NXL Player Decision

[Robbo]

If the PSP goes belly up

Originally posted by Nick Brockdorff
... and the NXL follows suit.... there is actually an alternative nobodys considered yet.

Those teams not being let into the NPPL top division, can opt to go play the Millennium Series.

It will not be a significant increase in budget for the NXL teams - and they won't have to go begging at PP's door.

Maybe the Millennium Series 2005 plays host to a world X-Ball league

Obviously, that will mean the teams don't get to promote their sponsors on the premier US cirquit.... but in many ways that is only significant if media coverage of Millennium events is not beefed up (tv, online, print).

probably not the most realistic of possibilities - but still out there, if egos prevent a merger or similar co-existence within the realm of the NPPL.

Nick

Nick, to be honest mate, this ain't no great revelation because I think most people realised this anyway.
Euro teams who do not qualify for the top 18 NPPL pro status default staright back into the Millennium, that I would have thought, is a gimme.

And just to be clear what the top 18 NPPL pro status gives you, it buys into being televised for the NPPL / Fox deal, a deal that has been agreed and has precedent.
This is not some 'pie in the sky' deal here, it's been signed and sealed.
The last agreement for 2003 had paintball aired into 84 million homes across the US.
It may not be as extensive as we were all led to believe the NXL deal was going to be but hey, 'One in the hand is worth.....' and all that.
The Fox coverage of the NPPL is only going to concern itself with the pro teams that's for sure and for those Euro teams outside of that, unless Laurent can come up with some magic TV deal (and he's the only one capable of doing this), things look relatively bleak.

 

[Robbo]

You misunderstand Pete

Originally posted by Nick Brockdorff
I mean the NXL teams !

(the Euro teams are a given ofcourse - I agree).

I speaking of the possibility of teams like Philly Americans, Stange, Trauma, NY Xtreme, Legacy, etc. playing in a world X-Ball league hosted by the Millennium Series.

(Provided the NXL goes bust)

Nick

Aha, my apologies mein heir tho I fear the aspirations of any US team will venture far beyond anything the Millennium could offer.
Europe is not the main theatre of paintball action, the US is and whoever is left standing, circuit wise, is gonna have everybody knocking on the doors.
If it's the NPPL / PP, then deals will be done to accomodate those teams you just mentioned, make no mistake about that.
It's the way of the world, if you don't wanna die, or at least get hurt, then sometimes you have to dance with the devil.

 

[Intheno]

One thing I think is for sure is that the 17 teams that make Pro, plus the Div 1 champions, are the ONLY teams that are going to make it into the Pro Bracket.

This talk of the NPPL expanding the number of Pro teams in the Premier League to accomodate the NXL teams that are coming over is wishful thinking in my opinion.

It will make the next 3 rounds of the Super 7's, Toulouse, Madrid and Malaga some very interesting events!

I expect to see a major increase in the number of US teams going to Madrid and Malaga, as these teams will be desperate to earn points to keep thier status, and sponsors.

Must suck for the Campaign Cup though, as these guys will certainly suffer from a lack of American visitors this year.

The NPPL pro teams at the bottom of the league actually have more to play for than the teams at the top. A whole new facet to the game! I am looking forward to the relegation dog-fights, which are going to involve some big-name established teams.

For once they will have to earn the right to play with the big boys!

But I think Pete's right, the focus will stay with the NPPL, as thats where the sponsors want to be seen, and where the teams get the best attention, and where the TV is at. I don't think the relegated US teams will up and leave. They have to look at the promotion spots for next season and set thier sights on those. Thier sponsors will not want them to switch. There is simply not the exposure in Europe.

 

[Wadidiz]

Originally posted by Intheno
One thing I think is for sure is that the 17 teams that make Pro, plus the Div 1 champions, are the ONLY teams that are going to make it into the Pro Bracket.

This talk of the NPPL expanding the number of Pro teams in the Premier League to accomodate the NXL teams that are coming over is wishful thinking in my opinion.

It will make the next 3 rounds of the Super 7's, Toulouse, Madrid and Malaga some very interesting events!

I expect to see a major increase in the number of US teams going to Madrid and Malaga, as these teams will be desperate to earn points to keep thier status, and sponsors.

Must suck for the Campaign Cup though, as these guys will certainly suffer from a lack of American visitors this year.

The NPPL pro teams at the bottom of the league actually have more to play for than the teams at the top. A whole new facet to the game! I am looking forward to the relegation dog-fights, which are going to involve some big-name established teams.

For once they will have to earn the right to play with the big boys!

But I think Pete's right, the focus will stay with the NPPL, as thats where the sponsors want to be seen, and where the teams get the best attention, and where the TV is at. I don't think the relegated US teams will up and leave. They have to look at the promotion spots for next season and set thier sights on those. Thier sponsors will not want them to switch. There is simply not the exposure in Europe.

If only NPPL would quit dragging their feet about an antiquated format that, no matter how you dress it up, isn't interesting to watch unless it has been edited down.

It's truly amazing what PP has done with the venerable format. Imagine how far they would go with a truly dynamic way to play.

The world is banging on their door now; be interesting to see how they respond.

Steve

 

[Robbo]

Originally posted by Wadidiz
If only NPPL would quit dragging their feet about an antiquated format that, no matter how you dress it up, isn't interesting to watch unless it has been edited down.

It's truly amazing what PP has done with the venerable format. Imagine how far they would go with a truly dynamic way to play.

The world is banging on their door now; be interesting to see how they respond.

Steve

They are listening.......

 

[Sherman]

This really sucks. What should one play this season to avoid getting the "short stick" next season. I love X-ball, want to play that. NPPL tournaments are great, but 7-man is boring. NPPL coming up with something new? MS follows NPPL? MS hosts both 7-man and X-ball this season, but what about next year?

It costs tons of money to play and there's nothing worse than see that money go wasted. Lower pros and upper am's are in tough spot now..where should we put our money right NOW to avoid div III in the better series next year? NPPL/MS 7-man I guess. Any idea their about the format next season? Premier league 7-man?

And what's the deal with Campaign Cup? From their web-site: "Format to be confirmed July 04 7 man or X Ball". MS ditching the EXL?

Aargh

 

[Robbo]

Originally posted by Sherman
This really sucks. What should one play this season to avoid getting the "short stick" next season. I love X-ball, want to play that. NPPL tournaments are great, but 7-man is boring. NPPL coming up with something new? MS follows NPPL? MS hosts both 7-man and X-ball this season, but what about next year?

It costs tons of money to play and there's nothing worse than see that money go wasted. Lower pros and upper am's are in tough spot now..where should we put our money right NOW to avoid div III in the better series next year? NPPL/MS 7-man I guess. Any idea their about the format next season? Premier league 7-man?

And what's the deal with Campaign Cup? From their web-site: "Format to be confirmed July 04 7 man or X Ball". MS ditching the EXL?

Aargh

Here's the deal Sherman, as I see it anyway; unless something drastic happens to the way the EXL is being organised, I can't see it lasting into 2005.
If it does survive then one of two things has to have happened; firstly, Laurent or one of the other promoters would have to have secured an outside sponsor deal that could somehow support the promoter’s expense requirement for holding XBall tourneys and of course help with the teams involved.
Secondly, the NXL would have to had secured a short term TV deal (this is extremely unlikely) that would have the knock on effect of being extended to the EXL in a deal that would once again secure and support the expenditure of both participating promoters and teams in Europe.

There is a third option of Richmond underwriting all of the expense exposure of the EXL but I can't see that happening without him seeing some significant short term improvement in investment return this side of the Atlantic.
After all, he ain't yet seeing that on his side of the water let alone ours.

This leaves us with the NPPL and what happens with the Millennium in 2005.
The NPPL has already nailed its colours to the mast in stating the top 17 or 18 finishing pro teams will be the only teams allowed pro status in 2005.
This elite bracket will be eligible for filming during the 2005 season by Fox Sports and as far as I know, will only be filmed in the US and there are no plans to film anything this side of the water.

There will of course be pressure from the Euro promoters to align themselves more closely with the NPPL should the EXL not be ran in 2005 but as far as the Euro pro teams are concerned, only those that have been making the trips across to the US and have accrued sufficient points are going to be allowed in the US pro bracket.
There may be some resistance to this call for closer integration between the NPPL and Millennium as it may have been seen as hardly supportive that the Millennium adpoted XBall so readily at the expense of closer alliances that could have been forged in 2004.

As far as the format the NPPL will use in 2005, I think the people who run Pure Promotions have long since understood the need to change and I also think this may well be an opportune time for all those concerned to get their heads together to come up with the required changes.
There are people who have great ideas in this area and I am pretty sure they will be listened to by the powers that be.

The Euro pro teams who do not make the NPPL pro status will have to play in Europe but I don't think this is gonna be too much of a problem for them because if they had possessed any aspirations to play in the US, then they would have already been making the trips across.
In other words, those teams that did have serious aspirations for international top class paintball have already made their commitments and will reap the associated benefits.

Paintball teams are as vulnerable to evolutionary forces as anything else and it seems as though financial and logistical resources have played a major part in selecting who moves up to the next level.
For my part, I wish there was some way the NPPL could adopt XBall as its pro format but there are significant problems associated with this.
We'll see what happens over the next month or so.....

 

[Tommy Gun-Nexus]

It would be awesome if the NPPL chose to run an XBall "based" 7-man format next season

TG

 

[Takedown]

Originally posted by Tommy Gun-Nexus
It would be awesome if the NPPL chose to run an XBall "based" 7-man format next season

TG

That would be excellent... except for the 20 man rosters