Possession (sports)
In sports, possession is physical control of the ball or other implement of play by one team, which typically gives that team the opportunity to score. Sports have different rules governing how possession is kept or lost ("turned over"), which affect the strategy of gameplay. The number of possessions or total time of possession are often useful statistics of team or individual performance.[1]
In goal-based sports, including basketball, all forms of football, hockey, and lacrosse, the team with possession has the opportunity to score, and is said to be on offense, while the other team is on defense. In bat-and-ball games including baseball and cricket, the ball is controlled by the fielding team, which is on defense.
Determining possession
Scoring or losing control
In several sports, possession is exchanged after the offensive team scores, or when the defensive team physically takes control of a "live" (in play) ball through a fumble, interception, or steal.
Allotted number of plays
In gridiron football, possession is additionally controlled through a series of allotted plays called downs, over which the offensive team must move the ball a certain distance down the field, or lose possession. Likewise in rugby league, offensive teams have six chances to score, or tackles, before losing possession.
Start of gameplay
Possession at the start of a game, or in a neutral restart, may be determined by several methods, including a coin flip (American football and cricket), home team status (baseball), or by giving the teams an equal opportunity to physically take possession, by means such as a dropped-ball (association football), a ball-up (Australian rules football), a jump ball (basketball), or a face-off (hockey).
Shot clocks
In some timed sports, a team with possession and a lead in score may try to "run time off the clock" by keeping the ball but not attempting to score, in order to deny the opposing team possession. A shot clock speeds gameplay by requiring teams to attempt to score within a certain period of time or lose possession.
Turnovers by sport
Turnovers in different sports include:
- Turnover (basketball), resulting from a steal, or a player going out of bounds, committing a violation (including exceeding the shot clock), or committing an offensive foul
- Turnover (gridiron football), in American and Canadian football, when the offense loses possession of the football because of a fumble, interception, or on downs
- Turnover (rugby league), when a team loses possession or at the end of a team's six tackles
- Turnover (rugby union), when a team loses possession in a ruck or a maul