As fans approach the arena, the welcoming voice of the announcer is heard over the loudspeakers, filling the fans with excitement and interest in anticipation of another evening of “Guerreros,” the NimGuerra™ Warriors, crunching and crashing against the curved retaining walls of the banked “Cancha.” As the announcer drones on with his spiel of “Hi there sports fans, it’s game time again and a great day for punishing sinew and bone,” fans enter the arena and search to find the merchandise tent, or Mercado, of their favorite team, to pick up some memorabilia. Maybe they get a tee shirt or a
player autograph card so that after the match they can try to get a rare autograph from their favorite player. Maybe they get a player bobblehead for their car, or a wall poster for the kids bedroom.
player autograph card so that after the match they can try to get a rare autograph from their favorite player. Maybe they get a player bobblehead for their car, or a wall poster for the kids bedroom.
Finally, as fans begin to find their seats, the lights darken, the entry theme begins to play and the spotlight falls on the players, the Guerreros, as the eight teams of three players each along with their coaches enter the rink, or “Cancha,” one by one, each followed by a bright spotlight through the smoke and haze of the Pelota cannon port and onto the rink for an introductory roll around the rink before settling into the “bullpen” to await their turn in the battle to score a Nim and possibly earn a share of the “pot.”
As the first two teams take their positions, two offensive players from each team, along with one defensive player from the opposing team at their individual starting lines, position themselves on the rink just beside the cannon ports located at opposite ends of the banked oval Cancha, where they wait for the referees to begin the round. Suddenly, there is a roar from the crowd as the referees fire the two cannons, sending two cricket ball size Pelotas hurtling onto the rink, one from each cannon port, careening into the curved retaining wall at speeds approaching a hundred miles an hour to begin the round.
Players immediately swoop along the banked portion of the rink chasing the two different colored Pelotas, one color for each team, attempting to control either Pelota with the slightly curved mesh blade or “Cesta” at the end of their sticks and send it into one of their teams three goals or Metas set near the same point of the track where they began, attempting to build an arrangement of the three Pelotas, two each of their teams assigned colors sandwiching one of the opponent’s assigned Pelotas, and score a Nim to end the round.
As they circle the track, the two groups of players, with each group of players including two offensive players of Guerreros from one team and one defensive player from the opponent’s team, begin to pick up speed with one set of offensive players gaining on the other as the players begin to compete for control of the Pelotas, with each team attempting to create a Nim in their respective Las Metas, or goals, bashing their opponents by checking and cross checking their opponents, even using full body blocks, to gain control. Suddenly, one player comes from behind to use a hidden or unseen body block and send an unsuspecting opponent over the Canal, or gutter shaped retaining wall into the protective netting and off the rink.
The skaters whose team member has been injured or body blocked out of the rink protest to the referees, who themselves have been drawn from the coaches of the four teams furthest down in lists of the bull pen. The referees confer and allow a penalty for the illegal hidden body block, sending the penalized team’s player into the penalty box and off the rink for a twenty second penalty.
Play continues as the two teams of players continue to compete for control of the Pelotas and send it careening up the interior side of the curved retaining wall positioning a second and a third Pelota into their Metas, or goals, to build the three Pelota Nim, an arrangement of Pelotas in a pattern similar to that seen in a child’s tic-tac-toe game, thus scoring their point to end the round.
As the round’s losing team exits the rink to take their position at the end of the lists, the next team takes their positions ready to take on the winning team from the preceding round. Play continues in this manner, as all eight teams of players progress through the lists, each taking on the winner of the preceding round until one team has acquired enough points to win the match and take home the winners share of the purse.
Meanwhile, at home, fans eagerly log in to watch the pay-per-view action on their NimGuerra™ channel through their live streaming Roku device or television. Action comes complete with live announcers and action packed and in-your-face closeups from body cameras worn by players and referees, seen in conjunction with an automated camera system that follows the action around the Cancha, and displays live action stats of players and teams.
As they follow the action, fans at home read the player and team stats, and maybe check stat history on another page of the NimGuerra™ Roku channel, placing bets with their sports betting service, all while immersing hemselves in the action of the game.
Finally, the match ends and the lights of the arena rise, as fans begin to exit the arena. Some fans gather around the exits to get autographs and have their pictures taken with their favorite Guerrero. While they are waiting, videos of the match become available for sale or as a gift with a subscription to the NimGuerra™ online (Roku) streaming service being sold at each of the Mercados.
Another match night ends, and players and merchants prepare for battle again, with another set of fans tomorrow or next week, wherever the League can set the Cancha.