Campaign 09 Feedback (previously known as "Ulrich is a tw*t").

[stongle]

London City Airport is 30 mins away

Gatwick is 1 hour 7 mins

Heathrow is 1 hour 13

When the Toulouse event was held at the rugby standium, which is still one of the best venues and events ever, that was a good hour away by car......... Malaga I think was around 30 mins from the airport............ Germany event is around 1 hour depending on the airport.............. Paris is a 4 hour drive from London or from the airport it is a good 45 mins............. But other than that Marco you are spot on

And Stanstead is only 30 mins for normal drivers. Also the venue was only 10 mins from the M25, and 2 turns of the steering wheel. Perhaps bext year the Millennium should just book the 02 in Greenwich. That way there's restaurants on site (a TGI Burger is about an Aryton), it's only £4 a pint, and you can shot going back to your hotel in New Cross. All for 10 grand a squad.

 

[Bon]

Well lets turn this all into a positive. Pete, take it all on board, everything people compalined about here, make sure they don't have a reason to complain about it at the fed cup

 

[Piper]

Just on those two points.

Playing surface was sub-standard, even by local event standards. Div 2 field had a pot-hole on the way to a corner from the gate, just asking for someone to break an ankle in it. Parts of the field looked like a woodchipper had been resident for some time spraying debris left right and centre.

Div 1 field was no better, was a mound behind one of the boxes on the teabag tape, and what seemed to be a large track leading from the can to the tea-bag on that side which meant anyone diving, sliding or running along that path had to literally take the rough with the smooth. Anyone else also spot the small metal stump of a pole on the snake side?

Clumps of straw in convenient diving locations didn't help keep the ground from turning to mush, and infact resulted in injuries from a few splinters, to at least 2 dislocated shoulders(that I'm aware of) from where the paint on them has made it a super-slippery surface. We know there is turf at their disposal, why is this not utilised at every event?


Location was hardly great now was it, they'd of done just as well to have stuck with the previous location, if it wasn't for the burst water pipe then it wouldn't have really been so bad. Telling people it was just down the road from the previous site was taking the mickey a bit now wasn't it... After closing up our booth for the evening and heading for some food at 7ish we noted on a good few occasions the number of people slogging it out, walking back to hotels they'd booked in the festival leisure park area. I'm sure they were all pleased with how close it was, especially if they got a nice early draw. On the same note, it was very much in the middle of nowhere, and this is why the site vendors can charge what they should choose to, they are after all, in this business to make money, and I think we're all aware that an ice-cream van-man can only be a lucrative business for half the year at most.


I'd like to point out that I enjoy playing the Millenniums but it does at times seem that constructive criticism is not taken on-board.

There were, more bins present than in the past, the pits looked much cleaner for this; a bit more variety of food choice, whether it was overpriced of not. Improvements may be slow, but they do appear to be being made over previous years' events.


edit: Oh, and did anyone else also notice the price rise in player cards? £38 now?! The word is that they were only initially charging for the initial cost and set-up of the machines, these haven't been changed in a good few years and the print quality seems to get worse year on year too! I understand there are expected running/maintenance costs, but the incomes from this will greatly outweigh the expenditure.

Then playing surface I stand corrected on.

As for middle of nowhere oh my god talk about exaggerate! It was hardly in the middle of nowhere. Now when I used to play on a team we did this thing called research. What we would do is find out where our hotel was and then find out where the event was and find out how far one was from the other, then we would arrange some form of transport to get us to and from the event. If we chose to save some money or we did not have the money then we would walk and that would be our choice. Now I know things have moved on from when I played but there is a thing called........... Oh god what is it I forget what it is called.......... Oh yeah the internet where you can look up how far things are. Now even if you fail at all of that and do not do the research before you get to the event then there is always a cab!


Cards............ Years ago when they built the Dartford bridge it was written in the local paper that once they had finished paying for it with the toll fee they would stop charging......... However it goes up every couple of years so they failed to do what they said because they are a business and have to make money. I have just done a search on the internet (see doing research) and the Millennium Series is not a registered charity but a business that has outgoings and costs associated with running that said business. Money taken for ID cards is not only used to cover the costs of printing said cards and buying said equipment. If you pre-registered for ID cards in advance it was cheaper , so there was an option to avoid paying the more expensive price.

 

[john251282]

This has certainly been moving since I last checked it!
@stongle Of course, a good level of research and planning would be required to assess the business before hand. I would not start the business because I have no background in organising events like this and in general I work with B2B businesses. However I stand by the fact that a business should be based around a goal that is not focused on money. Of course you get lots of public companies, in particular, driven by this mostly due to the quarterly figures they publish. Or investor groups, who could not give a monkeys about anything else. But any business will stand a much greater chance of success with good focus rather than having "Make money" as number 1 on their objectives list. For example Innocent drinks, had a specific focus, which gave them a product line and even though they are not the cheapest, they have gained loyal customers who agree with the ethos and focus of Innocent and continue to buy their products. Loyal customers are worth their weight in gold!

 

[Echowitch]

The rude resection i got from some of the millennium staff was also a joke (though maybe i just got the wrong guy). Sometimes they seem to forget that players and vendors are paying to attend these events, regardless of if you are a little busy if you are the only person on the front desk surely you have to expect to answer a few questions, especially if the other people need this information to do their jobs.

Probably just got the wrong person at the wrong time. Every one of the Millennium staff on the desks was polite, friendly, and helpful. Couldn't fault them at all on their face to face Customer Service

As far as this bit goes: Worst of all however was the location and layout meant NO non-paintball spectators, they were actually fenced off so they could not even wander over from the urban farm place next door ?????

Get some glasses, I saw these people everywhere. I lost count of the amount of kids I saw walking about in their little football outfits.

Ditto, there was a gap in the fencing with someone manning it near the First Aid Station. Although to be honest they could have done with making it a bit more obvious rather than it looking like some dodgy back entrance to the site.

edit: Oh, and did anyone else also notice the price rise in player cards? £38 now?! The word is that they were only initially charging for the initial cost and set-up of the machines, these haven't been changed in a good few years and the print quality seems to get worse year on year too! I understand there are expected running/maintenance costs, but the incomes from this will greatly outweigh the expenditure.

I actually got two cards as the machine screwed up my first one (blurred all over and missing my name, team, country, etc.)

I do feel that the ID cards are really over priced. If Steve Bull can provide what is basically the same thing for £15 for a year and give us all that cover as well then Im sure the Millennium can drop their prices to the same amount.

it also most put half my team off playing because of the cost of the ID cards ON TOP of the entry fee, plus paint costs, and travel and hotel for Saturday night.

 

[Fish]

Then playing surface I stand corrected on.

As for middle of nowhere oh my god talk about exaggerate! It was hardly in the middle of nowhere. Now when I used to play on a team we did this thing called research. What we would do is find out where our hotel was and then find out where the event was and find out how far one was from the other, then we would arrange some form of transport to get us to and from the event. If we chose to save some money or we did not have the money then we would walk and that would be our choice. Now I know things have moved on from when I played but there is a thing called........... Oh god what is it I forget what it is called.......... Oh yeah the internet where you can look up how far things are. Now even if you fail at all of that and do not do the research before you get to the event then there is always a cab!


Cards............ Years ago when they built the Dartford bridge it was written in the local paper that once they had finished paying for it with the toll fee they would stop charging......... However it goes up every couple of years so they failed to do what they said because they are a business and have to make money. I have just done a search on the internet (see doing research) and the Millennium Series is not a registered charity but a business that has outgoings and costs associated with running that said business. Money taken for ID cards is not only used to cover the costs of printing said cards and buying said equipment. If you pre-registered for ID cards in advance it was cheaper , so there was an option to avoid paying the more expensive price.

Agreed, it was an exaggeration, but the point of it not being one of the most ideal locations stands. By this, I'm referring to the fact that the previous two years it was held in such a location, why fix what isn't broken? There was camping just down the road, hotels and food a (real, not exaggerated) short distance walk away, and date wise it linked in with a little fun-fair last year which went down rather well. I also don't remember people moaning about food vendor prices as being in the vacinity of shops and rival vendors at the fun fair meant they kept prices low. The milkshakes went down rather well too from memory! I'm sure however that if you have the time to do the research then you'll find someone complaining and prove me wrong on this...

Travel wise, airport, train, bus links are not ideal for getting to that site, and taxi's are more than some teams can afford, car hire is another liberty some people just can't afford. Camping made life cheaper for these teams, but being off the beaten track meant they would still need a car or taxi to get supplies from the nearest supermarket/shop.


With regards to the cards, you may be able to argue about the costs going to other things, which whilst understandable, is not advertised, and I know this pisses a lot of people off. Not to mention the cost of getting a card re-printed. Condoning a higher cost for making a fresh card is one thing, as simple data has to be input onto the computer; it's another matter, condoning a large chunk of the same cost, for simply searching for the name, checking the photo, and hitting print

Anyway, I'm leaving this here because I don't believe this thread will get anywhere productive. I bid you all adieu.

 

[Piper]

Agreed, it was an exaggeration, but the point of it not being one of the most ideal locations stands. By this, I'm referring to the fact that the previous two years it was held in such a location, why fix what isn't broken? There was camping just down the road, hotels and food a (real, not exaggerated) short distance walk away, and date wise it linked in with a little fun-fair last year which went down rather well. I also don't remember people moaning about food vendor prices as being in the vacinity of shops and rival vendors at the fun fair meant they kept prices low. The milkshakes went down rather well too from memory! I'm sure however that if you have the time to do the research then you'll find someone complaining and prove me wrong on this...

Travel wise, airport, train, bus links are not ideal for getting to that site, and taxi's are more than some teams can afford, car hire is another liberty some people just can't afford. Camping made life cheaper for these teams, but being off the beaten track meant they would still need a car or taxi to get supplies from the nearest supermarket/shop.


With regards to the cards, you may be able to argue about the costs going to other things, which whilst understandable, is not advertised, and I know this pisses a lot of people off. Not to mention the cost of getting a card re-printed. Condoning a higher cost for making a fresh card is one thing, as simple data has to be input onto the computer; it's another matter, condoning a large chunk of the same cost, for simply searching for the name, checking the photo, and hitting print

Anyway, I'm leaving this here because I don't believe this thread will get anywhere productive. I bid you all adieu.

I still stand by doing research if you camp stay in a hotel sleep in the street you still need to eat....... So like Jay said it is your responsibility to eat not the Millenniums to supply an event right next to a supermarket!

As for the costs of a reprinted card.................. Don't loose your original make sure you have it with you or register in advance to get a discount! Fairly off the wall ideas there but that is how I roll!

Why did they change the venue? Simple the old one that was closer to the supermarkets hotels and resturants is being ripped up and having work done on it for the 2012 Olympics. Now as much as the Millennium begged them to not do the work as paintball is far more important than some small sporting event held every 4 years, the council refused to let the Millennium on there, I think they even used the argument that with the event being moved a couple of miles down the road that teams would have to do some reasearch into distance etc and they felt that the last thing the teams needed to do was some form of work, however the council did not seem to be that bothered by this......... I know the bloody cheek of them!

 

[Dan G]

Gees Fish, you won the frigging thing! Cheer up!

Was it reallly that bad?? Yes things wernt perfect, but all in all it werent a terrible event and you earnt some silverware/cash/pride!

 

[Piper]

Gees Fish, you won the frigging thing! Cheer up!

Was it reallly that bad?? Yes things wernt perfect, but all in all it werent a terrible event and you earnt some silverware/cash/pride!

Don't start him off on that he will be moaning about the podium or the trophy, or the prize cheque was written out in the wrong colour ink

 

[ShelleyHicky]

Totally disagree. Yeah fair dos stuff was a bit steep, but it's a eurpean championship event. What do u expect? I'M sure food etc is just as bad at a prem footy game.

Emirates football stadium 0.5L custom Arsenal water (whoop whoop) = £1.50 - steep!!

Millennium Series cheap (38p s0.5L supermarket water) in a field outside Basildon = £2 - WTF!!!!

Venue was ok considering its all gone down hill since Crystal Palace, Millennium Series simply don't care about the uk and focus on the Disney and beach events - boo hiss boo!

This opinion was only from a 6 hour visit on finals day