Do people here care less about the major leagues these days?

[frobinson]

This thread seems to have generated a few tangents from the original question, i.e. do people care less about the major leagues than they used to?

In my opinion the answer to that original question is no. In fact, I think it might even have gone the other way, and more people actually show an interest now than ever before.
Mostly thanks to PBA and the great job they do with:

• the webcast (although I do think at times the commentary can be very formulaic, even dumbed down. I would like to see more detailed analysis of breakouts/moves and why a point evolved in a certain way)
• statistics
• and more recently the fantasy paintball.

The MS webcast has also improved greatly as the season went on.

Around the time of the major events, I think, there is more 'buzz' than ever before about the results and goings on. The problem I guess is that this place isn't seen as the place to come and chat about the goings on anymore, everything is much more fragmented with people just posting there opinions or scores on Facebook/Twitter etc. This isn't just a problem isolated to paintball though, the advent of social media has certainly seen a downturn in the number of people actively using forums in general.

Agreed that this thread has gone a little askew from the original topic, but I think the intention was to gauge reactions and potentially move forward from this. With that in mind, given how disjointed Facebook can be for creating conversation and discussion (friends only, groups etc), do you think people should be pro-actively trying to make a bit more of a 'buzz' on here, or is that futile?

Although PBA do a great job, there are so many other media outlets that people seem to keep missing: Social, PBlife, VFTD, PBNation etc. Do you mean that there's just too many other places to express an opinion that people are choosing to do so elsewhere?

 

[BZNeil]

...given how disjointed Facebook can be for creating conversation and discussion (friends only, groups etc), do you think people should be pro-actively trying to make a bit more of a 'buzz' on here, or is that futile?

I don't think it's futile at all, but I guess it's collective effort initially - then hopefully as more people post, readers will be drawn to engage in the conversation, even if they just chip in with a comment here or there.

Although PBA do a great job, there are so many other media outlets that people seem to keep missing: Social, PBlife, VFTD, PBNation etc. Do you mean that there's just too many other places to express an opinion that people are choosing to do so elsewhere?

No not at all. Tbh out of the sites you just listed the only one I visit regularly myself is VFTD, Paul offers a quality of insight that isn't available anywhere else.

 

[Ash - GI Sportz]

Dont mind the thread taking a natural detour, its all good chat

Maybe what we are establishing then is that the interest and chatter is there, but there is no UK focal point for that. Its all splattered across multiple FaceBook pages/groups and various US outlets. With the underlying reason being that this place lost its status as a one-stop-shop for industry & MLT rumour, gossip and goings on in the last few years. Can it come full circle and come back here?

While I still worry about the lower number of UK teams who actively partake in Millenniums and the standard of the average UK player (and more so how that impacts the future of the elite teams) its good to know its perhaps not all as doom and gloom as it first appeared.

Now to push the topic on to a newish direction

What other ways would people like to see top teams 'give back'? What insights would be cool to see that currently dont really pop up?

Can the leagues themselves (Millennium, CPPS etc) provide the 3rd party content that will generate and hold a higher level of interest in those teams, in much the same way PBA does for the PSP? What things would people like to see there?

 

[Bondage Bunny]

Gotta say from a guy who is relatively new to tournament paintball if it wasn't for Social Paintball and PBA I would have had near no interest whatsoever. However watching the world cup webcast was actually really fun

 

[frobinson]

Agreed @BZNeil VFTD has taken it's place as one of my most frequented sites. In my opinion, we need something like a UK version of SocialPB, sucking up all the latest news, gossip and rumours and making news articles, preferably through p8nt, for people to read and involve themselves with. That would make a huge difference, if you ask me.

I think it's unrealistic to expect frequent documentaries and a constant media output from elite teams, but an interview here or there, or even the odd podcast interview, would be amazing. We need a Matty Marshall for the UK, someone who can ask those difficult questions. In all honesty, the Uprising series by CustomPB was great as you got to hear the stories from the MS that nobody was writing anywhere. It's just a shame that series seemed to stop.

CPPS is doing lots already with their website and the live score updates etc, but it would be cool to see the MS take the lead a bit and introduce something like stats. I can imagine this is a huge undertaking and I can't even comprehend how much it would cost, but statistics give people more to write and talk about. If they can master stat-taking, I'm sure the news articles and media generation would follow.

 

[hipjaw]

I think it's unrealistic to expect frequent documentaries and a constant media output from elite teams, but an interview here or there, or even the odd podcast interview, would be amazing. We need a Matty Marshall for the UK, someone who can ask those difficult questions.

I'm no Matty Marshall but I enjoy writing things up and talking to people about paintball - I have a wordpress website where I originally planned to blog about my experiences but if I had co-operation from people in UK teams that play Mills / the top domestic teams then I would love to use it as a platform to do player/team interviews and relay the articles back here to be discussed. Do people want that? Do the major teams want to be a part of that?

If so then let me know and I can push it forward.

 

[Biscuit]

This thread seems to have generated a few tangents from the original question, i.e. do people care less about the major leagues than they used to?

In my opinion the answer to that original question is no. In fact, I think it might even have gone the other way, and more people actually show an interest now than ever before.
Mostly thanks to PBA and the great job they do with:

• the webcast (although I do think at times the commentary can be very formulaic, even dumbed down. I would like to see more detailed analysis of breakouts/moves and why a point evolved in a certain way)
• statistics
• and more recently the fantasy paintball.

The MS webcast has also improved greatly as the season went on.

Around the time of the major events, I think, there is more 'buzz' than ever before about the results and goings on. The problem I guess is that this place isn't seen as the place to come and chat about the goings on anymore, everything is much more fragmented with people just posting there opinions or scores on Facebook/Twitter etc. This isn't just a problem isolated to paintball though, the advent of social media has certainly seen a downturn in the number of people actively using forums in general.

this just hit nail on head,but too the top uk teams more pr is needed go talk too guys,especially the newbies giving free advice costs nothing,support you get is everything

 

[Ash - GI Sportz]

....and the thread tumbles into obscurity...

So are the people who posted here the only ones that give a damn?

I fear its this instant lack of interest that leads many teams to question why they should bother...

 

[frobinson]

....and the thread tumbles into obscurity...

So are the people who posted here the only ones that give a damn?

I fear its this instant lack of interest that leads many teams to question why they should bother...

Why don't you tell us exactly what you would like to see done, Ash. Exactly how you would like it to be, which suggestions have jumped at you as the best ones and what other things you think will actually inspire people to get talking about MLP more often...

 

[Dusty]

Don't forget the seasons are pretty much finished. People do have other things on their minds like Christmas (only 50 sleeps to go!!)