Millennium Moan-Fest

[Freddie Brockdorff]

Jon ... from the Millennium's perspective, if they do away with locked divisions, they do away with a significant income stream.(....)

Pete do you think there might be a slight chance we would actually see MORE teams on a yearly basis in for instanse div. 1 IF it was in fact not locked ?

Somehow I think there would be more teams - especially if the Millennium Series make an effort in making the league more attactive again for the teams, listen to the constructive critisism and change the things that needs to be changed/improoved !

So.... All in all it would actually make them MORE money not locking as many divisions as now ? AND it would make them more money putting on better events = attracting more teams = more money in the bank !

 

[Robbo]

Pete do you think there might be a slight chance we would actually see MORE teams on a yearly basis in for instanse div. 1 IF it was in fact not locked ?

Somehow I think there would be more teams - especially if the Millennium Series make an effort in making the league more attactive again for the teams, listen to the constructive critisism and change the things that needs to be changed/improoved !

So.... All in all it would actually make them MORE money not locking as many divisions as now ? AND it would make them more money putting on better events = attracting more teams = more money in the bank !

Of course we would, but you have to think of it from their perspective.
The notion that more teams will come over is commonsense yes but it's also speculative ...the Millennium know 100% the money they earn from having the divisions locked and it's secure.
The Millennium guys would then (in their heads) be gambling on the fact more teams would then come in because of their movement away from locked divisions and also there would be sufficient new teams to offset any loss of income.

It is self-evident they are not willing to make that gamble.
But I have a cunning plan ....
I'm meeting with Barry tomorrow, I'll bring it up

 

[Tiefling]

Hey guys, it is not about having more Teams in Div 2 and up, it is about keeping them. Because due to the cost it actually doesnt make any sense to play Millennium in economic terms for any team! If you have a look at Div2 you can see, that the MS can not get any more teams into the series. Most names you can find there for the individual events are the very few teams which are asked by their sponsors to play the tournament beside the 9 teams which played the whole series.

It is not economic for anybody to play Millennium. Only M5 is affordable, but still not economic, but teams play their national tournament because it is the only really big one in their country, and they take it as kind of "hey lets go there and make some party" beside their serious league games.

Everybody is talking about more teams, making things bigger, more professional....but without big outside sponsors, which will not show up even if there is kind of an tv-deal which is only relevant for CPL-Teams (even dont try to tell me, that lower Division Teams will get something out of it), it is not possible.

Most Players have to afford everything by themselfs, if playing Millennium is not affordable, there won't be more teams. The tendence is, that teams are leaving the series!

just my 2 cent

 

[Mark Toye-Nexus]

Players are leaving because;

1. They can't afford it - the new format that was supposed to mean squad playing and rotation and therefore greater division of costs and this isnt happening. The upshot is events are costing players more - see ECI for proof of that.

2. VFM is poor - in game time terms teams are playing less and less paintball each year.

3. The fun factor has been erroded - the judging is draconian and robotic. Judges administer in black and white, not in the shades of grey that we all know reality exists in. The rules are crap - just see Magueds post above, it hadnt occurred to me but now he says it its obvious - the daring, exciting stuff has disappeared.

4. The X Factor has gone - or should I say the 'Y' factor - no Yanks.

5. The Millennium has stopped serving its customers - its not about what they can do for the player any more. Its like it or lump it because there is nothing else.

What do they need to do to turn it around (if they want to?) - listen to the players and deliver on their expectation that they spend their hard earned and receive a service worthy of the money they hand over.

Its not too much to ask - Value, perceived and real. Deliver it, please. The average player wants to play seriously but doesnt want the essence of the game and their participation (enjoyment) sacrificed to the ideal of paintball as a Sport (with a capital S). We all have to accept that for all of us (a few Americans and Russians excepted) its a game, a past time that costs a great deal of money, time and effort and HAS got to make a reasonable return in satisfaction.

 

[Fisz]

People have said already what they don't like about the Millennium and what they would like to see changed. The issue is, as Robbo mentioned, that most of the suggestions in here would endanger or outright take away Millennium's profits.
It's really hard to suggest reasonable changes without being able to see the flow of cash within the organisation and evaluating possible profits vs costs of introducing a certain change. We all know that ain't gonna happen, so the best we can hope for is that out of all the things said here, the Powers That Be will at least implement some of them.
I think a good idea for the board would be to run a one-off event or even a separate series which would serve as a proving ground for any changes proposed.

On my part, I would suggest lowering the cost of setting up a booth at the events as a manufacturer. As it is, it's cheaper for me to fly over to US for any event than to come to Millenniums. And we don't brake even at those events...

 

[Chicago]

5 individual events is a mistake. Sure, you might get people's egos involved, but the problem is those 5 individuals:

- Don't know what they are doing
- Will be doing it part-time and will not be able to focus on what they are doing
- Will only have one opportunity per year to do it and will take forever to get any better at what they are doing
- Will be trying to one-up the other guys, so the little they do manage to learn, they won't share with anyone else.

The ONLY answer to a successful league is ONE person ultimately in charge of everything, and it is that person's JOB to run the league.

Otherwise you're just dooming yourself to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

 

[MissyQ]

5 individual events is a mistake. Sure, you might get people's egos involved, but the problem is those 5 individuals:

- Don't know what they are doing
- Will be doing it part-time and will not be able to focus on what they are doing
- Will only have one opportunity per year to do it and will take forever to get any better at what they are doing
- Will be trying to one-up the other guys, so the little they do manage to learn, they won't share with anyone else.

The ONLY answer to a successful league is ONE person ultimately in charge of everything, and it is that person's JOB to run the league.

Otherwise you're just dooming yourself to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

You've made a good point, but the individuals we are speaking about in Europe do know what they are doing. Not so long ago Europe led the world in events. At that time they were individually run, and Toulouse, under Laurent, was the ONE. The UK hit back with Crystal palace, the Swedes had some great events in Stockholm. Then there was a restructuring and 'centralisation' much as you have advocated, and everything went downhill from there. Personally I think they were trying to emulate the US leagues, which was the mistake, as I think up until that point they were running better events.

You gave me an idea though, if there was still an MS board, then people could bid for the events, like they do in the Olympics. They submit their venues and business model, prove they have the capital needed, and they are commissioned to run the event for one year.

 

[Chicago]

I think they adopted just enough of the US model to ensure lack of success - the only thing worse than 5 events each run by one guy is 5 events each run by 5 guys.

Both PSP and NPPL are run by one guy. Lane in the case of PSP, and Shawn and now Scott at NPPL. (Unfortunately, the guy also has to be qualified, which left much to be desired on the NPPL side with Shawn, which will hopefully now be addressed.)

Millennium just needs to hire one guy to be in charge, pay him, and "fire" everybody else.

 

[Chicago]

People have said already what they don't like about the Millennium and what they would like to see changed. The issue is, as Robbo mentioned, that most of the suggestions in here would endanger or outright take away Millennium's profits.

It is very difficult to profit when you do not have customers.

 

[Bngi]

It is very difficult to profit when you do not have customers.

Would you mind to clarify that for me?