[Tim Kuykendall]

Sorry for the bad spelling. I was in a hurry.

[Bobc3489]

Originally Posted by Tim Kuykendall

NPPL did a good job at Chicago. Not a great job, but a good job.

The Chicago good:
The player areas were layed out much better for access to the fields.
Check-in was smooth
Scores were posted promptly
Water and toilets were close
The refs did a very good job of moving the games along on field #2
The refs started the games with whistles
Teams did a good job of moving off tables when they were done and qucikly made room for the next round teams (both days)


The Chicago bad:
Once again the paint trucks are way too far from the players. Here's the deal, the spectators aren't buying paint, ok the pros aren't either, but most of us are and the paint trucks really should be easier access.
Not enough trash cans.
Why didn't some one mow the grass????? No one is expecting fairway grass, but going from 6" grass to turf to 6" grass. Really?
The long grass hid the holes
The chicks in the beer cart driving in the player area. It's really a busy area and while some teams are done and looking for the cold beer, other are still playing or moving around for paint, air or chrono. Dodging a beer cart should be a concern.
Dynasty cried and complained because a D4 team was using their table Sunday morning. The D4 team got there at 6:00 to prepare for playoff that started at 8:00.
CPX seems like a nice park, but personally, I was not impressed with the location.
If NPPL wants to grow the sport and leauge make it accessible to the public. Much like HB, secure a park or other public area in Chicago. NPPL doesn't rely on anything from the park. They bring there own nets, air and stands.

Start the season with HB and end it with Vegas, but change the other locations each year. Spread the love across the US.
Have 5 total events and take the top 4 scores for season champs.

One last thing before everyone starts adding comments.
Have 2 tourny's back to back stinks. How about scheduling them every other month.
March, May, July, Sept and Nov

March-HB
May-Chicago (real Chicago)
July-South Carolina
Sept-Dallas
Nov-Vegas

Let the chatter begin!

I've also always wanted to see paintball in the city of chicago however parking is a pain and i also believe that paintball is illegal in the city.

[NCONTROL]

As someone mentioned before having events at venues which are not paintball field does not help the industry as the venue costs go to a company outside of paintball. While having the events at non-field venues can help attract people who are not current players get interested I would be willing to bet that the benefit of helping a field is greater than the couple extra spectators.

[Dkepp™]

they were clearing saving their grass for the psp event, last year was so much better field wise then then what had appeared like they scrapped together for the two fields this year.

[JohnSherman]

Originally Posted by Tim Kuykendall

Start the season with HB and end it with Vegas, but change the other locations each year. Spread the love across the US.

No! Don't do that! CPX is an hour away from my house.

[vivalaconfederacy]

Originally Posted by ?DevilDog?

One more thing I will add is they should make sure they have the Trade Show run parallel to the fields like HB. I say this because I was walking through the tread show towards center court and took a paintball just below my eye that welted and blackened my eye! When the show runs parallel to the fields its more just richochete shots than straight on shots that escape

this was ridicolous they were escaping all weekend i got hit several times.
i started wearing my mask through the begining of the tradeshow. even the paint trucks were getting slammed.

[honky]

was it really that bad? I didnt see any go fling through the whole weekend.

[Ryan Gray]

Lots of great points, but now how do you get the powers that be to give a rats behind? This is a league for the Pros, everyone and everything else is just a side show.

[Tim Kuykendall]

Originally Posted by Ryan Gray

Lots of great points, but now how do you get the powers that be to give a rats behind? This is a league for the Pros, everyone and everything else is just a side show.

I'm hoping the NPPL will listen. Like most things I think it's how you send the message. No one likes to hear about problems without answers, to be different than most topics it's gather the information and share it. Now no one can make them do anything but I would hope that any professional group would listen to constructive feedback that improves the league.

Were no talking about venues, rule changes and other stuff were talking about simple things that improve the flow off the tourny and make the league better.

I'm sure the pro teams and owners have their priorities but it us the D2, D3, and D4 teams that carry the tourney. Pros aren't battle for their own entry fees. The other divisions contribute 50 to 85% of entry fees to the pros purse. So yes I think the NPPL will listen to reasonable suggestions.

[Tim Kuykendall]

Originally Posted by Ryan Gray

Lots of great points, but now how do you get the powers that be to give a rats behind? This is a league for the Pros, everyone and everything else is just a side show.

Ryan. Let me know when you guys set your next practice. Us roughnecks need your guidance and expertise. We want to win Vegas.

[savage187]

Originally Posted by Tim Kuykendall

OK,
Good feedback. Here's what we got so far:

Things that have little or no cost:
-Paint trucks closer to the player area
-Post a large schedule outside each chrono tent
-Standard flag and flag stand, or better flag and stand
-Short grass when playing on natural grass (peraonally I think 3" max)
-To improve transition time between games allow team to enter field when ref calls time
-Provide an exit from the field other than the chrono tent
-No coin flips to choose field sides.
-Mark one side home the other visitor and schedule dictates which side of the field the teams play
-Provide chrono ref with volunteer or give them bull horn to call teams
-Add more rakes and allow player to rack corners or other bunkers before the game
-Ensure the netting is farther from the sideline
-Actually mark the out of bound instead of using the net edge
-Have ref’s start each game with a whistle or horn
-More trash cans

Things that are more difficult or may have a significant cost:
-Trade show parallel to fields to prevent spectators from getting hit
-Provide a clock outside the chrono tent
-Show teams paid/not paid on registration
-Use better player tracking software for ranking and teams played with
-Improve posting scores during the day and on the internet

This is a very good start to improving a leauge we all enjoy being a part of. Keep in mind this is not the venue to discuss moving to other cities or rule changes. There is a specific way to address those issues but not after the season has started. I know we go to Pev's in September. Having never played there some of the items on the list may be addressed, but I know last year in Vegas and this year in HB many of the things listed above would have improved the event.

Keep it coming.

I think NPPL really does care about what the players have to say. NPPL was on point until 2007, then they went down hill fast but I feel they are really trying to make a comeback. A few things that they were still lacking were-

- Threwout the entire event I never seen a ref check any player for layers
- I never seen anyone checked for fps or rof on field, just at the entrance
- Field 2 needed a ref at each start box with a radio for the 10 second GO call. When we got moved over from field 1 to field 2 for the finals living legends was going on, and between all the noise it was really hard to hear the GO call.

I dont feel like the reffing won or lost us any game that we played, but it would be nice to see those minor improvements.

Again, to NPPL for holding a good event.

[Spartan 03]

Originally Posted by savage187

- Threwout the entire event I never seen a ref check any player for layers
- I never seen anyone checked for fps or rof on field, just at the entrance
- Field 2 needed a ref at each start box with a radio for the 10 second GO call. When we got moved over from field 1 to field 2 for the finals living legends was going on, and between all the noise it was really hard to hear the GO call.

-We checked, and caught, several players with too many layers throughout the weekend on field 2.

-We did random checks for ROF on field 2, however, we didn't go crazy with it because it really interfered with a players game to have a ref pile into the bunker with him and make him shoot over a handheld chrono in the middle of a game. Besides that, we also found that players mysteriously slowed thier ROF when we had the chrono on thier barrels. So, significant interference with minimal information gained, we found that regular checks before or after the point was just as useful and not as problematic, though we did still do random checks during the game when they were warrented.

-agreed.

[LittleH8kid]

In HB or Chicago i havent had my ID checked at all.

[rockinarasta]

The id checking is supposed to be handle by the crono ref.

[Tim Kuykendall]

I know that during two of our games on field #2 we were checked for layers.
They did pretty good considering there were a lot of new ref's onthe field. Yes, the chrono ref is responsible for checking player ID.

So here is the plan so far. I will write a letter suggesting some changes be made as listed in this thread. I will post the letter and if you agree you are encouraged to copy and paste it iinto an email to the NPPL. The email address will be provided.

So, if anyone has any other suggestions please post them. Please refrain from suggesting new and different locations or rule changes.

Also, thank you to everyone who has contributed. We can't complain if we don't try!

[monkeyballer099639]

Originally Posted by Tim Kuykendall

I know that during two of our games on field #2 we were checked for layers.
They did pretty good considering there were a lot of new ref's onthe field. Yes, the chrono ref is responsible for checking player ID.

So here is the plan so far. I will write a letter suggesting some changes be made as listed in this thread. I will post the letter and if you agree you are encouraged to copy and paste it iinto an email to the NPPL. The email address will be provided.

So, if anyone has any other suggestions please post them. Please refrain from suggesting new and different locations or rule changes.

Also, thank you to everyone who has contributed. We can't complain if we don't try!

How about a petition instead of everyone sending seperate emails? Collect signatures (so people's names) on here and once you have a good amount of names, then send it to NPPl. I just say this because getting possibly hundreds of individual emails will get cumbersome.

[Ryan Gray]

Originally Posted by Tim Kuykendall

I know that during two of our games on field #2 we were checked for layers.
They did pretty good considering there were a lot of new ref's onthe field. Yes, the chrono ref is responsible for checking player ID.

So here is the plan so far. I will write a letter suggesting some changes be made as listed in this thread. I will post the letter and if you agree you are encouraged to copy and paste it iinto an email to the NPPL. The email address will be provided.

So, if anyone has any other suggestions please post them. Please refrain from suggesting new and different locations or rule changes.

Also, thank you to everyone who has contributed. We can't complain if we don't try!

My ID was not even looked at when I got my player ID. I could have ben Billy bob and played division 4... The entire process was a joke and is clearly a money grubbing operation. They are getting an extra 400 plus dollars from each team.

This was the worst nationally refed event I have ever seen. The NPPL has huge improvements to make in order to not look like a glorified regional series.

[Slimslice]

i love events by the beach such as huntington

[poopresearch]

Field 2 needed a ref at each start box with a radio for the 10 second GO call. When we got moved over from field 1 to field 2 for the finals living legends was going on, and between all the noise it was really hard to hear the GO call.

I thought you could go when the hand dropped. Why not have one of your players yell go when that happens. Otherwise it was hard to hear with the compressors right there. Having two refs give the go call "simultaneously" seems like a potential source of problems.

[savage187]

One ref says go, holding the radio on. The two radios at the start boxes are speakers at that point just so the teams at the start box can hear better. Its not complicated at all, and its not refs trying to yell go at the same time. And why? because this is a improvement thread, and for $2600 entry teams should be able to hear when the ref says go not have to call go them selves or watch for hands dropping.

[pimpstapaintballa]

Originally Posted by savage187

One ref says go, holding the radio on. The two radios at the start boxes are speakers at that point just so the teams at the start box can hear better. Its not complicated at all, and its not refs trying to yell go at the same time. And why? because this is a improvement thread, and for $2600 entry teams should be able to hear when the ref says go not have to call go them selves or watch for hands dropping.

this man is speaking truth.