College X-Ball?

[JCC]

So what ever happend to College X-ball? I thought it was going to be ran at every NPPL event are something. I don't even know what NPPL is doing this year though with the new 7-man format and new locations maybe?
later,
jcc

[raehl]

Never any plans to run it at every (or any, for that matter) other NPPL events. It's possible it might return to World Cup next year, but any other X Ball will likely be stand-alone college.

- Chris

[JCC]

So is there going to be any strictly college divisions ran along side the PSP or NPPL this year? I would of realy liked to seen (and played) college X-ball at every major venue this year. I think X-ball is the future of professional and hopefully college paintball. I don't think it will work with other divisions because there are so many teams though. Just imagaine a paintball draft in the future were future pros will be being pulled out of college teams. If college and pros are the only ones playing X-ball thats where the sport would be headed. College players would be the only other teams that experinced the hour long games and more complicated system, and thus the players would be more prepared for the pros. I just think running a college X-ball along with the pro events will further the sport more then just professional X-ball along. But if its not possible oh well I guess. Would of been great to get a chance to play what I belive will be the future of the sport this season. I still have a few years of college left though so hopefully it will happen before I'm out of here.
later,
jcc

[raehl]

The big problem with doing college X Ball alongside NXL X Ball is that the NXL season does not jive well with the college season - LA Open and World Cup occur during the school year, but the rest don't.

We may have the All-Stars play Division II X Ball this season. Have to see.

And we may have regular college events aside PSP events, like Mardi Gras Open. If I can get a field and refs down there. ;) Actually, if anyone can find me an X Ball scoreboard, we'll play X Ball at MGO.

And we may even have NXL games alongside College X Ball games. Wouldn't that be fun?


- Chris

[JCC]

Well starting this fall I will have a college team made up of players that have played in lots of major events and done very well. Most of us have been playing togethor for 4+ years so any college event we can make it to we will be playing. And as far as needing a X-ball scoreboard... Hmm.. I have a crazy idea.. Any idea on what the cost on one of those would be? Any objections of having a companies logo on it? I may be able to pull something off. There should be 100's of companies wanting to put there logos on the scoreboards after all... The amount of spectators in X-ball is rather large, and I'm sure there will be a picture of the scoreboard in every paintball magazine around after a major event. So the cost of the scoreboard compared to the amount of advertising they get would be huge. The large audience that X-ball allows opens all types of doors for sponsers and hopefully would not be that hard to find a company willing to buy a scoreboard and plaster it with their logo. Just a idea of throw out there.. I'm sure the people behind professional X-ball this year are already on top of it, and hopefully if a college X-ball league is formed the same options will be there for us. Raehl I hope you veiw X-ball as being a important part in paintball future like I do and can find the resources needed to allow college teams to compete against eachother in X-ball tournaments. Also I know what you meen with the majority of the events being outside the school year, but with paintball not being a ture college sport we are kinda screwed if a paintball weekend falls on a major test day. So keeping your paintball team in contact over the summer may be difficult, but it is possible. Where as getting out of a midterm the day you should be flying to Orlando or where ever may not be. Also if theres going to be a College AllStar team playing somewhere I would love a chance to play even though this is a University most people have never herd of.
later,
jcc

[Knick Knack]

I know you guys have seen the score boards used. With all the brains there are in the college league, I bet some of the engineering schools could build there own. Talk to purdue, or Northeastern.

And JCC, I like your ideas. I think X ball is critical to the survival of paintball. And it would greatly boost college Paintball, if it were being played. Chris, I think you should talk to PSP and draxxus about having side by side leagues. Instead of having the All stars play, have all the schools play. After watching the reaction of everyone at cup, I know people would kill to play again. Varsity players are regularly excused from class weekly for games, I am sure with some help from corporations, etc we could convince our schools to let it slide 4 times a year (rough estimate).

I know I would do my damndest to get college players to be playing X ball.

There are so many more possibilities with X ball. You could have a regular season. Divisional teams meet once a month or so play a couple games (maybe a round robin of 4 teams). This would keep costs down because it could easily be done in a weekend, and with driving (no plane tickets). These teams play this round robin a couple of times, and the team that comes out on top of each division will then go to a national play offs (even allow for some wildcards). But I think i'm getting ahead of myself...we still need a score board :D

JCC and Chris, I think that this should be done, definately (for the long term success of both college and paintball as a whole). If you want to brain storm, I will definately help out, let me know.

Dan

[raehl]

Even if we made the scoreboards, they'd still be tremendously expensive as the materials involved are expensive. I'd rather pay the extra to have a company who does it as their business do it, as then if something goes wrong you also have a company there to support it.

College X Ball is not going to happen alongside PSP X Ball on a regular basis. I don't think it's really where we want it to happen, and there are a multitude of reasons it's not the best use of resources.

Believe me, people *ARE* thinking about how to do this, but a lot of tings need to come together.

- Chris