[I <3 SocialPaintball]

Social Paintball has been banned from NPPL events per Frank Connell, Vice President of the NPPL. Social had posted the event dates and locations of the 2013 events, which had already been posted on the NPPL's Facebook page, as they always have to help promote the events. Things escalated when Social said they would not retract the article but they would gladly edit/update it once the correct dates and locations were available.

I for one am glad that Social Paintball stood their ground as a media company. Kudos to Israel and crew, you guys are awesome!

[Update: 6:20 PM ET]: As per Frank Connell, Vice President of the NPPL, Social Paintball has been banned from NPPL events. It is unfortunate that we will not be able to provide news and information about the league to the fans and viewers. We will still try to provide updates about the league throughout the year, as we can. The dates provided below are incorrect, as soon as they are released by the NPPL, we will update the page. We repeat, the dates are incorrect (they were incorrectly posted on the NPPL website and Facebook page by the NPPL).

[Update: 5:50 PM ET]:Frank Connell has posted on our Facebook stating, “Please delete this the dates are worng.” It appears that the reason for the NPPL abruptly removing the dates/photos from their website and Facebook page is that they were prematurely and incorrectly posted. We have asked Mr. Connell to provide us with the correct dates. Stay tuned for more information.

The NPPL just posted their 2013 schedule on their Facebook page and website, but abruptly removed it. We were ninja-like enough to snag them.

The 2013 NPPL season schedule is in folks!


Event 1 – Surf City Open – Huntington Beach, California

Event 2 – Tampa Bay Open

Event 3 – Denver Open

Event 4 – Las Vegas, World Paintball Championship

As you can see, the NPPL has decided not to host an event in Chicago, IL this year, unfortunately. Chicago held one of the biggest turnouts for the NPPL series, making their decision not to host an event in the area quite baffling. Another thing you’ll notice is that they’ve decided to scrap the “DC Challenge”, which was held in Pevs Aldie, VA last season. In place of the two removed Chicago and DC events, are two new additions: The Tampa Bay Open and The Denver Open. We definitely love the idea of an event held in Tampa Bay and Denver, that’s for sure!

We are currently digging to get the scoop on why there will no longer be an NPPL Chicago event. Stay tuned!

[ProtoSkillz]

That's a dumb reason to ban someone. Unless I'm missing something...

[JL1988]

Ya seems like a pretty unreasonable move..

[SPpaintballa]

How stupid.. and no DC

I'm gonna write my essay in Denver and let him know the nppl is coming!

[leftoverchicken13]

bad move for nppl.

[berzerker]

Wait? People still pay attention to the NPPL?

[HoktFonix]

There is more to this story....

Social: Here's the dates everyone:
NPPL: Yo social, those are wrong, please take them down.
Social: No, we'll just edit them when you have the correct ones let us know
NPPL: You're banned.

This is not how this happened, unless they unreasonable business people, it makes no sense.

[KidInfamous]

that will alienate lots of east coast teams. i was planning on playing dc and chicago but i don't have the time to fly out to the mid west and west coast. dc is 5 hours from me and chicago is about 8-10. ohwell what must be must be

[Andocommando]

Media coverage for events is usually a good thing. Im guessing there is more to the story, which im sure we will hear from Frank

[Recanz]

Something else has to be going on here. I mean, why would you ban one of the largest media organizations in paintball from covering your league?

[TheBackwoodWolf]

When the league vp asked you to please remove something, you do it out of respect. But a ban should not have happened. just my 2cents.

[Castro #66]

Dropping Chicago is a terrible idea. They're losing all that extra business from the Living Legends event at the same site.

But at least reading along with the conversation on Facebook was funny.

[CON*RAD]

No Chicago? thats pretty stupid imo. Isn't NPPL Chicago and Living Legends normally held together at CPX sports? Thats going to make things less fun for people going to Living Legends. That's a major buzz kill.

[f8al]

Originally Posted by HoktFonix

There is more to this story....

Social: Here's the dates everyone:
NPPL: Yo social, those are wrong, please take them down.
Social: No, we'll just edit them when you have the correct ones let us know
NPPL: You're banned.

This is not how this happened, unless they unreasonable business people, it makes no sense.

Reading what the OP has, he/she clearly paraphrased, but it does say that SP said they would edit but not retract. That is their right as a media company. It's not like they flat out said that they would do nothing, he did try to work with Frank from what I saw. Israel is far from an ******* and didn't just give him the cold shoulder and the finger...

[Swanie08]

Originally Posted by Andocommando

Media coverage for events is usually a good thing. Im guessing there is more to the story, which im sure we will hear from Frank

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

Most of the story is here with Frank ranting the whole time. Izzy and Hafford returned with their statements in a professional manner from what I saw.

I wouldn't assume there is much beyond that entire conversation other than the fact that Frank is pissed at his PR guy, Social Paintball apparently not responding to Frank's messages as quickly as he would've liked, and a bunch of whiney other paintballers who clearly think they know everything.

The way I see it, the NPPL just lost a ton of respect over something so small and not only that but business they would've received at Chicago and DC. I'd normally be upset about this having just moved to Virginia, but from what I saw, the only thing the NPPL cares about is the money that they get.

**I had to pay for a pit pass just to help out my friend's team at this past event. You'd think they wouldn't charge you a dime for wanting to help out your friends but hey why not make a few $$$ more on pit passes. Pathetic.**

[ollytheosteo]

It's probably the usual every-damn-time-in-paintball deal where nice sterile professional press releases fail to reflect the '**** you and the pig you rode in on' content of the actual...discussions

[Skipdogg]

Sounds about right. Not suprised here

[JohnSherman]

Wow, I never realized that both Social and the NPPL are run by borderline retarded man children.

Frank, and whomever runs Social, grow the hell up. Don't argue about business in a public forum, it's childish and unprofessional. Companies should work out issues in private, and then explain the situation to the public in a timely manner, not argue back and forth in the Facebook comments section.

edit:
As for Social's continued display of the dates, they are most certainly in the wrong. Removing the picture is how a media company should have responded to the request. If NBC displayed a picture saying that cyanide was healthy for you, you would want them to take it down, not edit the comments to "This is not true."

As for banning Social, well that is a severe overreaction considering the time frame we are talking about. I'm not saying that it wasn't deserved, but the knee-jerk reaction that was displayed was a terrible way to go about it.

[B*FordPRO]

Frank Connel doesnt seem like a very reasonable guy at all either way

[BuzzNeo]

CPX staff was saying that Living Legend, PSP, and UWL were going to occur at the same time, so NPPL is just missing itself.

[John]

Originally Posted by BuzzNeo

CPX staff was saying that Living Legend, PSP, and UWL were going to occur at the same time, so NPPL is just missing itself.

I don't think that is true.

Living Legends is in May and PSP Chicago is not.