It's not really a duel. At least not if your metric is participation. PSP World Cup should have around 320 teams based on current registration and past results. MS World Cup will have around 125 teams which will be a ballpark figure for a 2014 Millennium event. On the other hand they will have the Under 19 national teams competing. (Typically those national teams are made up of players already there playing for their regular teams but who knows, the Under 19s may get some unique players. It's part of the MS's finding additional revenue streams and validating the Series international and national cred. Each MS event hosts a different nation-based event; the men's championship, the geezer championship and the women's championship.)
This year the Millennium scheduled their event later in September than usual while the PSP scheduled their event a little earlier than usual in October. One outcome is that two teams, Impact & Heat, from the PSP's Champions division will be competing at Chantilly leaving them only one practice weekend prior to PSP's World Cup. (If they spend that time in Florida they will have the weekdays leading up to Cup to prepare as well.) Along with two Champions teams a number of pro players will be in Euroland instead of practicing with their U.S. teams. Those teams include Dynasty (4 players), X-Factor (3 players), Ironmen (at least 3 players) and Infamous (3 players). There are probably others but with those mentioned the number of players missing will have some impact on their teams preparation as well as their own ability to bring their best game to World Cup. In addition Damage's coach will be at Chantilly as he's currently on the Polar Bears roster as a player--and whether he plays or not he'll be in France.
It's an interesting question--What impact will missing players or other commitments have on their respective teams preparation for PSP World Cup? It won't be irrelevant but it's otherwise hard to say what the consequences might be. For example not only will nearly half of Dynasty's roster be in France but with the travel schedule will be on the road the better part of a month going into Cup.
This year the Millennium scheduled their event later in September than usual while the PSP scheduled their event a little earlier than usual in October. One outcome is that two teams, Impact & Heat, from the PSP's Champions division will be competing at Chantilly leaving them only one practice weekend prior to PSP's World Cup. (If they spend that time in Florida they will have the weekdays leading up to Cup to prepare as well.) Along with two Champions teams a number of pro players will be in Euroland instead of practicing with their U.S. teams. Those teams include Dynasty (4 players), X-Factor (3 players), Ironmen (at least 3 players) and Infamous (3 players). There are probably others but with those mentioned the number of players missing will have some impact on their teams preparation as well as their own ability to bring their best game to World Cup. In addition Damage's coach will be at Chantilly as he's currently on the Polar Bears roster as a player--and whether he plays or not he'll be in France.
It's an interesting question--What impact will missing players or other commitments have on their respective teams preparation for PSP World Cup? It won't be irrelevant but it's otherwise hard to say what the consequences might be. For example not only will nearly half of Dynasty's roster be in France but with the travel schedule will be on the road the better part of a month going into Cup.
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6 comments:
There's only one World Cup. And it isn't played in France.
What if the World Cup wasn't in Florida consistently? Do you think the PSP could sell the WC venue to the highest bidder? I suppose space would be an issue, but would any fields want to pay for the right to host the World Cup?
The PSP isn't a cup or even a championship. It's just another version of the same event that happens all year. If World Cup was weighted heavier in your scoring they'd at least give it extra value but as it stands the only difference from winning cup and MAO is a little bit of bragging rights. It's not any harder to win...indeed, this World Cup will have the easiest pro bracket in a long time,
Is that why they released the layout early?
Easiest bracket should still be fun to watch, really starting to feel like the people who are in champs had to work so hard to get there or stay that more games have been close (especially compared to when you had everyone lumped into one pro bracket there were too many lopsided games)
Also, seeing as the top 1-3 challengers have constantly been 'champs' teams floating I wish they could schedule some more Web cast time. Watching the newer or rebuilding teams on the rise is cool
World Cup is a mandatory score and counts for more points in all divisions except Pro/D1.
Didn't know that. What's the rationale for not counting it for the pros?
148 Anon
Because all the pros play all the events as do the majority of D1 seeking the season series. Lower divisional teams can collect points in affiliated series and have a wider variety of places to play.
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