheezheds as a joke. Fans of the team apparently found the joke hilarious as the name was rapidly catapulted into victory with a landslide at the final round of voting.  

Erras Das Euryals

The Euryals are a well balanced powerhouse team that never seems to be able to go all the way to victory in the championships. They excel at teamwork, and boast the highest assist score among any team in the league.

Golden Graaps

Another native to Cherut Das, though with a much less storied history. The Golden Graaps have no relationship whatsoever to the restaurant of the same name, and are only allowed to continue using the name because of a legal loophole and Domingo Montoya's ability to take a joke. They are an Odo district native team, having started as an amateur team that named themselves after their favorite restaurant at the tournament sign up for lack of a better (or planned) name.

Nautyl’leh Mad Hatters

The Mad Hatters are an exclusively Kegani team from the capital city of Nautyl’leh. They play a strong and unbreakable defense, with patient and powerful strikes into offense, and obviously favor the the aquatic field of the arena.

Tiik'roh Titans

The Titans are an almost entirely Cha'Ari team from The Rookery mountain range in Skyward Nibiru. They are unmatched in pressuring opponents hard in the aerial game, though they are no slouches in aquatic defense.

South Beach Throw

The South Beach Throwers are named for the neighborhood of Stone's Throw on the south shore of the Dholgrath River where the team calls home. They are captained by "Bernice" a human woman that has a reputation for being unstoppable on the field.