Rollerball is played by two teams over three twenty-minute periods, for an hour of total game time. Each team has a dozen players: nine skaters and 3 bikers (riding motorcycles). The skaters hang onto the motorbikes, in order to gain or regain momentum.
A steel ball is shot into a circular arena with two zones: outer and inner. (The "sidelines" for both teams are in the arena's center.) The first team to recover the ball before it strays into the central "gutter" goes on offense, and attempts to score a point by placing the ball in the opposing team's goal at one side of the stadium. The defensive team protects their goal while attempting to steal the ball.
The ball must be held in plain view at all times; otherwise, it is declared "dead" (that is, out of play) and a new ball is fired. Likewise, if the ball strays into the gutter before either team recovers it, the ball dies and a new one must be fired.
Injured players are retrieved by medics and replaced by alternates.
FOULS
*The bikers can block opposing players (both skaters and other bikers), but cannot use force against them.
*Skaters can use force against each other but not against bikers, or against players who have already been downed (that is, injured).
Fouls are punishable by three minutes out of play. Moreover, if the defensive team commits a foul, the offensive team is automatically awarded a point. If the offensive team commits a foul, the defensive team is automatically awarded possession of the ball and goes on offense.
Brandon:
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