Baca is refering to the Smart Parts event, pseudo xball with smart parts only teams. Was held earlier in the year specifically to be shown on ESPN. Aparantly a rather slick production finacially backed by the gardener brothers. Don't expect it to be shown any time soon over here...
Anyway, i guess it really depends on if people know about the show's existence. How well has it been trailed and promoted to Joe Channel-Hopper? I feel a key element to its sucess is it's coverage in other sports media, magazines, papers, editorial 'pundits' programming. If people see people they know about hyping it up as a legitimate sport then it (as a concept) should be easier to swallow. The question is, how much investment has been put into this side of things?
If it's a relative sucess, expect a gradual trickle of funding from the network and possibly lesser outside sponsors to allow the production of a full 'season' of events. I think even if it does do well its gonna take some time before we can even dream of the momentum building up enough to make a splash in a BIG way.
I doubt it will effect the wider tournament scene as a whole, maybe the teams involved but in the short term i wouldn't expect too much. Aside from even more egotistical pro's getting ambitions beyond their station.
PS. Any news on that question i PMed Paul?
EDIT ADDED: still waiting on an answer. soon as I know you will too.
TFP
