It seems fair to say that the most recent World Bowls have demonstrated that, as time goes on, the worldwide depth is improving to the point where it's almost impossible to predict who will win. One need only look at the World Bowl IX final as evidence. On one hand there were The Babbage Islands, a squad which in its two previous attempts hadn't even qualified for the main event. The champions, Tocrowkia, have been lurking on the periphery for some time, but even they came seemingly out of nowhere after managing to win their first match in the proper... which was followed promptly by three more.
The arrival of new nations has brought up the level of the sport worldwide, and as we turn to the beginning of a new tournament, one wonders where power will shift next. Have founding nations like Dancougar, Newmanistan, and Arroza been supplanted by fresh blood, or can they make a comeback? Is this the year that a nation besides Dancougar etches its name on the World Bowl trophy for a second time, or will we see yet another first-time champion? Will referees uniformally and sensibly address issues raised by the controversial "Kash Rule"? All we can say about the last one is that we sure do like cookies.
Signups are now open for the tenth edition of the World Bowl, the world's premier international gridiron competition. All you need to do to announce your intention to compete is make a post in this thread. This post will be updated periodically by listing all the nations which have signed up. Please be patient if you post in the thread and you don't appear in the list immediately -- as long as you post before signups close, you'll be in. Additionally, if this is the first time you've ever participated in the World Bowl, please make a note of it in your signup post. There is a tournament for first timers, the "Baptism of Iron," which is designed to give new players an opportunity to get used to how the tournament is conducted and also gives them a chance to start the World Bowl with a non-zero rank. All Baptism of Iron participants are automatically entered in the World Bowl which follows it.
If you would like to host the World Bowl or Baptism of Iron, a formal bid should also be posted in this thread. Examples of past host bids can be found by searching the forums for previous World Bowl signup threads, and if anyone has questions, they can be directed to me. At a bare minimum, you should have a way to generate results (a "scorinator" in NS Sports parlance) and be able to provide any details about its workings if it's something of your own creation. The tournament format, how roleplays are graded and incorporated into results, and the schedule are also your responsibility. Bids must be submitted before a deadline, at which point all teams which have posted a roster in the last two World Bowls may vote on them.
This thread is ONLY for signups and host bids, so do not post rosters or in-character roleplays until threads are created for the tournaments. Also, while some discussions tend to happen, please try and keep those to the actual World Bowl Discussion Thread instead of mixing them here with actual signups. That includes discussion on host bids -- while the bids themselves go here, the pre-vote discussion should really go over there.
The deadline for host bids is two weeks from today, Sunday March 28. This will be extended if no bids are presented before that time. There is currently no deadline for signups themselves, but individual deadlines for the Baptism of Iron and World Bowl proper will be set by the hosts once they have been selected. If you're still with me after all that, have at it!
World Bowl Signups (CLOSED)
- Taeshan
- Free Austin
- Dancougar
- The Babbage Islands
- Whittoria
- Delaclava
- Silver Beach
- Sarzonia
- VIrabia
- Tocrowkia
- Newmanistan
- German Zerabithea
- Qazox
- Ract
- Arroza
- Osarius
- Cassadaigua
- Lithatrius
- Toiletdonia
- Undeadzombiee
- Izraal
- F1-Insanity
- Pokemonman
- Queer Poco el Mono Ara
- The Fanboyists
- Bluth Corporation
- Tazzioli
- Sibirsky
- Vephrall
- Steroga
- Secristan
- Rennidan
- Amalfi and Capri
- Euroslavia
- Voltronica
- HunterBradleyLand
- Quattrablegia
- Barnettsville
- Bluffton486
- Andossa Se Mitrin Vega
- Old Cola (Whittoria)
- West Pennlandia (Barnettsville)
- Gnomeman Land (The Fanboyists)
- Orange-and-Blue (The Babbage Islands)
- Weanhall (Dancougar)
(A note on puppets: Puppets signed up for the Baptism of Iron will be accepted in the World Bowl if there is room, with main nations taking priority.)
World Bowl Host Bids (CLOSED)
Dancougar (WINNING BID)
Free Austin
Baptism of Iron Signups (CLOSED)
- Silver Beach
- Virabia
- Ract
- Lithatrius
- Toiletdonia
- Undeadzombiee
- Izraal
- Queer Poco el Mono Ara
- Tazzioli
- Amalfi and Capri
- Quattrablegia
- Bluffton486
- Andossa Se Mitrin Vega
- Old Cola (Whittoria)
- West Pennlandia (Barnettsville)
- Gnomeman Land (The Fanboyists)
(A note on puppets: Sarzonia is accepting puppets to make up numbers for the Baptism of Iron.)
Baptism of Iron Host Bids (CLOSED)
Sarzonia (WINNING BID)
