Robbo
Originally posted by Nick Brockdorff
You're not my only source you know 
I believe there is a possibility we will see 2 major series in Europe next year..... one running 7-man (or whatever format the NPPL decides upon)..... the other running.... something else (which may or may not be X-Ball)
I believe the NXL - and X-Ball in general - has an interest in a continued european presence.
You say the promoters have lost a considerable amount by running X-Ball this year..... which MAY be true, when you factor in all the start up investments made - scoreboards, scaffolding, wiring, fields, etc.
But all that is now ready to use for a second year, and promoters will ONLY take a slight hit to their entry fee income and a little extra expense for judging by doing X-Ball in 2005.
The promoters HAVE lost a lot of money this year.... but the main reason for that, is the miscalculation that Europe was ready for 8 major events - which proved untrue - I believe 6 is the magic number.
2 Super 7s (my guess would be Toulouse and the Joy Masters) and 4 EXLs (my guess would be Maxs, Amsterdam, Campaign and Norway or Malaga) - would do nicely for the coming season
If 7 man is the only game in town next year, we will play it.... but strategically I think it would be the wrong descision by the promoters.... who (along with a lot of other people in paintball) have believed things happen overnight..... they don't.... but that does not mean the concept has no future.
It would SUCK for European paintball, if this time next year X-Ball was taking off in a big way stateside, and the Euro promoters had opted out of the format.... especially because the investment they need to make to continue running it is marginal - and the potential upside huge.
You may believe me naive...... but then I may believe you overly negative and prone to making rash judgement calls
BTW - why do you care - you guys are playing NPPL next year - right ?
Nick
Well, whatever your other sources Nick, I told you and the rest of the guys what was likely to happen a long time back and so far I have been proved right.
Now whether that's been overly negative and / or making rash judgement calls I would tend to debate because events have deemed otherwise.
You may have a point re the number of events the MIllennium ran because I too, think it was a mistake to run so many.
As for XBall being a success Stateside and not being run over here, I respectfully suggest you are missing the whole point, if the incentives were the same for both the US and Europe then I would agree the Euro promoters would be fools to ignore XBall, but they ain't and never will be.
Our potential is not only vastly smaller at this time but there will also be a time lag in operation that will also deter Euro investors.
Nick, wake up mate, smell the roses and realise we can't expect the degree of investment we have seen Statseside by promoters, industry and teams into XBall.
There's just not enough money, not enough incentive because of lessned potantial and not enough teams sufficiently sponsored.
As for us playing NPPL next year and asking (sarcastically) why I should care about Europe?
Well, I hope to be playing NPPL yes, at least I am trying to get qualified and have done all season, we invested in what we believe on two fronts and hopefully that commitment will at least give us two options, one more than most people but never for one second Nick think I do not care what happens in Europe.
From now on mate, I will leave you to your other sources, after all, I wouldn't want to snow you under with so much negativity and rash judgements now would I?
