Monday, March 14, 2011

The Monday Poll

You heard it here first. (Okay, so you really read it here first--you know what I mean.) You know, the whole secret PSP Project YouTube where the league filmed pro matches for upload. Why secret? Did you know before VFTD told you about it? Didn't think so. So what do you think the PSP is doing when they make the effort and go to the expense (even at a fraction of webcast cost) to film the pro event--but don't tell anyone they're doing it until the event is over--and even then, just sorta mention, oh, btw, check out the video of the pro action at Galveston. Me either but I can think of a few possible reasons. And that's what you'll be voting on this week. Have I ever mentioned I'm suspicious (of pretty much everything), cynical and frequently angry (about pretty much everything)? Well, I am. Which means this poll is probably skewed toward a negative outcome before anyone even votes. So please, if you can come up with a positive possible explanation for Project YouTube put it in comments. (Yes, that requires thinking about it so no, I don't expect any of y'all to actually do it. Lazy slackers.) Pick the option you think most accurately describes why the PSP gave Project YouTube the green light.

What is the PSP trying to accomplish with Project YouTube?

YouTube views are the next best thing to live webcast watchers.
Doing what they can to preempt NPPL's ESPN3 broadcast
An early announcement would have resulted in cyber-whiners complaining the matches were coming online too slowly
An early announcement would have just compared unfavorably to the old webcast
Feeling the need to compete for fans and supporters beyond those who participate

Monday Poll in Review
Last week some of y'all voted on which teams would finish on top in the D1 division at the PSP Galveston Open. Not many, but some. There's a reason bookies make book on sports betting. Most bettors bet their heart. Oh sure, they talk about the odds and they can always find a rationalization to confirm the bet they want to make. The one that really has little or no chance of paying off just because it's their team. Apparently it's a good thing you people can't bet on paintball results 'cus you'd (collectively) lose your shirts. Top vote recipient LIFT didn't make the Sunday cut. In fact, only two of the top five did (but they were the right two as it turned out); TKO & 187 crew. (What the hell is the deal with capitalizing random letters? It's stupid.) Back to the votes. NJJ pulled the third most votes and Texas Storm had the fourth most votes with Assault in sixth followed closely by Hustle & VcK.
The poll just goes to show what much of the vote was really predicated on--who you wanted to do well and/or which teams you have a personal connection to. I'm just saying.

12 comments:

Monkey with a gun said...

I can tell you for a fact that it was this one:

An early announcement would have resulted in cyber-whiners complaining the matches were coming online too slowly

-patrick

Baca Loco said...

I don't doubt it for a second -- once the decision was made to do it. What prompted the decision in the first place is something altogether different.
Thanks, Patrick. Regardless it's good to have the matches available.

Anonymous said...

I'm just glad to get quality footage and commentary from PSP events again. I do not care if it is live. You can read PBN Rob's point by point update if you want that. Much thanks to the PSP and MWAG. You're still better than the NPPL Webcast, because your commentator knows what the hell he's talking about.

Monkey with a gun said...

What prompted the decision was three factors:

One, youtube changing their time limit restriction on premier accounts. Allowing us to upload full matches with out having to pay for the bandwidth.

Two, We all brain stormed to try and come up with a way of cutting the budget of the webcast and still keep the quality on par to what the PSP is willing to put out. If you noticed we only had two cameramen on the field.

Three, The last minute turn out of teams.

Nothing more nothing less, there is no conspiracy here. It all just come down too money.

-patrick

Don Saavedra said...

Once again, even seeing it first hand, I am impressed by what Patrick is able to produce on a shoestring budget.

Chris said...

I find it odd that in a world where it seems like everyone is webcasting, the PSP is moving away from it.

In a world where car dealerships, and gyms are streaming the PSP is having a hard time figuring out how to broadcast 1 field? Clearly something is wrong here.

Ed Quioco said...

I wondered the same thing, why this wasn't advertised more. But all in all, the footage, camera work and commentary were really good. Nice work all around.

I think it's about time that paintball figured out it doesn't need mainstream media. The Internet is the great equalizer.

Monkey with a gun said...

Going live in a field far away from a high speed Internet connection is way more expensive than going live in a gym or car dealership that is already wired to the net.

I think this model is a great fit for paintball.

-patrick

Mark790.06 said...

Pat,

Chris is just spoiled due to his events being held at such stellar locations. :D

sdawg said...

Patrick,

First of all, thank you for the great job not only covering PSP Galveston but also with your other outstanding work in the sport.

The YouTube model is better than streaming because as a fan and competitor, I cannot sit in front of my computer all weekend watching matches. I'd rather have them on YouTube to watch at my leisure with the ability to rewind and analyze games.

Having the matches on YouTube is a tremendous service to the sport and outright superior to streaming.

raehl said...

Chris...

You can't see the difference between putting a up low-quality video feed of low-motion content from one camera at a building with high speed internet and doing a multi-camera webcast of high-motion content over an entire field of play at a location that was a few days earlier a piece of grass?

Don Saavedra said...

sdawg makes an excellent point about the number of eyeballs that are now available to look at these. It's sort of like the invention of the DVR... you can still watch it (and all of the ads ) when you can without sacrificing an entire weekend just to sitting in front of your computer (which takes kids off of their local fields).