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the phantom · 03-02-2012, 06:08 PM

PROJECTING THE HOST SITES OF ARDA CUP 2012
MESPN NEWS
The Phantom

Every year there are great stories involving the group host sites of Arda Cup. Even though there have been changes to the Arda Cup format after the reformation, Eru was adamant about preserving the hosting system. “It is a way to provide the various cultures of Arda a chance to showcase their unique traditions, architecture, artisanship, and enthusiasm.”

Besides the group hosting sites, there are also the playoff sites. The first round always takes place in the home stadiums of group winners- a way to reward them for their efforts. But in the rounds that follow neutral sites are selected- sites that are considered to have the appropriate stadium capacity and lodging and hospitable attitude.

These factors are considered for hosting groups as well, but the selectors are generally less picky in order to assure a more diverse rotation. Making sure everyone has a turn is not so important once the playoffs arrive. And so the late rounds of the playoffs are often a repeated parade of the most prestigious arenas and football-cities in Arda- Valimar, Armenelos, Gondolin, Doriath, Minas Tirith, etc.

Two years ago, however, the finals settled into a home that is, perhaps, permanent. Even nostalgic football old-timers agree- Amon Hen Coliseum is beyond magnificent. The arena is by far the largest in football, thanks to its location on the slopes of the Hill of Seeing and the way it amplifies the vision of spectators. The arena is also a sort of museum, with sections dedicated to depicting other realms with outstanding football traditions.

It seems rather obvious that the stadium at Rauros will be used this year- if not for the finals, then at the least for the quarters or semis. As far as potential host sites for the group stages, MESPN is always on the cutting edge of things, guessing accurately more often than not, thanks to a combination of logic and rumor catching.

Predicting the Groups and Host Sites

Let’s get the easy ones out of the way. First-

NUMENOR- No doubt about it- Numenor is a great host site at any stage of the tournament. Why are we so certain it will be used in the group stages? Because of the ban on games in the Blessed Realm, of course.

Eru stated during his reformation speech that he would seek to continue regionalizing groups, meaning that teams will be, when possible, sent to a host site close enough for some of their fans to travel to. In other words, Tirion probably isn’t going to be assigned to a Mordor-hosted group, and Minas Tirith is unlikely to be sent to an Alqualonde-hosted group, and so on.

So let’s take a look at geography here. The Blessed Realm has four teams this year- Real Valinor, FC Valinor, Tirion, and Valimar. There is also a team from Numenor (Armenelos), as well as a team called The Sea, which is officially based in Tol Eressea. Then there is the Havens squad, which looks to be headquartered in the Grey Havens, but which also has a pull from Alqualonde and other seaports.

That’s seven teams that hail from west of the mainland. Therefore, we here at MESPN think it’s a lock that Numenor will be hosting- probably at their grand arena in Armenelos.

GREY HAVENS- Even after using Numenor as a host site, there will still be three far western teams left, so logically there will need to be a host site on the coast, or at least near it. Others have suggested Nargothrond, Gondolin, Doriath, and Angband among others, but there are enough teams from western Middle-Earth that at least one of those will have to be used anyway, not to mention the possibility of another being selected as a neutral site in the playoffs.

We think Angband is probably out (for the far western teams, anyway), because that would seem to take a problematic issue and make it worse- banning the Blessed Realm from hosting and then shipping them to the home of their greatest enemy.

Doriath is probably out as well, since they hosted several games last year (group stage & playoffs). Angfauglith hosted last year too.

Team Hithlum is an unlikely host, as at this time they are clearly settled in Dor-Lomin and would not be as prepared as far as facilities go at this time. Tol-In-Gaurhoth doesn’t seem to be prepared to host such a large number of guests either at this time.

One of the Beleriand squads could be chosen (AC or Inter), but Inter seems unlikely. With the personal investment of Maedhros along with the Sons of Feanor buying in, the team has based itself at Himring, which hosted last year.

AC is really the only possibility beyond Nargothrond and Gondolin, and surely at least one of them needs to be kept in reserve for the playoffs.

So, the Grey Havens definitely seems to be a likely pick, with the possibility of one other Beleriand realm hosting. Any leftover Beleriand teams will be shipped a short distance east, possibly to-

WEATHERTOP- Though Eru scrapped many contracts and such, he has done his best to be fair, and so we cannot imagine that the costly renovations and additions at Amon Sul will be ignored given that they were made with the expectation of hosting during this year’s Arda Cup.

Certainly the facilities were selected for use during last year’s playoffs, but that was more of an added bonus. This year was the expectation.

Now it is possible that they will be a neutral site used for quarterfinals or semis, but that’s no guarantee. The policy in this year’s Arda Cup for playoff hosting is to have a shortlist of possibilities and then select the ones that work best for the teams involved, which obviously can’t be known until the playoffs arrive. And so in order to guarantee Weathertop games they will need to be selected for the group stage.

THE SHIRE- Since there are four squad in Eriador, there will need to be another host site in the region to catch any Beleriand teams that get shipped east (and likely the weirdo extra-dimensional squad, The Downer).

The hobbits have been working, not tirelessly (face it, they’re hobbits), but with some effort on making little improvements to the Michel Delving Bowl. It has always been a delightful changeup to other sites in Arda. It’s not modern and it’s not overly large, but rather it is comfortable and homey, with a rustic charm in its simple creaking woodwork and padded seats. It also allows the crowd to be much closer to the action than most arenas, featuring very little space along the side and end lines, and with the seats at a somewhat steeper incline than usual.

The Bowl has upgraded slightly in the past two seasons, adding an extra couple rows of seats around the ring, and topping them with a row of box seats. Lovers of the old look will not be disappointed, as the luxury boxes are uniquely hobbitish- wooden, open-faced with no glass, and filled with squishy armchairs. So while the box users will be pampered and have ample space, they will not be separated from the action.

OTHER SITE SPECULATION- Either Gondor or Mordor will host this year, but we’re uncertain which one at this time. Arda Cup representatives have been seen meeting with hosting committees from Minas Morgul, Barad-Dur, and Minas Tirith.

There will also be a host site around the Wilderland neighborhood, and we think we’ve narrowed it down to either Erebor or Moria (Dwarves United).

There will need to be a host site for teams caught between those regions (Misty Mts, Rohan, Isengard), so look for one of them to host as well. Since Dunharrow hosted last year, we are leaning towards Isengard, particularly if Moria is selected to host the Wilderland based group. And with Misty Mts as the alternative to Isengard, it seems very likely Moria will host one of the two groups, as both Misty and Dwarves United consider it to be their home arena.

As far as Beleriand is concerned, we’ve already said why Doriath, Angfauglith, Angband, and others won’t be selected this year. Gondolin, Nargothrond, and AC Beleriand would be in the running. But remember, one will likely be held as a possible playoff site. With that in mind, Gondolin is likely removed from contention, as they have the pedigree to host in the playoffs.

Out of Nargothrond and AC Bel, I would guess that Finrod’s realm would receive the nod. For one, it’s a better travel location than AC Bel (which is headquartered at Lake Mithrim). Second, its lodging and stadium is better suited to handle things. And finally, Feanor has seemed completely focused on putting his squad together, and spokeselves have hinted that he doesn’t particularly want his people distracted by dealing with hosting concerns.

SUMMARY
So there you have it- we expect the group hosts to be-
Armenelos
Grey Havens
Michel Delving
Amon Sul
Nargothrond
Moria
Erebor or Isengard
Mordor or Gondor

03-02-2012, 06:08 PM	#21
the phantom Beloved Shadow Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Stadium Posts: 5,987	PROJECTING THE HOST SITES OF ARDA CUP 2012 MESPN NEWS The Phantom Every year there are great stories involving the group host sites of Arda Cup. Even though there have been changes to the Arda Cup format after the reformation, Eru was adamant about preserving the hosting system. “It is a way to provide the various cultures of Arda a chance to showcase their unique traditions, architecture, artisanship, and enthusiasm.” Besides the group hosting sites, there are also the playoff sites. The first round always takes place in the home stadiums of group winners- a way to reward them for their efforts. But in the rounds that follow neutral sites are selected- sites that are considered to have the appropriate stadium capacity and lodging and hospitable attitude. These factors are considered for hosting groups as well, but the selectors are generally less picky in order to assure a more diverse rotation. Making sure everyone has a turn is not so important once the playoffs arrive. And so the late rounds of the playoffs are often a repeated parade of the most prestigious arenas and football-cities in Arda- Valimar, Armenelos, Gondolin, Doriath, Minas Tirith, etc. Two years ago, however, the finals settled into a home that is, perhaps, permanent. Even nostalgic football old-timers agree- Amon Hen Coliseum is beyond magnificent. The arena is by far the largest in football, thanks to its location on the slopes of the Hill of Seeing and the way it amplifies the vision of spectators. The arena is also a sort of museum, with sections dedicated to depicting other realms with outstanding football traditions. It seems rather obvious that the stadium at Rauros will be used this year- if not for the finals, then at the least for the quarters or semis. As far as potential host sites for the group stages, MESPN is always on the cutting edge of things, guessing accurately more often than not, thanks to a combination of logic and rumor catching. Predicting the Groups and Host Sites Let’s get the easy ones out of the way. First- NUMENOR- No doubt about it- Numenor is a great host site at any stage of the tournament. Why are we so certain it will be used in the group stages? Because of the ban on games in the Blessed Realm, of course. Eru stated during his reformation speech that he would seek to continue regionalizing groups, meaning that teams will be, when possible, sent to a host site close enough for some of their fans to travel to. In other words, Tirion probably isn’t going to be assigned to a Mordor-hosted group, and Minas Tirith is unlikely to be sent to an Alqualonde-hosted group, and so on. So let’s take a look at geography here. The Blessed Realm has four teams this year- Real Valinor, FC Valinor, Tirion, and Valimar. There is also a team from Numenor (Armenelos), as well as a team called The Sea, which is officially based in Tol Eressea. Then there is the Havens squad, which looks to be headquartered in the Grey Havens, but which also has a pull from Alqualonde and other seaports. That’s seven teams that hail from west of the mainland. Therefore, we here at MESPN think it’s a lock that Numenor will be hosting- probably at their grand arena in Armenelos. GREY HAVENS- Even after using Numenor as a host site, there will still be three far western teams left, so logically there will need to be a host site on the coast, or at least near it. Others have suggested Nargothrond, Gondolin, Doriath, and Angband among others, but there are enough teams from western Middle-Earth that at least one of those will have to be used anyway, not to mention the possibility of another being selected as a neutral site in the playoffs. We think Angband is probably out (for the far western teams, anyway), because that would seem to take a problematic issue and make it worse- banning the Blessed Realm from hosting and then shipping them to the home of their greatest enemy. Doriath is probably out as well, since they hosted several games last year (group stage & playoffs). Angfauglith hosted last year too. Team Hithlum is an unlikely host, as at this time they are clearly settled in Dor-Lomin and would not be as prepared as far as facilities go at this time. Tol-In-Gaurhoth doesn’t seem to be prepared to host such a large number of guests either at this time. One of the Beleriand squads could be chosen (AC or Inter), but Inter seems unlikely. With the personal investment of Maedhros along with the Sons of Feanor buying in, the team has based itself at Himring, which hosted last year. AC is really the only possibility beyond Nargothrond and Gondolin, and surely at least one of them needs to be kept in reserve for the playoffs. So, the Grey Havens definitely seems to be a likely pick, with the possibility of one other Beleriand realm hosting. Any leftover Beleriand teams will be shipped a short distance east, possibly to- WEATHERTOP- Though Eru scrapped many contracts and such, he has done his best to be fair, and so we cannot imagine that the costly renovations and additions at Amon Sul will be ignored given that they were made with the expectation of hosting during this year’s Arda Cup. Certainly the facilities were selected for use during last year’s playoffs, but that was more of an added bonus. This year was the expectation. Now it is possible that they will be a neutral site used for quarterfinals or semis, but that’s no guarantee. The policy in this year’s Arda Cup for playoff hosting is to have a shortlist of possibilities and then select the ones that work best for the teams involved, which obviously can’t be known until the playoffs arrive. And so in order to guarantee Weathertop games they will need to be selected for the group stage. THE SHIRE- Since there are four squad in Eriador, there will need to be another host site in the region to catch any Beleriand teams that get shipped east (and likely the weirdo extra-dimensional squad, The Downer). The hobbits have been working, not tirelessly (face it, they’re hobbits), but with some effort on making little improvements to the Michel Delving Bowl. It has always been a delightful changeup to other sites in Arda. It’s not modern and it’s not overly large, but rather it is comfortable and homey, with a rustic charm in its simple creaking woodwork and padded seats. It also allows the crowd to be much closer to the action than most arenas, featuring very little space along the side and end lines, and with the seats at a somewhat steeper incline than usual. The Bowl has upgraded slightly in the past two seasons, adding an extra couple rows of seats around the ring, and topping them with a row of box seats. Lovers of the old look will not be disappointed, as the luxury boxes are uniquely hobbitish- wooden, open-faced with no glass, and filled with squishy armchairs. So while the box users will be pampered and have ample space, they will not be separated from the action. OTHER SITE SPECULATION- Either Gondor or Mordor will host this year, but we’re uncertain which one at this time. Arda Cup representatives have been seen meeting with hosting committees from Minas Morgul, Barad-Dur, and Minas Tirith. There will also be a host site around the Wilderland neighborhood, and we think we’ve narrowed it down to either Erebor or Moria (Dwarves United). There will need to be a host site for teams caught between those regions (Misty Mts, Rohan, Isengard), so look for one of them to host as well. Since Dunharrow hosted last year, we are leaning towards Isengard, particularly if Moria is selected to host the Wilderland based group. And with Misty Mts as the alternative to Isengard, it seems very likely Moria will host one of the two groups, as both Misty and Dwarves United consider it to be their home arena. As far as Beleriand is concerned, we’ve already said why Doriath, Angfauglith, Angband, and others won’t be selected this year. Gondolin, Nargothrond, and AC Beleriand would be in the running. But remember, one will likely be held as a possible playoff site. With that in mind, Gondolin is likely removed from contention, as they have the pedigree to host in the playoffs. Out of Nargothrond and AC Bel, I would guess that Finrod’s realm would receive the nod. For one, it’s a better travel location than AC Bel (which is headquartered at Lake Mithrim). Second, its lodging and stadium is better suited to handle things. And finally, Feanor has seemed completely focused on putting his squad together, and spokeselves have hinted that he doesn’t particularly want his people distracted by dealing with hosting concerns. SUMMARY So there you have it- we expect the group hosts to be- Armenelos Grey Havens Michel Delving Amon Sul Nargothrond Moria Erebor or Isengard Mordor or Gondor __________________ the phantom has posted. This thread is now important. Last edited by the phantom; 03-02-2012 at 07:49 PM.