Skyball 7, just a "Heads up", and rant

[Tyger]

If this is better suited for another forum, go ahead and move it. I'm never good at putting posts in the right spot.

I got some info today about Skyball 7. If you haven't heard, it's changed owners again. Now it's run by "XO Industries" guy Aldo Perrone, you see. Not that it's bad, just a new owner.

And I've already seen the first big change. The price.
Entry fee, this year : Rookie is $850 US, $900 US Novice, Amateur $1000 US. That's the pre-reg "early bird" price, mind you. Consider that LAST year, it was Rookie $600, Novice $650, Amateur $700.

So right there, I'm wondering what could justify the price increase? So far there's no prize promises, or anything like that. So I'm more than a little concerned and skittish about spending money on this one. As of this moment, I am having a very hard time justifying going, based solely on the entry fee. Who knows what they'll charge for paint, if there's already a $200 hikeup on the entry fee?

I don't know. I haven't missed a Skyball. At this point, I'm not sure if the price justifys the event. They promise that they will "throw down the gloves and show you players how to rumble in the dome." PSP's World Cup entry fee is $600 if you pre-reg, for cryin' out loud. Can it really be worth $1000 to be shown how to rumble in the dome?

Perhaps I'm making a lot of hay over the cost of a tournament. But I see either a major flaw in the planning, or they're trying to get the players to pay for a really cool prize. And, so far, I don't see the latter.

Ok, I got that out of my system.

-Tyger

[Kaiser Bob]

Perhaps without having a major paintball company like Zap running the show that can defray the costs of the venue with its paint sales and boost in sales of product from simply having its name tacked to the event, we as the players will have to eat more of the cost to play in a major venue like the Skydome. I mean cmon, its the freakin Skydome! Not many people besides pro sports players, and maybe some wrestlers can say theyve played there.

[Tyger]

Lemme see...

Snowcross, a snowboard big air comp, motocross, and a few other sports have done it too.

Look, my problem is that this is the highest price EVER paid to play Skyball. I don't have the stuff from Skyball 1 in front of me, but I know it wasn't $1000 to play in the dome. And that was about as indi an event as you can get, the first time in the 'dome. The first event was run by Focus. Zap took it over later.

I'm just sick and tired of an "Extreme Sport" that saddles the burden of cost to the players. Snowboarding has comps, yes, but at those comps the riders are not expected to pay for the creation of chairlifts.

More proof that paintball is not an extreme sport. More like an "Extreme Hobby" played by "Extreme Enthusiasts" who take paintball more like a disco than a sport. We pay to entertain ourselves. Sorry, but that's really what I'm seeing this as. Paintball players are the cash cow, and we get gouged by events becasue of the implied prestige, and continue to pay more money for less.

I would like to see a write-in campaign to the event organisers to bring the price down, becasue lemme tell ya, for most of us $1000 is a LOT of money to blow on a weekend. The only thing that gets listened to is an outcry of anger. (And we can ALL think of one of those off the tops of our heads, right?)

Moo.

-Tyger

[shartley]

Have you contacted THEM and asked them what the reason for the increase was?

[Albinonewt]

Toronto tourism was killed by SARS, maybe this has something to do with that?

[Spaceman613]

Great way to get people backto Toronto... increase prices. I was looking to bring a team to the dome, but at those prices.... Heck, whats Mardis Gras cost?

Im with ya Tyger (which pains me to admit)... We will have to see the prize list. Maybe then we can justify the increase.

[Strider]

Originally posted by Albinonewt
Toronto tourism was killed by SARS, maybe this has something to do with that?

No, usually it's the opposite. Eveyones been giving killer deals on everything to bring people back... ($70 (CAD) for a season pass to wonderland! I wish I lived closer )

As for the prize pool, I'm all for keeping the same level. It's already good. But we do need to hear from the new owners...

[Duke Henry]

perhaps an increase in rent?

Maybe SKYDOME had a previous agreement with ZAP for an undetermined (or still outstanding) number of years for a specified price on rental.

Now with new owners, maybe SKYDOME jacked up their rent and now XO has to make up the difference.

I would zip off an email to the people in charge and find out.

I am glad I don't have to worry about paying for this type of stuff...lol

[MarkM]

Tyger just curious as to where you found those prices...I have been all over the site and so far no luck in finding a pricing structure even the press release for XO taking over is a misdirect url and in the rules section the phone# is a bunch of zeros although there is indeed a correct (??) number on the contact page

[Wc Keep]

id rather just hit up mardis gras if they arent going to specify the up in price.

[Muzikman]

Well...I can only guess, but I can say that Skyball has probably been a money loser in the years past. Might be the reason the event keeps changing hands and organizers. Back in '99 I met a chic in the Hard Rock that was one of the Jumbo Tron operators and she said that it costs $10,000 / hour to run the screen. So if just running the screen costs that much, how much does it cost to actually rent the stadium? If Zap would have made money the past two years, they would have kept the event, since they didn't, my guess is that the event is not much of a money maker, hense, the reason for the increase in entry fees.

[Webmaster]

My god... number 7? Seems like only yesterday I was playing with you at the first one... wow - time flys!

PS - where the HELL is Kennedy How?

[Strider]

Hey got the prices from an email from the new owners.

Question, are you sure those prices are the US amounts? They would be reasonable if he had maybe sent you the Canadian amounts...

[sime]

dammit man, i was just about to post that exact asame thing about the USD vs. CND......

i'm just glad it was pointed out, and it is a potential overlook

cheers

[SlartyBartFast]

If the prices are that rediculous, maybe it's time for a tournament under the roof of the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

Who wants to be in on organising it?

PS: I would like to hear confirmation of the $CAD vs $US pricing.