Sports in the sixth world. Options

[Thadeus Bearpaw]

What sports still exist in modern-dan Shadowrun? What do the poor kids play? What sports belong soley to the annals of the wealthy? What are the most popular sports? Is baseball still around, hockey, football? Or is it all Urban Brawl and Combat Racing? Talk, discuss, and mention ideas for what sports, exist, how they've involved, their place in the world, and their tractability for runs.

[Fuchs]

Shadowbeat detailed a lot of sports. Baseball, american football, basketball are still around from what I remember. Football too, of course.

[Jackstand]

Don't forget Drone Football!

[Sumo Neko]

Shadowbeat detailed a lot of sports. Baseball, American Football, Basketball are still around from what I remember. Football too, of course.

As was also mentioned there is Urban Brawl and Combat Bikes. I also tend to think that Hockey would be around. There was mentions in SOTA (2063 -- I think) about Tennis, and the Olympics still being held. I see the Olympics being a conglomeration of Nations and Corps now. Considering the current world wide popularity of Futbol (Soccer for us Americans) I believe it would be around in some form. People may not consider this a sport, but NASCAR would take on whole new levels with Riggers. I can see Rigged and non-Rigged Events, or true tests of skill as some decide to test their natural skills versus Rigged drivers. Formula One and other racing would almost be 100% Riggers.

Other sports I see as being around are Hockey. The violent nature of it just seems to fit into the world of SR. Another sport that was developed a few years ago and started getting some popularity here in the U.S. I think would have been perfect for SR, it was called Slamball.

For more information on Slamball
Wikipedia entry for Slamball

While in the real world NFL Europa failed, I see that as revitalized and expanded. By the time of 2070, the NFL has become the WFL (World Football League).
It is primarily in North America, but has appeal everywhere. It is not as brutal as the game Blood Bowl, but the current trends of protecting players would change with the level of medicine and cyber/bio advancement. There is a perfect idea for a run or just how this could play out as a news story in the movie The 6th Day with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In one of my campaigns, I wanted to flesh out the world of sports as background fluff for news articles, and those who had interests, plus as the OP asked about, has the potential for many runs.
I did try to contact Catalyst about my idea, but have received no response back.

[Cain]

Shadowbeat detailed a lot of sports. Baseball, american football, basketball are still around from what I remember. Football too, of course.

Since Shadowbeat is long OOP, I'm going to get into more detail.

Baseball went cybered a long time ago, mostly in the form of throwing and batting arms. I believe Augmentation actually lists a custom cyberarm for baseball. American football is now heavily cybered, so much so that the field had to be lengthened, the ball made heavier, and other minor changes made so that the sport didn't become too easy. Basketball did much the same thing: the field got bigger, the game got tougher. Basketball also specifically disallows anything that changed a player's reach, so telescoping limbs are out.

[Thadeus Bearpaw]

Since Shadowbeat is long OOP, I'm going to get into more detail.

Baseball went cybered a long time ago, mostly in the form of throwing and batting arms. I believe Augmentation actually lists a custom cyberarm for baseball. American football is now heavily cybered, so much so that the field had to be lengthened, the ball made heavier, and other minor changes made so that the sport didn't become too easy. Basketball did much the same thing: the field got bigger, the game got tougher. Basketball also specifically disallows anything that changed a player's reach, so telescoping limbs are out.

I think MMA and various structured iterations of cultured combat sports would be as big of a deal as now. I think to some extent these martials arts will have finished phasing out other forms of sport competition, world sambo, judo, boxing etc.

[Cain]

I think MMA and various structured iterations of cultured combat sports would be as big of a deal as now. I think to some extent these martials arts will have finished phasing out other forms of sport competition, world sambo, judo, boxing etc.

According to Shadowbeat, boxing still exists. It now has two divisions, for cybered and non-cybered boxers; plus a new weight category: Super Heavyweight. They're allowed any cyber that doesn't change their striking surfaces. MMA didn't exist when Shadowbeat was published, although it was kinda covered under the other fighting sports. The addition of cyber and adepts really changed the sport of boxing.

[BookWyrm]

*Sigh*, No love for Kosho.
Here's the Deletionpedia entry.

[Digital Heroin]

Kosho looks... amusing. Actually has wacky potential. But can you imagine Viking in 2070? Yikes...

[Jackstand]

Hell Yes! KOSHO!

[NetWraith]

I didn't see mention of the televised blood sport from out of Aztlan(can't remember where I seen the mention of it before)... And I'd think maybe something like Death Race(the 2008 film, but the origianl would work too) coming out of there too.

THere's also Ollamaliztli(Aztec court ball)

[Mercer]

I think the televised death sport in Aztlan was called Suerte y Muerte, and was mentioned in Shadowbeat or the Aztlan sourcebook.

I'll also link to my old Deathgame 2062 post.

[Hagga]

Baseball also disallows metahumans.

[MaxMahem]

The information in Shadowbeat is repeated and updated in umm Sprawl Survival Guide I think.

One 'sport' that is not mentioned is any sort of virtual gaming. Competitive video gaming is mostly a joke today (about the same level as the aforementioned slam-ball), but with all the advances in VR, and simsense this might not be the case in the future. Having some of the most proclaimed 'athletes' in the world being virtual players seems very cyberpunk to me. Also in SR4 we might have some controversies over technomancers and AI's being accepted as players.

In SR4 we might see some sort of AR game go big time. For example imagine a world wide game of Assasin or some such. The final out come of the final players, all played out in Real Life™, might be a big time media event. I think this idea is compelling because it combines our present day obsession with so called 'Reality TV' with our cultures life long obsession with sports/game shows. The possible shadowrun implications are, of course, obvious.

Another concept I have always liked was some 6th world version of Roller Derby. Somethinking like Battle Angel Alita or Slam Ball. Which could be very cool I think.

[Hatspur]

Footy also bans metas. Which is fine because most of the metas wouldn't be any good at it with Elves being the notable exception. An Ork striker might be worth a little money but he honestly wouldn't last as long as other players

[AngelisStorm]

Curling would definitely still exist. And Lacross. Rich people are most likely still playing Polo.

I'm pretty sure Golf will continue to be snotty, not allowing augmentations or adepts. (And elves will have to have their own league, which pre-teen girls will love to watch, but will be looked down upon by "professionals." Orks and Trolls will probably be shut out based on descrimination. Dwarves will be allowed because the Str bonus will counterbalance the shorter golf clubs.)

What are the details for Tennis? I can see them not allowing augmentation/adepts.

And SR roller derby would be amazing! Can you imagine going for a point, and having the angry troll blocker staring over it's shoulder? Of course, humans need not apply in this sport. There is likely one team with a human on it, who everyone loves because it's the only human playing. (The human, of course, has an edge of 7-8.)

[Snow_Fox]

baseball and football do not 'ban' metas but there is a gnetleman's agreement to limit how many are on a team. otherwise football would have far too many orks and trolls and little else.

There was a problem in 2054 Olympics (i think that was the year) in Tokyo that the Japanese didn't want to allow metas.

There is little cyber or magic in college sports. the idea is you have to have good basic skills for a team to want to invest in spending for you to get cyber. Usually the mods are as much a part of the contract as pay.

[Sumo Neko]

And SR roller derby would be amazing! Can you imagine going for a point, and having the angry troll blocker staring over it's shoulder? Of course, humans need not apply in this sport. There is likely one team with a human on it, who everyone loves because it's the only human playing. (The human, of course, has an edge of 7-8.)

Can you say Rollerball? The movie is almost perfect for Shadowrun (both versions). Although it is funny that the original was actually meant as a statement against violence.
The new Death Race (2008) would be a perfect way for companies like Ares or Knight Errant (or whoever is running the prisons) to break into the media field. Also the movie the
The Condemned, seems like good fit to the SR world -- especially with Aztechnology and how blood thirsty most of Atzlan is it.

[_Pax_]

Shadowbeat detailed a lot of sports.

... I would love to see a 4E update of that book. Shadowbeat was awesome.

[AngelisStorm]

I'm suprised about the lack of magic in college sports. Cyber/bio makes sense, but adepts will be several years into their magic by that point.

[O'Donnell Heir]

The information in Shadowbeat is repeated and updated in umm Sprawl Survival Guide I think.

One 'sport' that is not mentioned is any sort of virtual gaming. Competitive video gaming is mostly a joke today (about the same level as the aforementioned slam-ball), but with all the advances in VR, and simsense this might not be the case in the future. Having some of the most proclaimed 'athletes' in the world being virtual players seems very cyberpunk to me. Also in SR4 we might have some controversies over technomancers and AI's being accepted as players.

Try the South Korean professional video gamers, who can pack a football stadium just to watch them play off against one another, that it's practically a joke.

In SR4 we might see some sort of AR game go big time. For example imagine a world wide game of Assasin or some such. The final out come of the final players, all played out in Real Life™, might be a big time media event. I think this idea is compelling because it combines our present day obsession with so called 'Reality TV' with our cultures life long obsession with sports/game shows. The possible shadowrun implications are, of course, obvious.

And very likely, I've run in a few games where the GM has thrown in some VR games or such. I remember reading at least once about VR/AR games in shadowrun, but I'll have to dig out some sources for that.


Ah, here we go for you football fans out there; 2025 the first cyberd team enters the NFL, and looses.

[Hagga]

baseball and football do not 'ban' metas but there is a gnetleman's agreement to limit how many are on a team. otherwise football would have far too many orks and trolls and little else.

There was a problem in 2054 Olympics (i think that was the year) in Tokyo that the Japanese didn't want to allow metas.

There is little cyber or magic in college sports. the idea is you have to have good basic skills for a team to want to invest in spending for you to get cyber. Usually the mods are as much a part of the contract as pay.

No, baseball does ban metas. It says so on page 45, third paragraph from the bottom, core rulebook.

[Red_Cap]

No it doesn't. Haven't watched David Ortiz knock 'em out of the park lately, have you? He's big enough to be an ork, at least. . .

[Warlordtheft]

There is little cyber or magic in college sports. the idea is you have to have good basic skills for a team to want to invest in spending for you to get cyber. Usually the mods are as much a part of the contract as pay.

THis also poses problems when some non cybereyed superstar is discovered to be a physad. Early on it was cause for immediate dismissal. Note that some sports, allow cyber but no magic.

[wind_in_the_ston...]

I wonder how many adepts will make names for themselves in eating contests? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)