Nppl Sold

[Beemer]

NPPL Aquired by Pacific Paintball LLC

Pacific Paintball LLC has acquired both the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) and the Xtreme Paintball Sports League (XPSL), the leading national and regional paintball tournament operators in the United States. Shawn Walker, current owner and President of XPSL, will be President of Pacific Paintball.

Mr. Walker stated: “We are very excited to bring a level of professionalism, consistency and coordination to all tournament and league events from the national to the regional and to the local level. With the financial backing of Pacific Merchant Capital, we intend to bring significant investment to upgrade all aspects of our product offering. This will bring substantial value to our players, sponsors and spectators.”

“The experienced professionals at Pacific Merchant Capital have a long list of successes to their credit and are dedicated to add another success through the paintball industry. The combination of the largest regional league with the most recognized national level league is a perfect alignment of goals to achieve optimum success.”

Mr. Walker has managed the XPSL tournament series for the past 3 years and has worked with numerous paintball tournaments across the US. He has been involved in all aspects of the paintball industry for the past 15 years, and is co-host and consultant for the television show Inside Paintball, broadcast on the Outdoor Channel.

Bart Walkerdine, current CEO of NPPL and Pure Promotions, will consult for the league and tournament series. Mr. Walkerdine stated: “We have been approached by many people over the last several years seeking to become involved in the NPPL. Pacific Paintball is the first group to come along which combines significant paintball industry experience, meaningful growth capital and a dedicated focus to league and tournament operations.” Camille Baker, Director of Marketing for the NPPL, will be a key executive of Pacific Paintball.

The National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) has continually set the standard for high quality tournaments. Its innovations include: use of specialty turf, holding events at large well known arenas like Raymond James Stadium and Gillette Stadium, and offering a professional referee organization. The first NPPL event of the 2007 season, at Huntington Beach, California on March 23rd-25th, will feature over 200 teams hitting the beach for an unprecedented fifth straight year. Registration opens January 29th and more information can be found at www.NPPL.tv.

Chuck Hendsch, former President and owner of NPPL, will serve on an advisory board to the NPPL. Mr. Hendsch stated: “I have known Shawn Walker and the principals at Pacific Merchant Capital for over three years. They have been interested in growing paintball participation and this provides a solid platform as the largest and only independent paintball tournament and event operation in the United States. Their efforts should help to grow overall paintball participation as well as the number of core players in our sport.”

Xtreme Paintball Sports League (XPSL) is the largest regional event series in the United States. In 2006, over 120 teams attended each event and thousands of spectators continued to call the high quality, affordably priced circuit home. The first XPSL tournament of the season is February 16th-18th at the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield, California. Registration is now open with more information available at www.XPSL.com.

Pacific Paintball has been formed by Pacific Merchant Capital (“PMC”), a Santa Barbara, California based investment group. The principals at PMC have owned/operated middle market radio stations as well as built several niche media companies, including the largest taxi top advertising company in the United States which is currently an integral part of Clear Channel Communications’ outdoor division. In addition to Pacific Paintball, PMC is currently building Brite Media Group, a leading alternative media business.

The NPPL's Mission is to be the World Wide Governing body of the sport of paintball, to run and promote the highest quality events, to ensure safe, fair, competitive play for members, teams and spectators, while showcasing Paintball as a major sport with integrity and professionalism. The NPPL is committed to setting rules, standards and guidelines for safe, competitive and fair Paintball competitions worldwide. For more information on the National Professional Paintball League, please visit www.nppl.tv



What changes can we expect to see if any? Will it stay semi?

Guess that kills any merge with PSP.

[geekwarrior]

"while showcasing Paintball as a major sport with integrity and professionalism"


:rolleyes: I'll believe it when I see it.

[Beemer]

This one got my attention.

The NPPL's Mission is to be the World Wide Governing body of the sport of paintball

[gus13]

This one got my attention.

The NPPL's Mission is to be the World Wide Governing body of the sport of paintball

hasn't been thier mission from the start? whether they are or not is beside the point, I thought that was their mission statement from the beginning anyway. but I can't say we'll see a huge difference right away, maybe down the line a bit, but I'm willing to bet the merge will be slow process, and real changes won't come for a few years., they'll see what works and what doesn't and hopefully fix the things that do't and leave the things that do alone. as for ramping....why? why not have two leagues that have different formats? allows for some change in a game that has practically limitless options for style.
my .02 cents :cheers:

[hitech]

The fact that they also own major "media companies" is very interesting.

I would expect to see major changes, I just have no idea what. ;)

:cheers:

_____________________________________________

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Hey Hitech your starting to sound like me! - AGD <img src ="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q45/delabril/smiley_mini102.gif">
Hitech is the man.... :eek: - Blennidae
The only Hitech Lubricant (http://www.kercon.com)

[skipdogg]

investment management groups typically slash and burn to cut costs. I have no idea how you jump from radio stations to tournament paintball. On the surface this looks like either desperation for cash by the NPPL, or something very interesting went on behind the scenes that only a select few are aware of.

[Beemer]

hasn't been thier mission from the start? whether they are or not is beside the point, I thought that was their mission statement from the beginning anyway.

Yes that is very true. back in 92 or so that was the idea of the original founders of the NPPL and the IPPA. It went way south along the way

[Beemer]

The fact that they also own major "media companies" is very interesting.


Ya they have been intrested to buy the last couple of years. Hmmmm

[Beemer]

or something very interesting went on behind the scenes that only a select few are aware of.

Ya the buyers got a Plan thats for sure. Time will tell.

[Aggravated Assault]

...which is currently an integral part of Clear Channel Communications’ outdoor division. In addition to Pacific Paintball, PMC is currently building Brite Media Group, a leading alternative media business.


I wonder if Clear Channel may fit into the picture somehow?

I also wonder what exactally "alternative media" means in this context. I would hope it isn't "taxi top advertising." :)

[Lohman446]

Is it an attempt to make it attractive in an attempt to quick sell to ESPN? Said under the impression that ESPN owns X games and a paintball league (owned, not just televised, we all remember them getting burned once) may be attractive to them if this company can present it as already having the "right" numbers in terms of business and money.

I mean, if paintball can fund itself + a camera crew giving ESPN essentially free footage and promotional value it might be worth it.

I would place a bet that these new owners are short term (year or two)

[Beemer]

Interview with the new NPPL President Shawn Walker

http://www.paintballstar.com/pn/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=7&page_id=609

[skipdogg]

I think I hear the sound of money trucks making deliveries all over town.
Well, good for the NPPL. Maybe they can learn from Smart Parts and try to take over the paintball universe as good guys...

[Ninjeff]

i dont trust anything with the name "clear channel" in it.

[rkjunior303]

some quotes of mention..


A couple months after I left the NPPL I got hooked up with Pacific Merchant Capital (PMC) a private equity capital firm that have researched paintball over the last 3 years and are investing in niche markets. They are based on sponsorship and advertising, they don't manufacture anything. According to PMC, paintball is a niche market and also an underperforming industry. They attended the Tampa NPPL event and were surprised how big everything was. It was then they decided to get into the industry. The NPPL didn't have capital to grow their events to the next level and felt it was a good fit, so they sold it to PMC and were confident we could take it to the next level. I worked with them to put the deal together.


The endemic advertisers (editors note: fancy pants word for paintball companies) are financially pretty tapped out. The leagues are owned by manufactures and the past few years relationships have been strained as everyone is in legal disagreements with each other. Now we are the only independently owned tournament circuit. We have no other goals other than putting on the best events possible.


I'm interested to see how the NPPL evolves over the next 12 months.

[SpitFire1299]

I'm interested to see how the NPPL evolves over the next 12 months.

Same here. It sounds pretty good though with all the money backing them up. :D

[Beemer]

I would place a bet that these new owners are short term (year or two)


I would place a bet its two or more. :ninja: