The NationCommonwealth of Baker Park was established in 1892, and has from its inception been open and inclusive of all people seeking to establish settled lives here; more recently, the country has seen a rise in the number of immigrants from other AO nations and has worked to provide wider access & accommodation to non-binary humans & sentient non-human species who have made their home within our borders. This is a natural continuation of the spirit and ethos of our history, as people of all nations, all ethnic groups, all religions, all colors came to take a leap of faith in a new land and built a nation which embraces diversity, community and equality. Today, we have over 54 million residents who can claim their origins from all over the multiverse.
Centrally located within Atlantian Oceana, Baker Park is one of the top tourist destinations in the region, welcoming over 2 million visitors per year. Especially in the northern third of the country, outdoor pursuits are most popular among visitors. We have a mostly temperate climate, with autumn and early winter the times of the year when precipitation is heaviest.
The engine that drives the country's economy is the industrial conglomerate that was founded by the family that established the nation, the Baker International Corporation. Known informally by citizens as "The Company" or BI, from the beginning of the 20th Century until the mid 1960's it was responsible for close to 50% of the nation's GDP; over the past 40 years it has divested itself from many of the companies that dominated the economy, opening up opportunities for more investment and growth for both those entities and competitors alike.
The country is a federal, parliamentary democracy. There are 7 constituent states, each having their own unicameral legislative body. The Parliament of the Commonwealth consists of the 175 member House of Assembly and the 56 member Council of State. Until 1978, the central figure of country was the Prince Regent, whose duties were largely ceremonial although he held a few specific rights and duties; the premature death of the last Prince left the country unprepared, as there was no immediate successor. The position was renamed Head of State and it became an elected office in 1996.
Baker Park prides itself on the array of civil liberties it offers. Cannabis is legal for use and purchase, and prostitution is not illegal, but not technically legal either. By law, prostitution arrests can be charged as no more than minor misdemeanors, although in some places it is not a criminal offense at all.
Violent crime is extremely rare in the Commonwealth. There is a higher chance you will fall off a subway platform than be assaulted or robbed with a firearm, and we take pride in the safety of our subways.
The majority age is 18 for the purchase and consumption of alcohol, with establishments that wish to serve alcohol prior to 11:00 am required to have a full service food menu; 2:45 am is the cutoff for sales of alcoholic beverages, although not all establishments have business hours that late.
On the food scene, there are very few styles of cuisine that a visitor would find lacking in this country; Parkers are obsessed with strong flavors & aromas--natural fresh food or combinations of unique ingredients to produce something innovative. There is less processing of agricultural goods in the Commonwealth than in most highly developed nations, as the size of the country means that packaged food doesn't require as long a shelf life.
The VenuesBaker Park's co-hosting of World Cup 84 with Cassadaigua saw a large public works project instituted to bring several venues up to a higher standard, and the entire sporting community of the Commonwealth have reaped the benefits. In a nod to AOCAF 58, all the venues used in this edition also hosted matches for that tournament as well—with the exception of the BBP Stadium.
Belle Haven is the national capital of the Commonwealth; with a metro area population of over 5.6 million, it is also the largest city, the financial, entertainment, and cultural center of the country, and more than likely your first stop on your trip to Baker Park. Belle Haven International Airport (BHX) serves 41 foreign & domestic carriers and accommodates over 900 takeoffs and departures per day. The airport is approximately 18 miles south of the city center, and there are numerous ground transportation options for arriving visitors at Belle Haven International.
BBP National Stadium—Belle Haven (capacity 74,000) Designed by Grossman, Abbot, Cole Architecture, the Commonwealth's leading design firm, the stadium is a state of the art facility in every respect.
Three tiers of seating, as well as two levels of executive & club level seating, allow the stadium to be used in several different configurations. Victoria & Albert SC call the 17,000 seat field level area their home after leaving their famous Rosenau ground, and the stadium has hosted the World Cup 3rd Place Match, two NSCF Championship games, the AOCL Final, as well as numerous domestic contests in several sports.
The Bank of Baker Park is the name sponsor, the nation's fourth largest financial company having been a major partner of the Football Association of the Commonwealth for over 60 years.
Sportsmen's Park—BH (capacity 39,000)The capital's third stadium (behind the BBP and Keller Field) and the oldest in the country is also its most visited & recognizable to even the slightly casual Baker Park sports fan. Most of the famous "firsts" in sport history occurred at the venue over the years since it was completed in 1921; its name comes from the former Deauville Sportsmen's Club—charter members of the FAC in 1901.
Although Salisbury is not technically considered as part of the Metro Belle Haven area, the extension in 1991 of the subway/commuter rail line (Red Line, access from Belle Haven's Midtown Transit Center, approximate trip is 35 minutes.) to the Salisbury Civic Center (adjacent to the stadium) meant that this city became a target of commuters moving in over the next decade.
Salisbury Stadium (capacity 25,900) The town's central location means that the stadium hosts many prominent sporting events.
Endborough is the Commonwealth's Second City, located in the northeastern part of the country. It is the state capital of Endover and the home of the nation's top institution of higher education, the University of Endover. Much of the state beyond the city is pristine wilderness, with the Lake District one of most popular family vacation destination area.
Rogers Stadium—Endborough (capacity 46,800)Completed in 1926 as a home for the Endborough Gold Sox baseball team, it was not well suited to larger field sports like football and soccer; however it did host 2 National Team matches in 1960 and 1964. In 1975, the Endborough Eagles professional football team entered into an agreement to help finance an expansion that nearly doubled the capacity and another investment from the Endborough RFC to share the stadium as a tenant brought about further improvements.
Oceana is the capital of Osheana, and the nation's third largest city. It has always had a reputation as being the "anti-Belle Haven", due to its more conservative outlook and tradition; it was the home base of the former Northern States Company, who were the second largest business venture in the country.
Collins Park—Oceana (capacity 47,000)A stadium with a complicated history, it is the third athletic ground that has sat on this site. Built and rebuilt in phases and with irregular planning, it was only at the beginning of the 2000's that serious consideration was given to making meaningful structural and aesthetic renovations. A good place to see a match, although it suffers from not having a full time soccer tenant.
Ezriquay is the fourth largest city and capital of Ezra; situated on a peninsula formed by the last major bend in the Belle Haven River, it's often referred to as "The Thumb". Much more industrialized than the first three cities, it has more blue-collar feel to it.
Queen Victoria Stadium—Ezriquay (capacity 37,475)The stadium has much in common with several of the other older venues on this list—its riverside location, easy access to public transportation and multi-use adaptability. With the University of Ezriquay just across road there are plenty of food & drink establishments nearby that cater to both students and sports fans alike. The “Queen” got a royal makeover ahead of WC84 despite the off and on debate about whether a new stadium should replace it on a different part of the city.
Coolville is the capital of Midalia state and the fifth largest city in Baker Park. The citizens have a bit of an identity crisis, with the other main towns in the state (St Warren & Kellerville) and their down-river neighbors Shirley all having less than positive feelings for them. One of the two major cities (Lima being the other) in the Chemical and synthetic products industry. Can be reached by air via Shirley's airport (45-50 minutes by car).
Carrollton—Coolville (capacity 33,000) Although it has been the home of Coolville United FC since 1949, the inaugural BP Open Cup marked the first time international soccer matches were ever played at the ground; some have said the rivalry between the city and its neighbor Shirley has played a role, but the reality is the stadium was never up to any sort of standard for hosting the NT. It hosted games in World Cup 84 after the last stand left to be rebuilt (all four were redone over the course of 15 years) had been completed.
Springfield would probably not be the bustling city of over 300,000 if a simple decision had not been made to route one of the east-west cross country railway lines through it instead of further south.
The city—BP's 8th largest--is the nation's agricultural hub, as the food processors & packagers, the farm commodity markets, the agri-business companies are all based here in the heart of "farm country".
The Baker Park State Fair began here in 1919 and has grown through the years to become the de facto national Agricultural Fair of the Commonwealth.
State Fairgrounds Stadium—Springfield (capacity 44,000) Constructed in the 1970's to replace the aging wooden grandstand at the Fairgrounds, it hosts many sporting events and concerts year round. Expanded to it's current capacity for World Cup 84.
Newport is the country's major seaport and also home to the Naval Service of the Commonwealth Fleet Command, but it also has plenty of other things to see and do. It was the home of the Western & Southern Company, another BI rival in the early years and is a leader in transport and shipping of both imports and exports. It is accessible by air via Ezriquay's airport (45 minutes by car/30 minutes by express rail).
Newport City Stadium (capacity 33,000) The stadium is home to the Newport City FC and the Naval Academy's football team and has been a frequent host to the NT in recent years, having received a well-deserved facelift and expansion for WC 84.
FixturesGroup AMD1 BP vs Gyatso-kai @BBP /Busoga Islands vs Schima Bas @Sportsmens
MD2 BP vs Busoga Islands @BBP/Milchama vs Gyatso-kai @Salisbury
MD3 BP vs Schima Bas @QV/Busoga Islands vs Milchama @Sportsmen's
MD4 Milchama vs Schima Bas @Sportsmen's/Gyatso-kai vs Busoga Islands @Salisbury
MD5 BP vs Milchama @BBP/Schima Bas vs Gyatso-kai @Salisbury
Group BMD1 Kimi-Suomi vs Aji No Moto @Newport/Pluvia/Saxean Isles vs Valanora @QV
MD2 Valanora vs Kimi-Suomi @QV/Delaclava vs Pluvia/Saxean Isles @Collins
MD3 Kimi-Suomi vs Delaclava @Newport/Aji No Moto vs Valanora @Collins
MD4 Delaclava vs Aji No Moto @Collins/Pluvia/Saxean Isles vs Kimi-Suomi @QV
MD5 Aji No Moto vs Pluvia/Saxean Isles @Newport/Valanora vs Delaclava @QV
Group CMD1 Demot vs Equestria @Springfield/EOT vs Romsten @Carrollton
MD2 Equestria vs EOT @Rogers/Jabal Akhdar vs Demot @Carrollton
MD3 EOT vs Jabal Akhdar @Springfield/Romsten vs Equestria @Carrollton
MD4 Jabal Akhdar vs Romsten @Rogers/Demot vs EOT @Springfield
MD5 Romsten vs Demot @Carrollton/Equestria vs Jabal Akhdar @Springfield
Round of 16Sportsmen's Park, Springfield, Queen Victoria, Newport
QuarterfinalsCollins Park, Rogers Stadium
Semi-Final/FinalBBP National Stadium