Major League Bandy
Current season, competition or edition: 2025–26 NABL season | |
| Sport | Bandy |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 |
| Inaugural season | 2025–26 NABL season |
| No. of teams | 40 |
| Country |  United States Canada |
The North American Bandy League (NABL) is the premiere league for the sport of bandy within North America, and the continent's national major league for all primary elite ringette players aged 13 and up.
History
The United Handball Association was founded in 2019 by Ingvia Mannes, a Norwegian entrepreneur, alongside a coalition of former players from the United States' national handball team during the 2018 Summer Olympics. That same year, the first 8 teams were founded–the Omaha Twisters, Arkansas Pirates, Wichita Braves, Toledo Robins, Kentucky Outlaws, Wisconsin Jets, Rochester Civics, St. Louis Archers, and Sacramento Wicats.
MALB-NABF Merger
By the 1976–77 season, it had become evident that many of the UHA's franchises were teetering on the verge of financial collapse, and that the (at one time) combined 32 teams of the NABF and MALB had badly strained professional bandy's talent pool.
In 1977, merger discussions with the NABF were first initiated, with Houston, Cincinnati, Winnipeg, New England, Quebec, and Edmonton applying for entry to the NHL, who voted the proposal down. Merger discussions resumed in 1978, and despite violent arguments during this time that resulted in sexual assault attempts, an agreement was finally reached in 1981, and finally took effect in the end of April 1984.
Extras
The United Handball Association was founded in 1947 by Ingvald Mannes, a Norwegian entrepreneur, alongside a coalition of former players from the United States' national handball team during the 1936 Summer Olympics. That same year, the first 8 teams were founded: the Omaha Twisters, Arkansas Pirates, Wichita Braves, Toledo Robins, Kentucky Outlaws, Wisconsin Jets, Rochester Civics, St. Louis Archers, and Sacramento Wicats. The league played its first game on May 17, 1947 at Philadelphia Arena, between the Pirates and Crows. Despite early success in markets such as Philadelphia, New York, and St. Louis, the league did not immediately catch on, and games frequently struggled to draw large crowds. This led to financial difficulties which caused three of the league's inaugural franchises - the Braves, Robins, and Jets - to fold less than 10 years after their formation. These issues would be remedied in the 1950s, following a boost in popularity thanks to radio and television broadcasts and financial support from businessmen such as Raymond Hooper, who later founded the Boston Chill in 1952.
After their first year of operation, the Philadelphia Pirates renamed their franchise to the Philadelphia Fireballs, so as to avoid being confused with the MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1952, the UHA received its first two expansion teams: the Boston Chill and San Antonio Spikes. These additions were followed up three years later by the Minnesota Mustangs, which were added to the league to replace the recently folded Chicago Braves. In 1958, the UHA would absorb the much-smaller National Association of Team Handball, adding the Louisiana Crocs, Pittsburgh Spartans, Atlanta Aces, and Chicago Foxes to its roster and expanding the league's roster to 12 teams. That same year also saw the Columbus Wildcats relocate to Detroit, where they play to this day.
After serving as the league's commissioner for 15 years, Ingvald Mannes retired in 1962 due to his declining health, giving the position to his son, Andrew Mannes. Three years later, in 1965, the St. Louis Archers and Minnesota Mustangs would relocate to Los Angeles and Phoenix respectively as part of Mannes' plan to expand the league into new markets. While the Archers' relocation was successful, the Mustangs would quickly become pariahs in their former home city of Minneapolis, prompting the league to grant the city an expansion team: the Minnesota Grips, who would begin play in 1967 alongside the Miami Spaniards.
Rules
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There are eighteen rules in official play, designed to apply to all levels of bandy, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, veterans or women are permitted. The rules are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on the nature of the game.[1] A game is officiated by a referee, the authority and enforcer of the rules, whose decisions are final. The referee may have one or two assistant referees. A secretary outside of the field often takes care of the match protocol.[1]
The Bandy Playing Rules can be found on the official website of the Federation of International Bandy,[1] and are overseen by the Rules and Referee Committee.
Players
Each team consists of a maximum of 11 players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper. A team of fewer than eight players may not start a game. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, and they are only allowed to do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal.[2]
Though there are a variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the rules of the game.[1]
The positions and formations of the players in bandy are virtually the same as the common association football positions and the same terms are used for the different positions of the players. A team usually consists of defenders, midfielders and forwards. The defenders can play in the form of centre-backs, full-backs and sometimes wing-backs, midfielders playing in the centre, attacking or defensive, and forwards in the form of centre forward, second strikers and sometimes a winger. Sometimes one player is also taking up the role of a libero.
Any number of players may be replaced by substitutes during the course of the game. Substitutions can be performed without notifying the referee and can be performed while the ball is in play. However, the substitute must leave the ice before the teammate enters it. A team can bring at the most four substitutes to the game, five if one of these is an extra goalkeeper.[2]
Formation
Formation in bandy describes how the players in a team generally position themselves on the rink and is often comparable to the formation in association football. The team's manager(s) define the team's formation while tactics are usually their prerogative as well.
Bandy is a fluid and fast-moving game, and (with the exception of the goalkeeper) a player's position in a formation defines their role less rigidly than — for instance — for a rugby player, nor are there episodes in play where players must expressly line up in formation (as in gridiron football). The bandy games are more similar to association football in this regard. Nevertheless, a player's position in a formation generally defines whether a player has a mostly defensive or attacking role, and whether they tend to play towards one side of the pitch or centrally.[3]
Duration and tie-breaking measures
A standard adult bandy match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play; the referee can, however, make allowance for time lost through significant stoppages as described below. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break. The end of the match is known as full-time.[1]
The referee is the official timekeeper for the match and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury-time, and must be reported to the match secretary and the two captains. The referee alone signals the end of the match.[1]
If it is very cold or if it is snowing, the match can be broken into thirds of 30 minutes each. At the extremely cold 1999 World Championship some matches were played in four periods of 15 minutes each and with extra long breaks in between. In the World Championships the two halves can be 30 minutes each for the nations in the B division.
In league competitions, games may end in a draw, but in some knockout competitions if a game is tied at the end of regulation time it may go into extra time, which usually consists of two further 10-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, the game will be decided on penalties. The teams shoot five penalties each and if this doesn't settle the game, the teams shoot one more penalty each until one of them misses and the other scores.
Ball in and out of play
Under the rules, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play. From the beginning of each playing period with a stroke-off (a set strike from the centre-spot by one team) until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of six restart methods depending on how it went out of play:
- Stroke-off
- Goal-throw
- Corner stroke
- Free-stroke
- Penalty shot
- Face-off
If the time runs out while a team is preparing for a free-stroke or penalty, the strike should still be made but it must go into the goal by one shot to count as a goal. Similarly, a goal made via a corner stroke should be allowed, but it must be executed using only one shot in addition to the strike needed to put the ball in play.[1]
Free-strokes and penalty shots
Free-strokes can be awarded to a team if a player of the opposite team breaks any rule, for example, by hitting with the stick against the opponent's stick or skates. Free-strokes can also be awarded upon incorrect execution of corner-strikes, free-strokes, goal-throws, and so on, or the use of incorrect equipment, such as a broken stick.[1]
Rather than stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue when its continuation will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within a short period of time, typically taken to be four to five seconds. Even if an offence is not penalised because the referee plays an advantage, the offender may still be sanctioned (see below) for any associated misconduct at the next stoppage of play.[1]
If a defender violently attacks an opponent within the penalty area, a penalty shot is awarded. Certain other offences, when carried out within the penalty area, for instance a defender holding or hooking an attacker, or blocking a goal situation with a lifted skate, thrown stick or glove and so on result in a penalty shot. Also, the defenders (with the exception of the goal-keeper) are not allowed to kneel or lie on the ice. The final offences that might mandate a penalty shot are those of hitting or blocking an opponent's stick or touching the ball with the hands, arms, stick or head. A 10-minute penalty or a red card may be issued to the offending player as well.
Warnings and penalties
A yellow card indicates a warning given to an entire team for technical fouls such as errors in the execution of goal-throws or free strokes, or the obstruction of a player without ball. Subsequent technical fouls by the same team result in a five-minute penalty indicated by a white card. A five-minute penalty is traditionally indicated using a white card but today the card is rarely shown, rather an announcement from the match secretary or the referee is used instead. In a similar manner, traditionally a ten-minute penalty is indicated by use of a blue card. A ten-minute penalty can be given for protesting or behaving incorrectly, attacking an opponent violently or stopping the ball incorrectly to get an advantage.
The third time a player receives a time penalty, it will be a personal penalty, meaning he or she will miss the remainder of the match. A substitute can enter the field after five or ten minutes, depending on the type of time penalty received. A full game penalty can be received upon using abusive language or directly attacking an opponent and means that the player can neither play nor be substituted for the remainder of the game. A match penalty is indicated through the use of a red card.
Offside
The offside rule effectively limits the ability to attack players to remain forward (i.e. closer to the opponent's goal-line) of the ball, the second-to-last defending player (which can include the goalkeeper), and the half-way line. This rule is in general similar to that of soccer.[1]
Equipment
The basic equipment players are required to wear includes a pair of bandy skates, a helmet, a mouthguard and, in the case of the goalkeeper, a faceguard.
The teams must wear uniforms that make it easy to distinguish the two teams. The goalkeeper wears distinct colours to be singled out from his or her teammates, just as in football. The ice skates, sticks and any tape on the stick must be of another colour than the Bandy ball, which is orange or cerise.[4]
In addition to the aforementioned items, various pieces of gear are used to protect the knees, elbows, genitals and throat. The pants and gloves may contain padding.
Bandy ball
The core of the ball is made of cork and is surrounded by rubber or rubber-like plastic. Balls should be manufactured in a diameter of 62.4 or 63.8 mm (2.46 or 2.51 in) (the latter is called a "Russian ball"). Originally, bandy balls were red, then later became orange or cerise. According to the Bandy Playing Rules set up by the Federation of International Bandy, any of these are allowed, but all balls used in one game must be of the same colour and type.[5]
Bandy stick
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The stick used in bandy is an essential part of the sport. It should be made of an approved material such as wood or a similar material and should not contain any metal or sharp parts which can hurt the surrounding players.
Sticks are crooked and are available in five angles, where 1 has the smallest bend and 5 has the most. Bend 4 is the most common size in professional bandy.
The bandy stick should not have similar colours to the ball, such as orange or pink; it should be no longer than 127 centimetres (50 in), and no wider than 7 centimetres (2.8 in).[6]
Bandy field
A bandy field is 45–65 metres (148–213 ft) by 90–110 metres (300–360 ft), a total of 4,050–7,150 square metres (43,600–77,000 sq ft), or about the same size as a football pitch and considerably larger than an ice hockey rink, which is 25–30 metres (82–98 ft) by 60 metres (200 ft). Along the sidelines a 15 cm (6 in) high border (vant, sarg, wand, wall) is placed to prevent the ball from leaving the ice. It should not be attached to the ice, to glide upon collisions, and should end 1–3 metres (3 ft 3 in–9 ft 10 in) away from the corners.
Centered at each shortline is a 3.5 m (11 ft) wide and 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) high goal cage and in front of the cage is a half-circular penalty area with a 17 m (56 ft) radius. A penalty spot is located 12 metres (39 ft) in front of the goal and there are two free-stroke spots at the penalty area line, each surrounded by a 5 m (16 ft) circle.
A centre spot with a circle of radius 5 m (16 ft) denotes the center of the field. A centre-line is drawn through the centre spot parallel with the shortlines.
At each of the corners, a 1 m (3 ft 3 in) radius quarter-circle is drawn, and a dotted line is painted parallel to the shortline and 5 metres (16 ft) away from it without extending into the penalty area. The dotted line can be replaced with a 0.5-metre (1 ft 8 in) long line starting at the edge of the penalty area and extending towards the sideline, 5 metres (16 ft) from the shortline.[4]
The goal cage used in bandy is3.5 m (11 ft) wide and 2.1 metres (6 feet 11 inches) high and is the largest one used by any organized winter team sport.
Protective equipment
Bandy players require protective equipment, some of which is designed specifically for the sport such as the bandy chinguard. Equipment is similar to that worn in ice hockey but is typically smaller, lighter, and more flexible, and more closely resembles the equipment worn in the modern sport of ringette.
All players are required to wear helmets. While some bandy players are required to wear facemasks such as young players, some outfield players only wear a helmet with a bandy chin guard. Goaltenders are the exception and must wear a helmet and facemask at all times.
Teams
In 1984, the NABL merged with rival league MALB, under an amalgamated version of the NABL. The MALB's franchises within Buffalo, Miami, Denver, Kansas City, Kentucky, Boston, Arkansas, San Diego, New Jersey, Houston, Oakland, Cincinnati. The markets within the Mannes conference of the league are Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Charleston, New Orleans, Tampa, Arizona, Montreal, Louisville, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, Los Angeles, San Franciso, and Seattle. The markets within the Savine conference of the league are Buffalo, Miami, Boston, New Jersey, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Arkansas, Calgary, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Nashville, Denver, Kansas City, Winnipeg, Quebec City, Las Vegas, and San Diego.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedworldbandy - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ninh.co.uk: "The Rules of Bandy - EXPLAINED!", retrieved 14 October 2017
- ↑ "Rules". Bandy in Olympics. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedworldbandy2 - ↑ Equipment (PDF), Federation of International Bandy, September 27, 2011, p. 2, archived from the original (PDF) on May 11, 2013, retrieved June 14, 2015 Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Federation of International Bandy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2014. Unknown parameter
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