NXL is dead, long live the NXL

[Gyroscope]

I think the reason for the simutaneous explosion of NPPL attendance and falling sales are due to a glut of paintball guns on the market. If paintball guns can't be improved in dramatic ways that give a real competitive advantage (I am talking reliable anti-chop type improvements), why buy a new gun? I realized this year that there is no gun newly available that offers a lot of advantage over my guns from last year. Also, even if there were, why not wait 6 months and get one second hand when the new made from helium and lollipops DMHL is released? I could save hundreds of dollars!

I don't see it. Why do the people in control (the people paying for it) need tournament paintball to go mainstream? isn't that just a way to have a really good next year and a terrible year after that? And bankrupcy in 3 years?

 

[Chicago]

They don't. That's part of the problem.

It's why we absolutely must get a league that is separate from the manufacturers.

We just need somebody to give up a few hundred K to make it happen.

 

[TJ Lambini]

Oh yeah, I forgot, as well as everyone forgetting about TV, tha next most important thing for tha industry is to stop sponsoring teams (with one or two minor exceptions) and focus elsewhere.

Tournament Paintball is a lil blip in pball's evolution and it will soon wither and die cos it is an industry drain with few benefits. Gotta love natural selection.

That is all.

 

[Robbo]

Nick, I agree with most of what you are saying, I think most people who had at least half a brain in their heads would at least have to acknowledge the distinctions you draw between ourselves and other sports.

I am not absolutely convinced that the lack of segregation of responsibilities is responsible in part or entirety for our failure to progress on mainstream TV though.
I just don’t see any of the negative consequences of this situation impacting enough and in the right areas to get in the way of it going on TV.
Other factors are much more responsible for our sport's failure to do that.

TV works at a very base level in the US, if the product is good and would attract the numbers (regardless of politics or who owns it etc) the networks will find a way of putting it on, it’s as simple as that Nick.

I agree with the unified stance our sport must take with regard to rules, format etc and at the moment Nick, and trust me on this one, there are moves going on now to do just that.
Recent events in the US have made certain things now not only possible but perhaps more likely which will go a long way to consolidating the Stateside component.
There are also European ‘opportunities’ now that have also recently become apparent and some people will be working tirelessly over the next couple of months to try and bring sanity back to paintball (debatable point).

It is still an unstable situation both here and in the US but if certain people can become involved as intermediaries then perhaps the future looks a little brighter because all the time egos and self interest are pitched against each other across a negotiation table with no third parties then progress is gonna be unlikely.

If the situation resolves itself in a way that I think it might, well hopefully might, then the macro-considerations of overlap responsibiltiies would have to be addressed.
But let’s try and get one thing done at a time, unification and standardization first and then sorting out incestuous overlaps afterwards.

 

[HERMITT]

The reason (imo) for paintball not getting on television is far from many of the arguments put forward. Politics come an go, promtions compnaies and events organisers come and go. There is very little in the grand scheme of things that changes throughout this.

It doesnt matter who runs the leagues and who is in charge until we recognise that paintball is a sport that is vastly different from any other on the planet. We also fail to recognise just how young we are as a sport (often not even recognised as such in many countries). At the moment we are all trying to run before we can even walk.

Paintball and Xball derivitives are dull as dish water to watch. They are also vastly expensive to cover by the media. The cost for just half an hur of programming will surpass £250000 by a long way! What i havent seen argued is why we all NEED and not WANT to get paintball televisied. The arrogant self obsessive in all of us can justify why we would want it to be on telly but what exactly will we gain? Why does the sport in its current stated NEED to be broadcast? We have no official bodies of any standing, we are a massive mix of politics and personalities and depending onwho you talk to the sports development could go one of a million ways. Why would a broadcaster want to ever get involved with that **** soup.

Other so called 'extreme sports' didnt grow and expand because of television. They didnt mature soley thanks to the influx of viewers. Why would paintball be any different.

The advertising and marketing of paintball on television would be one of the least effective and cost efficient methods of promoting our sport and increasing the revenue generated through sales. The target demographic for such a prgramme and its associated advertising space is such an inprecise science and unknown quantity that very little if anything would come of it.

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

Hermit:

I quite agree paintball on TV at the moment is a bad idea (except for the narcissistic value it may have for those on screen).... because we are trying to do things ass backwards!

FIRST we unify the sport and select a format - and THEN we make an attempt to get on TV.

Paintball can still get on TV as is..... but whoever makes it happen, will really be doing the sport a disservice.

This is marketing 101..... paintball (as a sport) is trying to market a product we can't even agree on what is ourselves.... it's stupid!

Imagine Kellogs trying to market a new cereal that way:
"It's corn - no it's wheat - no it's rice - it fills you up - no it doesn't it's just a snack - it's sweet - no it's not it's got no sugar - it's got no additives - no it's got colour additives to make kids like it - no it's aimed at women watching their weight - no it's aimed at families"
- and so on...... their sales would drop like a rock!

"The powers that be" in paintball - still live under the weird misconception that they should be competing with eachother for media exposure.... when in reality they should be competing with mountainbiking, inline skating, snowboarding, etc...... and the day the wise up to this fact, paintball will suddenly improve a great deal!

As to why we "NEED" to be on TV...... we'll nobody and nothing in this world really NEEDS to be on TV........ but we WANT to be!

The added exposure will cause growth at the lowest levels of the sport, which is where the real money is made by manufacturers - which is why it is a good idea for them, and for the Pro teams that can thus get better endorcements.

The added growth will mean teams and leagues have a larger player base to select from, which makes it sound business for them.

And overall, a generally larger player base is good for the sport, because it makes a lot of things easier for everyone at a lot of levels.

We are a very long way away from critical mass in paintball - and there is lots of room for new players in the sport.

But - first things first - as said

Nick

 

[HERMITT]

Although i agree with the general principle of what you are saying. There is one flaw in my eyes that nobody has grasped. The resultant growth at grass roots level that will come from tv exposure is (or will be?) negligible. As a form of marketing this exposure is relatively useless. Grass roots growth is far more likely from direct marketing/written and illustrated articles and promotional discounts from sites. This would enable it to be targeted at the most efficient and respondent demographic ensuring that basic marketing principles were used as effectively as possible.

For television to be viewed as successful then the grass roots numbers would already have to be at a certain threshold, one that they are too far from at present.

Also for Dye/SP/JT etc to gain from television adevrtising exposure they would already have to be recognised as an associated brand. Again, this is something that we are not even close to. At present, the only gain that these companies would have would be from paintballers watching programmes, something they already have access to through the paintball media at present.

 

[Robbo]

Originally posted by HERMITT
There is one flaw in my eyes that nobody has grasped. The resultant growth at grass roots level that will come from tv exposure is (or will be?) negligible. As a form of marketing this exposure is relatively useless.

I'm not surprised nobody has grasped it Hermitt, it's like saying nobody has grasped the idea 2 + 2 = 5, I just can't see the logic in stating it's 'relatively useless'.....please explain the rationale.....just so's I don't have to go back to study remedial mathematics you understand

 

[HERMITT]

The assumption that by putting it on TV as a tournament format will lead to more people going to recball sites is somewhat stretched. As a form of marketing it isnt effective for the cost. Yes it will reacha large number of people if it is in the right slot. But the peak audiences by their very nature arent the hardcore extreme sports fans that are likely to identify with the concept of tournament paintball. Also since tournament paintball isnt what the vast majority experience it will prove a shrt term gain as they realise what they see isnt what they get.

If TV is to be used as a direct marketing tool then it will not be as effective by a long way as a more focussed direct marketing approach such as mail shots/written and illustrated articles and targetted discounts.

The problem as well comes back to the fact that it is sooooo bring to watch. This will act as a majpr turn off to people who want to experience an adrenaline rush that simply isnt portrayed on the screen.

Finally if tournament ball is the format that is set to be broadcast doesnt it negate the fact that as a percentage of paintball it accounts for a small fraction of the type of paintball experienced by the majority of players.

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

Hmm - I think Hermit is forgetting the fact that a large part of the population in most developed countries, are still very much unaware that paintball can be "more" than players soldiers in the woods at a bachelor party.

His rationale is probably based on the growth (or lack thereof) other sports are seeing from TV exposure..... and whilst he is completely right that they are not deriving any significant effects from it - I believe the relative lack of knowledge about tournament paintball in most populations, will mean TV exposure of paintball will have more significant effects.

I have no way of backing up this statement.... it is a "feeling" (and a little bit of logic thought thrown into the mix) - and can only be proven (or proven wrong) by paintball actually being on TV.

Nick