It's that time of year again--apparently--when the PSP supports Adrenaline Games by sticking it to the local field operators that support the PSP and Race 2. Was that too harsh? Upon re-reading it sounds pretty harsh. Unfortunately it's also true.
Confused? Here's the dealio. Every year or so it seems Sup'Air adds some new props that the major tournament leagues incorporate in their event layouts (also frequently designed by Sup'Air) that forces fields with airball fields used for tourney practice to buy the annual new props kit in order to keep up to date. Good for Adrenaline Games, not so good for local fields.
I noticed the NPPL expressly didn't change their bunker set this season--an unequivocal thumbs up--and it appears that Adrenaline Games hasn't kicked them to the curb by refusing to provide event fields or gone out of business. And while I have no desire to see anything bad happen to Adrenaline Games I have a hard time understanding how any league can justify placing their grassroots supporters in that position to benefit a third party. It's practically extortion.
Beyond that I have a couple of other issues too. Since when do real sports let manufacturers dictate what essential elements of the game will be? Yeah, I know, competitive paintball has always been an old boys club. Now's as good a time as any to change. Also, why is somebody other than those responsible for the sport deciding what's an appropriate change? Seriously, the whole thing ought to be a no go.
That doesn't mean the bunkers shouldn't ever be changed. Want to add some interest? Keep the game fresh? Sure. Sounds good but that's a job for the PSP--or any other league purporting to be focused on competitive paintball as sport.
UPDATE: Mr. Curious weighs in with some on point rumorology. It seems the PSP thought they had a deal with Adrenaline Games to make bunker changes every other year and had no intention of changing in 2012. Seems the first the league heard about the latest changes came from sources outside of Adrenaline Games. When confronted Sup'Air allegedly claimed they only had 4 2011 field sets left and given that the league uses upwards of 20 field sets a season the PSP was left with little alternative but to accept this year's changes. It will be interesting, to say the least, how the league responds to this practical blackmail in the future.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
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20 comments:
I knew you would have a take on this and I couldnt agree more.
Totally agree with you. If they HAVE to add a new set of bunkers every year, limit it to maybe one or two. 6-8 seems unnecessary
As a field owner, I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand, I don't like spending ~$800 a year on 4 airball bunkers. Of all the segments of my business, tournament paintball is the least profitable. It's also the most demanding segment.
On the other hand, the upgrades help to spread out the cost of a new field. In theory, the older bunkers will be replaced with new bunkers.
Up until last year, I bought the upgrade kits. Last year's "brilliant" decision to expand the regulation field all of 20' meant I had to decide between spending my bunker budget on knocking down trees or buying bunkers. I opted to spend the money on enlarging the field.
So now I have to make a choice. Do I suck it up and buy two years worth of upgrade kits this year, or do I make plans to buy a new field in the next few years?
I agree.
Bonzai Bob.. its entry possible that the 2011 kits is sidelined, and thereby solves your issue.
What's worse is that they announced there would be an upgrade kit and forced fields to buy them without even seeing them. The fields payed. That in itself shows that Adrenaline are in the drivers seat. We bought one and our practice field bought two and we still don't know what's in them.
Lane had this to say when the topic came up in the Field Owner's Section on PBN a week or so ago:
"There will be additional/different bunkers for 2012.
I am not aware of what those bunkers will be. But I do know that there will be some minor changes.
Contrary to popular belief, I am not the one who decides whether Sup'Air changes their bunkers from year to year. As a matter of fact, I was under the impression that there would not be any changes this year. I was wrong.
I do know the Adrenaline Games staff was at the Shot Show this past week and that may be why they were not answering calls and had full mailboxes.
Anyway, I'm guessing you guys will know the new bunkers when I do.
Lane"
The whole thing seems kind of weird, like the tail wagging the dog.
Off topic Baca, but what's your take on the mandatory ROF chips in the NPPL? Was this a surprise or common knowledge this was coming?
And what will the actual changes be? A different color combo dorito? An extra tiny brick that no one but a 2 foot tall hobbit could use?
When we look at why the leagues can't merge, I think it's pretty clear which side is blocking it from happening. It's the side where the industry runs the league - it's their money train. Why give it back to the players? Dye, Sup Air, DXS/GI, etc, all have too much to lose by merging "their" PSP with the NPPL.
It's been like this since the NPPL and PSP split, and it won't get any better for us common players, field and store owners until some of these guys get rich enough and retire to some island somewhere with all our money.
It's pathetic.
I was told that there are changes that will "Revolutionize" the Snake and how it plays.
A big curly bunker with a tongue at one end?
After last years subtraction of 4 playable props (for anyone 5'6" and up) and the addition of 4 UN-playable props (for anyone 4'3" and up), combined with stretching the field by 20' and the mantra of "fields for a wide range of players" I'm open, assuming they finally got it right, to a little extortion, one last time. Yes I too chuckled at those 3 last words.
@Anonymous#3: You're just plain uninformed. The industry was the chief driver of the negotiations, and the chief obstacle was NPPL.
Reiner
Thanks for including the quote from the PBN thread. Fits with what I heard--after posting the original comments.
Re: Chip. See today's post.
Yes, the implementation the NPPL is going forward with now was talked about last season though for a league that's supposed to be responsive to their players they didn't ask them in advance what they thought.
Anon#3
Other Anon has the right of it. The bulk of the industry pushed for the merger but there were substantive reasons why it didn't happen.
Here's an interesting question though--why would Adrenaline Games try strong-arming the PSP but not the NPPL?
"Here's an interesting question though--why would Adrenaline Games try strong-arming the PSP but not the NPPL?"
Simple. More fields purchase PSP bunker sets than 7-man sets. And PSP runs more fields per event then NPPL.
@Twisted: Close. Because of the reasons you mentioned, SupAir has no 2011 PSP fields left but plenty of 2011 NPPL fields left, and they need to sell the 2011 NPPL fields they have before they change the bunkers on them.
www.paintballnews.fr/component/k2/item/5700-exclu-les-nouveaux-obstacles-snake-millennium--psp-2012.html
The Spirit of Paint guys seem to have an exclusive, if you're not Mitt Romney you might want to use a translation tool.
First of all, I completely agree with everything in the article we are commenting on.
And, going off the recent debates on how to make paintball (the sport), more accessible to new players, and getting more fields to operate airball fields, it is downright criminal that the PSP and Millennium Series change bunkers so often.
It's no big surprise in the MS, since Laurent Hamet is both Adrenaline Games and MS (part)owner.... But the PSP should know better, and be run by brighter people.
As for the new bunkers specificaally - that is just down right laughable.... "hey, let's cut a beam in half and fuse a cake to the end of it, so it is JUST like snakes have always been.... then call it "revolutionary" and make lots of extra cash" :O
These people suck - in both leagues - and I don't care who hear me say it.
PSP knows it's bad. They just found themselves backed into a corner by Sup'Air. What were they going to do, tell SupAir to screw off, switch manufacturers, and have everyone replace ALL their bunkers?
Really Nick?
You decided to publicly state that I "suck" based on a situation that you have absolutely no knowledge about?
I have to put up with loads of very ignorant statements from Internet know all's. I've learned to deal with it. But, quite honestly, this one causes me some grief.
I'm finding it harder and harder to have respect for people in this game. It's very bothersome when someone who I did have a great deal of respect for chooses to act so disrespectfully back.
How hard would it have been to send me an email and at least hear what I had to say before writing something so critical? It's a shame, Nick.
Well, I accept that Lane - and quite possibly, my frustration with the Millennium Series flows over into the PSP - and for that I appologise.
However, that having been said.... if you have followed the recent debates (everywhere), about how to create growth in tournament paintball again, and the very widely accepted truth, that it is key to get more local fields involved with running some of their fields with SupAir (or similar competing products) - then this continuous bi-yearly so called "upgrade" is completely and utterly the wrong direction.... nd is actually helping kill tournament paintball.
I understand why Laurent forces it through in the MS - it brings his company a turnover of an estimated 1/4 million dollars a year, that he would otherwise not see.
But you guys, having had this happen also 2 years ago, should have been better prepared this time around IMHO.
I would have just said "no" - and left it at that.... but obviously that is quite easy for me to say, when I am not running the league ;)
I further think the teams and players would understand your refusal to be at the mercy of a manufacturer, if you explained the decision and consequences publicly.... I even think if would gain the PSP a whole lot of respect.
However, and this is where my knowledge is limited until you inform me.... if you are telling me you had no other options, that no other manufacturers could supply you with bunkers, and you could not re-use the 2011 ones.... then I accept your decision as the only viable solution, and look forward to the PSP changing manufacturers for 2013 :)
I don't mind paintball manufacturers and leagues making money - lots of money if they can - but when a manufactuer does it at the expense of damaging the sport, I get upset and my temper flares.
Oh my, I hope you're happy with the service Nick ('cause you just got served)
reverse, reverse!!!
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