Millennium X-Ball - Player input WANTED!!!!

[goose]

After spending the past couple of days thinking about the current state of "X" in europe - there is one thing that sticks in the back of my mind...

The stated reason for National-X is that it would be easier to sell this format to "general public". The natural extension of this would be a EXL league in the years to come (just like the NXL in the states).

The people who hold the strings to Euro-X (if they don't now - it would just be natural that they will in the future) are/would be the promoters of the various events. So they stand to benefit the most from the success of Euro-X.

There is NO guarantee that any of the players who will take part in the National-X this season would have anything to do with Euro-X if it ever happens.

The National X-Ball teams will be charged 3000 euros for the honour to play this trial "sideshow". If we figure that there could be 8-10 teams this is a pretty good chunk of cash that the organizers will be splitting. Sure they say there are costs in running the National-X, but other than buying a scoreboard (which could possibly be done without) I can't really think of anything that requires that much cash.

The fields are there so a special one won't be needed - the netting is there - the refs are there - the teams will probably have to buy their own uniforms - maybe I am missing something but I doubt it.

With no guarantee of franchises or even roster spots if "X" revolutionizes the sport, basically what I see is - the National-X teams are paying for the organizers to buy a scoreboard - and I am pretty sure that if "X" goes big time the same scoreboard will be used.

Just imagine any other sport saying to it's players - hey we have an idea to start a new kind of league, we want your help in developing it, we want you to pay for the equipment needed, and oh ya - there is no guarantee you will ever play it again once the franchises are sold for big money...


Just a thought for Friday night.

goose

 

[Robbo]

Chris, the scoreboard is being given free by Richmond for X-Ball, so go figure mate !!!!!!
Seems like another inccome stream being developed again to me, just like that fiasco with the identity cards.

 

[goose]

Originally posted by Robbo
Chris, the scoreboard is being given free by Richmond for X-Ball, so go figure mate !!!!!!

...I can't.

Don't get me wrong (and those promoters I personally know - you know I am not bulls!tting) I do not begrudge the promoters one red cent of the money they earn (okay the I.D. card thing was a little silly - but bygones) they run the best tournaments, they put up with all the crap, they get credit when things go well but DUMPED ON when some player has the smallest problem, as far as I am concerned they are worth the money they themselves have made. The B.S. that they have to put up with would make most normal people give up (and the fact that Niall & Co. are still around is a miracle), perhaps this is why I find the whole 3000 euro Nations-X so disturbing.

Why haven't the Millennium Series given us more information about what the money will be spent on?? We don't want specifics - just the assurance that it won't be another I.D. card type fiasco.


Now about the idea that national teams can help promote things better...

The media will buy anything if it sells, the arguments about "national teams will attract more attention" just doesn't wash. Sure everyone like to watch the Olympics and the FIFA world cup every 4 years - but the teams that make consistant and lasting money are Manchester United - the Los Angeles Lakers etc. etc. etc..

People will cheer for whatever team they think is the best, and they will always find someone with differing opions to argue with - "Avalanche is better - No Aftershock is better - No Dynasty is better...." so finding support will not be hard.


goose

 

[Liz]

Originally posted by goose
[B
The media will buy anything if it sells, the arguments about "national teams will attract more attention" just doesn't wash. Sure everyone like to watch the Olympics and the FIFA world cup every 4 years - but the teams that make consistant and lasting money are Manchester United - the Los Angeles Lakers etc. etc. etc..

People will cheer for whatever team they think is the best, and they will always find someone with differing opions to argue with - "Avalanche is better - No Aftershock is better - No Dynasty is better...." so finding support will not be hard.
[/B]

You may not be talking National teams here Goose, but you ARE talking about Regional teams. Apart from the strangeness that is Man U (where the opposite seems to be true!), the vast majority of supporters of a team are those from the home town or region of that team, and that goes for most team sports.
How many Lakers fans are there who have no ties to LA? How many West Brom fans are there without ties to the West Midlands? Or Chelsea fans outside of London. People DO find it easier to get emotional about a team they can feel some kind of kinship with, and if we're talking about non-playing fans then town/region/country are the most obvious to me.

 

[goose]

Liz...

How many Lakers fans are there who have no ties to LA?

Actually a hell of a lot, I'm pretty sure that you can go into a vast majority of sports shops all over the world and find some sort of Laker gear - Chicago Bulls stuff - or stuff from many NBA or NFL teams.

The West Brom analogy I will probably give you - but there are many Soocer (football for you strange people who think that is the proper name ) fans over in the U.S. who have never so much stepped foot in England or wouldn't know where Manchester was located (or Chelsea for that matter) but who follow them and other football (see I'm learning) teams because they are considered to be the top. Sure it helps to be from "that place", but not a requirement..

goose

 

[Red_Merkin]

I think that National based sports leagues have larger drawing power, but i feel that true profit will come from local club based leagues.

I think national sports are definatly more memorable and crowd drawing. Growing up in Canada, Hockey was big, it's one of the only things that we can do better than anyone else, so the following is huge. Probably the biggest sporting event for me in the last few years was the Olympic finals Canada vs USA. People got so excited, that they flooded the streets, to celebrate!
And consider how much hype gets built up for the Football World Cup. It's much bigger than any league.

But when it comes to making money, the way to go is City based clubs. If X-Ball USA takes on the model of American Football, then they're basing it on a proven model. When the right people with enough money see National Paintball in Europe, and find the right league model in Europe (Soccer?) It'll happen, and make a lot of money, but i don't think it will have the same universal appeal as a Nations Cup .

 

[sykesg]

The shear size

of each American state can pretty much directly compare to the countries in europe.

To be fair if we are talking about getting the average Joe on the street involved in a sport he may never of heard of just the tag "England v's Denmark" makes the whole thing MUCH more appealing than Tigers v's Ducklings (although that would be a mighty fine game as they kicked our arse in Germany)

 

[Robbo]

The shear size

Originally posted by sykesg
of each American state can pretty much directly compare to the countries in europe.
To be fair if we are talking about getting the average Joe on the street involved in a sport he may never of heard of just the tag "England v's Denmark" makes the whole thing MUCH more appealing than Tigers v's Ducklings (although that would be a mighty fine game as they kicked our arse in Germany)

The relative size of European Countries / US states has nothing to do with what is on offer here !!!

Gareth, what would you rather have, 10 % of something big or 100% of f##k all ?

Coz that's what it comes down to mate, because I have spent many, many hours talking to Nial and Laurent and not once have they told me of any impending TV deal, or in fact, any TV company in Europe that is the slightest bit interested in X-Ball formatted paintball.
It ain't happening here !!!
But TV deals are being brokered Stateside and that part has been well documented by myself already.
You might do yourself a favour and just go over some of the posts concerning the TV deal that is hovering over the PSP and American X-Ball.
And once you done that Gareth, go back to some other posts and see what the Yanks offered us if we got our ass into gear and set up a coherent X-Ball league based on CITY TEAMS not Nations.
When I spoke to Richmond, he told me there was no way in this world that national based teams could ever be allowed to play in a World X-Ball league where American city based teams were playing.
Put all the facts together Gareth, and you tell me if we took the right decision !!!

Robbo

 

[sykesg]

Hi Pete,

didn't think you loved me any more, it's been such a long time since you've given me a dig.

Obviously I want in on x-ball, we the Tigers were asked if we want in and we the Tigers said YES please, as well you know.

Then at the next stage when we would be playing one game after each millennium we again said YES please and now after the dust has settled and millennium commity asked us to put together the UK nations X-ball team once again we have said YES please.

None of this is news to you, we are just doing the best we can with the hand that was dealt to us. In the end the bottom line for every player in the country, no matter what skill level they are at, is that they just want to play ball.

We are getting on with it.

We have no x-ball deal fact, the next best thing is to be pro-active instead of re-active and WE the players do our best to get others interested. All I was saying is that would be easier to get a mainstream audience if it were nation against nation rather than team against team.

If we have been left out then lets sort out our own TV coverage and make our own future.

 

[Robbo]

Hi Pete,

Originally posted by sykesg
didn't think you loved me any more, it's been such a long time since you've given me a dig.

Obviously I want in on x-ball, we the Tigers were asked if we want in and we the Tigers said YES please, as well you know.

Then at the next stage when we would be playing one game after each millennium we again said YES please and now after the dust has settled and millennium commity asked us to put together the UK nations X-ball team once again we have said YES please.

None of this is news to you, we are just doing the best we can with the hand that was dealt to us. In the end the bottom line for every player in the country, no matter what skill level they are at, is that they just want to play ball.

We are getting on with it.

We have no x-ball deal fact, the next best thing is to be pro-active instead of re-active and WE the players do our best to get others interested. All I was saying is that would be easier to get a mainstream audience if it were nation against nation rather than team against team.

If we have been left out then lets sort out our own TV coverage and make our own future.

Gareth, there was bigger picture going on here, way above whether or not you play nations cup or not, or whether Nexus play team based X-ball or not.
Your considerations are parochial, mine are not, hence the difference between your view and mine.
Robbo

PS oh, i see you changed your post, now making mine look bad, u shoulda kept the insult