The New Zealand National Paintball League began in 1997. Its goals were simple and were stated in the introductory letter sent to the paintball phraeternity in December 1996. It was the Brainchild of Ian Southern and Dave Pellet (Splatman). Initially three field operators joined the NPL, Splatman (4 fields in Auckland), Strategy Tag (One field in Whangarei) and Actions Paintball Sports Arena (One field in Auckland). Each field hosted a game per month; the idea being that no one field would be financially disadvantaged by having to few or to many low profit Tournament players hogging their fields.
The body of teams that joined were divided into two Divisions:
1st Division were to play every three months in the regular tournament events already established in the Calendar (Nationals, Queens Birthday and a new Tourney called the Northland open) These 1st division events were open to any team wanting to play, second division teams were actively encouraged to attend although there scores would not count towards the 2nd division nor could they win the 1st Division.
2nd Division was to play two months out of every three with the third month being the 1st division Tournament. Each month teams would be rostered to one of the participating fields to play against a different team in a round robin format. The winners were to receive 10,000 rounds and the Title of 2nd Division Champs.
Many teams were formed during this time and to this day many of the players in the tournament scene in Auckland and Whangarei cut their teeth in the NPL. Several of the 1st division teams, who were barred from competing in the 2nd Division, formed or adopted 2nd Division teams. These 2nd Division teams were used as training squads and recruiting grounds for the 1st Division teams who had adopted them.
The NPL ran until 1999 when it lost the support of the Field operators running it. In the end the work required to administer the NPL proved too much. Kyn ‘Action’ Jackson of Actions Paintball Sports Arena inherited the machinery of the NPL and stopped the 2nd Division. What was first division continues to this day but then the 1st Division was simply nothing more grouping together some Tournaments that had existed previously under a single banner.