PSP Introduces the Challenger division.

[Three Zeroes]

The PSP brings in an interesting new development at the start of this season.

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The level of talent in the PSP Professional Division is undisputedly the fiercest in the world. Teams from all divisions train week in and out to ultimately one day become a Professional team in the PSP. Actually making the advancement into Pro however, has historically been too large of a move for most teams to make. ​

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The PSP would like to change this by putting a system into place for fresh teams to move into an even stronger Pro League. ​

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The PSP Professional teams will compete against each other in the 2013 PSP Dallas Open. The top 10 teams from that event will move on to PSP’s Event #2 and play in the newly established Champions Division. They will perform on the main field for all the glory in front of thousands of fans watching from the PaintballAccess.com webcast and the PSP grandstands.​

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The other Pro teams from the Dallas Open will be enlisted in a new division known as the Challengers Division. They will be joining other teams to be named at a later date. The group of teams in the Challengers Divisions will use the same format and rules, but play on a secondary Professional field during the prelims and will play their final match on the main field for all their fans to watch. Starting after Event #2, the top two teams from the Challengers Division in each event will move up and compete in the PSP Champions Division for the following event. They will be replacing the bottom 2 finishers from the previous event’s Champions Division, who will instead perform in the Challengers Division. ​

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This system of constant circulation will continue event by event for seasons to come. It is now more important than ever for teams to give their all in each match – as they no longer have just one goal of winning the event – but must perform at their top in every game to make sure they do not suffer the consequence of being knocked out of the Champions Division. Likewise, the Challengers Division teams at each event have the option to perform and move up for the following event. ​

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Source here​

 

[Canon Fodder]

Now that's odd, my alerts claimed you'd quoted my post in this thread!

 

[Liam92]

i like the principle behind it, where teams have the opportunity to play against a pro division team. after all, the mills events from years ago could have a few amateur teams drawn in the same group as a top pro team which was one of the best things for a lot of people. So yeah, if that's what it achieves for people then it can only be a good thing, but i'm struggling to see how it will work in practice because of the divisions being decided in the first event. Then again could be good for the same reason because it means the teams that really bring it earn that spot.

 

[Three Zeroes]

From what i understand its not complicated, Basically the first event seeds everyone to go into the next event. Then at the next event, the top teams of the challengers division for the previous event move up and the bottom of the pros move down for that event. Then at the end of that event, the process is repeated for the next one. If the teams that moved up got annihilated and were in the bottom of the pro division (which I'd be surprised if we didn't see happen at least once) then they move back down, being replaced by whoever topped the challengers division. The divisions are dictated by the results of the previous event.

 

[Downtown Funky Stuff Malone]

The PSP has introduced this to deal with the issue they have this year of having too many teams that want to compete in the pro division.

For example, the "defection" of Impact.

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

I guess they might be able to fit more teams in this way, but really i think their idea is that this format of divisions gives the 'pro' division a more fluid year with more media headlines as unexpected teams move between the brackets. Previously all people were interested in was who won which event. This way the 'pro' divisions get a winner and two promotions each event. Social network media food.

 

[Three Zeroes]

I agree to an extent but from what a lot of guys were saying on the 'nation, what it really does is make the jump from amateur to pro a lot smaller so really encourages teams to step up their game as they can now win their way to pro.

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

I don't think the jump has been changed particularly, but the movement during the year will stop the 'top spot' from being static for a whole year.

 

[Dave284]

I don't think the jump has been changed particularly, but the movement during the year will stop the 'top spot' from being static for a whole year.

No. The top teams will still be top teams, do you really see heat or damage or legion placing low enough to drop down? No. The top teams will still be fighting for top spot, how ever the jump will be smaller because it's essentially added another division, with the added bonus of being able to move up into pro, even if only for one event.

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

No. The top teams will still be top teams, do you really see heat or damage or legion placing low enough to drop down? No. The top teams will still be fighting for top spot, how ever the jump will be smaller because it's essentially added another division, with the added bonus of being able to move up into pro, even if only for one event.

Sorry, I meant 'top spot' as the 'champions division'.