PHLUXBALL OFFICIAL RULES

OVERVIEW

• Phluxball is a three-team sport blending elements of other sports and new concepts.

• It is played on a circular field using a O'Neills size 5 Gaelic match football and Forza 7-inch cloth dodgeballs.

• It is fast-paced, with few stops, and dynamic scoring.

FIELD STRUCTURE

1.1 Field Zones

• Core: A 20-ft.-diameter exclusion zone circle at the center.

• Action Ring: A 60-foot-deep playable ring surrounding the Core, divided into three 120-degree Defensive Wedges.

• Edge Ring: A five foot deep player exclusion zone which wraps around the Action Ring. The Offensive Ball may enter this area. Players may pass through the Edge Ring to substitute in and out, but may not linger.

1.2 Boundary Rules and Markers

• Color Coding: Phlux Tower and Edge Gate is marked on each side with that team's colors.

• A player with the Offensive Ball is out if they leave the Action Ring; the Umpire restarts play from that spot.

• Players without the Offensive Ball must return to the Action Ring immediately if they go out and may not use exclusion zones or out of bounds areas for an advantage.

SCORING

2.1 Tower Strike

• The Phlux Tower is a three-sided tower 12-ft.-tall with each side being 3-ft.-wide, located at the center of the Core; contact by the Offensive Ball on any part of it constitutes a Tower Strike.

• Tower Strike: The Offensive Ball hitting the Tower via throw is worth 2 points.

2.2 Gate Strike

• The Edge Gates consist of two 12-ft.-tall metal poles painted black, placed 6-ft. apart. Attached between the poles is a wire horse panel painted neon yellow/green. Each Defensive Wedge has an Edge Gate located on the outside edge of the Edge Ring.

• Gate Strike: A scoring play when the Offensive Ball hits the front of the Edge Gate via throw is worth 1 point.

2.3 Drop Punt Bonus

Any score achieved on the Phlux Tower or Edge Gate via drop punt kick is worth an extra 1 point.

2.4 Wedge Loss

• When a team scores, the team whose Defensive Wedge the shot originated from loses 1 point.

• Scores cannot fall below zero.

2.5 Scoring location

• A player must have both feet established within the Defensive Wedge of an opponent for a score to count.

• A team cannot score from their own Defensive Wedge.

GAME TIMING

3.1 Timing Structure

• Duration: Three 15-minute rounds.

• Clock Stoppages: Clock stops for injuries.

• Most regulation games take an hour or less of real world time.

3.2 Round Restarts

• Round Start: Each round begins with a Throw-In into a specific Defensive Wedge.

• Defensive Wedge Rotation: Teams rotate Defensive Wedges clockwise after each round.

3.3 Overtime

• Ties: Ties result in all three teams playing a sudden death overtime until first, second, and third are resolved.

3.4 Possession

• There is no possession clock or limit to how many times a team can score in a possession.

TEAMS AND PLAYERS

4.1 Roster Size

• On Field: Three teams on the field, three players each.

• Substitutes: Up to four substitute players per team.

4.2 Substitution Rules

• Frequency: Substitutions are unlimited and live; gameplay does not stop.

• Procedure: Exiting players must leave the field before substitutes enter via the bench.

OFFENSIVE BALL MOVEMENT

5.1 Offensive Ball Movement

• Passing: Allowed in any direction via drop punt kick, throw/toss, or handball.

• Advancement: Players may advance the Offensive Ball freely after gaining possession.

• The team in possession cannot retreat the Offensive Ball into their own Defensive Wedge.

• When teams gain possession in their own Defensive Wedge, they have 10 seconds to move the Offensive Ball out.

5.2 Mega Play

• Activation: If a team is scored on twice consecutively, they may field a fourth player and second defensive ball.

• Removal: The Mega Play ends when any score is registered against a different team or the round ends.

• The second ball has the same abilities and restrictions as the first.

• The fourth player has the same abilities and restrictions as the other three.

5.3 Legal Physical Play

• Setting stationary picks/screens using body position.

• Boxing out or sealing space to contest possession.

• Shoulder-to-shoulder contact while competing for position.

DEFENSIVE BALLS AND TAG OUTS

6.1 Defensive Balls

• Each team has one team-colored Defensive Ball, which stays in their Defensive Wedge.

• The Defensive Ball may be passed to other players within that Defensive Wedge.

• It may only be used to tag out a Offensive Ball Carrier in a Defensive Wedge.

• If a Defensive Ball lands out of bounds, it is immediately replaced by a Throw-In with an alternate Defensive Ball by a Neutral Runner.

• If a Defensive Ball leaves its designated Defensive Wedge but remains in bounds, it must be brought back to its designated Defensive Wedge before it can be used to tag.

• If an opposing team intentionally removes a Defensive Ball from another team's Defensive Wedge, it is a delay of game penalty.

• Players without possession of the Offensive Ball may not intentionally touch, catch, or block a Defensive Ball. Doing so results in Defensive Ball interference.

6.2 Tag Outs

• A tag out is when the player with the Offensive Ball is tagged out with the Defensive Ball by throw or close-up touch with the Defensive Ball.

• Tag out must be at the shoulders or below and must be direct, not off a bounce or deflection.

• Head shots are not permitted; players may not move or duck their head to draw a head shot penalty.

• When a player with the Offensive Ball is tagged out, possession is awarded to the team in whose Defensive Wedge the tag out occurred, at the spot of the tag out.

RESTARTS

7.1 Restarts

• Restarts are used to begin a round or resume play after a contested ball.

• The Umpire stands alone 5-ft. inside the Core and throws the Offensive Ball up at least 8-ft. and into that specific Defensive Wedge of the Action Ring.

7.2 Throw-Ins (Restart after out of bounds)

• Procedure: After out-of-bounds, the Umpire releases the Offensive Ball vertically with their back to the field; Throw-In must reach at least 8-ft.

FOULS AND PENALTIES

8.1 Minor

• Offenses: Illegal substitution, delay of game, taunting, lingering outside the Action Ring, moving screens, 10-second violations, Defensive Ball interference, and retreating the Offensive Ball into your Defensive Wedge.

• A minor foul awards 1 point to the fouled team. If the offending team has possession, possession is awarded to the fouled team. Play does not stop.

8.2 Major

• Offenses: Umpire abuse, feigning or exaggerating injury (flopping), head shots with the Defensive Ball, targeting a non-player with a ball, grabbing or pushing another player. Offensive Ball interference outside the action ring. Any contact deemed excessive or dangerous is a foul at the Umpire’s discretion.

• A major foul awards 2 points. If the offending team has possession, possession is awarded to the fouled team. Play does not stop.

• Player ejection: Fighting, excessive unsportsmanlike behavior, or three major fouls by the same player result in ejection.

8.3 Penalty Administration

• In unclear situations, officials prioritize continuous play, awarding the most immediate and observable outcome.

• If a foul is committed but not against a specific team, points are given to the team in whose Defensive Wedge the foul occurred, or to the team whose Defensive Wedge was closest to the foul.

UMPIRING AND OFFICIALS

9.1 Authority and Role

• Each game is officiated by a Lead Umpire and three Field Umpires.

• Each Field Umpire is responsible for overseeing scoring, inbounding, and fouls within a Defensive Wedge.

• The Lead Umpire assists Field Umpires and oversees the entire field.

9.2 Decision Protocol

• Umpire decisions are final.

• Umpires may issue verbal warnings for borderline conduct without stopping play.

• Umpires may move freely in any part of the field.

9.3 Foul and Scoring Recognition and Signaling

• Minor fouls are signaled with a whistle and a single arm pointed down with a verbal call.

• Major fouls are signaled with a whistle and both arms pointed down with a verbal call.

• Player ejections are signaled with crossed arms above the head.

• Edge Strikes are signaled by a whistle and one arm raised above the head with a verbal call.

• Tower Strikes are signaled by a whistle and two arms raised above the head with a verbal call.

• Tag outs are signaled by two arms across the chest, followed by pointing at the player who is tagged out with a verbal call.

• Mega Play is signaled with two hands clasped above head with a verbal call, followed by an arm pointing at the Defensive Wedge of the advantage team.

9.4 Neutral Runners

• Each game includes Neutral Runners (recommended: one per Defensive Wedge for optimal coverage).

• Neutral Runners retrieve and deliver balls as directed, without stopping play.

• Neutral Runners are responsible for rotation of team-colored ribbons each period.