The Latest on the MS Goodwill Tour of Asia

If you missed it first time around the posts here & here should set the table. In a nutshell the MS had a pre-existing relationship with the PALS organization that hit a rocky patch when it appeared a couple months ago or so that elements within the MS were dealing with a separate Asian group to set-up a counter Pan-Asian series--both "sponsored" by the MS. Apparently that announcement was premature (or ill-timed) and within hours public statements were being denied & pulled, websites were disappearing and the PALS people were calling it a figment of the collective imagination. Here we are, post Campaign Cup--the whole brouhaha largely forgotten everywhere but Asia (apparently)--and the MS board in the person of Barry Fuggle sees fit to bring it back to the public eye with the official statement available by clicking on the title link.

The gift that keeps on giving.

The following is a paragraph by paragraph VFTD interpretation of the latest Millennium statement. The MS statement appears in italics with the VFTD interpretation following in the standard type face.

The Millennium Series is dedicated to the growth and promotion of the sport of paintball since 1999. Since that time the Millennium Series (www.millennium-series.com) runs the biggest tournaments in Europe and offers a platform for competition to the best teams of the world.

We only want to help you.

Apart from running our own series, we support other tournaments, series and leagues, in Europe and worldwide on a global scale by various means. This includes, but is not limited to providing knowledge, equipment and various other assets.

Whose your Daddy?

In the Far East, the Millennium Series has been endorsing the PALS tournaments, which use our rules. The PALS (www.palseries.org) has grown over the years amazingly fast, featuring their flagship event, the World Cup Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and having successfully hosted events in other countries, like Thailand, Taiwan and Philippines.

With our support PALS has been a big success.

In the last months the Millennium Series has been approached by a consortium of individuals and companies, who want to develop paintball in Asia as well. During our recent London event the Board of the Millennium Series invited all parties involved to several rounds of meetings to learn more about their exact intentions and to explain our own vision for the development of the sport in Asia. What was clear was there was a lot common themes and aspirations by all and we sincerely hope that all concerned will see the benefits of collaboration rather than competition which will only help to slow down the growth of the sport in the region.

Look, PALS has a good thing going but we have additional business opportunities to explore. Asia is big enough for everybody so let's figure out how to work together.

Basically the Millennium Series is asking all parties involved to find a way together towards our common goals. In a time, where support from within the paintball industry is getting less and less, it does not make sense to build parallel structures and organizations, which would lead divide and fighting each other. Instead, existing structures should be used to accommodate the ambitions and totally justified strategic interests of other individuals, which have already shown commitment and constructive passion for the game, both in Malaysia and in other Asian countries.

It doesn't matter who did what. The past is the past. We need to make the best of things and find ways to profit together.

If these parties manage to focus on common goals and strategies in a constructive manner, exciting times lay ahead for Asia, which is already the fastest growing region in paintball!

Capiche?

Barry Fuggle
Board of the Millennium Series

Don't get me wrong. I've no issues whatsoever with the MS making moves in Asia. (I do have general concerns about industry players potentially having too much power and influence through control of things like leagues but that's another post.) I am only amused at the routinely ham-fisted way they go about it. Particularly amusing is the word that the whole alternative league business got started because Mr. Fuggle was looking to sell greater volumes of Hovid paint in Asia--among other things. On a slightly more serious note if anyone thinks the eurokids of PBIndustry are going to get their own Asian playground without a fight, think again. As the U.S. market stagnates PBIndustry is looking to open new frontiers and Asia, including China is the target.

UPDATE: There is conflicting info as to how directly involved Mr. Fuggle is/was in Hovid or in the "interests" of the new group, for purposes of brevity, the aborted Millennium Series Asia although those connections are clearer--at least at the moment.