Incredibly lucid and well written reply by one of the Raza guys. (Chris Burgess)
Originally Posted by
Weaponized Pimphand 
I waited several days for an official announcement, but none seems to be coming. As an equipment manufacturer, and previous league sponsor, I have a separate view on the subject, but share some of your concerns. I want to beat competition by having better product at an afordable price. I don't want to force then out using penalties and arbitrary rules. I also don't want to be forced to support a broken system, with my only other recourse being to not provide the best product to the players. The vast majority of our sales comes from non event purchases. We spent tens of thousands of dollars last season on fees, and travel, and labor, And product, to attend every event and "support" the league. What we got for that investment was a loss of money, and poor service. First event? Wrong booth, pouring rain. Second event? Forgot about our booth, then no power and next to the ports poties. Also rain. Third event? Pouring rain and 10 inches of mud. Fourth event? Blistering heat... No customers, (but hey.. No rain!) Fifth event? Decent. We didn't lose money because no one bought our products... We lost money because there is not enough people there to justify sales. An event like WCO, which was local cost $4300 just for the logistics and operation... That doesn't include cost of product. 160 teams with 10 people on each, is 1600. Minus the players who are sponsored by competition and I have maybe 1000 potential customers. So each person would have to spend $43+ the production cost of the items they bought. Why would I pay for those odds? Why would I continue to put myself in a position where I am not respected as a business, and as a paying customer? There is no value in being a mid size vendor. There is little to no opportunity to even recover your cost.
Now I'm hearing I need to be a league sponsor to allow teams to wear our product... How does that make any sense? How can you even control that? It's their gear. They own it. They pay to play. They are a customer... You are the business. What if a team buys our jerseys to play local events, and wins an event? Some local events have a prize package that includes PSP entry. So now they save and hustle and come up with the funds to attend the event. But they can't wear what they already bought? PSP is a buisness. If I give them money, im supporting them.... Paintball is a hobby/Sport. How does giving a business even greater profit support that group? What if I took the $35,000 it will cost me for the season, and insteadi discount that from team orders that have paid entry? Or I sponsor 1 team an event to play. Or, I provide free water and snacks to players. Or I put my money to webcast video feeds of divisional fields, so families at home can watch what they have sacrificed for? Because none of my money will ever go towards this, or any other option that improves the sport, or the experience. I have tried on many occasions to offer suggestions about improving the player and vendor experience..... But it's dismissed every time. How easy would it be to get 1 large pavilion style tent set up, and allow smaller vendors a space with a table and gridwall for $400? Now you can get the smaller vendors in 1 area and have an expo style presentation that allows a smaller company the chance to get out and be seen. Not a chance.... Give us $2000.
We sponsor the #1 team in the world. The pinnacle of professional paintball. The retail value of this deal (While not giving exact details) is in excess of $35,000. Who is going to pay that if we are forced to comply or not participate? Are you really going to tell this they can't play on the main Field?
If you really expect this rule to be taken seriously, then you need to reevaluate your stance on paint vendors as well. Valken should be allowed to sell paint if they pay the fees. You only hurt teams and players by not allowing it for petty reasons. Then it's stated they can't because they don't own the manufacturing equipment themselves, yet you have another company who doesn't own the equipment announcing themselves as paint vendors. What's the deal? If forced to pay a fee to allow our products, we will not comply. We will stand in solidarity with other companies in refusing this unfair money grab. And we will join the Simons, and Terry's, and Bjorn's, and Chris's and every other industry vet in shaking our heads in disbelief at the avarice and foolish pride that has brought us to this point.
