Drop kicks are mandatory from the centre spot to start a half ( a kick-off ), from the centre spot to restart the game after points have been scored, to restart play from the 22-metre line ( called a drop-out ) after the ball is touched down or made dead in the in-goal area by the defending team when the attacking team kicked or took the ball into the in-goal area, and to score a drop goal ( sometimes called a field goal ) in open play, which is worth three points.

It also applies before each kick-off, either at the start of each half or after a goal has been scored.

A kick-off is used to start each half of play, and each period of extra time where applicable.

The kick-off to start the second half is taken by the other team.

In the first couple of years of the programme, Ford Super Sunday-the title due to major sponsorship by the Ford Motor Company-used to start at 2pm, giving viewers two hours build-up before the slightly untraditional kick-off time of 4pm, as opposed to a Saturday kick-off at 3pm.

2 hours before kick-off an extraordinary rainstorm flooded the field and the players, despite playing in sunshine for most of the match, were unrecognizable within the first ten minutes after the start.

So, in NFL Europa, it was possible for one team to score in overtime then have to kick-off to the opponent and give them a chance to either equalize or win the game.

On game days, various school organizations took turns in toting the ringing bell around Las Cruces prior to kick-off.

During the Derby della Madonnina ,( last game at home of the 2011-2012 season ) Inter players wore the Cordoba # 2 while warming up before the kick-off.

On 11 February 2012, a Six Nations international rugby game between France and Ireland had to be cancelled just before kick-off due to the pitch freezing as the stadium lacks under-soil heating.

Over the years, WTAE has aired Pittsburgh Steelers games that air nationally on ESPN, since due to NFL broadcasting rules all cable games must air on a broadcast network in the home markets of the teams participating ( WTAE's parent Hearst owns a 20 % stake in ESPN ), though the broadcast in the home team's primary market may be blacked out if the game doesn't sell out 72 hours before kick-off ( this has not been a problem for the Steelers, who have a sell-out streak dating to 1972-the last year that even sold-out home games could not be locally televised ).

However, the home team's market must be completely served by the station and that broadcast can only air if the game is sold out within 72 hours of kick-off ( see below ).

While at La Tech, Stover would usually kick the ball through the goal posts on the first kick-off of the game.

Smokey the Cannon is shot off at every Texas Longhorns score, kick-off, end of quarter, and most importantly, it is fired off after the world famous college fight song, " The Eyes of Texas " at the conclusion of every Texas football game.

The kick-off was scheduled for 10 o ' clock in the evening, but the game actually got underway at 10. 40pm.

A kick-off is the method of starting and restarting play in a game of association football.

Dallas Cowboys kick-off during an NFL game

The season ended with Super Bowl XXXI when the Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots in a close game decided when a third quarter kick-off was returned for a touchdown by Packers ' kick returner, Desmond Howard.

For that, and his excellent performance on kick-off and punt returns throughout the game, Howard was named Super Bowl MVP, the only time ( as of 2011 ) that a special teams player has earned that distinction.

The panel often introduce the first game with an empty stadium behind them because of the staggered kick-off times.

Karl never got on with Harchester's manager at the time, Don Barker, and after weeks of build-up and on the day of the Championship Play-Off final ( they did manage to get to and from the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff exceedingly quickly as various characters went back and forth a number of times on the morning of the game all before kick-off!

In a rugby union kick-off, or drop out, the kicker usually aims to kick the ball high but not a great distance, and so usually strikes the ball after it has started to bounce off the ground, so the contact is made close to the bottom of the ball.

In rugby union, a drop kick is used for the kick-off and restarts and to score a drop goal ( sometimes called a field goal ).

Since the 1920s, Henry Lyte's Christian hymn " Abide With Me " is sung prior to kick-off at every rugby league Challenge Cup final, and football's FA Cup Final.

His annual party is regarded as the unofficial “ kick-off ” event of the exhibition show.

Red Star Belgrade's performance beating Olympique Marseille in the 1991 European Cup Final is often condemned for having " played for penalties " from the kick-off ; a tactic coach Ljupko Petrović freely admitted to.

* The Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival is an annual summer kick-off held in Louis J. Valentino, Jr. Park & Pier featuring dance, music, and spoken-word poetry.

The only official responsibility of a captain specified by the Laws of the Game is to participate in the coin toss prior to kick-off ( for choice of ends ) and prior to a penalty shootout.

Rivellino is sometimes credited with scoring the fastest goal in football history when he supposedly scored a goal direct from the kick-off after noticing the opposition goalkeeper on his knees finishing off pre-match prayers.

The club sports two large television screens, a delicious buffet which is served 90 minutes prior to kick-off, a wide choice of beverages and superior service by the Sawmill staff makes the table the best seat in the house.

The recording of " You'll Never Walk Alone " by Gerry & the Pacemakers is sung along in the whole stadium before every kick-off.

* Originally intended to be the kick-off to the album, it is a parody of the tape-alignment instructions for RCA studios.

Each playing period in Harrow football commences with a kick-off, which is a set kick from the centre by one team.

At the kick-off all players are required to be in their half of the field until the ball is kicked.

The only exception is after half time, when the team who did not kick-off at the beginning of the match takes the kick.

From the initial kick-off of a period until the end of that period, the ball is " in play " at all times until the end of the playing period, except when the ball leaves the field of play or play is stopped by one of the umpires ; in these cases play is re-started by one of the following five methods:

* The Card March is 2 hours prior to kick-off.

On matchdays the museum is only open from 10am till half an hour before kick-off.

Tickets are available, up to kick-off times, from the ticket office which is located at the front of the stadium, just down the exit ramps from the Azteca station.

It was only five minutes before the kick-off, so I quickly changed and joined the team on the pitch.

A deluge a few hours before kick-off left the San Siro pitch resembling a bog, but Meazza, who knew this ground better than anybody on the Italian team, made light of the conditions to book his country's place in the final.

If recovering the ball in one's opponent's end zone ( following a kick-off in American football, and following any kick into the end zone, except for successful field goals, in Canadian football ), a player may down the ball by dropping to one knee ( note that in Canadian play, doing so scores a single for the opposing team ).

Teams alternate taking the kick-off after each base, regardless of which team scored the base.

On kick-offs, members of the kicking team must be behind the kick-off line ; members of the receiving team must be at least 10 yards from the kick-off line.

Former team mates and colleagues were invited to the match ; there was a minutes applause before the match ; players warmed up in specially designed shirts ; players and coaches wore black armbands ; the match day programme was dedicated to Speed ; Blades Captain Chris Morgan and former Blade and Welsh international Robert Page laid wreaths on pitch side just before kick-off.

However, the team fell apart after their first-league licence was sold to CD Veracruz before the kick-off of the 1989-90 season.

A kick-off is also used to restart play after a goal is scored, and is taken by the team that conceded the goal.

At this match the gold badge of honour of the Basque Football Federation was presented to Joseba Etxeberria, former player of Athletic Club Bilbao, for being the most capped player of the Basque team, and he was allowed to take the kick-off.