PSP Galveston Day 1 (Friday)

Realizing I screwed up the timing for ending the D1 Monday Poll I called the poll at 85 votes in order to make sure the result wasn't skewed by votes cast after the partial prelims played on Friday.
Weather today was excellent. It's a bit windy but we're on a gulf island--it comes with the territory. Pro field is close this time largely, I'm guessing, the vendors are close to the fields but without the players being forced to hike past all of them. The "grandstand" reflects the expected crowd. It's actually 5 or six three row bleacher sections. It could be standing room only Sunday afternoon but the majority will be players, friends & families. (We did meet a restaurant hostess tonight who will be at the event tomorrow because a friend of hers will be playing.)
Fields are somewhat uneven but the surface looks like it will hold up okay. (Fingers crossed.) Parking is in an empty lot across the street. The venue is (realistically) pretty low rent but everybody seemed more focused on the competition. Still, after the fact, it won't surprise me if people express some disappointment. Is it serviceable? Yes. Does it fire the imagination? Not really. In part I think because Galveston itself isn't particularly special either. (Sorry, Texas.)
In reviewing prelim results in the Race 2-X divisions scores reflect VFTD's expectation about low scores and slow games. Across D1, D2 & D3 more than 40% of all the matches went to time. It appears if the games were competitive they more often than not went to time. Most of the matches that hit their race goals were 5-0 or 5-1, 4-0 type games suggesting one team in the match was definitively superior.
A number of the pro teams used the unexpected off day to leave the event site and go to another paintball field--about 40 minutes away--to get in some last minute practice.
While it still hasn't been announced the PSP looks to be preparing the pro field for filming. Camera platforms were up inside the net on the snake side as well as some elevated remote cameras. And, yes, this is what Mr. Curious was referring to the other day. There is every indication the league will be filming the pro competition but it will not be webcast live. Just what the league has in mind VFTD doesn't know.
More tomorrow with the first day's pro matches.