This could be a great way of livening up the (in my opinion) often dull game of football (American football or soccer). Instead of the traditional rectangular football field with a goal at each end, you have a triangular pitch with 3 goals, one on each side. And with three teams instead of two, all playing with the same ball. This may well bring about a hilariously anarchic & frankly dangerous contest which would be far more enjoyable.
Even better - how about running the whole football world cup at once, with all 50-odd teams on a vast polygon shaped pitch? I for one would find this highly entertaining. It may well resemble some kind of manmade hell on earth. Especially if it rains...-- baobab, Jan 22 2004 My take on 3-team sports http://www.halfbake...a/3_20team_20hockey [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004] Even Better add Plungers! http://www.halfbake..._20and_20overweight [grippit, Oct 04 2004] With a lot of snow or fog, and you'd want the referees to be suspended above by wires.....-- normzone, Jan 22 2004 Seeing 50 teams on a circular* field with the goals distributed around the perimeter would be a lot of fun. To give every team a chance you’d have to increase the duration of the game proportionally (either by having 50 45-minute periods, or two 19-hour periods). It would be interesting to see the teams form shifting alliances fraught with deception and betrayal as the game wears on.
*Or should that be circlear? (Damn you GWB!)-- AO, Jan 22 2004 AO: circular.
I thought about something a lot like this a couple weeks ago. But I didn't post it. Maybe there should be more than 1 football, (but don't tell the players) or perhaps traps and pits in the ground?-- spacecadet, Jan 22 2004 Chinese checkers gone full contact... I like it.-- Itsmeagain, Jan 23 2004 This reminds me of global chess - three players, circular board.-- Detly, Jan 23 2004 This would be manic! Really funny! Good Idea - lol! Kids in a playground, all in one line, all chasing the same ball (Benny Hill style) springs to mind.-- grippit, Jan 23 2004 How about hexagonal? Three teams, one ball, and -ta daa- three mixed fields, each representing a one on one match. Thus each team could score on two goals. Three matches, one field. It's all about efficiency. That being said, there could also be three different-coloured balls, one for each match.-- sidi, Jan 23 2004 Excellent. This gets my vote simply for the huge effect on the couch potato/sports statistician element, thereby keeping them off the roads. They'll go giddy at the possibilities.
"Welllll, John, I think that Fergus O'Flatulent of the Surbiton Sozzlers has just set a record for accidentally kicking the most non home side goals against a losing opponent in the first half of an inter-regional game in October, while being a player on defence from the Neasden angle in a red ball match played here at the Wembley hexagon. Or do you think that Plutarch McGrabbety playing for the Weybridge Wankers could exceed this record later on tonight? He, of course, is presently playing with a green ball and is attacking the Uxbridge and Feltham goals, but despite that, he's surely eligible for this record due to his halftime sale to the Wankers from the Sozzlers for the royal transfer fee of a pack of Embassy and half a bun."-- phlogiston, Jan 23 2004 The three-sided goal game was mentioned in a Robert Lynn Asprin Myth Adventures novel, though darned if I remember which one.-- dagonet, Jan 23 2004 I'd start watching football if there was mass chaos and insomnia. Maybe even add this to hockey for even more chaos and insomnia.-- krigre55, Dec 07 2007 Watch the beginning of Jackie Chan's "Dragon Lord" for a 4 team football game. 4 gangs of 20-30 young men stand 50 metres away from a bamboo tower upon which there has been placed a golden egg. First team to climb the 30 foot tower and get the egg back to their base wins. You are allowed, nay, positively encouraged to beat the crap out of any member of the opposing team. There appear to be no rules.-- theleopard, Dec 07 2007 random, halfbakery