Funk it, I threw caution to the wind and risked the wife dishing up copious dollops of nag-pie and called Steve at the Millennium to try and find out what's going on.
We had a pretty long talk discussing the future/fate of the Millennium Series but
I must add, I can't give you guys a comprehensive rundown of things to come either because they haven't been confirmed yet or need to be held back for other reasons.
Other than that, I'll endeavour to recall the relevant points .....
It's true to say that the NXL is heading this way and so the burning questions that players/teams will need to ask are:-
a) Will it cost more to play the new series?
From what I know, I think the costs for entry will increase and if the costs to play the NXL in the US are anything to go by, some teams over here will be facing a near two-fold increase.
On the other hand, prize money will also increase accordingly which is of course fantastic news for the winners of each event but as for the vast majority of teams who are non-winners, funkin' hard luck pal, you better practice reaching deeper into your pockets.
b) Will the formats change?
I think this a no-brainer, the NXL model is a slick operation that's been refined in the last few years and so it absolutely does make sense to adopt this model over here.
c) What are some of the downsides of this changeover to the NXL?
Firstly, I think I'm right in saying that the NXL pro teams are restricted in what they can play outside of the NXL and so these type restrictions will presumably be imposed here.
And so any team that's locked into the NXL pro division might well be blocked from playing the CPPS although there aren't too many teams playing the CPPS and the Millennium anyway.
I think the coming Paris event is pretty sure to be the last ever Millennium event which for me is a pretty sad day for European paintball, I'm gonna be writing a requiem post for the Millennium later on.
Steve Baldwin and Laurent [owners and creators of the Millennium] have been both good friends of mine for well over 20 years - their achievements have been unique in European paintballand I believe there's a need to document their achievements and just how much we owe them.
It's true to say they've come under attack in the past, some of those attacks coming from myself but you're always gone get some negativity - I hope to put the record straight in my article/post.
It will NOT turn out to be a back-slapping obsequious tribute to friends of mine, I'll try to write it up as truthful as I can make it.
I'll put up a link if anyone's interested to read it .....
The Millennium's model has been to try and nurture the growth of our sport from the ground up, such that provincial events such as the CPPS here in the UK are acting as a feeder conduit into the Millennium ....... but when you've got CPPS events being played a couple of weeks prior to the Millennium, financial constraints are brought to bear on teams/players making it hard to do both.
This bottom up philosophy of growth adopted by the Millennium series isn't reflected in the NXL whereas they seem to create an event series based upon the somewhat hackneyed proposal of, 'Build it and they will come' ....
I suppose this could be described as a top-down approach and it works pretty well in the US thus far, and so we'll have to wait and see if it works as well over here but maybe the significant increase in entry fees could well end up undermining any success leastwise in the short-term.
Next year, we'll be playing under the NXL, that's for sure, as to how many teams sign up?
Lord only knows but short-term there's sure to be a casualty list if the expected rise in entry fees is imposed.
I've little doubt the NXL will want to hit the ground running and so I think we can expect another slick operation on this side of the pond which has to be a plus point but it's gonna take time for the financial-dust to settle, and to find their feet.
They've already sent over a few people to scout out venues and so the gears are already in motion.
If anyone has any specific questions they want answering then ask them here in this thread and I'll do my best to get them answered.
For anyone asking sh!t-loads of inane questions, please refrain or they will be ignored.
Sensible questions only will be responded to .....
Our future looks challenging - we're entering a new age in European paintball and for the time being, I'd like to thank Steve and Laurent for everything they've done for all of us who've played their events over the years and I'd also like to thank them both for everything they've done for me personally.
