Sam,
I can only speak about the PR before and during the event and the reactions of people on site. There were stories in a lot of the area's newspapers and some local TV coverage. The stories I saw in the papers were a mixed bag. TV stuff was basically fluff and tons of people on site exposed to tourney ball for the first time found it exciting and interesting. How did those impact people beyond that?
Who knows. But I think you're looking at HB from the wrong perspective. The object isn't and wasn't to help establish a PB base--'grow the grassroots.' America doesn't need that. Frankly, we don't need to worry about growing new tourney players either. Especially in Cali.
The NPPL is working to engage people's interest in PB as a viable spectator sport and to promote it as such to potential corporate sponsors as well as sponsors and media interested in the general PB demographic. That's their target.
