Editing Ultimate Arena Paintball League

The '''Ultimate Arena Paintball League''' ('''UAPL''') was a United States three-player paintball competition associated with the television programme '''Ultimate Arena Paintball'''. Developed by promoter [[Milt Call]] and television producer Duke Ellinger, the project combined an open-entry competition with the professional '''World Paintball League''' ('''WPL''') and televised tournaments filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1][2]

== History ==
=== Development and television debut ===
The arena concept developed from the [[Ultimate Madness]] three-player indoor tournament, promoted by Milt Call and Paul “PGP” Bollenbach. Call subsequently worked with Duke Ellinger, president of Paintball Television Productions, to develop a television programme around the format.[1]

'''Ultimate Arena Paintball''' began airing on Superstation WGN in April 2005. Its initial programmes introduced viewers to paintball, its equipment and terminology before the planned transition to league competition.[1]

Contemporary television-industry reporting also identified the programme as part of WGN's programming plans and described its professional competition as the 24-team World Paintball League.[3]

=== Las Vegas competition ===
By January 2006, WARPIG reported that six tournaments had been held at the Sports Center of Las Vegas. The competition was filmed in high definition, and Call and Ellinger had established an editing facility to produce the programmes.[2]

The regular league competition's 2006 television premiere was announced for 7 January at 18:00 Eastern Time on WGN. This followed the programme's earlier broadcasts in 2005.[2]

== UAPL and World Paintball League ==
The May 2005 announcement distinguished two related competitions:[1]

* '''World Paintball League (WPL):''' the professional competition, comprising 24 teams divided into three conferences of eight.
* '''Ultimate Arena Paintball League (UAPL):''' an open-entry feeder competition intended to provide a route into the professional WPL.

The announced WPL structure provided for the leading two teams from each conference and two wildcard teams to reach the season finals. It also proposed replacing the bottom two teams in each conference with leading UAPL teams.[1]

These arrangements described the announced competition structure; they should be distinguished from individually verified promotion, relegation or championship results.

Later reporting also used '''UAPL''' more broadly when discussing the televised tournament project.[2]

== Playing format ==
The competition used three-player teams and a centre flag inside a portable, fully netted arena containing inflatable bunkers. Netting extended over the playing area, allowing the arena to be used indoors or outdoors.[1]

The format emphasised short games and elimination-bracket competition, with successful teams appearing repeatedly as they advanced.[1]

== Television production ==
WARPIG's January 2006 report described the professional WPL as the principal focus of the television coverage. Its teams included players familiar from [[National Professional Paintball League|NPPL]], [[Paintball Sports Promotions|PSP]] and [[National Xball League|NXL]] competition.[2]

According to Call's account in that report, WGN carried the programme as advertising-supported programming rather than requiring its producers to purchase the airtime. New Saturday episodes and Sunday repeat broadcasts were announced for the first half of 2006.[2]

Contemporary newspaper television listings independently document '''Ultimate Arena Paintball''' in WGN's schedule during 2006.[4]

== See also ==
* [[Ultimate Madness]]
* [[Milt Call]]
* [[Paintball in the United States]]

== References ==
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/articles/news/050502_uapl/ Bill Mills, “New Three Man League Hits the TV Screen”, WARPIG, May 2005.]
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/articles/news/010606_uapl/ Bill Mills, “UAPL 06 Premiere”, WARPIG, January 2006.]
# [https://www.nexttv.com/news/tna-counts-fsn-out-368859 “TNA Counts FSN Out”, Multichannel News, 2005, archived on Next TV.]
# [https://www.digifind-it.com/sanibel/DATA/newspapers/islander/2006/2006-04-07.pdf The Islander television guide, week of 7–13 April 2006, including the WGN listing for Ultimate Arena Paintball.]

[[Category:American paintball leagues]]
[[Category:Paintball in Nevada]]