UK Press Release

[Robbo]

I'm coming back in here again as I’m finding this thread very interesting.

Further to what I've already said, as far as a board is concerned, I feel that it is absolutely necessary. Too many cooks (no pun intended cook$) spoil the broth. Final decisions have to be made and those decisions should be made by people who have been at the frontier of the sport from the beginning.

However, to say that this group of people alone will felicitate enough change in a relevant period of time is unlikely to say the least.

The easiest way of dividing up the responsibility is through Counties, each with their own small board who then report to the Gods. In turn, the main board has a channel which it can pass rules and regulations through. When you break the Country down like this, how many sites on average is a board responsible for? 10 at the most? This is far more realistic in my opinion. This board can than work with the sites, making sure things are put into place. There is also then a clear chain of authority.



I disagree. There are 306,000,000 people in the USA compared to only 61,500,000 in the UK. It appears stronger, but only due to the sheer size of market. What you are talking about here would kill the sport and strip it of any credibility. We don't need to force it underground, we need 'clubs' if you like, places to promote and guide new players.....Under 18s teams to bring through the next generation of players etc.

No one likes red tape, but it is fundamental to our goal.

I read this and all I gotta say is ...... please, please, let me know what you are taking so I can get some; and there was me thinking LSD was the best hallucinagen

 

[Ainsley]

Fair enough its been a long day , but what's really so out there about the points made?

 

[Robbo]

Fair enough its been a long day , but what's really so out there about the points made?

Ainsley, it's OK, I was just kiddin with ya, nothing serious at all mate but having just re read it, I think the county suggestion might need some work because there is no real way that could work over here the way things are.

 

[gambo47]

I know that the costs of travel and accomodations for events like the Masters would possibly inhibit some teams from regular entry to these big events.
Perhaps national leagues followed by a national championship will work.
I think Robbo and the federation has the right route to get to where we need to be in the future in order that we have Supair in the UK!
Good luck Robbo...

G

 

[Ainsley]

I know mate, no offence taken! Think it might have something to do with this redbush tea my Mrs has got me drinking though

I know I've got this slightly utopian vision of the future, I just want it to develop into a true sport that will give both the new and old players a reason to carry on playing; not just sell up when they get bored with their local site or from main events being too far to travel to. I'm just throwing ideas out there - like my mother says 'throw enough of it around and some of it will stick'.

Strangely enough, it’s my motto on the field as well

 

[Robbo]

I know mate, no offence taken! Think it might have something to do with this redbush tea my Mrs has got me drinking though

I know I've got this slightly utopian vision of the future, I just want it to develop into a true sport that will give both the new and old players a reason to carry on playing; not just sell up when they get bored with their local site or from main events being too far to travel to. I'm just throwing ideas out there - like my mother says 'throw enough of it around and some of it will stick'.

Strangely enough, it’s my motto on the field as well

It is an unfortunate irony of the modern game, the motto you talk of, just about sums up the reason why a lot of newcomers are put off, I'm not really sure how much inroad we can make into that area of our game but let's hope we can do something.

 

[Timboy]

From a site owners perspective (SupAir), I have to admit that I shudder at the prospect of players running their own games. Now, I am not shuddering at the prospect of loosing revenue but more from the knowledge of all that is required in order to run safe games let alone the infrastructure to support it.

Really interesting thread.

I can only really contribute on the scenario side of paintball which has undergone some interesting changes in the past couple of years.

Over 50% of the events on the Scenario calendar this year are events run by teams (for teams read players).

I attend many of these events in one capacity or another and the one thing they have in common is that the site owners work extremely closely with the teams to ensure that the event is safe and offers decent value for the players who attend. Without this close relationship between site owner and team - these events could not happen.

The growth in the number of events run by players has had a big impact on scenario paintball in the past 18 months.

Firstly, the explosion in the number of events has resulted in many teams playing much more locally than was previously the case and in many cases much more often. If as a team you wanted to attend 8 events three years ago you would have had to travel all over the UK with the associated travel, fuel, accommodation costs - not to mention possible time off work and away from the family.

Now you could probably play 8 events within a few hours of where you live where ever you are in the UK.

The published scenario calendar for 2009 has over 30 events in it - there are additional events that are not even listed.

Many teams now choose two or three games per year that they are willing to travel to (i.e Warped, Staargate and some of the more established scenario games like the Wild Geese event in March) but will fill in the rest of the year with events much closer to home.

The increase in choice/competition has started to have the effect of driving down the entry price to games and additionally most events now offer 'value-adds' to their customers (i.e. free event dvd's, T-shirst, pyro etc). As the price between a decent walk-on and a big game begins to concertina together many traditional scenario events are having to be fairly innovative in order to not be squeezed out.

Nobody here needs a lesson in economics from me - but these are all signs of healthy market forces in operation. More competition which in turn results in greater value for customers (for customers read players) which in turn is resulting in a growing customer base.

Secondly, the overall number of scenario players has increased significantly. I assume that having more local events makes is cheaper for new players to get into the game. Also, with teams organising many of the events you may have up to a dozen guys promoting the event to friends, workmates and family etc as opposed to a single site owner or event organiser who are often not brilliant at marketing outside of the regular player base.

That's not to say that there aren't major problems in scenario - because there are. There is a body made up of players, team captains, event organisers and traders who are trying to improve standards and operating levels - it's slow work but the will is there.

I'm not here trying to preach and am definitely not here to espouse one flavour of the game over another. But the changes we've seen recently in scenario came about more by accident than as part of some grand strategic design. That there are more events, more players and a general improving level of value for players seems to be the case. There maybe something in there that those brighter than myself maybe able to cherry pick and use elsewhere for the overall greater good.

I wish those involved in this project every success and if I can support it in any capacity as a site owner, event organiser or player - then I will.

 

[bizy43]

robbo i have a question for you
once the board has established its self and acheived its goals (actually it would be good to get a detailed account of those) will the board be subject to a public or federation vote so democracy rules
your thoughts please
ps this is for the mid to long term
cheers martyn

 

[Robbo]

robbo i have a question for you
once the board has established its self and acheived its goals (actually it would be good to get a detailed account of those) will the board be subject to a public or federation vote so democracy rules
your thoughts please
ps this is for the mid to long term
cheers martyn

I've got no frikkin idea...and I've got no frikkin idea because by the time we have achieved whatever goals we set out to achieve, I won't give a flying fcuk coz I'm outa here like a rat up a drainpipe, I will have done my bit and it will be time for me to kick back and chill .....

But I tell ya something mate, it's all well and good you spouting democratic principles from the sidelines when everything is back on its feet ...coz it seems to me, those same democratic principles, when left to their own devices to run paintball, (as it has done these past years) has ended up creating a fackin nightmare ...... I got no problem with democratic principles, it's just I do have a problem with a democracy... in the way you imply anyway, especially if you wish to run an organization that we will have set up.

Think of it like the FA, does everybody who plays football have a vote?
Nah they don't, and there is a very good reason for that, not least of which is because the whole thing then becomes unwieldy and impractical, democratic? 'Maybe' - Effective?, 'Nah'.

You need representation of the masses not massive representation.

This may sound elitist, but I don't really care coz you can crack on all you like about full representation but as I see it, it's like letting the lunatics run the asylum coz present day paintball as it has evolved (democratically) is a frikkin madhouse, and getting madder by the minute.

I am there, like everybody else is on this board, to get the job done as cleanly and as quickly as possible, if you want a full working democracy underwriting every decision that needs to be made, then I'm off mate - you can be the chairman if you like, but you'll be sitting in a seat like King Canute as the tide of democratic process laps around your feet with all the attendant flotsam and jetsam of absolute bollocks ....

I hope this answers your question

 

[bizy43]

yes it does

actually at the fa and premiership all the way down to grass roots county footie the clubs do have a say and have a vote through there chairman on officials of the board not on the day to day running like goverment and civil service

and as it goes i was'nt spouting democracy i was asking if that is whats gonna happen

as it goes mate im not a big fan of the processe

im just really asking about transparency your talking about trust and thats the best way to get it imo

i like the idea that you want to get out when you feel your jobs done (not read that anywhere but may of missed it) as theres nothing worse than a man who's served his perpose hanging on so fair play on that
cheers martyn

oh and no i dont want to be chairman i just play paintball not that well