The following is a news release from the PSP regarding the 2010 season.
“Following the conclusion of the extremely successful 2009 Paintball World Cup, PSP immediately began working overtime on the 2010 season, applying decades of combined international-level tournament event experience to making the world’s best tournament series even better. After weeks of careful research and deliberation, PSP is pleased to announce several dramatic improvements for the 2010 season.
Recognizing that lodging, rental car and meal costs plus time away from work and school commitments can be significant costs faced by players and that these costs are especially acute in today’s economic environment, PSP will invest in building and running additional fields so events can run one day shorter while keeping the same number of preliminary matches for each division. Chicago Open and World Cup will be scheduled as 4-day events to run from Thursday through Sunday, and all other events as 3-day events to run from Friday through Sunday. Day-by-day schedules for each division are available at www.pspevents.com.
With the support of APPA’s comprehensive player classification system, PSP will be refining classification rules for 2010 to provide both more recognition for players who perform well and more flexibility for all players to move up and down classification levels. Players will no longer advance in classification simply by playing a higher division twice, but instead must reach a minimum performance level to be promoted. Additionally, older events will count less towards a player’s classification. These changes will be effective retroactively when registration opens for the first PSP event so players who played higher division events years ago or did not perform well in a higher division may find their classification lowered for the 2010 season. All the details of the classification rules will be posted shortly atwww.pspevents.com.
In conjunction with the classification changes, PSP will be adjusting entry fees and prizes for 2010 to provide even greater rewards for players and teams who advance divisions. Because all teams playing the same RaceTo format and point goal will now pay the same entry fee, teams will no longer be “rewarded” for moving up by paying a higher entry fee. Prizes will also be distributed with greater emphasis towards rewarding teams choosing to compete in higher divisions. The new 2010 entry fees are now available and prize packages will be listed very soon at www.pspevents.com.
With the dramatic improvements that have been made this year, PSP will also continue to build on its successes from the past. PSP will continue to offer our acclaimed RaceTo format throughout all divisions. To avoid equipment changes for players, PSP will carry forward the same rate-of-fire rules to next season. PSP has also taken into consideration a plethora of suggestions, and will continue to improve upon and expand its world-class officiating that has become known as the best in the sport. The APPA will continue to provide the most convenient online and on-site registration process and the most comprehensive player tracking system available. As always, PSP will continue to hold our events on the best playing surfaces possible at the highest quality locations. Finally, as always, PSP will provide the highest levels of service to our players, teams, vendors, sponsors and affiliates, and will continue to improve our relationships at all levels.
PSP wishes everyone who loves paintball a Happy New Year. In this spirit of celebration, PSP would like to announce the dates for our first event of the 2010 season. The Phoenix Open will take place from March 19th through March 21st at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. We hope to see many new and familiar faces at this proven, world-class facility. Registration for the Phoenix Open will open on January 19.”