First Campaign moan!

[camsmith]

Originally posted by rancid
Hey guys, do you think that maybe the organisers saw no benefit in attracting the locals - indeed, it may have caused a real headache and it'd cost em money wouldn't it?

There probably needs to be a lot more done before we can really attract the locals... the general public don't really understand the rules, and therefore don't get as excited about the game as we do.

And surely it's not down to the organisers to showcase paintball?

Hmmmm, not sure about his one... I'm having an argument with myself about it. Are you suggesting that a higher body get involved, perhaps by subsidising the advertising budget?

 

[mikeyR]

Originally posted by camsmith
There probably needs to be a lot more done before we can really attract the locals... the general public don't really understand the rules, and therefore don't get as excited about the game as we do.



Hmmmm, not sure about his one... I'm having an argument with myself about it. Are you suggesting that a higher body get involved, perhaps by subsidising the advertising budget?

Have to agree with this as well!

In my original point I did say Information Posters would have been a good idea for the non paintballing public. It might not 'excite' the locals but it at least gives them an understanding.

A 'higher body' would be The Millenium Board, no real budget to speak of so unfortunatley it does fall to the organiser. They do it in the States so why cant Europe?

Exposure of this great event (and others) will only help attract intrest from a big money sponsor but only if they can see an audience for their product. If you cant even get the locals through the door, and it was free!, what chance have you got of attracting a sponsor.

 

[rancid]

Originally posted by camsmith

Hmmmm, not sure about his one... I'm having an argument with myself about it. Are you suggesting that a higher body get involved, perhaps by subsidising the advertising budget?

Cam, it's more like everyone expects someone else to do the work. Now, if I was Niall and I'd organised Campaign, made a few quid whilst at the same time giving all the players a good tourny, I'd be pretty happy.

If you then came to me with the idea of bringing Joe Public in... well, ok it might be for the greater good of paintball in the long run but I wouldn't be too keen drafting in the extra stewards, the additional info needed, the worry that they may get hurt/wander somewhere they shouldn't, cause disruption etc. And let's face it, you can't put posters out that say 'no undesirables' can you. Cripes, we're already hearing tales of stuff going missing....

Nah, I think the effort should be concentrated on getting media interest - tv, radio, newspapers and mags - and I think this is what Niall did.

So, I think if I was the organiser, I'd have done the same, with the exception of nominating a marshal on each field to at least announce who was about to play... cos I missed a number of games I wanted to watch on account of being a clueless gimp.

 

[camsmith]

Sorry Rancid,

I actually agree with you about not letting Mr J. Public through the gate. It would cost a lot more for the security, and this would entail charging the spectators for entry. Then you have to hire people to take the money off spectators... (the list goes on).

On my way to the tourny (in case anyone's interested I chrono-judged field 4 all three days) on the Saturday, I got Capital radio (for the foreigners, one of the more popular stations broadcast in London) to put a shout out to all the crew involved... all publicity helps everyone. I also think that the AA (automobile association, not alcoholics anonymous ) road signs are good advertising for the event, as locals see it and it puts the thought in their head.

I reckon the level of advertising was about right for the acceptance that paintball has in the media at the moment. As we get bigger, we will have to advertise more, attract the crowds, pay for video production of the event, etc.

One thing that I don't agree with is people's moaning about locals increasing the security risk, although things could have been improved on this front (which I will email the relevant people with to avoid the inevitable flames).

How often do you hear of one of the low-end markers being nicked? It always seems to be the top of the range kit taking a walk which to me suggests that the <insert swear word here> thieves are people who know about these things - namely other players. Isn't there a saying something like "the first place to look for problems is your own back yard"?

 

[northern monkey]

On the theft issue I would like to say that unfortunately it is just as likely that is was someone with a players pass that did the thieving. Playing paintball doesn't remove us from the rest of society and turn us all into saints!

Would you leave £1000 in cash sat on a table in a room full of strangers?

 

[FAMINE]

Just a little point about the AA road signs...

Great idea, but they were up at least a week before the event. Shame they didnt add the dates!

 

[mikeyR]

Originally posted by rancid
So, I think if I was the organiser, I'd have done the same, with the exception of nominating a marshal on each field to at least announce who was about to play... cos I missed a number of games I wanted to watch on account of being a clueless gimp.

That makes a clueless gimp as well because I missed one of the Dynasty games on Friday because I lost track of time. I'd already missed the first two because of arriving late, so only saw them against Ugly Ducklings, which they lost!

Announcing the games would be a good idea but as everyone tends to want to watch the same teams the crush for viewing could cause some extra problems. The Dynasty/Ugly Ducklings game drew a big crowd all standing right next to the netting not 1.5m as suggested, although this was happening all day but for once I didn't see people leaning on the netting.

 

[JoseDominguez]

Originally posted by northern monkey
On the theft issue I would like to say that unfortunately it is just as likely that is was someone with a players pass that did the thieving. Playing paintball doesn't remove us from the rest of society and turn us all into saints!

Would you leave £1000 in cash sat on a table in a room full of strangers?

ballers may not be more honourable than the public but:
1) we play paintball........expensive, so most of us have some disposable income. Less likely to take to thieving.
2) We want to keep playing........ would you risk a theft?
3) A baller wouldn't steal a limited edition one of 12 markers.....pointless you can't use or sell it.
4) To steal a major piece of kit you'd have to get it past your own team too......."where'd you get that?" etc....
5) Only top end stuff going missing? what about the pumps nicked from powerball.........oh and look at the average marker at a tourney......... there aren't many low end markers available to nick. The thieves are always going to target bling, wether they could tell a shocker from a pt extreme.

As for attracting the locals........campaign achieved that......by providing lots of expensive kit all in one place for the pikeys to collect. That brought in the crowds didn't it?

This is going to keep happening at more and more tourneys...... the world will allready be spreading on the pikey/charva/twoccer underground......."paintballers? yeah you can do your christmas shopping all in one go, nick enough stuff to keep you in tracksuits and baseball caps for six months" we no longer have the luxury of being secure.......we are attracting attention and we are currently a soft touch.

 

[RoryM]

Posters etc

Unfortunatley, the friendly local council don't like us putting up posters, they just tear them down.

Unfortunatley, the friendly local kids like us putting up posters, they always nick them!

Cant win

Rory
Campaign Power

 

[8 Ball]

advertising

Originally posted by RoryM
Unfortunatley, the friendly local kids like us putting up posters, they always nick them!

Cant win

Rory
Campaign Power

dunno who to complain to put i live in the area and it was an absolutly p**s poor effort advertisment-wise, and as Rory says most of the little inbreds round here would nick the posters. pretty funny seeing them this week riding around on their stolen bmxs with pball masks on (probably to hide their ID whilst bein pursued by the police)

As Famine said the AA signs are a good idea, but there needed to be more of them with dates on and put up maybe 3-4wks ago.

The best advertisin ploy i reckon would'v been to take out a full 1 or 2 pg spread in all the free local papers emphisin the facts that it would'v been a fun, cheap few days, fingers crossed for next year.