Sunday, October 11, 2015

Yakball Revolution


You guys, it's back.

A few weeks ago, I started reading back the historical fictional football league threads on the boards. It was so cool because they decided the teams, brands, and performances. I wanted to do a similar series based around Out of the Park Baseball, but I wasn't in love with the idea.

Then I remembered something I had complete creative control in.

The year is 2028. This year is significant because it has a few milestones. It will be the 10th year of Major League Yakball, the original league based in the United States. Founder and GOAT Michael Taylor(that's me, let me have that one) has announced that he will retire by the end of the year to become the Yakball Association president. The sport is booming. Sixteen recognized top level leagues exist. Major sporting clubs like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have bought local clubs and put them under the umbrella organization. The 3rd World Yakball Cup begins play in the UK in mid December, the last of the original nations to host. This is the last time it will be on the original 4 year sequence, as the sport will begin being played at the Olympics in 2032.

Yakball is played in the summer, between April and October. The leagues are always 16 teams, they play between 40 and 50 games a regular season, depending on the structure of the table. Each season ends the same week with a tournament at a neutral location, much like conference tournaments in college basketball. The winners in each league advance to the Super League, a week long tournament between the 16 champions.

For those of you still confused by what's going on, search yakball. Just about any search engine will bring up the old concept series I did based on a sport I made up.


A quick run down - I invented this sport in high school. It's a 4 on 4 game similar to half court basketball. The goal is to throw the ball in the target located in the center of a wall. The wall is playable, and can be used in passing, or provide a backboard for missed shots. The field is broken up into three zones. There is a face off dot, used at the beginning of every quarter, outside the 2 point line. Then closest to the wall, there is a box. The box is where the center plays/lives. They aren't allowed to leave unless a teammate raises their arm when the center has possession, running the ball out to behind the line. The center acts as a goalie on defense, and the best attacking option on offense. Each point results in the other team taking it out behind the 2 point line.

Here's the nitty gritty. The clock is running, four 20 minute quarters. There's on the fly substitutions too, with the substitute zone being made bigger. Each team has to pass the ball twice before a shot is allowed. Shots before then will be waved off and possession will be given to the opponents. Only 2 players on the attacking team can be in the box at the same time. If a third is there, the shot will be waived off. No one on offense is allowed in the crease in front of the box, or possession will be lost. The game is physical, but no tackling. If a player gets tackled, tripped, or hit by a player who ran up to them, the offender will have a penalty and have to sit in the sub-zone for 2 minutes. 

I think that's it, I haven't played in 3 years. Here, have a diagram.


The sport has been ever changing. Simple rules have been adapted to make the game better. As mentioned, the sub zone has been made bigger. The wall has been updated to a more stable netting. Much like an arena football goal post net. The target now has censored pads that will easily tell if a ball went in. The uniforms have also changed. The referees decided that sleeve numbers would help differentiate players. The Yakball Association crest now is moved between the team crest and manufacture logo.

Check it out.


I was going crazy not having a series up, and I miss the sport. 

Here's how the concept series will work. I'll post a voting link. You all will vote for a final of the year end tournament. So each league will have 2 teams done, determined by the most votes. I'll do a little write up of the league since I last left off. I'll post the competition logo, the teams, and who advanced. After the Super League is decided, I'll post full concepts of all 16 teams and how the Super League went. Eventually, I'll post the international teams that have a shot to qualify for the World Yakball Cup. We'll end it then, with the 16 team international tournament. How does that sound?

Thank you for reading, and vote for your favorite Major League Yakball teams. Go read that thread for full sets.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Mike, within the last couple years I created a sport that my friends and I play on a weekly basis, and the several people I show it to absolutely love it and think that I should do something with it. When you created yakball were you afraid of telling people about the sport too much without fearing they would copy/steal it. Did you copyright yakball right away? Any advice?

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