The Saviours of UK Paintball ?????
- Thread starter Robbo
- Start date
I don't expect the same type of 4/5 event series to be the way this plays out. Maybe next season, as it's too late to make big changes this year, but going forward, there would be no point replicating a failing model. Time for a fresh start! I've had a chat with 'GI' about it, and there is a strong plan in the works that I feel moves us forward..
This sadly all looks to be playing out to the worst case or "corporate logic" Scenario.That being ,first you hope to grow the sport to get your money back.If this does'nt work,you switch to buy part of each strand ,make a profit out of each part .Kill off competition and gain control of the sport.This may cause a shrinking of the sport .Bad you may say. But as long as you are left with the biggest slice of a much smaller pie,you get your initial investment back.The shrinkage is paid for by the casualties.For a would be sport it is an awful strategy ,for an investment company it is a success The real **** only hits the fan ,when the company no longer sees any return in further investment ,and just increases prices on the declining numbers Till eventually leaves the market to it's own devices ,having taken it back to the dark ages ,while making a tidy profit .Capitalism ............gotta love it!!.
This certainly happens, but the NXL is GI, Bart, Randy and Dave Bains. Not Wallmart.
They are all heavily invested in the sport. They all want to see it grow, some because it's their passion, others because it's their livelihood. The intention will 100% be to make it better.
On the flip side, say no-one buys the MS, and they run out of steam in 2 years and pack it in because it's just not worth it anymore. How is that a win?
Sometimes we don't have the option to 'stay the same'. I feel this is one of those cases.
Of course this will be a situation where people have been begging for change for years, but when it actually happens, those same people will say the sky is falling.
In this case you have to break it to fix it. Everything I have heard is exciting and progressive.
Spike, I think one of the things the CPS has always suffered from is being second best when it comes to European tournaments.
There was some leakage of teams from the MS over to the CPS but it never really gained sufficient traction to hurt the MS in any significant way and there's a reason for that.
Quite simply, the MS is and has been the biggest and best European theatre for Paintball's elite to do battle.
The MS has a pedigree that's been over 20 years in the making which is one of the reasons why the MS has been so successful.
People may moan about the MS as I have done many times myself but there's an old saying that goes something like, 'Be careful what you wish for' ..... that somewhat ominous warning may be on its way over but if Steve and Laurent were to sell the MS [I don't think the deal's been actually finalised but it's as good as done] then I could think of a lot worse candidates to take over the reins than the NXL people.
I know the NXL guys [except Bart] and all of them are good people who care about paintball and they're definitely NOT a bunch of suits trying to run our game.
Those guys are ballers !!
As for the CPS?
I think there may be a few teams who slip sideways to the CPS if the NXL entry fees prove to be a problem for players/teams but I very much doubt we'll see a wholesale exodus of teams as some might suggest.
The one thing we can say about the NXL is it will hit the ground running and so I expect there to be a whole slew of teams wanting to sample paintball 'American style'.
The real question is, can the NXL retain these teams after the first events?
Missy makes some good points not least of which is suggesting this could be the beginning of a good thing but ..... and there's always a frikkin 'but' ...... the overall financial situation for players hasn't really changed that much and so, even though the NXL is on its way over with bells and whistles attached, the average tournament player might not have the step-up in entry fees at their disposal.
Finances are strained as it is now, Lord only knows how many paintball wives are gonna be on 'Nag Alert' if even more money isn't being spent on her driving lessons and/or pairs of shoes.
In which case, I think I'd wanna parachute in any increase in entry fees and and see how it goes from there ....
Johnathan, as you well know, people have been over and scouted different things out and if Ainsley has anything to say then I'm sure he will.
European paintball could well be evolving into a more unified lineage with the NXL as the aspirational point for all euro ballers or we could be devolving whereby teams will not go the NXL and default to regional events..
Either way, it should be kinda interesting.
There was some leakage of teams from the MS over to the CPS but it never really gained sufficient traction to hurt the MS in any significant way and there's a reason for that.
Quite simply, the MS is and has been the biggest and best European theatre for Paintball's elite to do battle.
The MS has a pedigree that's been over 20 years in the making which is one of the reasons why the MS has been so successful.
People may moan about the MS as I have done many times myself but there's an old saying that goes something like, 'Be careful what you wish for' ..... that somewhat ominous warning may be on its way over but if Steve and Laurent were to sell the MS [I don't think the deal's been actually finalised but it's as good as done] then I could think of a lot worse candidates to take over the reins than the NXL people.
I know the NXL guys [except Bart] and all of them are good people who care about paintball and they're definitely NOT a bunch of suits trying to run our game.
Those guys are ballers !!
As for the CPS?
I think there may be a few teams who slip sideways to the CPS if the NXL entry fees prove to be a problem for players/teams but I very much doubt we'll see a wholesale exodus of teams as some might suggest.
The one thing we can say about the NXL is it will hit the ground running and so I expect there to be a whole slew of teams wanting to sample paintball 'American style'.
The real question is, can the NXL retain these teams after the first events?
Missy makes some good points not least of which is suggesting this could be the beginning of a good thing but ..... and there's always a frikkin 'but' ...... the overall financial situation for players hasn't really changed that much and so, even though the NXL is on its way over with bells and whistles attached, the average tournament player might not have the step-up in entry fees at their disposal.
Finances are strained as it is now, Lord only knows how many paintball wives are gonna be on 'Nag Alert' if even more money isn't being spent on her driving lessons and/or pairs of shoes.
In which case, I think I'd wanna parachute in any increase in entry fees and and see how it goes from there ....
Johnathan, as you well know, people have been over and scouted different things out and if Ainsley has anything to say then I'm sure he will.
European paintball could well be evolving into a more unified lineage with the NXL as the aspirational point for all euro ballers or we could be devolving whereby teams will not go the NXL and default to regional events..
Either way, it should be kinda interesting.
Missy your vouch for the men of paintball ,does'nt get round the point that the NXL are about to pay a substantial amount of money for something that already exists and is going to change hands .This means it ,the mills will have to generate funds to repay the large sum .I was not questioning anyone's morals ,just the financial pressures to repay the investment with no obvious way for the status quo to do so. Look at Go Sports ill fated attempt at European paintball coverage .Free till they took over ,the best way to maximise the audience. They introduced a charge ,then asked the organisers for a massive hike ,got dumped and lo and behold it can be done for free! They took a profit approach over paintball .You can't blame a business for that ,but you can see where their priorities lie .
Sho - the acquisition of the MS slot as the premiere tournament promotion in Europe doesn't have to account for itself in the short-term.
The NXL guys see it as an investment for the future and therefore looking at it from the long-dollar perspective.
Their thinking behind this acquisition isn't exactly rocket-science Sho; as well as being an investment in European paintball, they're also investing in themselves because I'm sure they'll be working toward that elusive consolidation that's escaped all who've tried to unify our sport internationally.
This will be the first time in Paintball's history that the two major tournament series in the US and Europe are going to be under the same stewardship and so it's a fantastic opportunity to kick paintball in the right direction.
And I have no real reservations concerning the guys I know who will be running the show, they have appropriate pedigrees and experience to do a good job.
As for Bart?
I've never met the man but I've heard a few things, some good, some not so but I like to make my own mind up - however, I do know, he's nobody's fool and so we'll find out soon enough.
However, the NXL guys need to make fuhkin sure they don't come over with anything less than a respectful attitude toward the European players/teams because if they turn up and hike up entry fees and vendor costs through the roof and laying the law down ...... then that will set the scene for a full-blown clusterfuhk.
The Yanks aren't exactly well-known for their subtlety, and can sometimes indulge themselves with brash attitudes, and that's perfectly appropriate Stateside but not here .... especially when you're trying to attract European teams/players/vendors ...
I ain't saying we're anything special and/or need to be treated with kid gloves but there is an irrefutable cultural divide that needs to be respected here.
If not, that cultural difference will be thrust forward into prominence if the NXL fail to manage the transition respectfully.
They really need to get it right from the start otherwise their tenure over here will be curtailed and costly.
Let's not fuhk it up please guys, pretty please !!
I wish them all luck ......
I was catching rumours of all this before we left for Singapore and Australia and after having interviewed various industry people from there, the consolidation of the sport under a potential single governing body can only be good for the sport, long term. It has taken 30 years of solid lobbying just to get the sport in my home state of NSW to a point where paintball markers will be (fingers crossed) declassified as prohibited weapons... all because everyone wanted to be the one calling the shots and the government as a result never took paintball seriously. (Thank you Shooters and Fishers Party and Michael Whybrew)
For years we have had promoters and field operators (and usually their egos) all pulling us in different directions which has hampered the recognition of the sport as a whole by various governments and sporting bodies.
Having seen the CPPS now I don't see that dying off as long as Ainsley is running it, so it will (hopefully) always be around... whether as a feeder for players into pro teams in the NXL or just for the teams who don't want to pay the fees to play NXL.
If you are not happy with the NXL... play CPPS. Or the Woodland Masters...
The rec-ball scene is not going anywhere soon either which will not be affected by NXL.
The NXL owning the tournament scene does not mean it owns the sport... we are all free agents, we can vote with our feet if we don't like it.
If the NXL comes in and unifies the sport for even just a few years, it will enable the sport as a whole to move forward. If it falls on its face in a few years, then players will go back to cheaper events or the sport will come up with something new to move to... but the NXL should attract recognition to the sport from non-sport sponsors in the meantime. They seem to be the only ones who know how to film the sport in such a way that it does not look like a random sequence of bunkerings and goggle shots, which means more spectators... more spectators means more sponsorship.
Recognition and outside sponsorship means more people playing and more money for sponsorship... and outside sponsorship will only come if enough people are playing or watching to make it worth their while... vicious circle and one in which we will only break out of if we are pulling in the same direction (good luck with that in paintball in its current state). Also, more people playing and watching also means the sport will become cheaper as the industry can spread its costs over a larger player base.
From where I sit... which admittedly is not as well informed as some of you closer to the inner circles... the sport needs a corporate kick in the bum to drag us to where we need to be. At least in the short term.
For years we have had promoters and field operators (and usually their egos) all pulling us in different directions which has hampered the recognition of the sport as a whole by various governments and sporting bodies.
Having seen the CPPS now I don't see that dying off as long as Ainsley is running it, so it will (hopefully) always be around... whether as a feeder for players into pro teams in the NXL or just for the teams who don't want to pay the fees to play NXL.
If you are not happy with the NXL... play CPPS. Or the Woodland Masters...
The rec-ball scene is not going anywhere soon either which will not be affected by NXL.
The NXL owning the tournament scene does not mean it owns the sport... we are all free agents, we can vote with our feet if we don't like it.
If the NXL comes in and unifies the sport for even just a few years, it will enable the sport as a whole to move forward. If it falls on its face in a few years, then players will go back to cheaper events or the sport will come up with something new to move to... but the NXL should attract recognition to the sport from non-sport sponsors in the meantime. They seem to be the only ones who know how to film the sport in such a way that it does not look like a random sequence of bunkerings and goggle shots, which means more spectators... more spectators means more sponsorship.
Recognition and outside sponsorship means more people playing and more money for sponsorship... and outside sponsorship will only come if enough people are playing or watching to make it worth their while... vicious circle and one in which we will only break out of if we are pulling in the same direction (good luck with that in paintball in its current state). Also, more people playing and watching also means the sport will become cheaper as the industry can spread its costs over a larger player base.
From where I sit... which admittedly is not as well informed as some of you closer to the inner circles... the sport needs a corporate kick in the bum to drag us to where we need to be. At least in the short term.
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Mark, I don't think the NXL have the sport's ultimate consolidation in mind just yet whereby all facets of the game from arena tournaments via woodland leagues and finally onto the rec/scenario guys will be brought under one umbrella organisation [NXL].
Theoretically, it is of course possible but it's not likely leastwise in the next ten years or so.
The NXL are looking to consolidate tournament paintball that utilises the open-arena format in Europe as its elected theatre of play.
The NXL will wanna get that in the bag long before they cast their net wider across the remainder of paintball's formats of play seeking to bring them into the NXL fold - Anything other than this is of course speculative.
There are many hurdles to be crossed if the NXL are thinking about the total consolidation of our sport, and all of them have to be overcome before they even begin to think about total consolidation; I very much doubt it's even entered their mind, if it had done then we would have borne witness to the NXL stateside making overtures to the US woodland leagues along with the rec/scenario people in the States ..... and no such initiative [to my knowledge] has been undertaken.
I think on that basis, we can safely assume the NXL's only intention in Europe is to consolidate the open-arena tournaments that's presently under the stewardship of the MS.
The NXL can pitch no higher than that I'm afraid leastwise for now
We, all of us [players, teams, NXL, MS, industry and media] HAVE to make this transition happen as seamlessly as possible otherwise a lot of people will suffer losses not least of whom are our players/teams.
That's how I see it anyways ....
Theoretically, it is of course possible but it's not likely leastwise in the next ten years or so.
The NXL are looking to consolidate tournament paintball that utilises the open-arena format in Europe as its elected theatre of play.
The NXL will wanna get that in the bag long before they cast their net wider across the remainder of paintball's formats of play seeking to bring them into the NXL fold - Anything other than this is of course speculative.
There are many hurdles to be crossed if the NXL are thinking about the total consolidation of our sport, and all of them have to be overcome before they even begin to think about total consolidation; I very much doubt it's even entered their mind, if it had done then we would have borne witness to the NXL stateside making overtures to the US woodland leagues along with the rec/scenario people in the States ..... and no such initiative [to my knowledge] has been undertaken.
I think on that basis, we can safely assume the NXL's only intention in Europe is to consolidate the open-arena tournaments that's presently under the stewardship of the MS.
The NXL can pitch no higher than that I'm afraid leastwise for now
We, all of us [players, teams, NXL, MS, industry and media] HAVE to make this transition happen as seamlessly as possible otherwise a lot of people will suffer losses not least of whom are our players/teams.
That's how I see it anyways ....