[Complete_Coverage]

Having a general opinion and then asking a clarifying question to get the input of others in hopes of either affirming my position or hearing significant input justifying an opposing opinion is what I was looking for.

Expecting real answers in this forum is what is funny.

I apologize for any comments that were perceived as personal as this conversation needs to stay above board. Thank you for understanding.

[NTran]

Originally Posted by Complete_Coverage

Why do Manufacturers insist on owning (shareholder/stakeholder) the PSP?

Why does the NPPL allow wealthy parents to own teams when they serve as nothing more than an outlet for their child?

Why does the NPPL allow its employees to play on teams in the league it governs?

Are you asking these questions as it affects the PRO division or all divisions?

You seem to have a vested interest in this topic and have opinions as to what is right and wrong about how the league is run. Do you also have any solutions to these issues because I think everyone is always up for suggestions to improve.

My thoughts on your questions, without any real insider information:

1. Manufacturers have a stake in the league because they want it to succeed and because no one else wants to invest into it.

2. Both the NPPL and PSP will allow "wealthy" parents to own teams in the league because they are customers. As far as the PRO division is concerned, I don't know how the NPPL regulates that division. I don't know the details of the PSP either but I know that the PSP looks at several factors before it let's a team compete in PRO. We had to have a plan before being considered.

3. The PSP allows this also, I am just not sure if they are working the event when they are playing. Generally speaking, it's probably not good business practice but I have no problem with it given how we are all doing this for fun and I don't think it really affects much.

[Christian P]

Many people view Paintball as a sports league. It's not. It's more of a sports hobby.

None of the Paintball leagues last long on their own, most operate at a break even or loss in the financial level, and there isn't a large enough interest at a national level in Paintball to view it as a league. Fans have to turn to the Internet for information on their favorite clubs. Heck even D sports with limited funds like skiing, American soccer, even curling has enough interest to have a viewing on NBC sports but also has parents involved to coach, fund time on a field, and to make it possible to be played by others.

Paintball is a club sport. Pros are few and far between but don't exist without parent's money that fund many teams. There isn't a television contract or corporate sponsor that will fund a team. This sport will never be as popular as basketball, football, or baseball and will need parents to fund teams or there won't be any teams for kids to play on. Without parents, there might be 6 teams or less to play on in three states (Texas, California, and Florida).

Paintball doesn't have enough adults that can fund the sport for themselves so it will need the parents of the kids that make up 70 percent of the people that play paintball. Kids play for 1 to 5 years, then find something else of interest. As they get older, people like playing sports without pain and that are established and stable. I've played golf as long as paintball and most golf courses last as long if not twice as long as a paintball field. Many will golf into their twilight years and support the sport with expendable income. Paintball might get 3 to 5 years of your money and then it's looking for a new player that funds the sport.

Parents are needed or their wont be the number of teams that exist today. You should thank parents for giving up their hobbies be involved with a team.

[raehl]

A good analogy might be something like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_500

Lots of people will spend a lot of money on a competitive hobby.

- Chris

[7paintball]

Originally Posted by raehl

A good analogy might be something like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_500

Lots of people will spend a lot of money on a competitive hobby.

- Chris

Very true. Nice analogy Chris.

[Complete_Coverage]

NTran, well put. My interest is expecting the professional league to run as such and not a hobby a Chris wrote. When in a position of power to run a governing body, the work is serious or customers get slighted, they should not also participate or lose ethical objectivity.

Christian P, you hit the nail on head. Paintball in its current form is not television or even internet worthy. Ergo change is needed. After being a fly on the wall at several, very boring, merger meetings that only shed light on two very important facts: 1) the ownership can not leave their ego at the door and 2) the leagues have no real value.

I remember writing an investment position paper for an NYSE IPO underwriter firm about Vonage. One of the quotes published read something like, "some companies are dogs and this one has fleas."

Christian, players drop out of the sport because their is no pot of gold at the end of the expensive rainbow ride. If today's 'professional' players were signing contracts that enabled them to support themselves then more parents would commit to the financial investment required to get them there. If the collegiate league was under the NCAA then colleges would fund the sport, but none of the prevalent U.S. leagues are willing to take their owners hands out the cookie jar and make the decisions that will grow the hobby into a sport.

Chris, we finally agree. 'Professional' Paintball is a COMPETITIVE HOBBY!

The difference between Baja and Paintball, hmmm. Try this: "344 million people will watch off-road racing in their homes on television this year."

And don't think I didn't notice the omission of an IRS EIN posting.