A New Sport Field Concept

[DCarp1231]

After watching an Arena Football League game I wanted to know how the game came to fruition so I researched it a little bit and found out the founder came up with the idea after watching an indoor soccer game.

So, I thought I could at least give it a try by coming up with a sport of my own.

First off, I'd like to say that I haven't exactly come up with an official name for this new sport. For now, I am calling it "Ultimate Handball" to give you a sense of what it is.

A quick and basic overview of the sport:

A primary mix of handball and football. Secondary mix of basketball in Field 4.

Handball and football aspects include overall game play (ball handling [excluding the handball allowed dribbling], goals [Fields 1-3 have endzones, Field 4 has goals], tackling [anywhere below the waist. NO TARGETING OF HEAD OR CHEST], as well as fumbling and stripping of the ball

Basketball aspects include jumpball zones (Field 4)

Substitution Zones as well

Nine players per team

- Two Right Wings

- Two Left Wings

- 2 Slotbacks

- 2 Backstops

- 1 Superback

(Position names are subject to change)

10th player is added on field 4 as goalie

Official gameball is similar in size to a volleyball

Ball handlers are only allowed to take five steps before being forced to throw before they cross the midfield line. Three steps after crossing midfield

The endzones in Fields 1-3 feature three different points areas

-Largest area: 3 Points

-Medium area: 5 Points

-Smallest Area: 7 Points

Goals in field 4 design are only worth 4 points (black rectangles)

As far as the visual concept goes, I only have a field completed. Actually, I have four different fields that I would like feedback on.

Field 1:

Field 2:

Field 3:

Field 4:

All fields are 100 yards x 40 yards

Fields 1-3 all feature similar aspects. They all have what I like to call "The Neutral Zone" where only kickoffs and players downing balls take place. As well as the white lines near the Neutral Zone where players would line up on kickoff

Field 4 was completely re imagined with:

- Thinner playing field (by 10 yards)

- Four in-bounding areas

- Five jumpball zones (including the "Tip-Off" area at midfield)

- Goals were added.

- Areas behind goals where only "wing players" can enter to battled for possession

- Substitution area were retained.

- Neutral Zones were taken away

All I need to know is which field would be more feasible as I would love for this sport to become a reality someday. Of course, I'd need to work out the rules for this to happen. And yes, I realize Field 4 isn't the cleanest. I was stuck using standard MS Paint for this.

[WissX]

It is good I like it

[LaGrandeOrange]

Your sport seems fairly similar to Kronum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronum

Here's a video:

Obviously not identical, but a fairly similar concept. The kronum field is round, but your format is more practical for playing in arenas.

I think aesthetically, I like fields 1 and 4 the most. If the goal is to play it at the highest level in NBA/NHL arenas if you should have rounded edges as in a hockey rink so that you can use the boards (like arena football or box lacrosse). I think that would work best for the field 4 version of the game, since the rounded endzone might make the sub-zones smaller.

In the field 1-3 version of the game, would the wing players be inherently less apt to score, because they are in line with the lower scoring endzones?

[DCarp1231]

In the field 1-3 version of the game, would the wing players be inherently less apt to score, because they are in line with the lower scoring endzones?

essentially yes they would be, but as the team moves down the field, the formation also shifts meaning you could have, for example, if the formation is shift to the left, left wings would have a better shot to score 3 points and right wings would be more likely to score 5 or 7 depending on positioning on the field. The "slotback" position would usually be players who are typically smaller in stature, but a little faster than the wings in effort to get down the field quicker for a long pass. Wings are typically used for short passes. Backstops usually help block for the Superback, but catch the occasional pass. Superbacks are typically the "quarterback" as in, calling plays, fielding kickoffs (fields 1-3), tipoffs (field 4), etc. That doesn't mean after the first pass they just lay back and let the scoring unfold. They also move down the field in an effort to catch passes and score.

I also forgot to mention it but in field 4, the black rectangle is actually a goal/net and a 10th player (goalie) is needed. The original post has been updated.

[sportsherald]

Your original proposal is for an indoor field measuring 300 feet x 120 feet, but that would require an indoor football stadium- not that many of those are available, compared to hockey rinks/basketball gymnasia. If, as suggested above, this were reduced to an NHL arena size (a 200 x 85 foot area), I think having 18-20 players on the field at once, would be extremely crowded. As an indoor soccer player on such a field, I have played in casual games with more than the usual 5 + goalie per side, and each additional player slows down the game and increases the chances of accidental collisions.

A volleyball would only be able to be handled easily in one hand by players with especially large hands. Team handball uses a smaller ball, which opens up more possibilities for play.

[DCarp1231]

Your original proposal is for an indoor field measuring 300 feet x 120 feet, but that would require an indoor football stadium- not that many of those are available, compared to hockey rinks/basketball gymnasia. If, as suggested above, this were reduced to an NHL arena size (a 200 x 85 foot area), I think having 18-20 players on the field at once, would be extremely crowded. As an indoor soccer player on such a field, I have played in casual games with more than the usual 5 + goalie per side, and each additional player slows down the game and increases the chances of accidental collisions.

A volleyball would only be able to be handled easily in one hand by players with especially large hands. Team handball uses a smaller ball, which opens up more possibilities for play.

I see what you mean, but I never actually indicated this sport would be played indoors. If 22 players can be on a 360 feet x 160 feet standard outdoor football field, I believe 18-20 can be on a 300 feet x 120 feet field for this sport. If anything, I could reduce the number of players to 8 per side (7 position 1 goalie). Thus reducing the number of wing players from 4 per side to 2 per side. Also, I had always thought that a handball was similar in size to a volleyball.

[DCarp1231]

Update:

Downsized the field to 84 yards x 42 yards (252 feet x 126 feet)

Substitution areas retained at midfield sidelines

Smaller goal/scoring area introduced

Tip-off "diamond" replaces circle at midfield

Curved lines parallel to diamond are to be used for positioning of wing players during tip-off and jump-balls

Four additional in-bounds areas

8 players per team (7 position 1 goalie (16 total))

Field 5:

- Orange Triangles: goals/nets

- White circle around goal: area the offense cannot enter

-Yellow circle around goal: furthest the goalie can travel (end of goal zone)

-Gray half circle: wing player positioning

- Yellow diamond: tip-offs/jump-balls

Field Size Comparison:

[sportsherald]

I see what you mean, but I never actually indicated this sport would be played indoors. If 22 players can be on a 360 feet x 160 feet standard outdoor football field, I believe 18-20 can be on a 300 feet x 120 feet field for this sport. If anything, I could reduce the number of players to 8 per side (7 position 1 goalie). Thus reducing the number of wing players from 4 per side to 2 per side. Also, I had always thought that a handball was similar in size to a volleyball.

My mistake- I misunderstood the introduction regarding your inspiration from Arena Football, and that sport's founder's inspiration from Indoor Soccer. Alexandre's comments reinforced my misconception.

From http://www.topendsports.com/resources/equipment-ball-size.htm here is a comparison of the ball sizes, diameters in inches/millimetres:

Team Handball 7.3 to 7.5 185-191 this is for the size III ball

Volleyball 8.15 to 8.39 207 to 213

Another part of that site provides these weights/masses, in ounces/grams:

Team Handball 15 to 16 3/4 425 to 475 this is for the size III ball

Volleyball 9.2 to 9.9 260 to 280

[JMtexan09]

Your sport seems fairly similar to Kronum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronum

Here's a video:

Obviously not identical, but a fairly similar concept. The kronum field is round, but your format is more practical for playing in arenas.

I think aesthetically, I like fields 1 and 4 the most. If the goal is to play it at the highest level in NBA/NHL arenas if you should have rounded edges as in a hockey rink so that you can use the boards (like arena football or box lacrosse). I think that would work best for the field 4 version of the game, since the rounded endzone might make the sub-zones smaller.

In the field 1-3 version of the game, would the wing players be inherently less apt to score, because they are in line with the lower scoring endzones?

Whoa that is alot of sports into one sport! And ouch for that dude getting kicked in the face

[biscuit faces of them]

Are you doing a league concept after this. Awesome job btw. Court 3 really has some design potential

[DCarp1231]

Are you doing a league concept after this. Awesome job btw. Court 3 really has some design potential

thanks! As for now, I'm only trying to figure out which field would work best. I plan for this sport to become a reality though. As for designing uniforms, I am not very skilled in Photoshop or anything like that. My vision for the uniforms consists of an athletic shirt and football length pants with thigh pads. I want thigh pads due to the restriction of tackling allowed. As for the field designs, I personally like field 3 and my newly redisgned field 5

[gmoore1203]

It looks like a lacrosse field, but missing the restriction lines

[DCarp1231]

It looks like a lacrosse field, but missing the restriction lines

If you're referring to Field 5 I have to say, I did draw some inspiration from a lacrosse field.

[DCarp1231]

Bump.

Does anybody have any suggestions on changes to the field I could make?

[gmoore1203]

I say eliminate the yellow circles from the goals, one thing that I love about lacrosse is that the goalie can run up the field if he wants to as long as a midfielder stays back