Millennium Takes a Big Bite--

--but will they be able to swallow it?
Despite a notice sent out by Laurent Hamet (of the MS) claiming to have a raft of gun makers already on board word on the street is everyone is waiting for somebody else--preferably a major player--to refuse so they can follow suit. Nobody wants to be first or worse, end up being the only one but in the meantime they are all being held up by a gangsta with a cap gun.

Looks like I'll have to hold off on breaking down what PBIndustry acceptance would mean. Too bad 'cus it's already written. In part, it would be a Faustian bargain for the Big Guns who might be tempted to use the "protection" to remove some competition as they, in turn, would then be on the hook for whatever the MS decided to charge having already agreed to the principle.

In the meantime I thought y'all might like to know just what exactly the MS is asking for. (Extortion is kinda like asking, isn't it?)

There are 3 versions of gun sponsorship; Diamond (50K), Platinum (30K) & Display (10K). The difference between Diamond and Plat is allotted space for setup. Only diamond and plat sponsors are allowed gun techs. A Display Gun "sponsorship" allows for 1 (one) brand, sales, display & on field use. It is unclear just what brand means--a single manufacturer or a single gun line?

And then there is the Sponsor Other (5K) category which reads, "Only products belonging to sponsors can be sold or exhibited at 2009 Millennium events. The product can be sold at the event. Only products that have a sponsor can be exhibited or sold at 2009 Millennium Series events." The same one brand restriction, whatever that is, applies here too.

Amusingly it is being promoted by the MS as "maximum product protection for all sponsors."