NXL/PSP Rumor

[PaintballChannel]

OK, so we thought we'd stick our neck out today and stop pussy-footing around...with a caveat: These are some of tha whispers we are hearing and if you should put your house/wife/stash on them in some foolhardy bet with a loanshark, then don't blame us when you wake up one morning sans kneecaps.

That said, here we go...

3. NPPL and PSP/NXL to kiss, make-up and get back in bed together.

I see the NXL teaming up with the NPPL and the PSP dying all together.

At last check, the PSP has 14 teams that have paid for the first event which is in less than three weeks.

The first NPPL event - which is nearly two months away - is sold out.

I saw this coming even before last years World Cup.

 

[Furby]

Not sure I agree on this one...NPPL is doing just fine by itself...not sure they want nor need anyone at this point.

But I could be wrong.

 

[PaintballChannel]

Just checked the PSP website again...there are 20 teams now, 15 of those are for X-Ball, so that means there are five (yes, 5) teams signed up for the 5 player format.

So, if you look at it, about the only thing the PSP has left that is remotely popular IS the NXL and the XBall format.

Or, perhaps the NXL itself may die and the XBall format would be absorbed into the NPPL since the NXL never really took off anyway.

 

[Furby]

Sometimes it's fun being a news guy. This year will be fun, I think.

 

[Baca Loco]

gentlemen
1--wrong forum
2--if you two wanted to have this conversation couldn't you just yell at each other across the room divider or something?
3--the race doesn't always go to the swiftest or to the most professionally promoted. It goes to the televised and the tea leaves at present favor the NXL.
As to that whole kissing and making up business that does seem improbable, doesn't it?

Even so, as Sherlock used to say with that sweet 7% coursing through his veins, "Watson, the game is afoot."

 

[Wadidiz]

Originally posted by Baca Loco
Even so, as Sherlock used to say with that sweet 7% coursing through his veins, "Watson, the game is afoot."

I thought it was 15%? Whatever; still more than the original Coca-Cola.

EDIT ADDED: I see you are not a Holmes afficianado, Mr. Morris, but another sort altogether.

 

[Chicago]

NPPL will undoubtedly sell out all season (although I wonder if too many teams taking up DII/DIII for one event in so-cal will hurt attendance through the season for other teams that wanted to play the whole season), keep in mind that PSP has never done very well in LA - last year they only had 84 10/X teams (48 X) and 23 5-man teams; they're only about 10 5-man teams short of that now with 2 more weeks of registration to go.

In fact, X-Ball already has more teams signed up than there are spots. The 5-man is pretty dismal, but considering the (lack of) effort put towards letting people know 5-man has moved to the weekend, or the new prize structure, that seems more a failure in short-term marketing than death-knell for the league.

And, frankly, there's obviously more than enough demand for both legues, so why should one fold? What advantage does the NXL have with going to a league that is based off of a "competing" format as opposed to one that matches their own? Slight attendence increase alone probably isn't going to do it.

 

[Furby]

Seems like 5 man has always been a red headed step-child to the PSP...just an observation on my part. Hopefully that will change as the year progresses. Maybe Keely coming into the fold to help PSP with promotions and the like will help...if nothing else, it'll help in the eye candy department.

And I must respectfully disagree with the bovine on the NXL and TV thing...if what came out of World Cup is any indication, Chuck and co. won't have any worries from the NXL in TV/Video production, whatever attributes NXL X-Ball has for ease of filming.

However, I do hope that PSP continues to use Divisional X-Ball fields for 5 man competition...I genuinely enjoyed playing those fields at World Cup.

And yelling across the dividers infuriates the other employees, Paul. Touchy bunch...

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by Furby
And I must respectfully disagree with the bovine on the NXL and TV thing...if what came out of World Cup is any indication, Chuck and co. won't have any worries from the NXL in TV/Video production, whatever attributes NXL X-Ball has for ease of filming.

Oh contraire, Furbs. You are evaluating the wrong thing--as, I confess, did I initially. While I would agree that the NXL presentation was less than hoped for that proved to be more or less irrelevant. The test was all about numbers and every indication is the numbers were sufficient to engage further negotiation. There's plenty of models of how to film and edit PB in the marketplace and practitioners that are doing a pretty good job of it. Improving the quality of the product is do-able. The hurdle to overcome was the legitimacy of the sport in the TV marketplace and that was pure numbers. Beyond that is the serious business of money but despite the actual product things are moving forward.
In the other camp, despite all the hoopla and press releases, you have a product with more polish perhaps but still without real direction and no more committment from Fox than to accept their money in exchange for the time slot. I thought last Tuesday's HB04 show was in some ways a regression for the NPPL. It came off kinda like Spike (PB2X) TV's magazine style show and Spike does it better. The magazine format looks to me like they still don't really know how to present THE EVENT.

In the end I'm inclined to think it isn't one side wins, the other loses. TV is a vast wasteland and if PB works from one perspective odds are somebody else will give the "other guys" whichever side that is, an opportunity as well.

 

[Furby]

I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree, sir. A mid-day time slot on ESPN 8 (The OCHO!) showing second line videography and voiceover may get the numbers for that time slot and perhaps meet what were probably modest goals, but the fact remains that it's still second line product compared to what the NPPL is producing, and even the independant video producers are doing a better job, IMHO.

You'll note that both leagues are using highlights, not entire games, due to the large number of teams and/or time constraints, so the argument that a 'magazine' format vs. 'real' sports coverage doesn't really wash in my mind. There's no way the NXL presentation could have included the ENTIRE game due to time constraints, so some editing was to be expected. Due to the large number of teams attending NPPL events vs. NXL matches, there's no way Chuck and Co. could ever show a large enough represenative sample of teams from the various divisions to make it 'complete' coverage. So, they're stuck showing off the superstars and interspersing (sp?) it with 'cool' stuff from Rocky and whoever. The nice thing about the NXL is that just about everyone in that league is of superstar caliber, so they do have the very best to film without having to pick one team or player over another. There's no debating the videography skill differential, NPPL clearly has a leg up in that regard. Now assuming that the NXL powers-that-be are happy with the initial response with the ESPN 8 (THE OCHO) coverage and exposure, it would be reasonable to assume that they'll step up the production values for future coverage on ESPN.

For their sake, I wish the NXL continued success, because I do enjoy watching NXL competition, and I think it would be a setback for the sport if it were to die. And despite our difference in opinion regarding the NXL presentation and its' impact, I will concede that Cable TV is indeed a wasteland, and that there is ample room for both (or several, if you throw PB2X TV into the mix) formats. The industry in general is really just barely touching the tip of the iceberg of what's possible, and everyone has an equal chance to get the massive exposure that other sports get and the attendant fame, money, glory, etc. for its' players. Hell, it's even possible that us lowly press scum could gain some legitimacy and respect! I know...too much to wish for...