Format Wars

Okay, "wars" is definitely over the top but the whole topic is just plain silly. It's laughable. Deserving of ridicule. (That's where VFTD comes in.) And if that wasn't enough the proponents are positively delusional. They haven't just jumped the shark, they were jumped while they jumped the shark. (And yes, even I'm a little confused by that one.)
But as a pretense of being fair and open-minded let's first list the virtues of the glorious 7-man format. It doesn't have much of a history. It's only been a nationally recognized format since NPPL 1.0 (Pure Promotions) transplanted it stateside from Euroland circa 2003. Less than a decade. Even by paintball standards that's not very long. (Yes, 7-man was around before that, here and there, played mostly as the poor man's 10-man.) (And, maybe you can make a case that 7-man as a format and style of play continued in the tradition of 10-man--after 10-man was gone--minus 3 guys and on a field a fraction of the size. Of course for a couple of years the NPPL's 7-man was competing against the remnant of the PSP's 10-man format so, then again, maybe not so much.) But (and it's a big but) 7-man is played on a field that's longer and narrower than xball. With carwash bunkers. Can't forget the carwashes. And 7-man still has semi-auto and sneakiness. Well, except that it doesn't really. Is sneakiness a format feature? Or is it a result of no sideline coaching or crowd participation? And then there's the factoid that the recent All*Star demonstration allowed grandstand side crowd participation so ... Okay, but hey they've still got semi-auto! Capped. At 15bps and as every semi-auto aficionado knows tons of 7-man players can easily exceed the cap with their crazy fast twitching skillz. And no way to determine if the guns are ramping, bouncing, etc. Only whether or not they go over the cap. Which is a warning and/or a penalty.
Maybe the best thing about 7-man is the NPPL's willingness to change with the times. To hold on to tradition and still reach out to the majority of competitive players. Why over the last year they've considered multiple point matches, crowd participation, capped markers, shorter points and they're thinking of adding buzzers and getting rid of the flag, at least the station flags. Can bells & whistles be far behind?
And then there's the fact the rest of the world plays 7-man and if we're ever going to legitimize competitive paintball we--what? The Eurokids don't play 7-man anymore? The Asians either? They play what?!? Xball Lite? Race to 4 or 5? Really? Well, that's not very helpful, is it?
But still, at least 7-man isn't xball, right, and that's what's important.

Time to be serious for a moment. The move to capped markers is a concession to the fact the NPPL has never been able to adequately regulate guns or enforce legitimate, workable rules--until now. And anybody who spends 5 minutes at a NPPL tournament knows 98% of the guns are ramping, bouncing, adding shots, whatever you want to deny in order to rationalize the "skill" involved. (The other 2% are pumps.) The move to multiple points is a concession to the fact the outcome is both fairer and more likely to advance the better team. Everything the NPPL has done to improve their format has brought it closer to xball (Race 2). Undeniable fact. All that's left is the dimensions of the playing field and the number of players per point. So here's your compromise. Use the current PSP field dimensions as they're closer to NPPL than old xball layout. Add a few bunkers to the basic set. 4 will probably do the trick. Keep the current PSP rules regarding sideline participation and keep the spectators far enough away that all the noise is just that, noise. Field 5 guys because now isn't the time to try and force the world tournament community to change--again. And hey, we'll all go "semi-auto." Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

NPPL 2011

I don't know about you but I'm (temporarily) tired of talking about the PSP--so it really doesn't matter whether you are or not. I'd like to have something to talk about when it comes to the other guys, NPPL & MS, but they are both laying low right now. I do have a pdf from the fevered imagination of the Millennium's marketing collective that couldn't be more disconnected from reality if it had been written by a long-time opium addict. (Yes, it's the 2011 sponsorship package.)

Otherwise all I've got is the NPPL capping "semi-auto" at 15 bps & the new bunkers, cubes and big wedges. Whoop-dee-freaking-doo. Oh, and the NPPL has put out hard dates for their complete 2011 schedule of events. The locations are the same as last year's but there's nothing wrong with that as the season opens with the now traditional Huntington Beach, Chitown at Challenge Park outside Joliet (IL) Pev's in Aldie (VA) and Vegas. The one thing I do notice is that none of the events occur during the summer. April, May, September & November? What? There's almost 4 months between events two and three. I'm mildly surprised that the can't-wait-for-the-new-NPPL-season-to-get-started crowd--yes, that's sarcasm--hasn't uttered a peep about the weird break in the season. Of course the NPPL crowd are pretty laid back. PSP changes one bunker and all hell breaks loose with local fields across the country practically bursting into flames with the news; the NPPL changes two bunkers including the "new" family-sized wedge and a couple of stoners notice and go, "Whoa. Cool, dudes." Then again there are so few NPPL fields around the country the impact across the paintball community is negligible. Regarding the capped gun thing nobody seems too put out by that one either. Oh, sure there's a few lamenting the loss of their trigger pulling skill 'cause they can pull 18-20 easy--but if it helps the league with enforceable gun rules--well, okay. We don't yet know how the league intends to enforce their cap but they'll get around to it. Right?

There is one other thing that interests me. Could too much success put the NPPL in the PSP's predicament? Part of the PSP's current problems are a product of scale; how many teams must play in order for an event to be profitable? The NPPL 3.0 has, from Day 1, been looking to mimic some of the elements of the PSP like the regional affiliates. They are also making an effort to expand their reach but what if Huntington Beach registrations push the league beyond two fields? To three or four even. Is that necessarily a good thing?
If NPPL 3.0 were to go to a best of 3 (Race 2-2) format that would put the two major leagues that much closer given the changes in store for the PSP in 2011. (From what I hear it may happen for the Pros but is unlikely for the lower divisions which may have something to do with the logistics of running Race 2-2 on two fields. It hasn't been easy to run the Race format as a 3 day event for the PSP.)

The Monday Poll

Last week's poll on paintball and the World Games--I'm no longer even willing to suspend disbelief enough to acknowledge the claim it's a "demonstration" sport or has any actual connection to the World Games--pretty much mirrors a similar point of view with the overwhelming numbers of votes (86%) assigning no Big Picture paintball importance to the event. That, of course, doesn't mean the event can't or won't have a positive impact on competitive paintball in Asia. Hopefully it will.

This week's Monday Poll is on 7-man as a viable format for the future. The poll is in no way scientific and the future of 7-man probably doesn't rest on the outcome so relax and take a minute to express your opinion. If you happen to choose 'Other' it would be helpful if you also commented on what you have in mind. (No pressure, I'm just saying.) In addition to expending the effort to click an option I've got a secondary poll question that requires a little more thought and effort.
Would a format modification make you more or less likely to play 7-man? And if so, what sort of modification do you have in mind? (Post 'em up in comments.)
In the past there was some consideration given to altering the format to play kinda like Race2-2 does now in the PSP. Fewer opponents, best of 3 outcomes. Are you thinking of something like that or something completely different?

Major League Paintball Held Hostage, Day 18

Did you know the USPL will not be awarding a pro prize package? What, after all, is the point of spending your own money to give yourself a prize? (Or something like that.) And before that, at San Diego's NPPL curtain closer the pro teams were entertaining the idea of doing away with the pro prize money in exchange for entry reductions.
Why do I bring it up?
Because I thought, ah-ha!, here's a subject where VFTD can make real inroads in alienating some of the readers--that would be you--and then I'll get to see what it's like to be the PSP. Actually it's because (apparently) the PSP hasn't announced the prize packages yet and it's generating some anxiety. I'm kinda torn when it comes to prizes. On one hand I remember a time when winning some stuff--back then it was stuff, not cash--actually helped finance the next event. On the other hand I think prizes ought to be about rewarding the best and incentivizing teams to seek improvement. I'm not opposed to awarding prizes in the lower divisions but at the national level the competition is really about being the best and the teams that make the move into the national arena are focused on being the best they can be, not winning a bigger prize. Or ought to be. (Easy for me to say.) Of course back in the day we took it for granted we could win bigger prizes more easily playing local than we could in the lower divisions at the national level.

The great state of Cali is so far in the red that as of February 1st numerous routine payments the state makes will be discontinued to meet the immediate shortfall. By as early as March that may not be enough to keep to the state from becoming insolvent, going bust, broke. Belly up. Once those payments stop, what's next? How quickly does it all start to come apart? The wheels on the Cali bus go round and round. Faster and faster 'cus there's no money left to fix the brakes. Could there be a better time to expect 150+ 7-man teams to come to HB?

UPDATE: With today's (Tuesday) announcement that HB will be limited to 130 teams it's all good. I mean, like, that's way less.

With the above comment(s) VFTD is taking a moratorium on nay-saying the USPL. It should be eminently clear at this point I have serious reservations about the wisdom of the whole project even if I'm selfishly glad for another opportunity to pursue 7-man.

Major League Paintball Held Hostage, Day 15

NPL=USPL
An official press release has hit the Nation in the News section (too lazy to link and they don't need my help) so take a look if you're interested. It's a distinct improvement over the tourneyspeak of the last unofficial release that was showing up on assorted team websites and places like PBReserve (link in sidebar). This one isn't heavy on detail but it's not intelligence insulting either and I did enjoy the conclusion where it nattered on about setting rules, standards and guidelines for safe, competitive paintball tournaments worldwide. It's good to have goals but how 'bout getting past the first event before taking on the world?
Still nothing concrete on format (beyond being 7-man) except the conferences will populate the regional events and it makes me wonder if that means mixed prelims of some sort like the old days. Just a guess 'cus I don't know. I suppose you could run an event with an 8 team pro bracket. Kinda.

UPDATE: To add some necessary clarity. As of right now apparently the pro division is 16 teams divided into Eastern and Western conferences. One supposes evenly divided, so 8 teams per conference. Hence my guess. But it could as easily be a 7 game prelim going directly to a semi-final. (Was that helpful or just more confusing?)

There is developing a faction within the industry looking to fight the idea of the latest ROF restrictions. In a form letter one of the arguments made is that ROF restrictions don't trickle down to the local level so it's a waste of time BUT another argument is that such restrictions stifle innovation and technological development. I'm open to either argument but not both simultaneously. If the restrictions have no impact they aren't stifling anything. Perhaps a better argument is that the restrictions may impact tournament play at the local level and as a consequence may reduce the level of bidness interest in innovation and tech development.
Anyway, the bigger picture is that I'm beginning to think this is an issue that isn't going to go away anytime soon and could easily re-enter the format wars depending on what the USPL does.

Major League Paintball Held Hostage, Day 6

Do not expect any PSP breakthroughs this week. It won't happen. I am wondering about release of the Phoenix layout however. Rumor was there was to be a different release schedule this year. Hmm. We'll see.
Could see some movement though from teams regarding where they will be playing within the next week or so. That would be helpful.
With respect (it's just an expression) to the new 7-man dealio I'd hate to be the league treasurer and be responsible for collecting from the pro teams/owners. I can practically hear them now: Can I make installment payments? What'll you give me for last year's guns? I'm an owner. Do I really have to pay? Here's a promissory note. It's the same as cash. Oh, no. The sponsor is gonna cover that. Not us.

Major League Paintball Held Hostage, Day 3

Not only is there a LOT of information still to be released related to classification rules and procedural penalties for a start but there is also the matter of the fledgling 7-man league. Right now the appeal of that league--being more of a fantasy at the moment than a concrete reality--is dividing the undecideds among the pro teams. At some point coming soon those teams will have to make a commitment to one league or the other and those decisions will impact both the future of those teams and the league(s).

Dreamworld

7-man is dead. Long live 7-man. In a move that shouldn't really surprise anyone another effort is being made to revive the format on a national scale. At this rate I'm gonna run out of fingers to keep count. The GPL jumped in looking to fill the void with a plan to promote (and encourage) a unified series of competing regionals under their banner. Then the WCPPL (That's right, isn't it? I'm too lazy to check.) leaped into the breach in order to save 7-man for the left coasters and incidentally help support the two pro teams behind the effort; Aftermath (Hinman) & XSV (Telford.) Almost from the moment of Pacific's bankruptcy announcement there's been what governmental press liaisons like to call chatter flying around paintball's back channels. The latest from PBReserve puts Tom Fore (Arsenal) and Chuck Hendsch (Spyder) behind this move. They aren't alone but it's far from a done deal.
Don't let the post title give you the wrong impression. Or the music video. I'm not opposed to a new national 7-man league. I'm part of a team that is officially accounted among the "interested" if uncommitted. (Not unlike most everybody else who wants to sit on the fence for a while until they see how things are likely to shake out. Which, among other things, leads to a protracted shaking out period.) I liked having two leagues before and thought the competition was a good thing. (I didn't account however for nobody actually learning much of anything in the process. Oops.) I just don't think it's gonna happen. Or if it does I don't think it's gonna last. I don't think that at the moment it is being looked at with real hard-headed objectivity. In fact I'm very nearly positive it isn't. Pure Promotions lost its shirt. Pacific filed for bankruptcy but never fear, the new guys will avoid the pitfalls of the past.
[For the future NPL partners: Gentlemen, in the line item tentatively filled in to six places projecting industry support/sponsorship how 'bout you put together a worst case scenario that leaves that out of the computation altogether and see where it leaves you. I'm not saying you won't get anything but given your past experiences as team captains and owners you should have learned a little something about promises and reality much less wishful thinking. Just saying.]
What you've got is a number of former NPPL pro teams suddenly being pulled between 7-man pro and PSP semi-pro xball. (Because a goodly number, perhaps even most, will have to pick one or the other unable to commit to both.) I understand the appeal of their preferred format and applaud the conception behind it but can it get off the ground, much less last? And in the meantime it puts the PSP in a straight jacket with regards to filling out the semi-pro division and confidently moving forward based on their plans for '09. Can their restructuring withstand a depleted semi-pro? (It will alter the economies of the pro field and refs, etc. for a start given what was in the works.) Are we going to try and divide industry (again) and will industry be divided (again)? In what bizzaro universe does that make any sense after all the whimpering and hand-wringing from industry over the last couple of years? And what about Mary? (Okay, that's got nothing to do with anything. I just got carried away.)
What you've also got is what I assume to be some cross purposes particularly with the WCPPL. Will the west coast support a regional 7-man league and 2 major 7-man events? Aren't Hinman and Telford counting on the WCPPL to support their teams? Maybe they aren't or maybe everybody thinks starting two new 7-man leagues is no big deal and if you build it they will come. It's always worked before, right?

But enough will all the negativity. I think I can help. Why compete against each other when there's a possibility of working together? Check out the Pro Circuit. (Yes, I'm flogging this idea again.) Got that? Good.
What some of the pro teams want is the format. What all of them are interested in is greater say in the process and having some control over their own destiny. (Remember the old dream of the original NPPL?) Here's how it might work. The WCPPL continues to lay the groundwork for their regional league. The principles behind the putative NPL start talking to the GPL towards the end of seeing if an agreement can be reached that serves the primary interests of both sides. Let the GPL be the umbrella organization that oversees and helps build the regional series and incorporate the WCPPL into their structure. And if the NPL can work a deal with the GPL along the lines of running a pro circuit tied to GPL sanctioned regional events (and series) the GPL now has a big carrot to dangle in front of possible regional operators. Call me crazy, call me an optimistic fool but if it's possible for the various 7-man factions to work together I can't help but think there would be a much better chance for success. Of course it would probably shelve the Return of HB but we can't have everything we want, can we?