I did this once before and most of you slackers failed to take it seriously. No great surprise. So I'm giving you one more chance.
Nor is it that the current crop of correspondents is in any way deficient. Though to be fair, I know little or nothing about most of their personal habits or hygiene so I might be a tad optimistic in that assessment.
Here's the deal. You tell me what you know--about wherever you happen to be--and whatever competitive paintball you happen to play--and I use your info any way I want and I receive all the credit while becoming rich and famous in the process. What's not to like?
What do you mean what's in it for you? An opportunity to contribute anonymously to VFTD. And if that's not enough I actually talk on the phone occasionally to a correspondent or two. No promises but who knows?
I could use another spy or two who knows the Millennium Series and I'm interested in the AXBL/CXBL as well as the national or most well known or attended series internationally. This is your chance--don't blow it.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
16 comments:
Ahhhh I've got some AXBL information for you. First off all the series origins began in 2005 as the NYPS. This series was run by two guys, one of whom is still involved in the league as a representative. In 2005 it was run as an X-ball lite division with teams from Albany, Syracuse, Plattsburgh, and Rochester, NY as well as from places in between. The first year was a beginning year and one of the operators of NYPS met up with a player on one of the teams that competed who had played NPPL and NXL (original), named Mitch Karn. After a first event with some paint issues the operators, "hooked-up" with Mitch and his operation NVP in Rochester, NY and through there contacts at Procaps/PBL Canada ended up supplying paint for the rest of the league that first initial season.
After 2005, and some management move around. The NYPS was re-branded as the NYXL. It was in a way a shadow of the CXBL in Canada that had begun in 2005. It used similar bunkers, league sponsors, franchises, etc. That first year had eight teams from mostly across NY and a few guys from out of state, etc. The operations at that point were essentially taken over by Mitch Karn of NVP (now known as PBL NY) and the series was reffed by a CXBL team, LaColle Legacy. The series champs for that season, undefeated, was Rochester N'Vasion.
Then came 2007 and even more improvements, the NYXL was now officially rebranded as the AXBL and run by PBL NY and it's parent company PBL Canada serving as a league sponsor. DXS/Draxxus provided the paint for the series and this was the first year of major involvement of teams from outside of the NY area as well as a smaller MXL, which prior to that point had been in the CXBL (AXBL's Canadian counterpart) for 1 season prior at that point in time. The events were also held outside of NY for the first time at Atlas Paintball in Washington, NJ. The league sponsors in 2007 grew to include, Smart Parts (jersey suppliers), Sup Air Paintball (bunker supplier), DXS/Draxxus/X-Ball (for paint), Facefull (supposed magazine stories, etc) and PBL. Lost was 2006 bunker supplier (Mighty). 2007 also had the AXBL's first ever All-Star match at the series finale at Onondaga State Park near Syracuse, NY. The winners in 2007, of the overall series was again Rochester Rhythm (basically N'Vasion from 2006 with some changes) ran by Buddy Bauer (Shockwave Canada, Detroit Thunder, Tippmann Effect).
In 2008, the AXBL grew once again to include 3 conferences in the MXL which had 8 teams per conference. A repeat of the event locations as 2007 (Sodus, NY and Atlas in Washington, NJ). There was also another mid-season All-Star game. Then came the NAX finals, the first time ever that the operations of both the CXBL and AXBL came together at one location, Darien Lake Resort, where the playoffs for both leagues were held simultaneously. The 2008 AXBL winner was again Rochester Rhythm, who prior that playoff weekend had lost their first match in almost 3 years. Then after the individual playoffs for the CXBL and AXBL there was an overall NAX championship that pitted the AXBL winner, Rochester Rhythm, against the CXBL winner, Edmonton Impact (pro-NPPL and NXL, etc.) In the end the NAX champion for 2008 was the Canadian team Edmonton Impact.
Look for an even bigger 2009 for the AXBL!
Thanks, Neo, but an impromptu press release isn't exactly what I had in mind--although it did fill in the blanks reasonably well. You did leave out the current format though--which is kinda important, IMHO. ;)
More in line with the sort of thing that interests me is how assorted AXBL/CXBL,MXL (I'll take a triple XL) teams have fared playing PSP, besides Impact. Another item of interest would be how much paint teams shoot relative to match length. And the biggie--when are they going to fall in-line with the New World Order and adopt the UCP et al. (I know, when hell freezes over.)
Current format is 15bps ROF, 50 minute (25 minute 1st and 2nd half) matches, 2 minute timeouts between points, 5 minute majors, 2 minute minors, one elective timeout for each team each half. That's for AXBL. For MXL its only a 40 minute match, 15bps cap, 20 minute halves, the rest is pretty much the same as the AXBL format.
Being a former owner AXBL teams shot around 15 20 cases a match. The same being consistent for an MXL match.
As far as falling in line with the NWO, this year, unlike in years past any player ranked pro - NPPL/USPL and/or pro PSP/NXL cannot play in the MXL, which is considered the minor league. This was rampant in the MXL in 2008 with guests like Tim Montressor, Fatty, and Moorehead from Philly playing on MXL teams. Other than that there are also other league oriented restrictions. For example any MXL team can only have one AXBL guest and any AXBL team CAN have two MXL guests per match. Those MXL guests can only guest two times before being FORCED to move up to an AXBL roster or they can't play. Also for 2007-2008 MXL players couldn't jump/dive over the snake at ANY time. That's been changed this season.
ALSO, it wasn't really a press release. I'm just someone whose been a part of CXBL/AXBL and felt like sharing my knowledge.
"Everything" seriously... You don't want to know everything I know :-D.
MXL - Its a rookie division, per say. Take a look at ECK last year, they went undefeated in the MXL, were I believe the bottom team to make the cut from D2 to D1. Gives ya an idea of the quality of teams in the MXL.
This year we have 1 new MXL team from our area. Distortion, which is basically Ascendancy (who also did well in 5 man 2 years ago, tried Xball, and Failed) with a few additions / modifications..
In addition, we have 3 AXBL teams. All American Hero's and LakeShire Landsharks, and Encounter (I dunno their city)
All American Hero's are usually seen with several of the Philly guys, so you could imagine.. They are solid. I have known some of the guys on that team now for 10 years, all good guys, all solid players. 1 of the Hero's will be Joining Status in Phoenix, I would assume up to 3 of the Hero's will be with us the remainder of the year. The Hero's also have 2 D1 players, who both played for punishers when they were around. I believe that group took 2nd last year.
Lake Shire Landsharks - Last year, well, they just weren't very good. We did awful in D3 Xball and never had a problem in practice vs them. Their team for 09 has a lot of Night Kast players (D3 Xball 08, did bad) and will probably do better in the AXBL, but I still don't see them being a top level team.
Encounter - Also was a PSP team, They did 5 man 2 years ago, Xball last year. Did well in 5 man, not so well in Xball.
So.. Why? Why are teams going to the AXBL / MXL from the PSP? Answer - Because they are idiots... Someone comes up with this thought "Hey, This league only costs $3,000 (MXL) or $1,200 (AXBL) for the entire season, lets play it!!!!"
What they dont understand is in the MXL, the case of paint costs $65 (Will it go up this year) and the AXBL costs $35. But the AXBL is BYOP.
Yesterday and Today we played 25 points and shot 23 cases. You can do the math.. 15bps vs 10, 40 minutes on the field vs a race to 5.
So, New World Order? Its not going to happen, the AXBL is like the slutty little sister of the PSP. Its never going to do what you want it to do, its stuck in the past, and its going to stay there. They are marketing themselves as the "Last Real Xball League"
Thanks again, Neo. Last thing, how many matches constitute a season?
Chris, I don't recall saying everything. ;)
Why the season price difference if the AXBL is the "top" league?
AXBL 4 Events 2x Matches per Event = 8 matches
The AXBL charges a "Player's fee" ontop of their "Franchise" fee. This fee is $375 per player, and you have to pay for all 15 spots, not just the ones you use...
$6825 just for entry for the season to the AXBL.
The CXBL is mainly the same I guess yo could say. But they have 7 games through out 5 events. You play everyone in your conference once. Then the two top team make it to the playoffs and their may also be wild cards in there no to sure. And you get to go to the NAX finals.
Players play his league because they want to play real X-ball and they want to represent Where they live. Or near it for most. Who doesn't want to represent were they are based out of? The CXBl gives people the opportunity to represent your town/city. It gives that 'extra incentive' almost I think at least. But thats just me...
Hmmm, so AXBL teams guaranteed 400 minutes of xball for 7K while pro teams that fail to advance in the PSP are guaranteed 240 - 320 minutes of not-called-xball-anymore for 16K.
But even that is not the interesting part. How many MXL teams are there and across all those leagues how are the majority of the teams organized? This is getting better all the time.
For MXL there are 3 conferences, eastern, central, and western that has 8 teams in each conference. So there are 32 teams in 2008. Most of those teams are organized around 15 players. As stated previously, it costs $3000 for MXL franchises. But also with the MXL there is no player fees. But, playing in the MXL is FPO at a cost of $70 a case, which AXBL teams can purchase for $35. So all in all there is little cost benefit between the AXBL and or MXL.
The reason behind the AXBL / MXL success, if you want to call it that, is total outright control.
There is no "Guessing"
Question : How many Teams will be at the first AXBL event?
Answer : 24 (Or is it 21 now)
How many MXL teams are going to be at the first event?
Answer : 24 (Or is it 21 now as well)
But the fact is, they set the limit, they know how many people they are going to have, they know before the season every starts they are going to have a revenue of $72,000 from the MXL (Who win an AXBL spot as their prize) and $163800 from the AXBL, who will take home 10K first 7.5K second 5K first? (Something like that)
They get the money up front, never incur the huge debt and are always in total control of who is coming and who isn't... Great setup all in all.. And they have some really cool applications that let you see the score clock online, in real time, as well as who is scoring and who is on the field.
Last follow-up, I promise, and once more, thanks for taking the time with this. When I said organized what I was really after was how do teams come into being? For example, Chris will have a D1 PSP team this year because Chris made it happen via his interest, resources and willingness to put in the time and effort irrespective of the contribution the players make. I am assuming that there is a "Chris" or "Neo" for each of the teams in the AXBL and MXL who are the organizing forces behind all of these teams. Is this correct? Are you aware of any teams that might not fit that model?
I thought I covered this...
Pittsburgh ECK MXL 2008. Bob fox signed ECK up for the wrong league. They viewed it as a good weekend of "Practice" for the PSP. Now shlumpy (Punnishers, ECK) is running ECK... They have no desire to play.
All American Hero's 2008, 2009 AXBL - Tim Montressor runs it, its where he wanted to get the guys started. Now a few of them are going to jump to our D1 team.
Greensburg Distortion MXL 2009 - Kevin from True Image Laser Designs use to play with Ascendancy (D3 Xball 2008) took basically a hand full of players who couldn't hang in D3 Xball and started a rookie team.
Encounter 2009 AXBL - The owner of the team also owns the paintball sphere in Youngstown Ohio. Nick? Mike? I don't remember. He was a smart parts sales rep as well, I am thinking he still works at the company but have no clue what he does.. They also couldn't hang in the PSP...
Landsharks 2008, 2009 AXBL - The owner of the team also owns Jaw paintball. I know the team is made up of Night Kast who did some NPPL / PSP but fell off the national scale after NEO last year.
I think there is 1 guy who owns like 5 teams, I don't know who... I don't pay that much attention to it..
Fact is, if I didn't have to travel across the state for 2 events then to Boston for an event I would probably have a team in it as well. Much like the CFOA.. If I could put a team in, I would.. Real field experience is the best practice..
-Chris
For an AXBL/MXL team to exist there first and foremost had to be a spot available to purchase a position in the league. The league sets the limit on how many franchises there are and then it opens it up for a first come, first deposit situation. Starting in 2008 those teams that had spots in 2007 were given first dibs on keeping that spot for the next season. Having owned a team in 2007 and then two teams in 2008 that's how it works. In the off seasons though, team owners can sell their franchise rights to another party as long as that party is aware that they will also have to pay the league entrance fees. Some owners, not to mention any names, have made some good money selling their franchises over the off season. I've heard price quotes from $1000 to $10k...JUST for a franchise right and then that team still has to pay the league its team fees.
So, typically you have an owner that pays the deposit for the team upfront. Then organizes (i.e. has tryouts, etc) the team with players. Then can collect team dues that cover the payment of the player fees and other things that the individual owner made decide (like pods, paint, etc.)
I think that Chris is a disaffected former AXBL/MXL player/owner and some of his commentary seems to be a bit bitting. Overall, most feel like the AXBL/MXL/CXBL is a good alternative to the PSP. But to each his own I guess.
seems like a large investment to start one of these teams...especially in today's economic climate?
I have never played AXBL / MXL. Nor do I have anything positive or negative to say about it. Hell we are hosting an event at the field this year. Look forward to it.
Side note the CXBL, not sure if the AXBL does this also. But the CXBL has two other divisions besides the CXBL and MXL, they have the RXL and the CX4. The RXL is one level lower and helps feed players to the MXL the CX4 does the same but doesn't have the Win 1st overall and get bumped up to RXL. Only because its a different format. Its just 4 on 4 games, as if it was a little local tournament, except run by the best in Canada(CXBL).
Post a Comment