infobox Organization
name = The Cardboard Tube Fighting League
motto = "Training elite militias of cardboard tube wielding ninjas"
formation = July 22, 2007
purpose = To get people to play more.
headquarters = San Francisco, CA
location = San Francisco, U.S.A., Seattle, U.S.A., Sydney, Australia.
leader_name = Robert Easley
main_organ = Robert Easley, Dan Gilmore, Colin Knight, Ravin Pierre.
website = http://www.tubeduel.com
The Cardboard Tube Fighting League
The Cardboard Tube Fighting League (CTFL) is a global organization that hosts playful cardboard tube based events in Seattle, San Francisco, and Sydney Australia. The CTFL hosts tournaments and battles where Cardboard Tube enthusiasts go head-to-head in an attempt to break their opponents tube without breaking their own. These events are often held at parks throughout the summer, are open to everyone ages 5 and up, and emphasize fun over competition. Cardboard tubes are provided at events to make sure they are regulation and all events are free.
History
The Cardboard Tube Fighting League (CTFL) was started by Robert Easley in Seattle Washington. Robert, like many other people, had fond childhood memories of wailing on friends and family with Cardboard Tubes in mock sword fighting battles. One day while harkening back to these carefree days of yesteryear, he was struck by the idea of starting regular tournaments around the act of Tube Fighting. This idea was born out of 3 core beliefs:
*People need more ways to play as adults and take themselves less seriously.[ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=OFYaPykqxgc "NBC News 11 - Cardboard Tube Fighting League"] , "NBC News San Franciso 11". Retrieved: 06 November 2007.] ]*Events can be fun without being focused around drinking alcohol.
*Cardboard sword fighting is pretty sweet.
The concept of the CTFL conformed to these guidelines so after two months of planning and PR, the first event was held at Gas Works Park on July 22, 2007. The tournament had been the "pick of the Week"in a local publication called The Stranger. The Stranger is a free Seattle paper, and is credited as being the driving force behind the early adoption of the CTFL by the public. This led to a number of blog posts about the tournament, and even a handful of radio interviews. The first event drew over 40 people and was lauded as "fun" by a majority of those who attended. For the remainder of the summer events were held in Seattle. During this time the league started hosting battles where two large groups of people would duel until one team no longer had any usable tubes. These events were more focused on cardboard costumes and theatrics rather than winning as an individual. At the end of the summer the CTFL spread to San Francisco and within a year was also in Sydney Australia. Also, Newmindspace, an organization that host fun free events in Taronta Canada put on a 1200 cardboard tube lightsaber jedi battle.
Active Branches
Cardboard Tube Fighting League Seattle, USA
Started on July 22, 2007 by Robert Easley all CTFL events happen at Gas Works Park in Seattle Washington. The Seattle chapter is now run collectively by Colin Knight, and Ravin Pierre. Events continue during the summer and usually range in 30-50 participants. Regulation tubes are generally 1.5 inches in diameter, 36 inches in length, and .045mm thick.[ [http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/thebigblog/archives/141136.asp "Cardboard tube duel at Gas Works Park"] , "SeattlePI - Cardboard Tube fight at Gasworks". Retrived: 15 June 2008.] ]Cardboard Tube Fighting League San Francisco, USA
Started on October 28, 2007 by Robert Easley. Due to large numbers Events continue during the summer and usually range in 40-64 participants. Regulation tubes are generally 1.5 inches in diameter, 36 inches in length, and .045mm thick. The San Francisco brach of the CTFL was the first to incorporate a children's league into the tournaments.[ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/29/BAOPT2IP0.DTL "Cardboard tube fighters sock it to each other for bragging rights"] , "SF Gate - Cardboard Tube fighters...". Retrieved: 29 October 2007.] ]Cardboard Tube Fighting League Sydney, Australia
Started on April 5, 2008 by Dan Gilmore, the first event gained world wide attention and attracted large numbers of participants.
Prizes
The CTFL offers "Legendary Cardboard Tubes" as prizes for their tournaments. These tubes are often extremely strong and associated with a historical or mythical weapon from history. Some prizes of note include Thor's Hammer, d'Artagnan's Cardboard Saber, Heaven's Will, and the Suffusca Mors. At times the CTFL has also offered official CTFL t-shirts with the slogan "training elite militia's of cardboard tube wielding ninjas". As a point of interest, a large majority participants who have claimed CTFL grand prizes.
Rules
The focus of the CTFL has been to keep rules simple so that events are as low barrier as possible. The commonly observed rules in the CTFL are as follows:
1) First Rule of CTFL is don’t break your tube. In a duel, the last person with an unbroken tube is declared the winner. In the event that both participants break their tubes at the same time, the game is a draw, and both duelists are considered losers. A tube is considered broken when it is held horizontal and the tip drop to below a 45 degree angle or is completely detached from the rest of the tube.
2) No blocking or swinging with your arms. No body slamming.
3) No stabbing. Lunges involving tubes are never allowed under an circumstances. Participants who exhibit this behavior, will be ejected from the entire event.
4) Try not to work the face. Hitting people in the face is heavily frowned upon and can force your ejection from the event.
5) Once your tube is broken you must stop fighting.
6) To participate you must be using an official CTFL tube, which will be provided at the event, and have signed a release waiver.
7) You may not block your opponents tube with your arms hands or legs.
8) Your tube must always be held near the bottom. Holding your tube in the middle at any time is illegal.
9) Shields are officially banned in tournaments and Battles.
Event Types
Tournament
CTFL tournaments generally range in number from 24-64 participants and have a standard tournament structure. During the first and second rounds participants must use the same tube. Fore this reason the second round is significantly more difficult seeing that the tubes are already degraded from the last round. After the second round cardboard warrior are issued new tubes. Sometimes the tournament organizers participate when the number of contestants in a round aren't even. Also, it is not uncommon for there to be 3 person chaos bouts during a round. Tournaments can run anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
Battle
A CTFL battle is very different from a tournament mainly because there is only shared victory. When you arrive at the event you will be given a tube and a colored marker to designate what side you are on. When the battle begins and you, along with your teammates, attempt to break as many of the opposing teams tubes as possible. In a battle a broken tube is any tube that is completely unraveled at the break, or is severed completely. The last team with any intact tubes are declared the winners. Battles allow cardboard armor, and participants with the best costumes are rewarded with prizes. Sometimes there is live music at CTFL battles in the form of bagpipes players.
References
