NXL/PSP Rumor

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by Furby
1--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,

2--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.

3--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.

4--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.

5--There's no debating the videography skill differential, NPPL clearly has a leg up in that regard.

6--Now assuming that the NXL powers-that-be are happy with the initial response with the ESPN 8 (THE OCHO) coverage . . .

7--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.

Loyalty inspired myopia. It's almost heart-warming. And, yes, I've busted out the numbers. Look out.
1--Dale, Dale, Dale. Picking out the least likely showing to make what point? Almost all the second tier and foreign language versions of the show were added after the December shows on ESPN2 because of the "success" of the first showings, not buried away on ESPN8 as you seem to imply. And, the only ratings numbers that mattered were the first two shows on ESPN2 December 9th and 16th.
2--d'oh! Does that somehow mean that future shows can't be better? Is it a static universe? A zero sum TV production game? Are PB videographers as rare as white tigers? That is a viable argument for the past, not the future.
3--the difference is one product clearly defines itself. An NXL match is an NXL match and is easily and plainly understood as such whether or not you see every second of play. The traditional tourney has numerous disadvantages built in when it comes to display on TV and they are evident in the shows. Even with the focus on the Pros exclusively the comparison between clips of numerous games reducing the entirety of all those games into a handful of minutes isn't comparable--despite your efforts--to a reduced version of a single match.
4--Exactly. and this is where you separate the two formats TV viability and sporting pretensions. A highlight reel and extended commercial for the platinum sponsors will never be a sporting event no matter how well it is done.
5--this seems to be the only leg of your chair of dispute.
6--Furbs, it's got nothing to do with the happiness of the NXL powers-that-be. It's all about the ESPN powers-that-be and the prospects for commercial viability and the point is, was, and remains that every indication is the show(s) passed that test.
7--at least we agree on something.

 

[Furby]

Originally posted by Baca Loco
Loyalty inspired myopia. It's almost heart-warming.

Careful, Divine Bovine...you may be getting a call from the Kettle talking about the color black.

What loyalties are you speaking of? No need to be subtle with me, amigo...spell it out so there isn't any confusion.

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by Furby
Careful, Divine Bovine...you may be getting a call from the Kettle talking about the color black.

What loyalties are you speaking of? No need to be subtle with me, amigo...spell it out so there isn't any confusion.

Sorry, Dale. No offense intended. I was simply suggesting that due to your admirable loyalty to long time sponsor WDP and their pals at AngelForce (good guys all) you were perhaps predisposed to have some teensy weensy biases in this matter which I thought dismissing the NXL broadcast to the nether region of ESPN8 as if that was the sum of it demonstrated.
You are of course entitled to your opinion and I meant to do no more than tweak you a bit for it.

 

[Intheno]

Comrade Loco enjoys accusing people of bias Dale.
Admittedly his own bias is camouflaged in his epic posts with unrelenting sarcasm and , erm, 'wit' most of the time, but he even has the nerve to accuse me of bias from time to time! Bias towards the NPPL of all things! I can't believe the cheek of him, I really can't.

He would be better off continuing to bully those first time posters and ridiculing thier opinions so that they never use these boards again. That way P8ntballer can stay small and cliquey, which is what we all want, right?

State your opinions Dale, don't have your integrity cheapened or challenged. You are a stand up guy and I am sure my old pal Loco knows that as much as the rest of us.

PS. Are you actually sponsored by WDP?

PPS. The only thing more ridiculous than the show was the figures issued about it, which, in turn, were less ridiculous than the outrageous attendance figures reported for the PSP Orlando event. I was there and so were you, did you see 150,000 people go through there over the event? Thats more than HB last year. Does anyone else challenge those figures?

 

[Intheno]

sorry, just tweaking...

 

[Furby]

No offense taken, sir. However, I don't have a long term relationship with WDP...my relationship with The Angel Force Master Techs was initiated in July of 2004.

However, I do concede that I am in fact an Angel freak, and if the inference to be made is that since I acknowlege that fact, that I have a bias towards the NPPL/Pure Promotions because of that preference in markers, then it would be mistaken.

I do like the NPPL, but that's because I feel they're doing a good job at putting on events. However, I can also say the same thing about the NXL and divisional X-Ball...the format has the potential to revolutionize the sport, and I think that in time that it will. But I don't feel that the presentation put on ESPN 2 was a good start. But, it was a start, and hopefully PSP/NXL can move forward from that starting point.

But anyways, that's the long and short of it...someone tell the Fun Police to be gentle on me...I'm getting old, you know. And Comrade Loco, I'm extremely disappointed that you didn't catch the Dodgeball reference. Just for that I'll convince my wife to take a picture of you the next time we're at Gator...

EDIT ADDED: Dodgeball? What is this thing you speak of? Have you got a spare lens for that camera? TFP

 

[Chicago]

I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know that the NXL show was, uh, less than entertaining. As Baca said, entertainment wasn't, really, the point. At least not the immediate, important one.

TV and paintball are still shaking each other out. The most important part is convincing the powers that be that there's a market.

At present, NPPL is winning the marketing battle, but the war is up in the air. You can see the different influences - NPPL is very European (promotion/relegation) while NXL is more American (buncha guys with money started a league you need money to be a part of). NXL does have some advantages that are not necessarily as pretty, or obvious, as NPPLs (like Dick Clark Productions).

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by Intheno
1--Comrade Loco enjoys accusing people of bias Dale.
2--Admittedly his own bias is camouflaged in his epic posts with unrelenting sarcasm and , erm, 'wit' most of the time, but he even has the nerve to accuse me of bias from time to time! Bias towards the NPPL of all things! I can't believe the cheek of him, I really can't.

3--He would be better off continuing to bully those first time posters and ridiculing thier opinions so that they never use these boards again. That way P8ntballer can stay small and cliquey, which is what we all want, right?

4--State your opinions Dale, don't have your integrity cheapened or challenged. You are a stand up guy and I am sure my old pal Loco knows that as much as the rest of us.

5--PPS. The only thing more ridiculous than the show was the figures issued about it, which, in turn, were less ridiculous than the outrageous attendance figures reported for the PSP Orlando event. I was there and so were you, did you see 150,000 people go through there over the event? Thats more than HB last year. Does anyone else challenge those figures?

1--ITN Returns. How fortuitous. No accusation. It was exactly what I said it was, a tweak. Everybody has biases of one sort or another. The distinction comes in making them plain. Something you would know all about by your unwillingness to do so.
2--Epic?! Sounds good to me. Feel free to enumerate whatever biases you imagine I have or wish to invent for your own entertainment.
3--There you go again making baseless claims. "When did you stop beating your . . . " You need to expand your repetoire.
4--by all means. I'm still waiting for a rebuttal.
5--maybe that 300 million number somebody was bandying about awhile ago?

 

[Furby]

Baca, were you waiting for a rebuttal from me, or ITN?

EDIT ADDED: Given a moment to ponder, neither works for me, but in any case I thought we were just getting started. Like everyone else we'll see when we see and so we might as well leave it at that. TFP

 

[Buddha 3]

Originally posted by Intheno
Comrade Loco enjoys accusing people of bias Dale.
Admittedly his own bias is camouflaged in his epic posts with unrelenting sarcasm and , erm, 'wit' most of the time, but he even has the nerve to accuse me of bias from time to time! Bias towards the NPPL of all things! I can't believe the cheek of him, I really can't.

I hope you're being sarcastic...