Culture of Kizenia

Sport in Kizenia & Kuzaki
Kizenia has several professional sporting leagues, including Association Football (the official national pastime), Rugby, Basketball, Ice Hockey, and Baseball.

Association Football
Football in Kizenia has long been the official national sport. Since the mid 2300s, it has been played at a professional level, albeit with several interruptions. Since the last reforms in 2777, Kizenian football has used a staggered Division Format with Promotion and Relegation rules. The top division, now called the Confederation League, consists of eight teams. Two second-level leagues exist. The champions of each Second level League play a playoff match in late November, in Trei Rauri, for the right to challenge the last-place First Division team for their place in the First Division - the latter game always occurs at the home stadium of the challenged team. Second Division teams in these matches must win to advance during regulation time - a tied match results in the status quo ante being maintained, as does a tied game in the playoff match (which results in no challenge being made). For this reason, only 46 challenge matches have occurred since 2777, and only 9 have succeeded. Due to this system, only thirteen teams have ever played in the First Division.

Prior to 2993, the two second level leagues were the Western (Kuzaki and Tilarnia) and Eastern (Sodali, Kutohaderia and Tiania). Afterwards, they were reorganized into the Kizenian (Tiania, Kutohaderia and Tilarnia) and Northern (Kuzaki and Sodali) Leagues. Also in 2993, third-level leagues were created for each province, although no system of relegation and promotion to the second level has yet been agreed to.

At the end of each regular season, the top four teams in the league statistically play for the Championship; unlike the regular season and relegation matches, matches for the championship series cannot end in a tie - time is extended if the score is tied into sudden death. The Championship game of 2914 between Tottori and Solgobat ended in a 3-2 score after 212 minutes of overtime - the longest football game ever played in the Kizenias.

(As of 3013)

Ice Hockey
Ice Hockey arrived in Kizenia from Trigunia sometime in the 2200s, and began to be played in the northern portion of the nation at the university level shortly afterwards. It was not until 2750 that a professional hockey league formed, although semi-pro teams had played the sport for quite some time longer. By the mid 2800s, it had become the second most popular sport in the nation. Unlike Association Football, the Ice Hockey league has no relegation system, and has maintained an eight-team league since its formation in 2750, although it has undergone an expansion once, to replace a failed franchise - it played the 2841 and 2842 seasons as a seven-team league as a result. The top two teams at the end of the season play a six game series for the Championship (with the top team awarded a "win" in game "0" to compensate for their regular season success).

(As of 3013)

Other Sports
A six team Rugby league was founded in 2816. The teams generally play on the same field as the football team in the same city, except the Tottori team (which actually plays its games in neighboring Tahtania, due to a dispute with the Tottori team's ownership).

Solbogat Phoenix Cetatea Alba Drunks Mandrie Snipers RC Tottori Fluviului Fifteen Alruba Falcons

A six team Basketball league was founded in 2872. With the exception of Trei Rauri, the teams play in the same arena as their hockey teams (Trei Rauri plays at the stadium of the University of Kutohaderia at Trei Rauri).

Cetatea Alba Victory Solgobat Slam Fluviului Geese Mandrie Giants Tottori Ninja Trei Rauri Rapids

An eight-team Baseball league was founded in 2604. Traditionally most of the powers in the league were based in Kuzaki Province - most attempts to expand outside the province have met with limited success.

Tottori Tigers Alruba Athletes Solgobat Sliders Umito Tide Mandrie Mashers Tahtania Rhinos Fluviului Bears Cetatea Alba Blues