Locked leages, do they need to go?

[Robbo]

The whole ethos, and more importantly integrity of any locked league system cannot have internal reffing.
Even if there were no 'questionable' adjudication, the entire reffing authority is still undermined because it cannot be seen to be 100% above board.

We shouldn't even be playing locked leagues let alone having incestuous adjudication, let's get back to common-sense paintball and maybe in doing so, we will then make headway in giving back our players a little more value for money and more importantly, a little more fun ..... a seemingly much forgotten quality of our game.

 

[King John]

not played in leagues yet, is the buy in money given out as a prize to the winners?

 

[Milky]

get rid of the locked leages and bring in the APPA for the millenium serise so every one is playing off the same ranking world wide.

the psp roster rules still encorage people to move up divisions and we should do that not try and hold every one back which i think is what happens at the moment.

is it better for the sport if good teams come and play 2/3 events or they decided its to much hastel to play all 5 and dont bother. just brings the general skill level down

 

[Gadget]

Locked leagues only seem to make sense to me when there is overwhelming demand for places in the premier divisions.

Given the state of the industry at the moment, with players, teams and businesses feeling the pinch, it doesn't seem a good idea to restrict participation in any way.

I would have thought that more flexibility is needed, allowing both teams and players to choose where and when they play. I think you've already hit the nail on the head - locked leagues are (certainly in europe) mainly benefitting the organiser by giving them a guaranteed revenue stream, rather than benefitting the players.

 

[King John]

If the people running the leagues are making consistent healthy profits, why would they bother trying to change anything?

As a newer player, i have not experienced any tourney play yet, but my line of thinking would be player run tournaments at sites that have their own fields.

The players have to buy the sites paint, and there is a buy in each game of £x, the top 3 teams split the winnings.

The site wins because it gets publicity in the community and makes a bit of cash on the paint sales.

The players win because they have something to play for (hard cash).

This could all be organised by people elected by the players, perhaps using the federation members as voters.

Anyone wanting to organise the events would have to be fine with not getting paid, but on the up side, i doubt they'd have to pay for a single beer after the event.

My 2p.