"that" thread as in the closed one. Not sure If I understand the ?? but let me say this.
I've played every national league the U.S. has put forth in the last few years, PanAm the year it was national (we were one fo the few eastcoast teams that did I guess), WPF when they had skyball and ZAP paint, NPPL, and PSP. I take away postives and negatives from each of those leagues. I learned a lot from playing them, and from talking to the WPF and PanAm guys and gals.
What I know is that a BYOP league can function, with a profit, with solid reffing, and an ID card system, and dedication to the players.
When PanAm held their NJ event in 2000 they had around 20 teams show up in 3 classes, plus additional young guns and stock class teams. Am only had 3 teams I think, a few nov teams bumped up just for a better shot at prizes. Russ showed me alot that event. They drove all the way from the westcoast to hold an event where barely a few teams arrived to play a BYOP event. The PanAm reffing as usual was great (teams reffed for points by the way) because they had a reffing program in place to ensure the refs knew the game, enforced the rules, and enforced penalties (including PanAm's no swearing penalties).
When the event was over the full prize package was given out, markers and other gear were raffled for free as well. We won a STO in the raffle, and with our 4th place prizes we turned a profit on the event. Granted the PanAm didn't attempt many more East of the desert events, they still showed up, ran a top notch event, enforced the ID card system and gave a top notch prize package.
But most of all they showed a dedication to the player. The event was about the player, not the promoters' wallet, which took a big hit that event. I have seen the old WPF do the same thing.
How can the Millenium series run quality events at such a low cost compared to the PSP and create a better product? NPPL Nov/am entry is 175 USD per player, Millenium is a hair under 100 USD per player. For a little more than half the NPPL price you are getting a better venue, cheering crowds with the occasional cheerleader, for the sake of arguement better officiating, and the list goes on and on. Granted the nov class only recieves trophies, but if they wanted to pull the PSP route of forcing vendors to hand product over that could be done. So the ?? is where does the players' money go, and what improvements are we seeing beyond what is neccesary to keep the players in the league?
I currently don't see value in playing the PSP. I know My portion of the entry comes to 175 dollars. But I don't see where it's going. I've read the expense reports from Jerry. I have played in events run in better venues, with more prizes (which the promoter had to purchase, not donated or acquired in exchange for vendor space), more experienced refs, less entry fees. I have also seen promoters work there arses off to put the players first.
I'm not sure how Chuck's league will work out. They may face PanAm's eastcoast fate, but like the PanAm I do see Chuck putting the player first and taking a loss if need be to prove to the players his intent. I could never see PSP running an event at a loss in this day and age to put the player first.
I'm hoping things go well in Vegas. I'm hoping we see an NPPL Super 7 schedule soon. I'm also hoping to see Millenium events count towards the NPPL. Living in New England tickets to LA and tickets to Amsterdam and London are about the same cost. My fiancee's mother was born in Birmingham, and it would give me at least one travel event in 2k3 where I wouldn't get bitched at for going I guess.
Not sure if any of it made sense, but it is long and that's what counts.
Chris
Revolution
