Campaign Attendence Reality

[Game]

if you wanted to, for example, play a computer game tournament,say, best CS european team, but you had sit on a computer stool with a 10'' black dildo fckin you in the ass the whoe time, i think you'd just stick to your clan matches once a month.

on the plus side at least the top cs teams get paid the big bucks with serious cash for the winners oh and the best teams in the world are the euro teams

Somthing else to consider is that its godawful to travel anywhere in this country with a poor road network and third world rail and bus links

 

[Echowitch]

Echo, I don't know if Missy was there or not (I didn't see him) but even if he wasn't, he is more than qualified to comment because for the most part he didn't have to be there to make those comments.
He is well aware of the events like Toulouse of not so long ago that literally buzzed with excitement and he is also well aware of the present lack of Yank teams.
He understands that connection better than most.

Instead of knocking him, I would try to learn from him and heed his warning because he is 100% on the money whether you went to the tourney or what, or even whether you like it or not ....he's damn right.

Thats why I started by saying "no offence" Robbo Tbh it was my first event, and Missy only had 3 posts so I was trying to gauge...or more accurately push for, Missy's knowledge and experience of these events. He/she could be a regular attendee but a tourney noob like me can't really tell. Missy isn't in PGI magazine every month like you, so you kind of stand out as a paragon of knowledge on paintball, whereas to someone like me Missy is an unquantifiable unknown. (Loved this month's PGI btw, picked it up yesterday.) I know some of the guys I know through paintball said it was low on numbers but I'd have figured that was due to the weather expectations. It wasn't entirely desolate but to be fair I wasn't really expecting a bigger turn out, as paintball is a niche sport and simply doesn't have the numbers that football or rugby does. Hence me saying that I wasn't expecting an F.A. Cup final turnout.

The only thing that really suprised me was the mass exodus towards the exits once Joy won the CPL final. And with the exception of some great moves, including that double drive by that Joy did in the final, and one guy, (Moscow Phoenix player I think,) turning orange all up his left side and the entire crowd groaning in appreciation of how much that hurt, there seemed to be a lack of crowd response. But I can't tell from experience if thats normal for Millenium events, or if its just us stiff upper lip Brits sipping our Pimm's and politely clapping from the stands in our standing on the rugger line mentality

BTW you Robbo and Ollie Lang owe me photo's You two are the only paintball celebs I didn't manage to get photo's of

 

[Robbo]

BTW you Robbo and Ollie Lang owe me photo's You two are the only paintball celebs I didn't manage to get photo's of

That's because you left the best till last


As for being able to gauge CC, well if you had been to a few of the Toulouse events of yesteryear you wouldn't be regarding paintball as a niche sport at all, you would for all intents and purposes be seeing it as an up and coming spectator sport going by the crowds and responses we used to see.

I once stood among that crowd (of about 4 thousand in the stands and around the perimeter) with my wife and we both looked at each other and I think we both thought, 'fackin hell, this is awesome', the crowd were screaming their heads off in appreciatoin of what was happening on the field in front of them, it was as close to mainstream as we ever got in Europe, Paintball seemed to have come soooo far..... that memory and few more besides will stay with me for a long time to come.
Unfortunately, we haven't yet duplicated those heady French days and seem to be shooting ourselves in the foot with some of the decisions we have made with regard to organizing ourselves.

But I tell ya one thing, for all the fuhck ups the Millennium have made in the past, I honestly believe they want the same thing as we do, they just got a funny way of showing it.

The problem they have is one of juggling, they are trying to do what they see best by the Euros but at the same time be extremely mindful of what goes on Stateside, and to be honest, it's an extremely tough course to navigate.

They have to most certainly reevaluate where they are now because we are most definitely on the wrong road.
When MissyQ says something (that isn't Co related) I tend to listen well because that guy is one bright mofo and knows what he's talking about.
You might have myself and Nick and Baca all going at it, and seeminlgy we know what we are talking about, and for the most part we do, but MissyQ has first hand experience of putting together high end events, and these have been events that became the pinnacle of what we aim for now.

I honestly believe the best thing we can do now is for a few people in Europe to sit down and talk with the Millennium guys because this next year or so is gonna prove crucial in determining the fortunes of both tournament events and paintball at large.

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

That's because you left the best till last


As for being able to gauge CC, well if you had been to a few of the Toulouse events of yesteryear you wouldn't be regarding paintball as a niche sport at all, you would for all intents and purposes be seeing it as an up and coming spectator sport going by the crowds and responses we used to see.

I once stood among that crowd (of about 4 thousand in the stands and around the perimeter) with my wife and we both looked at each other and I think we both thought, 'fackin hell, this is awesome', the crowd were screaming the heads off in appreciatoin of what was happening on the field in front of them, it was as close to mainstream as we ever got in Europe, Paintball seemed to have come soooo far..... that memory and few more besides will stay with me for a long time to come.
Unfortunately, we haven't yet duplicated those heady French days and seem to be shooting ourselves in the foot with some of the decisions we have made with regard to organizing ourselves.

But I tell ya one thing, for all the fuhck ups the Millennium have made in the past, I honestly believe they want the same thing as we do, they just got a funny way of showing it.

The problem they have is one of juggling, they are trying to do what they see best by the Euros but at the same time be extremely mindful of what goes on Stateside, and to be honest, it's an extremely tough course to navigate.

They have to most certainly reevaluate where they are now because we are most definitely on the wrong road.
When MissyQ says something (that isn't Co related) I tend to listen well because that guy is one bright mofo and knows what he's talking about.
You might have myself and Nick and Baca all going at it, and seeminlgy we know what we are talking about but MissyQ has first hand experience of putting together high end events, and these have been events that became the pinnacle of what we aim for now.

I honestly believe the best thing we can do now is for a few people in Europe to sit down and talk with the Millennium guys because this next year or so is gonna prove crucial in determining the fortunes of both tournament events and paintball at large.

But Pete - getting the mainstream crown to the events hasn't got anything to do with who is competing - they couldn't care less.

What made Toulouse so cool back at the old venue, was that half the crowd was non-paintballers.

As posted in another of these threads going on - what the MS is seriously lacking, is for someone to explain to them how to choose the right venues, and then how to capitalise from those venues - and in turn the vendors capitalise.

They honestly SUCK at it.

I will bet you, that if they get THAT right, then a lot will change.... because with the non-paintballing crowd coming in, it opens a lot of doors, for the MS, for vendors and for the teams.

Nick

 

[Robbo]

But Pete - getting the mainstream crown to the events hasn't got anything to do with who is competing - they couldn't care less.

What made Toulouse so cool back at the old venue, was that half the crowd was non-paintballers.

As posted in another of these threads going on - what the MS is seriously lacking, is for someone to explain to them how to choose the right venues, and then how to capitalise from those venues - and in turn the vendors capitalise.

They honestly SUCK at it.

I will bet you, that if they get THAT right, then a lot will change.... because with the non-paintballing crowd coming in, it opens a lot of doors, for the MS, for vendors and for the teams.

Nick

Nick, I really don't think me and you are all that far apart because what you are saying here I 100% agree with; I think your emphasis is maybe a little skewed but if you and I are pointing at the same place (which I think in effect we are) then I really don't care how we get there.

What is undeniable in all this is, the Millennium Board are going at it the wrong way and the sooner they acknowledge it and get down to putting it right, the better.
The biggest mistake they seem to continually make is believing they have all the answers and can put it right, self-evidently they do not and cannot.

A touch of humility will go a long way in this instance and so let's hope one of them reads this, in fact, I know they will so let's cross our fingers and hope they start listening.

 

[Echowitch]

Thanks Robbo, see I wouldn't have known that Missy was that connected unless you'd let me know. /worship Robbo

Unless Im greatly mistaken, what Im getting from what you and Nick are saying, is that the Millenium organisers have their hearts in the right place but lack the necessary skills to push things further forward. I.E. they are paintballers first, and businessmen second. And what they need are businessmen/women to push the Millenium series forwards the way it should be.

Its a common problem in my line of work. (IT.) A lot of programmers and techies get great idea's and get the backing to start a company but because they are not business skilled the companies eventually fail as they are "whats cool" orientated, and are not objectively business goal orientated. There are no benchmarks, no pushing to meet deadlines adequately, and not enough drive to push things further forward. Lack of marketing and promotion as well doesn't help. If people don't know about you, then you could have the greatest item/service on the planet but no one knows about.....means no one buys it.

Im sure this is something thats very apparent to you Robbo as I noticed in this months PGI Magazine that you are not only US Editor by you deal with PGI's Advertising. No advertising or promotion means no sales. Other than PGI and PBUK magazines, and paintball related websites I saw no advertising for the Millenium series anywhere. Not even around Basildon. If it weren't for the fact that I was already going there, I'd have never even known it was taking place. And tbh there wasn't even advertising at Campaign Paintball when I went to their walkon a couple of weeks ago, and as they are running the CC thats rather shocking that they wouldn't take the opportunity to advertise to their 60+ customers a day about a big event that they are running.

 

[Robbo]

Unless Im greatly mistaken, what Im getting from what you and Nick are saying, is that the Millenium organisers have their hearts in the right place but lack the necessary skills to push things further forward. I.E. they are paintballers first, and businessmen second. And what they need are businessmen/women to push the Millenium series forwards the way it should be.

.

These guys ain't ballers, they are actually businessmen but their area of expertise isn't necessarily in event promotion as is so spectacularly self evident.
Their apparent lack of humility doesn't come from an intrinsic arrogance, tho for one or two it might, but it more than likely comes from the fact they are the only game in town on this scale and this in itself can very easily lead you down the path of thinking you know what's best ..... they do not in this case.
They need to stop adopting 'Ivory Tower' thinking and get back down to Event Promotion 101.

 

[Echowitch]

These guys ain't ballers, they are actually businessmen but their area of expertise isn't necessarily in event promotion as is so spectacularly self evident.
Their apparent lack of humility doesn't come from an intrinsic arrogance, tho for one or two it might, but it more than likely comes from the fact they are the only game in town on this scale and this in itself can very easily lead you down the path of thinking you know what's best ..... they do not in this case.
They need to stop adopting 'Ivory Tower' thinking and get back down to Event Promotion 101.

So a spot of light pressure from their customers to point them in the right direction then ? A light tongue lashing in next months PGI perhaps ??

Or failing that torches and pitchforks

I'd certainly love to see 4000 people screaming at the pitch as you described. Other than paintball the only sport I watch is womens volleyball.....when the wife doesn't catch me that is I've played on and off since I was 17 and had that first taste with splatmaster pistols at Longmoor Army Camp on a 24 hour army experience. My first speedball experience at 23, and I'd love to see this great sport progress as it rightly deserves.

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

A touch of humility will go a long way in this instance and so let's hope one of them reads this, in fact, I know they will so let's cross our fingers and hope they start listening.

Yep - you and me are absolutely the best people to teach someone about humility - with the vast experience we have being humble ourselves

 

[Echowitch]

Yep - you and me are absolutely the best people to teach someone about humility - with the vast experience we have being humble ourselves

ROFL !!!