Help Tom Kaye Rule the Universe!

[Shaft]

He He. Shartley is cool like that.
Got'ta admit though J. A paintball organization that offers nothing but hotel and rental car discounts comes across awful odd. Stopped me from joining.

[JJBrookshire]

Stopped or Delayed

Stay tuned and we'll see if you "stopped" or delayed joining

[Bartman]

WE ARE BORG , RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!!!!!!

I look forward to meeting, and playing against you all, I wills ee you all at this event. Mr Shatner needs to be stopped ERR I mean guarded.

Bartman
Team #3
Team I have no Idea

https://www.ihni.org

[JJBrookshire]

Savings and Expenses

The ultimate savings for all of us would be if we quit spending money on anything that was not required to sustain life. When I mentioned the savings as it related to the cost of the event, I was comparing the Shatner Big Scenario Game to the cost of other Big/Scenario Games. Travel, meals, etc... are simply part of the cost of playing paintball at this level. In no way did I intend (nor do I think I did) imply that charity is the only reason to come to the event. My point is that if you would enjoy playing in a Big Scenario game, you might consider this one and that no one will be "raking in the cash" but instead the profits will go to charity. The idea of comparing the total expenditures involved in attending this event to the dollars going to charity is off base (IMHO). By doing so, you fail to give any value to the time that is to be had playing the game. This would be like looking at the total cost of playing in a Toys for Tots benefit where entry fee is a toy that goes to the kids. Sure you could have simply given a toy to the kids and played paintball another day but the idea of tying a paintball event to charity is good for the charity and good for paintball.

[bond1313]

Shartley has some very good points, and I would appreciate if you can answer them. You keep avoiding all of his questions and just restating what you said before. The site has very little info and everthing you already said is on the site I am starting to think there is some hidden plot, like a AAA club. First you get us paintball guns then you get us real guns. But don't get me wrong I would love the chance to play with TK and with all my fellow AO members. Please answer Sharltey's questions and clear this up, beacause its starting to seem like spplat has nothing to do with paintball, just some discounts on stuff not even related to paitball.

[virus]

well shartley... for me... i have to travel to just about every senerio/big game out there.... granted this one will be the furthest i will have traveled, and on a normal day at any field for me is usally about $100 anyway ($80 for a case in my neck of the woods)... even if i travel to the other end of my state and pay only $60 with tolls, gas, extra food and drink for the day its still get to the $100 mark... granted with me it is usally more, but that there is another story in itself.....

as it is i never really take a real vacation.. so these outings for me = that vacation i never really take. so if i blow $500-600 on that weekend after all is said and done i can look back and say "yup i was there and played... that was my vacation and some of the money from the game itself went to charity" and i finally get to put so more faces to the names i see on here all the time...

[Yipe]

Personally, I am excited about Mr. Brookshire's SPLATT program, and the involvement of a major non-paintball related celebrity. Please don't ruin the fun for the rest of us, or at least me, with your negativity. Thanks for listening.

Moderators, feel free to delete my post if I have crossed the line.

Sincerely,

Matt
Team Trigger Happy

[shartley]

Sorry, I had to add this in another post so that people would not think I deleted any of my last post to put this in.....

I will stop asking questions about the event and JJ's new club. I do not want to offend anybody further than I may have already. I did not think asking questions and actually expecting answers would have caused the problem with some of the AO members that it did. Any offense made was not intended, if I offended anyone please accept my apology.

[Yipe]

Thank you for the thoughtful response, I now have a clearer understanding of your position. Your explanation is much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Matt
Team Trigger Happy

[Doobie]

I don't think you were out of line shartley, everyone does have the right to ask questions and you at no time "flamed" JJ or insulted him. In fact you stated the questions quite clearly. However, JJ has said SPPLAT is a business and you have stated you are a business man. He is using a marketing technique to sell hi product. Just like anyone else. Linking your product to a charity does both groups good. It is obvious to me and I'm just a Drill Sergeant in the Army. Don't take my comment out of context, I appreciate your contributions to AO alot. I realize that some things, when read and not spoken, can be misunderstood.
Am I off base here and miss the point?

[JJBrookshire]

Corrections (LONG)

It is obviously time for me to take the time to analyze Shartley's comments in greater detail and respond in as exact a manner as possible. So using Shartley quotes (S), I'll answer (J) line for line (by the way, I don't see this as personal, but simply an example of "Devil's Advocacy"):

(S)My main issue was that time and again JJ sells the idea of "savings" and "charity".. oh, I already said all that before as well. I NEVER said that the event would not be FUN, or that it was not a good thing.... only that how he was marketing it was more than a bit misleading if you did the actual math.

(J) This is the entirety of my original post. Notice the void of any selling of the idea of "savings" or "Charity":

"Discovered at the bottom of a space vortex is a small planet. On this planet lies many of man's most sought after possessions. These include Thor's Hammer, the Sword Excalibur, The Holy Grail, etc... Who ever gains control of these items and the planet on which they are located will control the destiny of the Universe.
Enter Tom Kaye, leading a team of adventurous souls in a quest to secure these items and this planet. His task will not be easy. He will have to overcome two other groups with similar objectives. Only one team can be victorious and the Universe hangs in the balance.
If you wish to join this great adventure you should visit http://www.spplat.com/news.html for more info.
I'd suggest that AO members use "AO" as a team name in the "Game Information" section. I'll make every attempt to keep AO members together and on Tom's team (if you so choose). I realize this seems to be VERY ADVANCED notice, but we will begin a massive media push before Christmas and expect half or more of the players to be "Shatner/Trek fans", many of whom have never played. Once we reach capacity we will have to stop taking registrations.
The event will be held at Challenge Park Xtreme (www.challengepark.comSPPLAT members will receive a $50 discount off the standard entry fee of $150. Profits will go to benefit William Shatner's chosen charity. All participants will receive a commemorative event jersey, pay great prices for paint and have the chance to compete for outstanding prizes. Due to logistical constraints, players will be limited, so sign up soon.

SPPLAT is proud to welcome Airgun Designs' (www.airgun.com) Tom Kaye as the first leader willing to step up and command one of the teams opposing Shatner's attempt to rule the universe."

(J) "Misleading math" is in itself a misleading term. There is no way that I, nor anyone else, could calculate the total dollars anyone will spend with any accuracy if we have to include travel, hotels, meals, etc... Instead I took the least variable portions of the cost and that which should be compared to other events (in response to Shaft's "That's weird. I live in the Chicago area and I was thinking that the price of admission, even after the member discount, was overpriced.") and broke those down so that one could see that the event is actually not over priced if compared to other Big/Scenario Games.

(S) "The clubs actual savings thus far seen (as a whole) are no more than any member gets already with their AAA Club card, Visa or American Express Business Club Cards, or half a dozen other such clubs that use the same system. Hey, my card is a Golfing Card! Hey, mine is an NRA card! Etc. But the deals you get with them are exactly the same... just targeted to a different demographic or interest group."

(J) This obviously refers to SPPLAT. Please notice that SPPLAT membership is not required. If one prefers to pay the extra $s for the Shatner event, that will be fine with me and will actually bring more to the charity. That being said, Shartley is both poorly informed and simply wrong in saying that the savings "are no more than any member gets already with their AAA...". Examples: Choice Hotels gives 15% to AAA and 20% to SPPLAT. Avis gives SPPLAT deeper discounts than AAA as well. Sam's Club gives $10 off to SPPLAT members (there are few if any clubs that offer this). Add these examples to the facts that I stated in an earlier post (that Shartley overlooked/missed).

"Many of these Supporting Partners have committed to sponsoring Paintball events and teams based on the results that they see from SPPLAT member expenditures. Paintball players have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to these and many other companies without them realizing the impact we have on their business. By the use of these discounts, we will be able to prove the value of marketing to Paintball players and can finally see some of our expenditures returned in the form of sponsorship and prizes."

I contend that AAA, Golfing, NRA, etc... will NOT do this for Paintball. If your devotion to Golf or the NRA is stronger than what you have for Paintball then you should choose such. I therefore contend that the "targeting" being done is a "two way street". It is true that these Supporting Partners are "targeting" Paintballers, but we as Paintballers are also "targeting" our expenditures in such a way as to benefit Paintball.

If I failed to answer any of Shartley's questions. I ask that they be restated in simple and exact terms and I'll be glad to answer them accordingly.

[manike]

The Charity...

To be honest I see the charity as a very small part of this and I think it extremely miss sighted to make it any negative issue!!!

How can the fact that money is being donated to charity via a paintball event be in any way shape of form construed as a negative? To try and nitpick and imply that it is, is just sad.

To do so unrightly cheapens what is promising to be a fantastic event for paintball AND charity. Even if it was only a small amount going to charity (which it obviously won't be) then it's a good thing.

How many other big games do you know of that give ANY of their profits to charity? Let alone all? The fact that JJ is giving all profits should be applauded by us all and that should be just ONE MORE incentive to back this event.

The bigger reason, and why I feel all of us who care about the sport of paintball should back the event is that this event is helping to get our sport known and recognised (think of the media and attendees! as well as the money spent in the area via SPPLAT members!) We need to stand up and be counted for our money and contributions to society. SPPLAT is doing this for us. It is the best idea for the development and acceptance of paintball that I have ever seen and I've been in this sport for over 10 years now.

I care passionately about this sport and that is why I support SPPLAT and am quite honestly disgusted by people that can only see the negative and not the huge positives this can do for us as individual players and as a group.

The other point in discussion 'savings'. As for savings... I saved the money of my joining SPPLAT on the very first day I joined! I have no doubt whatsoever that every single paintballer who joins SPPLAT will not only get back their joining fee but will also be helping to do their bit for our sport as a whole.

As for saving in this specific event, well big games are expensive but a lot of fun. I'm going to be flying half way across the world to play this game. Big games have always cost me far more than to play tournaments (due to sponsorships thankfully!) so the difference in this one?

Well by the looks of it the hotel will be cheaper than New York, the paint will be much cheaper and the entry fee will be higher, but I get a shirt and the chance to shoot Trekkies, Will Shatner and Tom Kaye (yeah yeah Tom I know I said I'd be on your side... but accidents do happen lol ) Flights will be about the same but transport from the Airport to the field will be cheaper.

So in general I'm expecting this big game to cost me very similiarly to The Long Island Big Game I attended. But I expect this one to be bigger with more friends, give money to charity AND to help the Sport of paintball. I'm not sure I could ask for more from an event that that.

Those factors make this the BEST value big game EVER in my eyes. I look forward to seeing as many AOers there as possible, and I will buy the Krispy Kream Donuts (SPPLAT at World Cup got me addicted) anyway with SPPLAT I can buy a dozen and get a dozen free

manike ~ Proud to be SPPLAT member no. 007

[Riotz]

What's this Star Trek thing you all talk about?

[Bartman]

Simon,

Your response and reply isone of the most intelegent things I have ever read. I could have sat down for a week, and would satill had to resault in name calling.

My hate goes off to a fellow Spplat member and one of the most intelegent speakers I have ever read on line.

Bartman
team I Have no idea

https://www.ihni.org

PS: Play on team #3, We are borg, resistence is futile !!!!!! And sorry to any one I mat offend I suport what spplat and JJbrookshire has done so far .

[hitmanng]

Ok guys who cares about charity. Well I do but that is not my point. This is a very reasonable rate in my opinion for this type of game. I am the premier scenario guy on here and this is just fact. I normally play a 24 hr scenario with actually 16hrs of play time.
Let me compare:
Normal Field of 3/4 miles of woods with a bunch of strangers and your scenario buddies.
Registration $55.00
Paint 2 cases $160.00
Air 6 fills $20.00
Event Shirt Like you could get one $20.00
Lets say $255.00 Plus Travel

This Event:
Challenge park, Tom Kayes, William Shatner, my scenario buddies, All of AO, and donating $30.00 to charity.
Registration $150.00
Paint 2 cases $120.00
Air Free $0.00
Shirt Free $0.00
Playing with this Group "Priceless".
Total $270.00 Plus travel.

I look at is as they are asking for a $15.00 donation and matching it, sounds fair.

I will be there period. I would love to see the final commander from the scenario world like Diane "Mother", Packman, or Viper. Unfortunately they would probably cream the competition.

I will look forward to serving under you Captain Kayes let me know if you need a good C.O. or if I can help.

Hope to see you all there.

Hitmanng