- The rulebook is a mess.
For a start, the published rules are out of date and do not tally in several important respects with what is stated in the captain's meeting at each event. Some of the ad hoc changes are simply ludicrous: apparently, players may now wear as many layers as they want without penalty. Most if this is easy to fix, the typical paintball rulebook is not a large document (compared to almost any other sport) and it really should be a comparatively minor job to ensure it is clear, well written and consistently applied. If those responsible for the rules and judging cannot manage this, then they have failed in their job by any measure, and should be replaced.
On top of this, judges on the field have often not been made aware of the latest last-minute changes, so there is inconsistency between fields. Which leads to...
- The quality and consistency of judging is highly variable.
While I have seen a general improvement in the overall quality of judging over the last 3-4 years, there is still a large variation in competency between fields. The quality overall is still not back the level it was at when we were all judged by Scandawegians. The only solution to this is to employ only dedicated refs (who do not play during that season), and stop the practise of teams judging other teams. Which leads to...
- The dishing out of judging points to teams totally distorts the league standings.
A team's placement in the league should be based on its results on the field, and nothing else. Giving a team the equivalent of a win in exchange for a weekend's questionable judging is unfair on all the teams who don't get their names picked out of the hat. Certainly when a team's seeding for the following events includes reffing points!
- Rigidly locked divisions are killing teams and tournaments.
A number of teams and many players have been effectively frozen out of the series for one or more events because of the overly strict roster rules. I still feel some measure is needed to prevent outright sandbagging, but it needs to be much more flexible than the crap that is in place now. These rules are bad for players, bad for teams, and bad for the series which is effectively refusing potential customer's entry fees due to its own bad rules.
- The sponsors are being totally fleeced.
The industry sponsors should be the lifeblood of an international tournament, which is after all more than just a collection of paintball games on foreign soil. The trade show is one of the major elements of a good tournament, but I know a lot of sponsors are asking themselves why they are pouring so much money into the Millennium's pockets for relatively little return. In fact, several have already voted with their feet, and the tournaments are poorer for it.
- The punters are being totally fleeced.
Not just in the fees they have to pay -- in fact, if the items above were fixed, the exorbitant entry fees would start to seem more reasonable again. But as it stands, playing the Millennium series is a big waste of time and money for many. Add to this the disorganised mess that leads to teams being called to meetings in a foreign country (and not to coincide with an event) at a week's notice, and being expected to hand over large sums of money with no clear indication of what they are getting in return, which has happened on several occasions.
Most of the above just shouldn't happen -- it's not about money, it's about simple organisation. And I'm certain that the Millennium series is throwing away (and turning away, and scaring away) a lot of money simply because it is in such a mess. Money that could be used to rectify (to some degree) all the other problems on the list.
