Source
r/paintball•
NoPattern1

Just got back from NXL Sunshine State Major

Anyone else on here go there? What did you think? Any good gossip?

Here's what I got:

-Red Legion made it! I talked to a Russian out there and found out that they had to fly through at least four countries to get to Orlando, but they pulled it off. Central Florida Paintball really helped them out and opened up in the middle of the week so that they could get a practice in. Everyone I saw seemed thrilled they were there. Putin wasn't on their roster and everyone got that. Zero politics, all paintball, fans cheered for them. They were also playing extremely strong. They mercy-ruled Diesel in the their first game, won the next two decisively and then lost their last two by one point each. If they can keep on making events and hopefully not pending half the time after the layout drop in airports, they'll be extremely strong this year. They looked hungry.

-Pro-Shar is in serious trouble. The factory in Russia that they mentioned in their Instagram post last week was actually super new and state of the art. They invested a ton of money into an outstanding facility right before the Iron Curtain returned.

-The NXL is getting really good at organizing events. There was a massive wind/rain storm yesterday that stopped play for a while, but they repaired the fields fast (at least one had a pole snap) and managed to get back on schedule. They also made great use of their "Premiere" field. They had D1/Semi-Pro, WNXL, and finals for most divisional play on the same field with a really nice free covered viewing area, so players who weren't Pros actually got some good exposure.

-Reffing outside of the Pro field was mostly decent, but they had some very suspicious refs on the Premiere field. They seemed extremely chummy with some of the teams and their fans and then made some pretty inexplicable calls against their buddies' opponents. Their reffing for the PR All-Stars was especially suspicious (that's the team that attacked someone with a pipe in the parking lot during World Cup last year).

-The new Carbon mask is ridiculously light. Like it FEELS unsafe. It's not unsafe, it's just really well made, but you'll feel ike it's not even there at first.

  • Planet Eclipse seems like they're having serious manufacturing issues. They had a tech tent there, but absolutely nothing was on display or available for sale. I wanted to ask them about everything being out of stock online, but I didn't want to get in the way of them helping out players with their guns. If anyone knows anything about what's going on, please share.

  • The WNXL is being heavily pushed, and I think that's a great thing. The teams definitely aren't pro level yet, but the NXL is doing everything they can to create an environment for women to get into the sport. They really seem to have figured out that trying to grow a sport yet writing off half of the population isn't a good plan. I really hope this catches on. I looked around for women's pants though after seeing a post about that earlier and they still don't exist.

-The field layout seemed great for the higher divisions and created lots of great plays on both sides and down the center, but it seemed to really stump the lower divisions. It really exposed who was practicing their break-shooting and aggressive breakouts and who was just trying to play basic strategy on every layout. Traditional approaches really failed on this layout.

  • The Saints showed that paying pros well does make a great team, but Dynasty is still a dynasty for a reason.

Posted Mar 14, 2022, 12:24 AM UTC

3225
Sashtafarian•

I was at the event Sunday.

Planet eclipse never has anything for sale at events. or at least they haven't in recent memory. They just tech guns and let other vendors sell product.

The WNXL is a great idea and off to a good start. Having that division will motivate other women toward a goal. There are definitely many women on the field who can play the game well. Limiting the Sunday matches to pro/semi-pro/WNXL is a great decision. I'm sorry, but nobody paying for grandstand tickets or GoSports wants to watch a buncha divisional teams, and there have been calls to eliminate split deck for years. This approach is a workable compromise.

The layout was indeed a bit of a spoiler.

It is crazy that Dynasty, a team that is perpetually being written off, has won three events in a row, has not lost a match in two events, and did so without eye-popping salaries. More notably, they did so with a lot of grey in their hair.

17
GoldyGoldytiktok: @paintballNW•

Comments for conversation:

Eclipse just had a tech window at cup as well.

I’ve played against some of the WNXL players in the past. It’s D4 level for the most part. It’s cool, but shouldn’t ever be referred to as pro.

The layouts SHOULD be difficult to play, if you just do the basics and can’t lane properly. I really liked the layout, as it can be won from snake, doritos, or the center.

6†
Sashtafarian•

Imma defend the WNXL ... if you look at the WNBA, their championship team would not be competitive with even the last place NBA team. That doesn't mean they are not Pro.

The term "pro" in paintball means the highest level of play, not that you are making money. Having a "pro" division for women is a great step for the sport.

8
GoldyGoldytiktok: @paintballNW•

Respectfully (as I agree that it's a positive thing for the sport as a whole), it should be called "open" and not "pro".

Paintball is a gender-neutral sport, and has had women successfully compete in Division 2 against mixed and all-male teams (shout out to OG Femme Fatale members). In basketball though, there's been separation between men/women from the start. In paintball, there's every opportunity for those girls to play on mixed teams in the "normal" tournament (and many/most do!). It's just extremely strange to me to play D4 and "pro" at the same time.

1
Sashtafarian•

I think it is "Pro" rather than an "open" because it is a closed division. Like the NXL Pro division, the teams must be invited to participate, although they choose who plays.

There do not appear to be enough female players to make 6 competitive teams, but I suspect having a pro division provides an aspirational goal that will drive more athletes.

3
GoldyGoldytiktok: @paintballNW•

Normally, pro athletes (even those not actively paid) don't participate in beginner tournaments. This is largely true of most sports that have a "pro" classification.

The winning team at NXL Sunshine State (Vibe) could have played D5 if they dropped two players. Many girls on those teams also play with their own mixed-gender teams in their respective divisions at tournaments.

​

If it's closed, keep it closed. If it's open, don't call it pro..... especially when they can (and do) simultaneously compete in the lowest division offered in mixed play.

1
Queen_Euphemia•

What exactly do you think pro means? If it means someone who has a profession then most of the male "pros" aren't even pro, the vast majority of them at least work industry jobs if not part time jobs outside of the industry. If it means the top division then it seems absolutely appropriate to call them pro, as that is exactly what pro means in that context.

I am hopeful to the WNXL, but two weeks ago we had about 6 women myself included in walk-on play and just 2 AFAIK on the airball field, and about 40 men in walk-on and at least 20 doing airball stuff. Assuming my local field is representative, it seems hard to believe the player base is really there for a women's division right now. I would like to think the WNXL can grow it, but I certainly don't have any interest in X-ball none of the women I play with on a regular basis do either.

3
GoldyGoldytiktok: @paintballNW•

To agree with you- pro is and should be the top division.

....but there are no other divisions available. It's "pro" or nothing, even if it's someone's first tournament ever. That doesn't seem right for competitive activities.

1
PM_ME_SHOCKERSSFT>NXT•

Meanwhile those of use that played when paintball was still fun would chop up the current ranks that have been playing the slow boring game thats its become since 07. Watching pro now is like watching d3 back then.

-2
GoldyGoldytiktok: @paintballNW•

In 2007, the NXL had full auto and less bunkers. It's a lot more interesting to watch now than it was in the past.

5
PM_ME_SHOCKERSSFT>NXT•

Strongly disagree points take way too long and little movement, but thats why tournament paintball is dead compared to the numbers that used to play

2
GoldyGoldytiktok: @paintballNW•

Paintball isn’t doing as well as it used to for many reasons- movement isn’t one of them.

They went from full auto 15.4 to 10.5 ramp. They increased the number of bunkers on the field.

They did take away sideline coaching… and that was the biggest change that could lead to a slower game. Honestly, that’s the only thing I can think of. Every other change has been made to make points faster.

Well, that and players just being better now than they ever have been.

3
das3ingg•

Points take too long and have less movement 'cause players and teams are better, not the other way around. Strategy has evolved, and players have much better fundamentals which punishes movement more than the wild'n out days of yonder.

Ask the Dynasty/Heat guys who have been doing this since before '07. They'll say the same thing

2
Moonquake_•

The guys at the pro shar tent were really nice and they were selling their highest grade tournament paint for $35 a case. Too good of a deal to pass up so I bought 2 cases and I can't wait to play with it on Sunday. Only thing was that when I went to go pick up the cases of paint from the semi trailer in the back the guy handing the paint out asked me if I would take an already opened case. He explained that the box had a dent in it and he opened it to make sure the paint was undamaged and it was. I refused because I didn't want an opened case of paint when I can have a completely sealed case, and then he started acting very rude which was extremely off-putting and mostly confusing. It just seemed like a weird thing to be salty about so I just shrugged it off. If anyone here knows him maybe tell him to work on his people's skills.

4
borntohunter•

I'd rather have an open box with confirmed 4 good bags. Wth does a sealed box matter?

2
Moonquake_•

I feel that if you pay for a product it should be 100% unmolested. All I had was his word. Why take that when I can get two sealed cases that have since turned out to be in perfect condition.

0
jushereforthecandy•

Yo bro clean break down. This was solid head to toe. Beats the pod casts and rants by owners online any day.

My boy got 3rd in pro. I’ll message you if I hear anything.

4
yappas1•

Jack posts a bit on Pbnation and he has said the chip shortage is what is hurting them the most. Car companies can't get enough chips and paintball is low on the suppliers totem pole.

3
xxSkylabxx•

It was a fun event I picked up a new pew pew! Thanks for your write up about the event!

2
mrsprkle6•

Eclipse never has a sales booth at NXL events, save for World Cup. Obviously, Covid has hung that up the past two years though.

2
_Sevisgen_•

There were two calls against X-Factor that had me really questioning what the hell they(the refs) were thinking

1
greezy11•

Awesome write up, thanks!

1
jushereforthecandy•

What weather does pro shar shoot good in? I’ve only been to nxl Vegas and Dallas. I wanna say 2019. Both events the paint was breaking in everything. I brought home 56 cases I got for 5-12 bucks a piece. It sat for a couple weeks. Then I sold it for 45 a case cus it shot darts.

Wnxl looked solid I watched a lot of the event online.

Refs they’ve always been sus the last Vegas event I played. They were smoked out sleeping in tents.

Pe inventory- go to ans gear, in person. They have every gun, color, fade you want. If it wasn’t for Pete at ans this industry would crumble. Money talks. And Pete buys up truck loads of shit. Not just a select few. He buys it all. Merch, parts, upgrades, he buys them by the thousands. He runs this industry.

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