That's exactly it - that's the LAST thing I expect to happen, ergo, my low expectations with regards to an integration actually happening.
Philly Americans out of the NPPL
- Thread starter Bob
- Start date
Correction-time...
I'll start with PSP since I have easy access to real numbers. Looking at XBall in 2007:
5 events: 45 teams
4 events: 20 teams
3 events: 23 teams
2 events: 24 teams
1 event: 126 teams
5man:
5 events: 12 teams
4 events: 2 teams
3 events: 11 teams
2 events: 44 teams
1 event: 305 teams
In PSP, *MOST* teams play *ONE* event. They play the event that is close to them (i.e., no planes). If you run fewer events, teams don't just play those events instead of other events; they just don't play at all.
I suspect NPPL isn't quite as skewed as PSP is because Huntington Beach and San Diego are for all intents and purposes the same location (same teams can drive to both) so there are a lot more 2-event teams in NPPL. But if they consolidate to three events, it's not like the teams playing in the two dropped events are going to get on planes and go to California. They'll just not play, or switch to PSP.
On the flipside of that, there were only 70ish non-Pro/semi-Pro teams signed up for Houston anyway, so that's not exactly a big loss.
It's true. NPPL loses money on every event. Maybe not on event revenue minus event expenses, but see below.
Not true. PSP makes money on every event.
Here's the problem with the condense-events plan with regards to NPPL:
NPPL has HUGE payroll and other overhead expenses. Those are annual expenses that get split up over the events they run. You cut out events, now you've got even fewer events to spread those payroll costs over, and condensing events won't get them any more teams (see above).
Cutting events alone won't do it. They are horribly not efficient at running tournaments. They need to cut overhead. And if they cut overhead, they might still be able to run 5 events.
Here's another issue. PSP has always presented itself as the place to come play paintball, while NPPL has always had a significant 'come party' component. So PSP takes their 'off' events and has them at Rock Hill and Greensburg, and the players don't really care - same refs, green grass fields, air, they're golden. If NPPL starts doing the same, they've lost the very thing NPPL's customers have been conditioned to pay for - the atmosphere.
NPPL and XPSL are different products. And even though there is some competition between them, it is FAR better for you to compete with yourself than to have someone else do it. Plus, they drop XPSL, there is NO entry-level 7-man, and NPPL will die shortly after.
Now if you're really saying combine them into one entity, agree.
I don't think this is true actually. I know it 'wasn't' true, therefore at best it is an inaccurate statement. I will concede that it may be true of this season. maybe.
This is contrary to what I have been told by a PSP owner, this year, so I am going to go ahead and say that this isn't true either. Not because I have an inside tack on PSP economics, but because I have been told so by someone whose intel is good, and I trust. On the other hand, and no offence, but you have a history of making sweeping generalistic statements to back up your opinions as you believe they will go unchallenged.
Believe it or not, I have a pretty good idea of how the economy of a league functions. You are certainly right about the overhead in the NPPL being higher than the PSP, but in the past HB has covered everything, much the same as the World Cup will make the money for the PSP. I think its obvious, and natural, that if they cut events they would also cut overhead to compensate.
I also disagree that fewer events won't get more teams.
Just as an aside, this re-thinking of league event structure is not limited to the NPPL. The MS, as I have been told, are going to 4 events next year, with a 5th, Open, Cup-style event run separately. I also understand they are dropping to 10bps, and also considering unlocking all the divisions.
I'm getting my Tippmann and playing pro next year!!
I'm getting my Tippmann and playing pro next year!!
Dodgey distinction. Golf, fishing, and other main-line sports often offer entry level competition for more than $200.
D3 by its definition is entry level, and the teams that play in it consider themselves as 'entry level'. The league also considers them 'entry level'.
And yet you say this isn't possible?
How so?
Because paintball isn't fishing or golf or other mainline sports.
While $200 is part of it, I should have said '$200 and airfare, hotel and lodging' isn't entry level - unless you think one event a year is where people start. Players just plain do not go from no tournament paintball to D3 national paintball. I can't believe it's even a matter of discussion. Entry level to NATIONAL paintball? Sure. Entry level to tournament paintball? No way. It just doesn't work like that, and short of everyone else no longer running tournaments, the fields/local leagues will always have first crack at entry-level play. The $200 is also relative - it's not entry level because local events cost less. It's a bit like saying a $10,000 television is 'entry level' because entry level cars are $12,000.
As for event profits, I meant 'this season', thought that was a given. HB and the other events are all down significantly in attendance and industry sponsorship contribution, especially as compared to when you were involved with the league. On the PSP side, some of the events definitely make more than others, but they should all be profitable. (Of course, they could all be not profitable depending how you determine profitable - if you're just taking entry fees minus event costs, then they're all not profitable. I'm factoring in other revenue and other expenses over the 5 events.)
MS is right on with the 10 bps. I'm hoping PSP will cut rate of fire as well.