Immortals challenge Al’amal in lead-up to finals.

A fierce battle between Al’amal Sports Club and the Immortals have dominated the weeks leading up to the Season 2 MAFL Championship Finals. The Immortals have somehow climbed their way up the standings to challenge Al’amal for a spot in the finals.

The Immortals have come a long way since the beginning of the season and reached a critical turning point just after the midpoint of the season. With the replacement of ex-coach, Cezar Veduva, with club manager Andam Mirza, the Immortals finally ended their humiliating streak of losses and starting climbing the ranks.

Meanwhile, Al’amal Sports Club has played a solid season so far. Free from the team drama and lacklustre performances that plagued some of the other teams, Al’amal had stayed in the top three of the rankings quite consistently.

Uday Lanka, captain of the Immortals and Al’amal captain, Musaddiq Baddour.

We take a look at the team breakdowns today, as all eyes are on the two teams to see who will make it to the finals.

Defense

Defense has been one of Al’amal’s strong suits this season. A consistent and effective defensive line saw Al’amal rarely losing by more than 1 goal in the majority of their matches. On the contrary, the Immortals have had to make huge efforts for their defensive game to be viable.

Goals

Both teams have strong scoring outputs. While the Immortals have a offensive powerhouse in Lanka, the Al’amal balances the scales with the formidable combination of Farra, Baddour, and Guler.

Predictions

While the Immortals have certainly flipped the tables on everyone, our bets are still on Al’amal to be in the finals. They have the consistency and team-dynamics that will carry them through.

The Show Goes On

The MAFL and Dong Ji have confirmed that they will press on with the season schedule next weekend. Hou’s funeral will take place on Jovis, 3 days before the club’s match on the afternoon of Solis. Originally planned as an away game, the Comets have agreed to play in Huacheng to allow for a pre-game memorial service to honour Hou. 

Hou’s death has been difficult to process. Had he suffered an accident on the pitch, it would have been more straight forward to assign blame and easier to accept.

“Physical risk and injury is expected in Aero Football,” says DJ captain, Ekberg, “But we don’t often talk about the head games and emotional baggage that come with competition.” 

Some argue that it goes much deeper than simply the pressure of playing professional ball, but that this is a specific byproduct of 1st generation Martians. Colonists from Earth undergo months (if not years) of pre-screening and preparation to come to Mars, but what can be done for those born here? 

Not only has the 1st generation grown up in completely different conditions than their parents, their conception and very existence is only possible as a result careful genetic manipulation. Considering each colony applies their own flavour of research and methodology to the process, procreation is truly a ongoing life sciences experiment. 

It is no secret that those born on Mars suffer unique challenges. Anecdotally, people label them as unmotivated or even ‘disgruntled’. However, there is increasing evidence that the Martian-born are prone to specific disorders. Studies in Marineris found, they are 70% more likely to be diagnosed and treated for anxiety and depression. Though there are no published statistics for Huacheng, it is not unreasonable to assume similar proportions. Hou was clearly suffering and he is not alone. 

Raedale Nash, top MAFL scorer and youngest player in the league, has had to face his demons publicly. After multiple incidents on and off the field, he’s actively in treatment. Additionally, he has opted-in to perpetual monitoring by psych-bot and club trainers, who can intervene. 

As much as sports has been a positive outlet for the new generation, it has also amplified the less positive qualities that are intrinsic to all of us. It is easy to point fingers at the MAFL or at the very science that has allowed us to exist so far from our home world, but this is, indeed how we live, and sadly how we sometimes die.  

Dong Ji’s manager, Rain Chen made this statement: “This is a very sad and difficult time, but we will play on. Martians have to be resilient." 

Indeed, it is at times like this that we, as colonists, are tested and reminded of the importance of resilience.

Mid-Season MAFL Review

current leaders of MAFL season 2, the dynamos pose on the pitch.

Season 2 of MAFL has officially passed the halfway mark and as players get a rare weekend break, we can pause to take a look at how things have been shaping up this season.

The season has been consistently capped by the Novyimir Dynamos at the top of the standings and the Amrita Immortals anchoring the bottom. Although Lanka has played an outstanding season so far, the Immortals have not been able to provide the support or pull together as a team.

Europa has performed well, with Darkeem Dennis proving his trade was the best move United could have made leading up to the season. Dennis is closely trailing behind Lanka on the scorer charts with 9 goals so far to Lanka’s 10.

Week by Week view of the MAFL Standings so far.

The two surprises of the season have definitely been the Wuji Sports Club and the Comets. Wuji has played a drastically improved game since the replacement of manager Bobby Chung and the addition of Lian as captain. Meanwhile, the Comets have not been able to break into the top 3 at all this season. Fans are quick to point out that the Comets also took time to build up momentum in season 1, however it doesn’t look optimistic for the Comets.

Similarly, the Titans have failed to recapture the explosive energy they had at the beginning of the inaugural season, fading into the background of a league that has grown significantly more competitive. If they cannot adapt, they will remain mediocre. At current pace, we doubt they will will make it into the play offs.

It’s likely that the season 2 championships will be a battle between the Dynamos, United, and Al’amal. Although Wuji has demonstrated some fantastic victories this season, their output is still too inconsistent to be a serious contender for the championship this season.

With Dennis pulling the team together the way he has for the last couple matches, our credits are on United to knock the Dynamos out as we move into the second half of the season.

Fans react to Season 2

Just 3 weeks into Season 2 for the MAFL and the results have upended all our expectations. Fans in Novyimir are overjoyed as the Dynamos currently reign supreme in the standings with 3 wins and zero losses.

The Dynamos were a middle-of-the-range team in Season 1, with a few outstanding fowards such as 25-year-old Ilya Petrovich, and 24-year-old Avideh Karaaria. However, the team is singing to quite a different tune for Season 2.

“It’s been very exciting,” says club manager, Sergey Ludomir, “we’ve been putting in a lot of hard work during the off-season, and it’s immensely satisfying to see that it's paid off and we’re getting results.”

The fans are equally pleased.

Calling themselves “Dynamaniacs”, evidence of their support and pride is seen in the packed live-casts and sold out Spectator Tours for the home games. Some dedicated fans are even shelling out the M-creds to travel to Huacheng and Tiangong to show their support.

“There’s nothing like being in the stadium and seeing the Dynamos in action,” explained one Dynamanic, Rinn Khomenko, “I was able to see them play in Tiangong, and it was amazing!”

Dynamaniacs celebrate the dynamos latest victory

Meanwhile the Immortals have had a rough go of the season so far. They also finished Season 1 solidly in the middle of the pack. But despite having star player, Uday Lanka, and solid offensive players in Hagendoorn and Naik to back him up, the Immortals have not been able to secure a single victory.

“We’re still working out some kinks in the roster,” Immortals coach, Cezar Vaduva, says about the team’s dismal performance so far, “we’ve had a couple new recruits but we’re confident that once we hit our stride things will start turning around.”

Most fans in Amrita are determined to keep a positive outlook, though many are questioning Vaduva's expanded role and taking many responsibilities that previously fell on Manager Andam Mirza. 

“It’s still early in the season and things can swing around really quick. I think the Dynamos are going to burn out pretty soon. They’re on a streak right now, but those never last,” a Immortals fan staunchly predicted.

Fans in Marineris and San Olympus have been quietly disappointed, perhaps in disbelief. Season 1 runner-ups, the Titans, have been sitting consistently at second last. The Comets have fared slightly better as they currently stand at fifth place in the rankings. Nevertheless it’s still a far cry from the title of ‘champion’ they’ve proudly held over the off-season.

MAFL fandom, itself, is still relatively new to colonists, but it is consistently revealing behaviours responses that are atypical of real and virtual stimulus baselines.  According to Doctor Luden Madenoxialax of the Psychiatric Studies Department of Marineris, there is a noticeable drop in the aggregate data from the colony's Emotional Surveillance program. 

"I don't have access to actual data from the other colonies that monitor emotional wellbeing," says Madenoxialax, but the values we see coincide with the Comet's performance, with the last few weeks presenting depressed averages.

In general, Madenoxialax and other specialists do not regard this as a negative for the community, that these are natural responses for engaged fans, however, ongoing monitoring is necessary to identify potential issues, especially for those who are predisposed to depression.  


 

Game on! ISMO approves official playoffs in Europa

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ISMO officials have released a statement early today recanting their original decision not to support a finale to tie-break the Wildcards and Moles after the 2nd round of exhibition hockey.

“We value the support fans have shown since ISMO launched this series of exhibition hockey games,” read the official announcement released by ISMO CEO, Seulovik. “We are proud of the community that we have built. And as a sign of respect for our fans and athletes, we will officially participate with a play-off match between the two leaders from Round 2.”

Though this is great news, allowing the players to officially play with the actual team names and regulation equipment owned by ISMO, it is an equally awkward predicament.  The unsanctioned match was already going to happen with or without ISMO's involvement.  Donations from fans had already covered costs for producing equipment and uniforms.  The teams had already come up with alternative team names to avoid copyright infringement. 

When asked about the development, Janice Campbell of the Moles said, “It is a step in the right direction for ISMO. The success of Martian Ice Hockey is dependent on the athletes and the fans after all. They shouldn’t forget that.”

Regardless of whether ISMO was genuinely acquiescing to their fans or not, it was the only move to save face. Seulovik’s original decision had painted him as a “party-pooper”, so this change in heart is a not-too-subtle effort to salvage his own image.  In many ways, the damage has already been done and closing the rift may not come easy.  Europa organizers are said to be 'deflated' as they preferred to run the event independent of ISMO.

Politics aside, this upcoming game is going to be an all-stops-pulled out one-nighter of an event! The match was planned by the respective teams and Europa officials for Rishabha 14.  It has been confirmed that this date will not change with the sudden involvement of ISMO.

To accommodate the massive number of fans, the game will be broadcast live across the settlements, but that won’t stop fans from travelling to Europa to participate in the excitement first-hand. 

“We are expecting a sharp spike in the number of inhabitants we will need to sustain during this time,” explains Europa officials, “We’ll be diverting resources leading up to the event to make sure that we’ll have enough capacity up to 3 days.”

In Europa, public spectator-spaces will include the: The Daedelus Sports Hall, Schiaperelli Centre, Greeley’s and The Dusty Pig. So if you’re planning to be in Europa for the game, these are the places to be!

Ice time at Europa Rink has been equally divided and both teams will be training hard this week as they prepare for their face-off. 

“We’re going to bring everything we’ve got. We’re going to train hard, stay focused, and go for the win,” says Samuel Marquez, captain of the Wildcards.

Moles and Wildcards plan to face-off in Europa

Marquez of the Wilcards and Campbell of the Moles, both attempted to secure a final face-off for their teams.

Earlier this week, team captains, Janice Campbell and Samuel Marquez, failed in their attempt to petition ISMO for a special winner-takes-all match between their respective teams, the Moles and Wildcards.

According to Fredrick Seulovik, president of the RD organization, “The rules of the exhibition and the training program were clear when they signed up. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but this phase is complete and we will not endorse an unsanctioned game that uses our brands, equipment, or facilities.”

“They introduced us to something we love to play!” said Campbell, “I think we owe it to the game, and the fans, to have a definitive closure to the exhibition and not just points on a leaderboard.”

With ISMO’s outright refusal to allow the match, you’d think this would stop it in its tracks. However, nothing bars the teams from playing the sport on their own free time.  

They just can’t do it with anything owned by ISMO.  

It is relatively straightforward to have equipment manufactured, so long as it doesn’t infringe on any of ISMO’s particular patents, so the real barrier is accessing a rink and as fate would have it a back door presented itself.

The temporary rinks that were built in Marineris, Europa and Wendland are not official property of ISMO. Although, the Mariners and Wendland facilities have already been dismantled, the ice in Europa is still installed in Hangar Bay 16.

Barring any complications, the teams plan on traveling to Europa next weekend to have a winner-takes-all unofficial match.  Even though they are paying out of their own pockets, everyone is excited for this opportunity.

“You bet we’re going all in,” says Wildcards goalie, Arquette, “even though we’ll need to cover the cost of our own equipment. It’s worth it!”

For Europa, this may be the hometown game they had hope for, but just didn’t get from their adopted Khimik team.

Word of the unofficial match has been spreading like wildfire amongst hockey fans. After the initial chaos, Europa officials implemented a lottery system to release tickets. There’s been no word so far on where the money will be going—but some fans have suggested diverting some of the ticket sales toward covering the cost of manufacturing new equipment.

“I can’t wait for this!” says a lucky fan after snagging on of the coveted tickets, “I’ve been following hockey since it started in Korolev and I’m so happy to see it take on a life of its own!”

If this were a marketing ploy masterminded by Seulovik, it would be a testament to his brilliance, but sadly this really looks like they’ve taken the eye off the puck on this one.

MAFL Takes to the Air!

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z-388's have traditionally been used for industrial transport, but will soon be carrying mafl players & equipment across mars.

Sports are now the driving force behind the development of intercolony leisure travel and tourism. Previously, travel between colonies was dominantly for business purposes due to the prohibitive costs and regulations, but with the Global Transport Commission lifting commercial restriction on the use of the industrial purpose-built crafts, the MAFL has already signed up to purchase 2 zepplocarriers.

Traveling by “air” has been impractical due to the thin atmosphere of our world. This physical constraint render traditional Earth aircrafts ineffective on Mars. Rocket pods and Hovers (anything launched by rail cannons) still provide the fastest means of transport on the planet, but limited load capacities, questionable safety, and prohibitive costs make it an exclusive option.

Though zepplocarriers are not currently designed for speed, direct flight paths and the ability to forego recharging stops make them more time-effective compared to current land-based travel.

For example, MAFL players travelled an average of 12,000 km a month—totalling 8 days on the road. Even in the protective shielding of a transport, there is increased risk of radiation exposure.

“Players have complained of the long and gruelling road trips.”, expressed an MAFL spokesperson, “Our intention is to test zepplos and if all goes as planned, subsidize the acquisition of one for each club.”

Zepplos will be able to ferry teams, their supporting staff, and potentially spectators between colonies. Travel by zepplocarrier will reduce the typical 3-day journey between Huacheng and Europa, to a single day.

This is big news to players like Edouard Rouselle of United. “I have a family and kids. Anything that lets me have more time with them in a week is a godsend!”

Service air carriers, that do not rely on principles of lift and drag have been an industry solution for more than two decades to transport resources and equipment and inaccessible regions, but, until now, they have never been deployed public use..

“There hasn’t been a need,” says Vakhita Blackwell, CEO of zepplocarrier manufacturer, Helionus Inc.,  “Quite frankly, there hasn’t been the demand. Until now, we were previously content with waiting for the tunnels to be completed to connect colonies by loops.”

Indeed, intercolony tourism has been historically small, with only a fraction of the approximate 120,000 Martian inhabitants needing transit between colonies—the majority of that for work purposes.

With Pandora’s box now open, the once insular majority is suddenly demanding regular transportation for leisure purposes. The first championship match drew a record-breaking 5,000 colonists from all corners of Mars out of the safety of a stationary settlement to congregate at Marineris stadium.

To put that in perspective—workers in natural resources, “explorer” companies and research expeditions (that are effectively nomadic settlements) only represent about of 3,000 people, planet-wide, that need to be outside at any given time.

Underground transport tunnels are in the works to provide a reliable means of transportation between colonies. The first such tunnel, a highway between Marineris and Europa, is expected to be completed within 7 months and spans just over 3000 km. It’s estimated that linking the vast distances between far reaching settlements will take decades—if at all.

It will still be some time before there is a major disruption in public transport with the proposed hyperloops, but in the meantime, blimps can fill in the void.

ISMO's Underrated D-List Teams

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Canadicas training drills at korolev rink.

We’re stoked to hear that a second season of ISMO’s Exhibition Hockey has been announced! While the organizers are preparing and finangling away behind the scenes, let’s take a look at the frenetic world of  ISMO hockey.

The spotlight has been on the 6 teams chosen for the first exhibition season, but that’s just the tip of the ISMO iceberg. There are at least 9 other teams (at time of publication) who have been training and playing scrimmages—they’re the so-called “D-Listers”.

Who are these teams and where are these players coming from?

Well, the requirements for forming a team are not strict—as long as the minimum number of co-ed payers are met, any team can be registered with ISMO. Additionally, many companies in the 3 rink-holding settlements are actively encouraging employees to participate in the name of recreation and team-building.

I took it upon myself to see these teams in action and visited Korolev Rink one afternoon to watch a few games and training sessions. Suffice to say, these teams are not pros.

Nevertheless, these D-Listers are putting out some great matches and favourites have definitely emerged amongst the fans of this informal league.

Notable Teams

The Canadicas are headed up by Earth-born Ashton Morin. “I love Earth, and I wanted to bring a little piece of my heritage with me. Everyone know that Canada and hockey go hand-in-hand. So Canadicas it was,” says Morin about his team’s moniker.

When asked about the rest of his team, Morin laughed that everyone else was Mars-born, but went along with his suggestion out of a sense of camaraderie.

I also had a chance to talk to eccentrically-named team SunRa. Members were enthusiastic about the development of sports and recreation on Mars.

“We’re a company team, and most of us work at Soltek, so we thought it’d be fun to include that in our team name somehow.

Other D-List teams include the Super Colliders, Orbiters, Voyagers, and Cosmic Rays. While these teams are currently flying under the radar, I think there will be some up-and-coming players emerging from the shadows before too long.

Keep an eye out for Pete Watkins (currently a forward for the Super Colliders), Leola Ballard (playing goal for the Canadicas), and Anza Kahale (alternately playing forward and defense for the Orbiters).

ISMO Confirms Round 2 of Exhibition Hockey

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After delays in colony permits due to rink safety issues, ISMO has finally confirmed the start date for Round 2 of the Exhibition. Games will start next weekend on Mesha 21 and Mesha 22.

Those expecting the same-old, same-old will be surprised as the new season brings with it some big changes! With the exception of the Cosmonauts, all the teams will be relocated to one of the settlements sporting a brand new rink.

The Moles will be moving to Marineris, the Wildcards will be migrated to Wendland, and Khimik will be moved to Europa. Not only will the fours teams will playing from a new home base—they’ll be expanding each team roster with an additional player.

Each team had their pick of players from the disbanded Phantoms and Sands.

Khimik strategically drafted Jessie Andersen from the Sands to join their team, boosting the number of female players to 2. Andersen had been the main scorer for the Sands and will be joining the likes of Vasiliev and Hryc as a forward on Khimik.

“I’m glad to have another woman on the team,” says Khimik goalie, Veronica Danilenko, about the acquisition, “Jessie really adds a great dynamic to our team.”

Star forward of the Phantoms, Peter Lehmann will be bring his scoring skills to the Wildcards. With Lehmann and Martinez on the same team, the Wildcards are going to be a formidable force next season. Aaron Bello and Hugo Milosevic will be joining the Moles and Cosmonauts respectively.

Fans and settlement officials alike are excited about the relocation of the teams.

“Being able to host an ISMO team really helps to put us on the map,” says Wendland Counciller, Ryt Bohenno, “we’re mostly associated with heavy industry right now, but we’re so excited to host the Wildcards and be part of this next phase in Martian hockey.”

Fans who have been unable to make the expensive and time-consuming trips to Novyimir, Korolev, or Mareotis now have a chance to watch a live game. And the fans are many!

The new rinks have an increased seating capacity of 800-1000 depending on the colony.

Nevertheless, tickets for the opening games of the Exhibition sold out within a minutes of the release. Those lucky fans will be able to see Khimik play the Wildcards at Europa on Mesha 21, and Moles play the Cosmonauts at Marineris on the 22.

Spotlight on the Fedins

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Anna and Katy Fedin of the Cosmonauts exhibition team.

As the ISMO exhibition Hockey continues, few other players have captured Martian imagination like the Fedin sisters, Anna and Katy. We’re here today with an exclusive interview with the two sisters! Read on to find out why they joined the league, their thoughts on ISMO, and where they see hockey going on Mars.

Tell us a little about your background.

Anna: Well, we’re originally from Earth and still relatively new to Mars. We arrived in 247, so it's only been 2 and a half years.

What brought the two of you to Mars?

Katy: I came as part of an engineering scholarship program—I was accepted to the Noviymir program and I this helped Anna fast track her application as well.

Anna: Katy is the smart one. I was lucky to get my 5 year work visa to work at IKKERON-Organics. Both of us have dreamed of space and spending time off-world. Now, it’s hard to believe that we are living on Mars and playing ice hockey.

What has the transition from Earth to Mars been like?

Anna: It’s been pretty intense both physically and mentally. The gravity on Mars makes physical conditioning necessary.  It's mandatory in Noviymir and many of the other major colonies.  

Katy: I think the most difficult part for me was settling into a completely different society. It took a long time to get used to the how things are run here. Everything is so regimented, which you expect from the immigration process, but when you are actually here, you realize how regulated colony life has to be.

What has it been like being test players in ISMO? 

Katy: It’s been amazing. Anna and I both skated and played shinny when we were little, but neither of us had any professional hockey experience, so this is a real adventure.

Anna: I participated in team sports through high school, but the accelerated training program at ISMO is like nothing I've seen before.  The physical and mental conditioning has been intense, but the results are really satisfying.  We spend a lot of time watching old archival hockey too.

Katy: That’s right!

Anna: What I love most about participating in the ISMO program is being part of something familiar, together. When you’re on a brand new planet, it’s nice to have something that reminds you of where you’re from, even when the physics of skating and everything else is so wildly different.

What is it like playing on the same team as your sister?

Katy: It’s been so great. I think when you’re playing on the same team as someone you grew up with, there’s a level of trust there that will take other players a long time to build.

Where do you see hockey going on Mars?

Anna: I think there’s lots and lots of opportunity here. The exhibition games have been doing so well—the turnout for the games shows there is curiosity and interest. I think Mars is ready and hungry for more events like ISMO Hockey and the MAFL.

Katy: It’s still early for the sport, so there are definitely some growing pains. I personally hope it becomes something.  Anna and I have serious talks about staying on Mars after I graduate and complete the contracted work-term.  Hockey could really be the fork in our road.

Experts Weigh in on ISMO Hockey

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What a 5 week whirlwind it’s been for ISMO Hockey! Our Panel of Martian sports experts weigh in today on ISMO’s hockey experiment. They discuss their thoughts on the new sport and how the reception may change after the next round of exhibition games.

Compared with classic hockey, one of the most visible difference of ISMO Hockey is the construction of the arena. Any thoughts on that?

Ion Miranda - Sports Writer and Analyst

Let’s talk about those ramped walls! ISMO officials made a big deal about the design of the sport and the rink, but it is no coincidence that there are similarities to the Aero Football, where players also play off the walls. Right now, the circular ramps are a blessing and a curse – They add a dynamic dimension to the game and reducing the roughhousing. When players are able to take to the air, it is like watching a Starskimmer performance, but the curse continues to be there aren’t enough skilled players to use it that way, so it amplifies the amateur quality of the sport.

Tsam Tiger Wiskle - Former Coach in Earth's East Americas Junior’s club

Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool—but I still think it feels gimmicky. I come from a Hockey purist point of view. I don’t see a point in messing with a setup that’s had so many years of success on Earth. Leave the fancy halfpipe to the trick skaters…when you actually have trick skaters.

Louise Pengilfinter - Analyst and Adjuct Professor at University of Marineris

One of the aspects of ISMO hockey that has come up again and again is the speed of the game. It actually isn’t faster rather it is more fluid.  The rink design is a practical solution to the conditions of Mars. I think ISMO’s hockey prototype is by no means perfect, perhaps it is even silly, but as these players learn to use the environment, we will see the game evolve far beyond what we see today.

What do you think about the team dynamics and gameplay?

Tsam Tiger Wiskle

I definitely find the 3 on 3 a good choice. It leaves room for so much interpretation of play by the players during the game. This has been the smartest aspect of the game so far.  I commend ISMO for making the effort to put this out there so soon. I wish they were able to invest more in skill development and waited longer before public exposure. It would have saved these test players a lot of embarrassment and present a more baked product for people like me to evaluate.

Ion Miranda

The fun part of watching an exhibition sport, especially one as novel as ISMO hockey, is that sense of trial and error. You watch these teams try new plays, formations, and strategies each game and it’s never, ever, boring. Traditional roles and positions are all out the window! Each of the players have specific strengths, but they need to be able to flow into different roles at the drop of a pin. This is what really weeded out the Sands and Phantoms in round one.

Louise Pengilfinter

Co-ed teams seem to be a defining aspect of Martian sports so far.  Many continue to scoff at the idea, but we’re at the tailend of the 21st century. Even in the MAFL we still see discrimination. In ISMO’s defence, according to  Evgeni Stolbova, VP of Skill Development at ISMO, they didn’t receive an equal proportion of women applicants to the program, resulting in the ‘minimum 1’ gender representation rule. No representation equals disqualification, which is why we see so many women goalies. We should be beyond these kinds of rule. As we’ve seen with the Titans and now the Moles, diversity makes for more dynamic teams.

How was the spectator response been? What do you see in ISMO Hockey’s future?

Tsam Tiger Wiskle

ISMO is no MAFL, but it’s garnered curiosity. I would say the fan base should be traditional hockey fans—people like me who emigrated from Earth––but most are still on the fence. They love the familiarity it brings, but unsure of what they are seeing.  I expect that someone will take the ISMO experiment and try to productize it into a league, but not because of its actual merits, rather because of the sport fever that has swept the planet.

Louise Pengilfinter

I think a large part of the draw is that ISMO hockey feels much more accessible to the average Martian than MAFL—simply because you don’t need to leave the colony to play. In MAFL, only the best athletes who passed the indoor tryouts are given a chance even step outside into the outdoor arenas in EV suits. If indoor rinks become more common across settlements, anyone can put on a pair of skates. In this manner, the exhibition hockey has also been a plus. That the players are not super athletes that have trained for years adds that notion of accessibility. The “I can do better” can motivate players of the future.

Ion Miranda

Yep. I think ISMO hockey is here to stay. There’s still lots of kinks to work out, but the fan reception has been overwhelming so far, so I cannot see round 2 being any different. Suffice it to say—Martians are hungry for entertainment. This is the golden opportunity for sports, and I say there’s big void to fill.

Moles Visit San Olympus

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Janice Campbell, Captain of the Moles.

The hockey teams of ISMO started a promotional tour this week.  With media events planned in every major colony, this is the first intimate exposure of winter-style sports on Mars.

The event in San Olympus was hosted by the 7 players of the Moles and attracted more than 60 attendees. The curiosity was, in part, fuelled by the fact that 3 of the Mole players are local residents. Though based in Noviymir, the Moles are entirely comprised of outside talent.   

Attendees included media and invited members from the public.  They were treated to a deep immersion experience of Martian Ice Hockey as well as a holographic sneak peeks of half a dozen other sports that are currently under development at ISMO.

Janice Campbell, a San Olympus resident and captain of the Moles, explained the set up, "There are two teams based out of Noviymir that will be playing in the exhibition games, but ISMO actually has created 5 teams in each of the hosting settlements, so we all share the same respective rinks and resources."

ISMO hockey is a mixed gender sport.  The Moles are the only team in the exhibition that feature more female players than men, not unlike the Titans squad of Aero Football fame.  Similarly, the team is already experiencing ridicule by their competitors, driving up the pressure for the Moles.  If the MAFL is any indication, Campbell's team could have an advantage in a game that may favour the nimble, especially under Martian conditions.  Unlike Earth variations of the game, boards are replace with circular ramps that dramatically change contact points.

When asked how the team was assembled, Campbell explained, "When ISMO began recruiting for players, 6 of us who regularly played recreational field hockey decided to apply together.  We all got in, but only 3 of us (Laura Hall, Kara Okeke, and I)  were able to get the extended leave from work to stick with the program.  We easily could have been split up into different teams, but they kept us together, which is a big advantage for us.  We've been able to build on that team chemistry and aim to leverage that."

All of the teams are comprised of only 7 players.  1 goaltender and typically an even split of forwards and defensemen.  Only 3 players per team, in addition to the net minder, are allowed to play at any given time, but teams can rotate players and lineups at their own discretion.

As a non-professional organization, the teams are lean and do not have coaching or support staff, making the role of captain that much more critical.

"We have closed channel communication systems, so it isn't difficult to coordinate changes," said Campbell, "But it does get hard keeping track of what's happening.  We have to be very disciplined or the chatter becomes disruptive, especially late in a game when everyone gets tired."

Games are broken down in to 3 fifteen minute periods.  Infractions are penalized by taking an offender or substitute off the ice for 1 or 2 minute intervals.  In the case of a second penalty, the opposing team is allowed an extra player on the ice.

When asked how the sport compares with Earth-style ice hockey Campbell responded, "I've never played ice hockey on Earth before, but we've studied both historical and modern forms of the game."  After a pause to collect her thoughts, she added, "But if I have to compare, I think the guys at ISMO have cooked up something distinctively Martian.  I can guarantee you that the generations of players that come after us will make this into a legendary game."

Ice Sports Exhibition Games Announced

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No matter how you look at it, our planet Mars is a cold, cold place.  

Though temperatures at our equator can reach 20ºC during the summer, this tends to be more of an inconvenience than a reward for the colonies that have to manage the extreme fluctuations between day and night.

Rarely have we celebrated the frigid reality of the world we call home, until now.

After months of previews and sporadic reports, ISMO has officially announced the 6 teams that will be participating in the first ever Martian Ice Hockey exhibition games.  

Exhibition teams - Wildcards, Sands, Phantoms, Moles, Khimik and the Cosmonauts 

The teams are made up of pilot players from across the settlement, but are all based in either Noviymir, Korolev, or Mareotis.  These are the locations ISMO has prototype rink facilities, so most players have temporarily relocated to participate in the unique opportunity.

The first round exhibition schedule begins in 2 weeks on Mina the 21st. Corresponding to this, tour groups have started selling vacation packages in hopes of attracting early adopters and supporters to the ice-towns by offering first-hand inclusive experiences.  Packages include skate lessons with players, viewing access to afternoon practise sessions, and tickets to the 'doubleheader' games played on Saturni and Solis. 

First round Exhibition Games, Mina 21 & 22:

• PHANTOMS vs. COSMONAUTS - Played at Mareotis
• MOLES vs. KHIMIK - Played at Noviymir
• SANDS vs WILDCARDS - Played at Korolev

For those who are curious but unable to make the trip to the northern settlements, virtual broadcasts will, unfortunately, not be available.   

"We are intentionally keeping these games exclusive and close to our chests at this stage," said Fredrick Seulovik, President of ISMO. "This is a dynamic process for us and we'll see where these exhibition games take us.  Broadcasts will be coming soon."

With a mission to foster Earth-style 'winter' sporting events, in addition to Martian Ice Hockey, ISMO is expected to reveal a number individual and team oriented experimental games.  Rumours indicate that courses have been carved into retired mining facilities that could conceivably host a variety of 'downhill' competitions.  

Turning our cold climate into some kind of positive for sports may have its own challenges, but with the ongoing set-backs in our global-warming initiatives (most recently with delays in the Magnetic Dipole Field projects), Mars isn't likely to get warmer anytime soon. 

Wizards on Ice

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Thanks to MAFL, many people are familiar with Amanda Jacobsen.  Not for her engineering achievements in San Olympus or the program she runs at the University's engineering faculty, but for her contributions to Martian Aero Football League.  Indeed, her popularity has been the result of designing the actual ball.

With anticipation for ISMO's upcoming hockey exhibition, we've found 3 behind-the-scenes heroes that are solving problems to make ice sports possible. If Martian hockey takes off, it will be off the backs of innovators like these.

From left to right: Dr. Elisna Katrine, Byrono Mon-Omar and Lancer Quan.

The Game Designer

Lancer Quan has been on Mars for 5 years, originally contracted for a class 1 technical position with MIIRA Undertech in 2072.  His programming skills were essential for updating many of the old AI systems responsible for keeping colony infrastructure at Marineris running.

After finishing his 2 year contract, Quan didn't return to Earth.

"There was just too much work to do," he said in a virtual interview, "There are a lot of old robots and many facilities up here still build new robots on old specs, so Mars is unique in how autonomous units need to be refurbished."

It was after a chance meeting with Fredrick Seulovik, now founder of Ice Sports Mars Org (ISMO), that Quan became involved in the ice hockey project.  

"I needed a way to design the sport, to simulate different variations to make it our own," recalled Seulovik, "We couldn't do it in real life, so naturally, we expected to experiment virtually.  The problem was finding resources to do this kind of work because everyone on Mars tends to be locked into exclusive contracts.  Not only did Lancer have the technical skills, but he actual knew hockey!"

It was the kind project Quan never knew he was after. 

"Yes, I played hockey back home," Quan said, "It's was an amazing opportunity to be part of a sport I love, but used to suck at."

In a matter of weeks, his programs were generating and simulating millions of rink variations, rules, team combinations and emulating player skill levels.  Seulovik found the funding he needed to form ISMO, all based off of Quan's work.

"I really wish I could take credit for the halfpipe-style rink design," Quan says, "But reality is, it was all the machine."

The Protector 

Byrono Mon-Omar is an engineer in the Exo-Equipment division at Chariton Labs.  Many of his components are used in industrial EV suits as well as MAFL equipment.

"When I was asked to design sporting equipment for ice hockey," he explained, "I didn't think it would work the way they thought.  It wasn't until after a visit to Korolev and actually skating, I became excited about what we could do with a game on Mars."

Mon-Omar was tasked with solving two problems:  1) making streamlined protective equipment with inexpensive locally available materials and 2) reducing risks of blade injury from skates.

Early Prototype equipment based on Mon-Omar's design templates.

"I came up with a set of templates so that when gear is manufactured from different machines and different producers, it meets the specified tolerances for performance and safety."

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate scenario of getting a skate in the face, Mon-Omar is the person you will thank for the smart-blade that automatically encases itself in milli-seconds upon imminent collisions.

Mon-Omar's contribution goes beyond safety too.  When you get a load of the retractable shielding and auto-inflatable padding, even if you've never heard of the sport, you'll have the sudden urge to become a goaltender.

The Dream Maker

Training someone to be an elite athletic performer doesn't happen overnight... or does it?

Traditionally, athlete's train from childhood to specialized in a single sport.  They invest tens of thousands of hours to become proficient (not necessarily even competitive).  Though every Martians tends to be fit because it is an ingrained necessity and part of our way of life, fitness does not equate to excelling at any particular sport.  And even for those that grew up playing Hoopz, Jamtrunkle, or Dodgebat at school,  a new sports that involves skating on ice and propelling yourself into the air demands a lot master. 

"No one wants to wait a generation for pro sports to happen," Evgeni Stolbova, VP of Skill Development at ISMO, explains, "So we are trying to do both things in parallel - fast track players to competency and teach the youth to play our sport."

Dr. Elisna Katrine might very well be ISMO's secret weapon.  Katrine is an expert at dream induction.  The technique is a proven and well documented process that has been used for treatment for decades, however it is controversial because it only works for roughly 25% of the population.  For this reason, it has never been widely adopted. 

The good news for Stolbova?  He only needs a a small number of players capable of performing on ice.  So the chance at accelerating 25% of his talent pool is a whole lot better than nothing.

"It isn't very much like dreaming at all," said Anna Fedin, one of the candidate pilot players on team Cosmonaut, "Your body shakes as it responds to the stimulus.  It was quite an unsettling experience at first, but I can actually sleep through the sessions now."

The process cannot make someone exceed their natural ability, nor does it replace the need for actual physical conditioning.  It simply accelerates development of motor skills.  According to Dr. Katrine, however, there are drawbacks.  The process can result in conflict with real-world training and experiences, so determining when to ramp down treatment is critical.

In the case of ISMO, the hope is this will bring the pilot players to an adequate level where the gameplay is entertaining to watch.  With exhibition games slated to begin next month by mid-Mina, the pressure is on.

Dream induction is prohibited in the MAFL.  The organization prides itself as fostering 'natural' abilities.

To that, Stolbova responds, "That's fine, but not everyone is born with EV suites and boost thrusters."

Martian Hockey Promises Thrills, But Not Without Problems

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Ice Sport Mars Organization presented their new rinks near Noviymir, Mareotis, and Korolev. 

The launch of a hockey league on Mars has sparked a wave of optimism, with council leaders celebrating "a new era in Martian sport." The highly anticipated series of exhibition games have been billed as proof that this maturing network of colonies is quickly amassing all the comforts of Earth. 

The one hitch, though, is no one can skate. 

In a glitzy, live-streamed press conference yesterday, founders behind the burgeoning hockey league — calling themselves the Ice Sport Mars Organization (ISMO) — promised a faster, more extreme version of the original. 

Less encumbered by gravity, top speeds will dwarf even the most elite players on Earth, ISMO claims. The puck is twice the size. Goalies won’t be confined to the net, with retractable pads so they can better join the action. Defenders are also fitted with pads for advanced shot blocking. And, most surprisingly, there won't be traditional boards. Instead the new arenas, built in subterranean ice mines, will look like halfpipes. The ice surfaces will be sunken into the ground, with ramped edges that players can skate up along vertical walls and even propel themselves into the air.  

“Our guys are going to be like acrobats,” ISMO president Fredrick Seulovik said. “They can get unbelievable air. They’ll be flipping and spinning overtop of each other.”

But that wasn't the case at a recent practice scrimmage. This reporter was granted an exclusive preview of the game and it was, well, underwhelming.

Players toppled over each other rather than flipping or spinning. Those who managed to stay on their feet were unable to effectively stop, hitting the ramped edges and catapulting themselves into the air, flailing. A goalie, desperate to return to her crease after joining in a rush to the opponent’s end, ungracefully crashed into her net.

There were two minor injuries and four equipment malfunctions in the span of the 45 minutes of ice time. 

“I don’t know if I can take this much longer,” one player muttered to another as they made their way to a makeshift locker room, which was really a heated tent beside the enclosed rink. 

Of the players I spoke with, none have ever skated before ISMO started training camps three months ago — except a few who played in pick-up games organized as a morale-booster for ice miners at a facility outside Korolev over the past year. 

Defenseman Martin Bartschi spent ample time on the ice, horizontally.

“Listen, it’ll get better,” said Evgeni Stolbova, the ISMO’s demoralized vice-president of skills development.

He should hope so. 

Investors, buoyed by the recent success of the Martian Aero Football League, sunk millions into leasing space in three ice mines near Novymir and two satellite settlements. It was a clever plan, avoiding the costly process of ice-making since the underground mines already have vast sheets of ice available. But it took some maneuvering to convert the mines into usable arenas. The ice can’t be too cold or the skate blades won’t sink in. So ISMO installed climate control rinks to heat the cavernous environment from -125 C to around -3 C.

For any chance at building broader reach, ISMO will have to expand in to markets much larger than Mareotis Fossae and Korolev. The question is, will anyone be interested in hockey outside the predominantly Scandinavian and Russian cultural centres?

Talks are underway to build arenas in Europa and Marineris. Those two major cities, however, do not have adequate ice pockets nearby — forcing ISMO to build a facility capable of housing a rink rather than use a pre-existing ice surface. 

But the organization appears content to play the long game. They've insisted this isn't professional sport yet, only an attempt to build interest and new talent. And it appears to be working. Enrolment in their Ice Sport Academy is already full in all 3 settlements, with participants coming from as far as Wendland and Huacheng.

“This is a chance,” ISMO president Seulovik said, “to not be bored.” 

Let’s hope she’s right.

Tragedy and Triumph.

Unbelievable! What drama! What triumph! The first season of the Mars Aero Football League was a resounding success. This tiny little idea that people would be interested in a new Martian sport created a  greater impact than anyone could have imagined.

Of course, personally, I’m still crushed.  My poor Titans. My wonderful, sweet Titans. They made it the entire way to the championship only to be defeated. And on home turf no less. Now, the Comets played a great match, so I can’t be too miffed, but the Titans were saddled with a series of injuries. Their aggressive style of play got them through the season at the top of the standings, but it came at cost, and I would love to see how a fully healthy Titans team would fare against the Comets.

The arena was packed. I’ve never attended any event like it. There is an energy that is created when you have a crowd of that size, even when we are gently packed into spectator transports. With every goal there was a thunder from the five-thousand-plus crowd. People were having a great time and they knew that they were part of history.

The population of Sans Olympus swelled by fifty percent, with sports tourists from every colony wanting to see this main event of the season. I will be interested to see if MAFL can build upon this, and be a driver for inter-colony tourism. The tourism economy is small part of overall Martian GDP, but it is growing exponentially with each passing month.

I’ve heard that Earth has also been overwhelmed with excitement about this championship match. Earth viewership of the event was more than twice as high as the next most watched game, and proves that interest in Martian sports goes far beyond our colonies on the Red planet.

So what is next for MAFL? The Commissioner has been coy, but there is no doubt that a 2nd season will occur, and with it will most likely bring some changes to rules, team rosters, and even league size. I don’t want to start any rumours, but there has been some interest from a few colonies to field an additional team. This might be smoke and wishes, but eventually we will need to talk expansion.

And what about my Titans? Even though they lost, Sans Olympus held a hero’s parade for them to show our love and support. We also got to see why these athletes are role models to so many Martians.  As I mentioned, there were a number of injuries so a group of players, including team caption Ware, needed to visit the hospital in Sans Olympus.

Medical breakthroughs have been rampant over the last century, and prevention against disease was one of the main problems Earth scientists looked at before anyone ever set foot on Mars, but sickness and injury still occur. Most of the medical work is done by robots, but human doctors are still the main force of diagnosis and treatment. The human touch is calming for the afflicted, especially when they are children.

Now, there aren’t many sick children in the Sans Olympus hospital, but when Captain Ware heard that there were some in the wing next to her, she gathered her teammates for a visit that these young fans will never forget. The look on their little faces was priceless, even for XX (insert name) who happily told them that the Comets were his favourite team. Each child got an autograph, a mini game ball toy, and a team picture. It was a fun time that was honestly needed as much for the Titans as it was for the kids.

It should serve as a reminder that MAFL isn’t just a bunch of people playing a game; it is a new part of Martian culture that has reverberated all throughout our society. I can’t wait to see what next season will bring.

Championship Anticipation

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Bradley's Comets face Ware's Titans at Olympus Park tomorrow.

Hundreds boarded transport vehicles earlier this week to make the pilgrimage to San Olympus to see who would rise to be the first ever MAFL champion.

“I’ve given my vacation notice for the week because this is going to be one party I don't want to miss.”, said one Europa fan boarding a transport, much to the roaring cheers of her fellow travel mates.

The flow of traffic between Marineris and San Olympus is unprecedented with transport agencies working round the clock shuttling fans the 4500 km distance.  In addition to Marineris residents, hundreds of visitors who came from abroad for Pathfinder Marathon have stuck it out to make the stop to the mountain colony even though the likelihood of acquiring tickets is virtually impossible.

The few scalped tickets that have become available onboard an PTV have reportedly sold for as much as 20 times the original fare.

With PTVs coming in from the colonies, Olympus Park will be at true stadium capacity for the first time.  They have found a way to park an additional 25 visiting transport vehicles, making this the largest single gathering outside a colony facility with more than 5000 spectators expected.

For those who can't make the stadium event, they will be able to enjoy the Championship match through the many parties being held throughout the colonies.  San Olympus itself is being completely transformed to host the surge of visitors; the main promenade, marketplace, and even cargo facilities have been retrofit to support the event.

"We are preparing our infrastructure to handle a population increase of 20%," said Steve Ulytaria, "We will have more than enough air and water, but there is only so much we can do about space."

Interest has also spilled over to Earth as a growing Earth fan base has resulted in a spike in planned coverage with double the resources deployed to cover the event.

“Our viewership numbers have increasingly grown since we started covering MAFL”, said World Associated Press President, Jada Mattata. “We acquired the necessary resources months ago once we saw the early returns. Our fans are in for a treat when they see our superior coverage.”

And will fans be treated to a superior match between the league’s two top teams – The Titans and Comets or will it be a case of the same old, same old?

The Titans are undefeated against the Comets in regular season play, having won all 3 matches.

For the Titans to continue that streak though, they will need to lean heavily on their league leading defence and their reigning MAFL goalkeeper of the year, Icilio De Sisto as their offensive game will be challenged with leading scorer Readale Nash, still bothered by a late season leg injury.

“If Nash can go, that would be huge as he’s the offensive game breaker that can help put us over”, said Ware. “If not, our team has depth and we’ve been successful all year in pulling together to cover off injuries.”

For the Comets, if they bring the same offensive fire they unleashed on Al’amal last week, they could very well overpower the Titans’ air tight defense and goalkeeping.

To help bring that fire, Ware’s infamous words, “We Own You”, have been posted up in the Comets locker room.

“Are we using it as motivation - absolutely,” said Comets Captain Liddell Bradley. “Talk is cheap though so we have to go out there and just do it. Come this Saturni, we’ll see who owns whom”.

Pathfinder Medic Operations

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Dr. Pan-Onatam heads the Medical Support Team for the Pathfinder Marathon.  

After 7 days of competition in the solar system's most physically demanding sport, it isn't just the runners who get worn down.

The Marathon currently employs more than 40 staff; for every human employee, there are roughly two additional robots, so it takes a significant crew to plan and manage this event.

The busiest of this contingent is arguably the Medical Support Team.  Consisting of 4 members, lead by Dr. Dwayne Pan-Onatam, they are on call 24/7 over the course of the program.  What keeps them busy around the clock isn't just the racing, they play an important cross function for the games. 

"My team's primary role is to provide medical services over the duration of the games," explained Dr. Pan-Onatam, "We are also charged with the responsibility of working with the Anti-Performance Enhancement Tactics Committee (APC).  So, we work alongside our counterparts to monitor and detect possible infractions."

Competitors are outfitted with numerous sensors prior to race-time, including APC issued equipment that actively sample blood, sweat and urine.  Though explicitly not publicized as part of the official game policies, there have allegedly been as many as 3 disqualifications due to some form of unsanctioned performance enhancement.

"These are actually very difficult to detect," according to Dr. Pan-Onatam, "But not because our instruments are not accurate.  Many of the contenders are extremely clever in the technical arts, so they try to beat the system by hacking into either the hardware or the backend. If our analysts suspect any manner of tampering, I deploy a medic-drone to investigate first before sending staff."

But doping and other cheats aren't what keep Dr. Pan-Onatam and organizers awake at night.  Their top concern is the safety and wellbeing of all participants, staff and spectators.  So far there have been 25 reported injuries, most have been minor with challengers opting to defer medical assistance.  The worse cases have included Ben Obalambo's concussion, Hannah Chao's knee injury, and Jamal Carter with a leg fracture.  There have been other scary moments involving collisions, falls, and all manner of wipeouts, but fortunately there haven't been any life threatening incidents.

"Let's face it," said Dr. Pan-Onatam, "It's dangerous out here on so many levels.  There have been almost as many DNFs due to EV Suits failures for radiation as those that have resulted from mental or physical exhaustion.  We've never run a marathon of this scale before, so the next time they ask me, I am going to demand double the medical staff."

MAFL Award Night

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Last night in Europa was Party Time for the MAFL!

For one night, all MAFL players, coaches and officials could cut loose and be free as they celebrated the season with the first ever MAFL Awards Dinner, hosted by Aiger Masing.

It was an extravagant gala held at Masing Hall, complete with red carpet and flowing champagne.

Free and uninhibited was one Readale Nash, as he adorned a flamboyant purple tuxedo with matching boots.  Nash with 8 goals of the season was up for the MVP award against Al’amal’s Musaddiq Baddour (10 goals) and the Immortals Uday Lanka who led the league in goals scored with 14.

“I feel lucky tonight,” said Nash as he arrived on the red carpet, accompanied by San Olympus A-list socialite Sasha Bayley, 21.

The nominees were submitted by peers in the organization and the winners were selected by an executive committee led by Masing.

"This is an important night to recognize our peers," opened Masing, "But before we do that, we must celebrate what we have accomplished together.  It wasn't easy to bring the MAFL to life.  We had many nay-sayers, so completing our first regular season, in itself, is an achievement we all must be proud of."

Defender of the Year

The first award presented on the evening was for Defender of the Year. Two Comets players, Stephen Liu and Samantha Park were up against the Titans’ Maria Caraball.

The award went to Stephen Liu who anchored the team’s air tight defence and led all defenders with 5 goals for the season.

“I’m thankful for this award but honestly, it easily could have gone to Samantha or Maria as well,” said Liu.

Goalkeeper of the Year

The goalkeeper nominees were Titans Icilio De Sisto, Al’amal SC’s Ahmed Pour and surprisingly United’s Yvonne Barnato who moved to a forward position after Week 15.

De Sisto and Pour both led the league with fewest goals allowed at 19. Barnato was one of the leaders at Week 15 and also led her team with goals scored at the time.  

De Sisto ultimately took the award based his league leading 9 shutouts.

“Thanks to my teammates for their solid defence all year to help me get this award”, said De Sisto.

Best Team

De Sisto returned to the stage shortly after as his team, the San Olympus Titans, ran off with the Best Team of the Year award over the Marineris Comets and Al’amal SC.

The Titans ended up with the best overall record in the league at 16 and 5, gave up the fewest goals in the league (tied with Al’amal) and at one point had a 12 game winning streak during the season.

Which then came as no surprise that Titans manager Paulo Salgado would take the Manager of the Year award over the Comets Gordan J. Pryce and Al’amal’s Haajid Nasr.

“I tip my hat to Paulo” said Nasr. “Our team scores the most goals this year (36) and let in the fewest goals (19) and we still end up with 5 less wins that the Titans. I’d love to know Paulo’s secret to success.”

Most Valuable Player

The most coveted prize of the evening came last;  individual success would be recognized as the MVP.

And the Award went to… Immortal's Captian, Uday Lanka, not only for his 14 goals which helped lift his team to a playoff spot, but also for his leadership and excellent conduct as an ambassador to the sport.

“It’s a great honour which I owe to my teammates so tonight I’ll celebrate with them but tomorrow we get ready for the Titans,” said Lanka.

Not all were in agreement with Lanka being chosen as MVP.

“No disrespect to Uday but in our last match, he got red carded which left his team on the losing side. Not sure if that’s how you’d define sportsmanship conduct,” said Nasr.  

Immortals manager Andam Mirza shrugged off Nasr’s comments afterwards, “Al’amal has Baddour, Farra and Fayad who were all in the top five for scoring. Without Uday, we would have no business being in the playoffs, so he deserves this award like no other.”

Between drinks, Nash shared his thoughts, “Personally, I think the MVP should go to the best player on the best team. Last I checked, the Titans were the best and I had the most goals on that team. That’s okay. Do you see who I’m with? I’m the one going home with the real prize tonight!”

Most Valuable Masing

There was one unofficial award that was uncontested.  Owners, players and managers all raised a glass for Aiger Masing.  

Indeed, the MAFL would not have existed without his individual efforts and financial contributions.  He fought through the red tape with colonies across Mars and built professional sports on a planet that never planned on having it.  Though the ups and downs, he's stuck with it and tonight, he was rewarded with the respect he has earned.

Tales From The Pitch - Gamblers

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For over a hundred years Las Vegas has been a tourist Mecca for gamblers from all over Earth. And the faithful still flock there to play blackjack, shoot craps, or enjoy VR slots. But with a decline in non-virtual sports the city also saw a decline in sports betting. You can still bet on VR games of course, but they were never able to shake the negative assumption that VR games could be rigged, and so only the strongest-willed of gamblers lay money down.

Las Vegas bookies have been watching MAFL with great excitement; a new live-action sport that holds interest on more than one planet? The bet-makers have been all over it. It checks off a lot of boxes to hold interest for sports betting: it is an exciting game, it is not easily influenced by outside forces, and the league is large enough to make multiple game bets interesting.

So yesterday the newsfeeds from Earth announced that Las Vegas will begin taking bets on the next season of the Mars Aero Football League. While there was much discussion about taking bets on this inaugural season, there wasn’t enough data to ensure that the game was successful. Congrats Mars! Your game is successful enough that Earthers want to gamble on it! Joking aside, the fact that Vegas odds-makers are interested shows that the sport has achieved a level of legitimacy.

Betting can be done on a single game, with bets placed on either the winner of the game or who will score the first goal. This first season has provided those gambling mathematicians with enough data to set odds on the teams based on past performance, and the odds will be released during the off-season.

I’ve heard from a few sources inside the Nevada gaming commission are fielding questions from potential investors and government officials about setting up a New Vegas on Mars. All of this would only be in the idea stage, and it isn’t as if one can just hop on a bus to Mars and set up a casino, but the interest in establishing other settlements on Mars is growing.

I’ve also heard from many detractors who were not happy that there will now be betting allowed on MAFL. The sport will need to be closely monitored for collusion, and no player will be able to place bets on the sport themselves. There is also worry that the may lead to problem gambling on Mars, a vice that has not quite yet made it to the Red Planet (there is already lots of betting overlooked by local authorities). These concerns are real, and it will be up to the league and to settlement governments to ensure that for all the positive things that this change may bring, we must ensure that the negatives don’t detract from the successes we’ve built here.

Expansion has growing pains, and not everything that growth brings will be universally loved but it all, but it is part of this grand experiment. So I would encourage any doubters to keep an open mind. I’ve already got my money on the Titans for next year!