Whenever something ‘big’ happens in paintball, my paintball antenna naturally goes into ‘cynical’ mode and I try to think of all the real reasons that potentially lay behind the press releases covering these type events …
In this case, the EPBF is an organisation ostensibly representing the differing paintball federations within Europe; this would presumably give us a degree of validation, some accountability and in a sense, organises us into manageable lumps of representation.
This sounds great because we have needed this for a long time but what about the timing?
It could be argued it was just its natural time-slot, in other words, people finally got around to doing what needed to be done but life is rarely so sensible or indeed predictable and so my antenna started to do its cynical best in trying to unravel alternative answers as to its timing.
The Millennium has long since had a monopoly in Europe which has over the years allowed it to get away with blue murder.
What made matters worse was the complete absence of a coherent interface for the Millennium to its customer base, its PR was non-existent; it neither answered nor acted upon any of the criticisms levelled against it and so eventually it distanced itself from the very people it was supposed to be serving … but, it being a monopoly, it continued on its way, more by default than design …
This uneasy situation was ripe for exploitation; it just needed someone to kick the cat right into the middle of the sleeping pigeons and this came in the form of the PSP with its recent threat to bring itself over to the shores of Europe .. it scared the living hell out of the Millennium guys mainly because they realised they were now exposed to everything they had done before and exposed in a completely helpless way .. basically, the Millennium were well and truly ***ked, more ***ked than Joan Collins maybes but hey .. Lady Luck has this unerring knack of turning up when you least expect her and on this occasion she made her entrance into the fray just in time ….
Now, for whatever reason the PSP failed to make the trip over even though an alleged $1.2 million was set aside to bring 3 events to Europe .. and even though the Yanks didn’t land on our European shores, they did leave their mark in the form of a resolve amongst the Millennium guys to never be so exposed again .. leastwise that’s my thinking ..
I think the prospect of doing battle with the PSP was a bridge too far for the Millennium and the white flag could well have been flapping long before any sight of a Yank landing vessel was spotted … as to why the Millennium would have all folded in soo quickly?
I think mainly because the financial stability in the Millennium just isn’t there, they really don’t make bundles of dosh like everybody believes and of course, the European team market isn’t as resolute as people would like.
If the PSP had landed then it would have cut the team European team market in half which would have meant no league would have made money in 2011, far from it in fact, both leagues would have lost bundles.
And it was a loss that could potentially have killed both parties off but it seems the plug was pulled before the channel could fill up and allow the Yanks to once again invade our shores.
A resounding, ‘Thank **** for that’ could be heard in German, French and English emanating from our shores when it became obvious they weren’t coming.
But what has all this got to do with this new EPBF initiative you may reasonably ask?
I think the Millennium guys may have realised they need to consolidate their interests and they have responded to that need of a coherent European representation, and let’s face it, at least they are actually doing something positive here whilst nobody else is.
I also have to add something somewhat reluctantly, these guys are the only people I would recommend to do the job; they most certainly have the required experience and also the organisational skillsets required which basically leaves them the problem of organising their initial band of merry men.
It certainly wasn’t a case of an old boy’s network being brought into play, more that individuals were selected who Laurent Hamet believed could genuinely help the cause.
They also had to possess the required commitment and love for the game because the work ahead was always gonna be unpaid.
I’m glad I was selected if only because it means I can keep an eye on things from the inside and hopefully have some influence on what happens .. that’s the theory anyway.
I think from what I have seen and heard they are doing things correctly, thus far anyway …. However, they need to tread very carefully to ensure people do not think the EPBF is just a Millennium extension, because it’s not and never can be .. as soon as that happens, I’m off, and I’m sure the others will be too … I don’t like the thought of anybody being manipulated, least of all, UK ballers, and if I can do one thing on this board then it will be to try and ensure the Millennium do not use this for their own nefarious ends .. I don’t think that will happen anyway because they’re really not that stupid.
I think this consolidation move now makes it increasingly difficult for anyone to come over and invade our shores … our destiny is better served by our people and if it’s a case of ‘better the devil we know’ then so be it … I’d rather that than the alternative option of foreign control of our most prestigious and influential tournament series.
I realise there is a crossover of interests between the EPBF and the Millennium but I believe it to be circumstantial and not operational, it needs to be kept independent but there’s nothing wrong in the EPBF being an indirect help to the Millennium especially when it discourages foreign invasion.
I think we’re going in the right direction albeit being steered by a disparate bunch of individuals.
In this case, the EPBF is an organisation ostensibly representing the differing paintball federations within Europe; this would presumably give us a degree of validation, some accountability and in a sense, organises us into manageable lumps of representation.
This sounds great because we have needed this for a long time but what about the timing?
It could be argued it was just its natural time-slot, in other words, people finally got around to doing what needed to be done but life is rarely so sensible or indeed predictable and so my antenna started to do its cynical best in trying to unravel alternative answers as to its timing.
The Millennium has long since had a monopoly in Europe which has over the years allowed it to get away with blue murder.
What made matters worse was the complete absence of a coherent interface for the Millennium to its customer base, its PR was non-existent; it neither answered nor acted upon any of the criticisms levelled against it and so eventually it distanced itself from the very people it was supposed to be serving … but, it being a monopoly, it continued on its way, more by default than design …
This uneasy situation was ripe for exploitation; it just needed someone to kick the cat right into the middle of the sleeping pigeons and this came in the form of the PSP with its recent threat to bring itself over to the shores of Europe .. it scared the living hell out of the Millennium guys mainly because they realised they were now exposed to everything they had done before and exposed in a completely helpless way .. basically, the Millennium were well and truly ***ked, more ***ked than Joan Collins maybes but hey .. Lady Luck has this unerring knack of turning up when you least expect her and on this occasion she made her entrance into the fray just in time ….
Now, for whatever reason the PSP failed to make the trip over even though an alleged $1.2 million was set aside to bring 3 events to Europe .. and even though the Yanks didn’t land on our European shores, they did leave their mark in the form of a resolve amongst the Millennium guys to never be so exposed again .. leastwise that’s my thinking ..
I think the prospect of doing battle with the PSP was a bridge too far for the Millennium and the white flag could well have been flapping long before any sight of a Yank landing vessel was spotted … as to why the Millennium would have all folded in soo quickly?
I think mainly because the financial stability in the Millennium just isn’t there, they really don’t make bundles of dosh like everybody believes and of course, the European team market isn’t as resolute as people would like.
If the PSP had landed then it would have cut the team European team market in half which would have meant no league would have made money in 2011, far from it in fact, both leagues would have lost bundles.
And it was a loss that could potentially have killed both parties off but it seems the plug was pulled before the channel could fill up and allow the Yanks to once again invade our shores.
A resounding, ‘Thank **** for that’ could be heard in German, French and English emanating from our shores when it became obvious they weren’t coming.
But what has all this got to do with this new EPBF initiative you may reasonably ask?
I think the Millennium guys may have realised they need to consolidate their interests and they have responded to that need of a coherent European representation, and let’s face it, at least they are actually doing something positive here whilst nobody else is.
I also have to add something somewhat reluctantly, these guys are the only people I would recommend to do the job; they most certainly have the required experience and also the organisational skillsets required which basically leaves them the problem of organising their initial band of merry men.
It certainly wasn’t a case of an old boy’s network being brought into play, more that individuals were selected who Laurent Hamet believed could genuinely help the cause.
They also had to possess the required commitment and love for the game because the work ahead was always gonna be unpaid.
I’m glad I was selected if only because it means I can keep an eye on things from the inside and hopefully have some influence on what happens .. that’s the theory anyway.
I think from what I have seen and heard they are doing things correctly, thus far anyway …. However, they need to tread very carefully to ensure people do not think the EPBF is just a Millennium extension, because it’s not and never can be .. as soon as that happens, I’m off, and I’m sure the others will be too … I don’t like the thought of anybody being manipulated, least of all, UK ballers, and if I can do one thing on this board then it will be to try and ensure the Millennium do not use this for their own nefarious ends .. I don’t think that will happen anyway because they’re really not that stupid.
I think this consolidation move now makes it increasingly difficult for anyone to come over and invade our shores … our destiny is better served by our people and if it’s a case of ‘better the devil we know’ then so be it … I’d rather that than the alternative option of foreign control of our most prestigious and influential tournament series.
I realise there is a crossover of interests between the EPBF and the Millennium but I believe it to be circumstantial and not operational, it needs to be kept independent but there’s nothing wrong in the EPBF being an indirect help to the Millennium especially when it discourages foreign invasion.
I think we’re going in the right direction albeit being steered by a disparate bunch of individuals.
