I think the truth of the matter is more like, the proposed playing of NXL teams in Toulouse isn't meant as a bone to appease the Millennium, it's the other way round.
The vast majority of the American players love coming over here, and here I am talking specifically about the players involved in X-Ball, Stateside.
At that stormy meeting in Chicago a few weeks back, it was made very clear that the NXL players wanted to continue playing over here.
Since the Millennium board in their infinite wisdom, decided to ignore common sense and refuse to set up an integrated X-Ball league, the players Stateside immediately realised they could not come over and play in Europe and were obviously pissed off.
Basically the proposed integrated World league had two Yank teams making the trip for every Millennium X-Ball that was to run.
As far as the American players were concerned this was cool by them but with the advent of the Millennium Board's refusal to adopt an integrated X-ball league over here, this opportunity for travel to Europe was now dead and buried.
The only avenue open for the Yank players to come over was now to play the Millennium 7 Man but even this was blocked by the PSP who then went on to contractually ban these NXL players from playing not only the Super 7's in the US but also the Millennium over here.
Now the players were not alone in this, Richmond also desperately wanted a European connection and there had to be some way to appease the players as they were now getting really pissed off at being told what to do, when to do it and so on.
In my opinion, the Yanks don't really care that much about us now after we have decided to ditch the proposed integrated World league, the only reason these teams are coming over is to appease their players not our promoters.
Not only that, the Millennium board have to keep an eye firmly on the start of the 2004 season when the franchise agreements for X-Ball will be come available and any proposed TV deals will become negotiable, they had to appease the Yanks in some way by having some form of X-Ball running and to also host a European leg of the NXL albeit completely devoid of Euro teams.
In my opinion, this was done to keep the X-Ball option open so as to maximise the European X-Ball owners earning potetinial with regard to franchise sales and US TV rights.
I mean, just how much more valubale is a franchise come the end of this season if we got TV knocking on the door ?
Some people might now begn to understand maybe why things went the way they did, all the clues are there now.
[sarcasm] I mean, let’s keep the Yanks happy, the players and the PSP and so on, let's put on an X-Ball show just for them that has no European involvement whatsoever, Whoo Hoo !!!!!...... but hold on a minute, shouldn’t we be trying to look after us Euros first [/sarcasm]
It remains to be seen whether or not this Euro leg of the NXL comes off and if it does, where do you think they will play in Toulouse?
I mean, if they end up being given a field in the Stadium, how bad is that?
I mean, think about it, all players like to give it the Billy Big'un in front of the crowds.
Every player from every team gets a chance to grandstand and if the Yank X-Ball took up one of the centre fields, well, I will leave you guys to think about the sense in that.
The Millennium board wouldn't do that would they ?
FFS, how did we get in this position ?
Robbo