During the three-day competition about 150 teams, many from outside the United States, will face off for nearly $100,000 in prizes. The tournament, which spans five American and two European cities, will culminate in an awards ceremony at Bongos Cuban Café. Not only will the champion team be presented with its trophy, but participants will be treated to rare video footage of the pistol-toting Bee Gee in action with his Royal Rat Rangers team. Promised special effects include a morphing of Maurice Gibb's head into the tournament trophy. Coo-uhl.
As the food-dye and gelatin flies, the sundry seven-man teams will be at it from morning to late afternoon, locked in combat during ten-minute heats. They will compete on multiple playing fields, sniping, ducking, running for cover, and claiming ground, all the while vying for the opponent's flag. In a quest for professionalism and street cred, the NPPL, around since the early Eighties, brings in the best refs in the paintball biz. So according to a local representative for the event, the tournament will fly in a stable of Swedish referees, ringers in the field apparently, to make the right calls.
Some slots in the "rookie" division remain open for local teams, though they must register soon. Spectators are welcome to free grandstand seating. When the fighting is done, a charity raffle of the British musician's memorabilia will be held at the Sunday commencement.