Very interesting Pete. I see where you are coming from and that 7 man is becoming more of the norm (maybe due to a demand from teams that find it easier to field 7 players? and the lower associated costs to a team with shorter games and less paint flying...)
But is it more boring with 10man? I don't have as much experience of 10 man games as yourself but whenever I have been to big events in the USA and watched or played 10 man I found games were more likely to have strategies played out and there was more 'game play', Actually in a similar fashion to how the Russian Legion are implementing it in 7 man as per Amsterdam (and therefore I may have just argued around my own point...
) I think this may be due to the fact that with more players on the field losing one or two to an outstanding play is worth the risk? I like watching games which are very 'involved' and not just a sweep from one end to the other.
Of course we always will get boring arsed teams that will stalemate whatever the format. But until we have more teams who can work a 7 man field like the RL then what else can we do to instigate game play and thinking manouvres on the field? Giving teams more players to work with might help?
More often in 7 man as a game plays out the team that goes up two players keeps on going and eventually wins and the loss of a critical player can be vital, not quite so in 10 man.
Maybe Nick is onto something and 8 man will be the combination of both that we are looking for? It is a nice round number
manike
p.s. I think if the World format went to 7 man then the RL could go over to the world cup and destroy! Definitely if they continue playing like they did in Amsterdam.
p.p.s. also after having talked to Jerry Braun about 10 and 5 man events as compared to 7 man events I don't think he would see it likely for the World Cup and PSP events to go 7 man? He had some very interesting and valid points from a promoters behalf about why 10 and 5 man at one tournament is a good format. Inlcuding the encouragement of teams to attend from an earlier point since not all teams can put together even a 7 man squad.
