There is a difference between cars gettign their windows smashed in the car park and guns/gear getting nicked from within the grounds of the event, let alone within player only areas like staging.
Campaign @ Crystal Palace, opinions...
- Thread starter H
- Start date
Netting sucked - I guess you all figured that out by now.... 
I just think it´s somewhat surprising, that it went SO wrong - how could they not have foreseen a possible problem? I mean - using 4 strips (!) to tighten the net to the poles isn´t exactly "secure"! Big holes in all of the netting - being up to 1/2 meter from the ground (end of the JT field, facing the chronic field - this was BEFORE it totally broke down!).
I mean - come on - how could you have NOT seen it coming?
Us 16 teams who had to play the last 8 games on the JT-field when everything broke down, where pretty much fu**** - we where personally called to the field 4 times (including chronoing and walking to the base!), before being called off again and told to go wait - it took them 2 hours to finally figure out, that we would have to play on the Dye-field instead. Fine enough - but hell make a descision instead of keep calling us back and forth!
Though it probably weren´t so, it seemed that noone where doing anything to fix the problem - at least noone actually knew what was being done - they just told us to be patient!
Spectators - why on earth should they even bother? Sure they could watch the CPL (which were great for spectators!), but that was it - impossible to see anything else (well yeah a bit of M5 from above)?
The security worked okay I think, but I find it quite strange that none other than sunday-club players where allowed next to any of the fields - there where security/checks when entering the players area as well, so why not keep the rest of the space open for the other players?
Then the MS would at least have had fewer complaints about the spectating-areas!
As someone else mentioned - why on earth put up fences halfway down the Tomahawk field? I seriously don´t see any reason for that? At the first day we where also removed from the running tracks next to the Dye- and Tomahwak field - we where not allowed to warm up there (though no signs where put up)?! Pretty much sucked running on that poorly lay-out plastic, which were supposed to cover up EVERYTHING! But hey - then the second day it was okay?
I personally think the food and drinks where quite okay actually - off course it´s expensive, it´s England!
I had no problems with the surroundings - lots of great restaurants (or where we just lucky?), huge supermarkets and walking distance from our hotel (which btw weren´t a millennium hotel - small but cheap and really great!).
Well okay - something about a possible shooting between our hotel and the Queens Hotel one evening?
Anyhow - definately not the greatest event this year (Marseille RULED and Bitbug was good!), but it was okay - nothing more and nothing less! Actually - if it hadn´t been for the short distance to hotel, shopping and restaurants I would almost say Madrid were better (am I being flamed now? ).........
I just think it´s somewhat surprising, that it went SO wrong - how could they not have foreseen a possible problem? I mean - using 4 strips (!) to tighten the net to the poles isn´t exactly "secure"! Big holes in all of the netting - being up to 1/2 meter from the ground (end of the JT field, facing the chronic field - this was BEFORE it totally broke down!).
I mean - come on - how could you have NOT seen it coming?
Us 16 teams who had to play the last 8 games on the JT-field when everything broke down, where pretty much fu**** - we where personally called to the field 4 times (including chronoing and walking to the base!), before being called off again and told to go wait - it took them 2 hours to finally figure out, that we would have to play on the Dye-field instead. Fine enough - but hell make a descision instead of keep calling us back and forth!
Though it probably weren´t so, it seemed that noone where doing anything to fix the problem - at least noone actually knew what was being done - they just told us to be patient!
Spectators - why on earth should they even bother? Sure they could watch the CPL (which were great for spectators!), but that was it - impossible to see anything else (well yeah a bit of M5 from above)?
The security worked okay I think, but I find it quite strange that none other than sunday-club players where allowed next to any of the fields - there where security/checks when entering the players area as well, so why not keep the rest of the space open for the other players?
Then the MS would at least have had fewer complaints about the spectating-areas!
As someone else mentioned - why on earth put up fences halfway down the Tomahawk field? I seriously don´t see any reason for that? At the first day we where also removed from the running tracks next to the Dye- and Tomahwak field - we where not allowed to warm up there (though no signs where put up)?! Pretty much sucked running on that poorly lay-out plastic, which were supposed to cover up EVERYTHING! But hey - then the second day it was okay?
I personally think the food and drinks where quite okay actually - off course it´s expensive, it´s England!
I had no problems with the surroundings - lots of great restaurants (or where we just lucky?), huge supermarkets and walking distance from our hotel (which btw weren´t a millennium hotel - small but cheap and really great!).
Well okay - something about a possible shooting between our hotel and the Queens Hotel one evening?
Anyhow - definately not the greatest event this year (Marseille RULED and Bitbug was good!), but it was okay - nothing more and nothing less! Actually - if it hadn´t been for the short distance to hotel, shopping and restaurants I would almost say Madrid were better (am I being flamed now?
).........
From what I heard Dye removed their markers from the stands every night and locked them away in their HGV, but left most things on the stand. It is a shame that there are some players out there who aren't honest and would resort to theft. Fortunately, an honest person handed in my friends phone after he lost it and it was returned safely.
A good idea would be to have a database like the ISR (international Security Register) ,but for paintballing equipment. It wouldn't stop crime, but it would reduce it quite considerably.
I agree that the security measures were a case of too little, too late- on the Monday night (28/08) the gates to the trade stand area were left open, which was, IMO, a huge concern.
Thing is, break-ins will occur wherever you hold a big tournament - you could hold a tourney in the most remote place in the UK and there would probably still be a break in.
Glad you got it back ok, we found it in the grandstand and handed it straight into reception, after calling gay chat lines on it
What did I miss....was there a tournament at the weekend....damn that Jack Daniels.....!!!!!!
Yeah we were there over the weekend and saw the smashed up cars, at one point I watched 2 kids walk around the carpark with a glove with steel knuckes...hhmmm I thought as I walked passed them to the fields, as I walked past I heard the security guard ask them a question.....not what are you doing here, or can you move along lads as this is obviously something dodgy....no....I heard him ask these kids if they had any fags!!!!!!!!!!!!WTF<Sorry for the txt speak!!!!!!! I couldn't beleive my ears, half a dozen windows smashed and car thefts and the security guard asks some kids with steel knuckles gloves for a fag...HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, one of my guys pointed out to security that these two kids might be a little dodgy and that possibly he should keep an eye on them. My guy was told by security that there was nothing they could do about it....so why have security!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for the !!!!!!!! But it is beyond beleif really.
Sid
Yeah we were there over the weekend and saw the smashed up cars, at one point I watched 2 kids walk around the carpark with a glove with steel knuckes...hhmmm I thought as I walked passed them to the fields, as I walked past I heard the security guard ask them a question.....not what are you doing here, or can you move along lads as this is obviously something dodgy....no....I heard him ask these kids if they had any fags!!!!!!!!!!!!WTF<Sorry for the txt speak!!!!!!! I couldn't beleive my ears, half a dozen windows smashed and car thefts and the security guard asks some kids with steel knuckles gloves for a fag...HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, one of my guys pointed out to security that these two kids might be a little dodgy and that possibly he should keep an eye on them. My guy was told by security that there was nothing they could do about it....so why have security!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for the !!!!!!!! But it is beyond beleif really.
Sid
O
ollytheosteo
Guest
The numbers to which you just happened to knowGlad you got it back ok, we found it in the grandstand and handed it straight into reception, after calling gay chat lines on it
i have been to all the campaigns since 2001 and i always thought that crystal palace was very good
TRADE STANDS
Good, more compressed than NEC from a marketing/sales point of view all help the player (close proximity leads to competition therefore cheaper goods) and allowed players to go quickly from stand to stand ( i saw that just a few times ). Also having the trade stands where they were showed visitors (non PB) all the different goods as they would have walked in.
FOOD/DRINK
a tad expensive but not unexpected, a problem was that the bar was cheaper then the stalls and this was locked from people without the correct colour wrist band.
this could be solved by allowing people down the stand to the bottom but access to the field and the players areas is done via wrist band.
VIEWS
poor unless you just wanted to sit and wait for CPL games to continue.
once the top walk way was closed it took a walk through the car park (it is a wonder no one has commented on scraped/scratched cars as most people filtered throught the cars to get to the M5 viewing area to the stadium.
to view the non M5 and CPL fields you were very, very restricted.
the NEC had the best viewing for fields i have seen.
SECURITY
NEC has had the best security apart from Bitburg, this year was appaling, when i arrived the car park security were sitting down and smoking (when i walked past it was not the normal smokes you get from the local shop)
some friends were down and they walked into the players area on saturday by saying that they had friends in the area and met up with me while i was getting my marker teched.
PLAY
i was pit crew and not playing but well done the brits.
ACCESSABILITY (in the grounds)
Poor, but so was NEC last year (having to go through the trade stands to get to the players area - could have been fixed quickly by opening one gate). this year once the netting was done it was a longish walk.
ACCESSABILITY (to the grounds)
awful, london trafic at the end of school holidays is even worse than normal. there is not an easy access via any road and the rail system is not the easiest.
the NEC was much better, motorways, direct trains and an airport, you can't go wrong.
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Most hotels are standard but due to the traffic seem further away, the campsite filled up by thursday night and the next closest one was in bexley heath.
SAFETY
the netting kept lifting up and blowing down. the fix to this would be more weights at the bottom and out riggers on the towers so they stay up and therefore keep the netting up.
the rigs last had out riggers and even with the weather they stayed up.
PLAYERS PARTY
Croydon - a bit far away from crystal palace, and there did not seem to be many people there - however when we arrived and said that we were down with paintball they ushered us into the VIP area as the area planned for the paintballers had been taken by the public. it was great.
NEC was a better atmosphere as there were more ballers.
OVERALL
i thought it was ok, not the best and i would prefer it to be at a different location to CP and the NEC was fairly good as the organisers now know they mistakes they made.
please dont bash me if you disagree with the above
TRADE STANDS
Good, more compressed than NEC from a marketing/sales point of view all help the player (close proximity leads to competition therefore cheaper goods) and allowed players to go quickly from stand to stand ( i saw that just a few times
). Also having the trade stands where they were showed visitors (non PB) all the different goods as they would have walked in.FOOD/DRINK
a tad expensive but not unexpected, a problem was that the bar was cheaper then the stalls and this was locked from people without the correct colour wrist band.
this could be solved by allowing people down the stand to the bottom but access to the field and the players areas is done via wrist band.
VIEWS
poor unless you just wanted to sit and wait for CPL games to continue.
once the top walk way was closed it took a walk through the car park (it is a wonder no one has commented on scraped/scratched cars as most people filtered throught the cars to get to the M5 viewing area to the stadium.
to view the non M5 and CPL fields you were very, very restricted.
the NEC had the best viewing for fields i have seen.
SECURITY
NEC has had the best security apart from Bitburg, this year was appaling, when i arrived the car park security were sitting down and smoking (when i walked past it was not the normal smokes you get from the local shop)
some friends were down and they walked into the players area on saturday by saying that they had friends in the area and met up with me while i was getting my marker teched.
PLAY
i was pit crew and not playing but well done the brits.
ACCESSABILITY (in the grounds)
Poor, but so was NEC last year (having to go through the trade stands to get to the players area - could have been fixed quickly by opening one gate). this year once the netting was done it was a longish walk.
ACCESSABILITY (to the grounds)
awful, london trafic at the end of school holidays is even worse than normal. there is not an easy access via any road and the rail system is not the easiest.
the NEC was much better, motorways, direct trains and an airport, you can't go wrong.
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Most hotels are standard but due to the traffic seem further away, the campsite filled up by thursday night and the next closest one was in bexley heath.
SAFETY
the netting kept lifting up and blowing down. the fix to this would be more weights at the bottom and out riggers on the towers so they stay up and therefore keep the netting up.
the rigs last had out riggers and even with the weather they stayed up.
PLAYERS PARTY
Croydon - a bit far away from crystal palace, and there did not seem to be many people there - however when we arrived and said that we were down with paintball they ushered us into the VIP area as the area planned for the paintballers had been taken by the public. it was great.
NEC was a better atmosphere as there were more ballers.
OVERALL
i thought it was ok, not the best and i would prefer it to be at a different location to CP and the NEC was fairly good as the organisers now know they mistakes they made.
please dont bash me if you disagree with the above
the NEC. rocked last year bring it back to the midlands where it belongs ,easy access for all where ever you travel from.
just a thought what about disused airfields theres loads all over the country acres n acres of lush flat fields just waiting for us ballers..
just a thought what about disused airfields theres loads all over the country acres n acres of lush flat fields just waiting for us ballers..
I agree, there are so many amazing venues just waiting to be discovered.... I think the problem might be that the MS are too obsessed with 'prestige' venues such as crystal palace when it really has little bearing on the quality of event for players and spectators.the NEC. rocked last year bring it back to the midlands where it belongs ,easy access for all where ever you travel from.
just a thought what about disused airfields theres loads all over the country acres n acres of lush flat fields just waiting for us ballers..