Dear Alex
(1)You are the money handler of EG, how could you think that your opinion on the matter is relevant for public display? The opinion expressed here is concerned with money and good relation with those holding money, in this case GomTV and their sponsors. You want puppets, I, as a fan, want games that matters with emotions attached. Not an awkward fight between the players with nothing to gain, the tournament is the defining factor of motivation.
(2)Idra got lucky, skipping up and downs is quite favorable, and has indeed both money and fame attached to it. Best of luck to him and Sen.
(3)A wall of text from the CEO of the buyout team might not be the best idea how to spend the hours you are paid, since the bias of money is showing. Your opinion on business practice should probably be more interesting and commenting on GomTV's actions if one of your players would receive similar treatment and feel a lot more relevant.
On December 15 2011 17:51 EGalex wrote:
the public sentiment seems to be somewhere between 65/35 and 70/30 in disapproval of NaNiwa's action
the public sentiment seems to be somewhere between 65/35 and 70/30 in disapproval of NaNiwa's action
The number on this site says otherwise in quite clear numbers, a vast majority has expressed an understanding for Naniwa's actions. See http://www.teamliquid.net/poll/index.php
Even though there is room for interpretation, your interpretation is in the category the superlative form of lying. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lies,_damned_lies,_and_statistics
As you explore the history of similar events earlier, such as Idra vs Nerchio, I can only agree that it is not something good. However, in a game of 100% mental and cognitive ability judging that one is not capable of playing should be an option. If the option isn't respected there is, in my opinion, a clear disconnect between the actual game and too much focus on mimicking big sports leagues in a disconnected context.
On December 15 2011 17:51 EGalex wrote:
Scenarios A, B, and C all happen, regularly, in professional sports...
Scenarios A, B, and C all happen, regularly, in professional sports...
Speaking of the big sports league analogues, why do you do this? they are not the same. Starcraft 2 as an esport has nothing owed to their formats. Esports is different and that is a good thing. Using the event at hand, we have two players playing a pointless game which was not something planned, but something that occurred as a result of previous games, all awesome and breath taking games.
Why is not the big sports league relevant? Firstly, our players in this scenario had 4 potentially important games to play in a relative short period of time. The last, and pointless game, had made no fan pay more money, put in more effort or in anyway held any expectation on fan effort. Big league sports have a VERY different format for their monetary ecosystem, where each match is an event for fans to come to arenas or turn on the TV. Televised commercials are planned months ahead and the arena-based snacks and merchandise revenue is a the monetary factor. This does not apply in this situation, there is NO WAY you can justify an analogue with one game of a big sports league game. No money was lost, the tournament format however became a joke.
On December 15 2011 17:51 EGalex wrote:
Without all parties contributing, the industry cannot produce a quality product for our fans and community
Without all parties contributing, the industry cannot produce a quality product for our fans and community
The grudge-match argument. As a continuation on my previous paragraph, the real disappointment is how the absolutely most interesting game, from a Western perspective, became a game with NOTHING at stake. It is GomTV's responsibility to actually give our players something worth fighting for. This is why the match was a joke from the beginning and this is in extension why the majority of TL users feel no offense of the outcome (See poll link above).
The game was NOT a show match, it was an unnecessary game, a sham. The grudge-match argument is a selling point which lost its value before the game was played.
On December 15 2011 17:51 EGalex wrote:
I'm actually surprised that I haven't read more angry posts from disgruntled GOM customers. What NaNiwa did was basically akin to a last-place MLB team, during its final game of the season, intentionally striking out in every at bat. Just imagine what would happen in that situation: fans would ask for their money back; advertising contracts would be violated; and the league would certainly take action against the team and its players - just like GOM did with NaNi - in order to protect its product.
I'm actually surprised that I haven't read more angry posts from disgruntled GOM customers. What NaNiwa did was basically akin to a last-place MLB team, during its final game of the season, intentionally striking out in every at bat. Just imagine what would happen in that situation: fans would ask for their money back; advertising contracts would be violated; and the league would certainly take action against the team and its players - just like GOM did with NaNi - in order to protect its product.
You are surprised because you express a very superficial view of fans and still, the analogue to a game day at a stadium does not translate.
DISCLAIMER
I do not think NaNiWa's actions were good, and I think he had a disciplinary punishment coming his way. However, I think the judgment from Alex and GomTV passed is out of proportion for this instanced event.
I am of course biased as a NaNiWa fan and I do not judge Alex beyond the text here. The issue at hand is the first time I have felt true disappointment in a Starcraft 2 organization and is the first event which have caused me to feel the need to express my feelings on the a subject. I have a low post count since I have chosen to not involve myself in potentially growing threads, but I have followed the SC2 community and esports since the days of the beta.
Sincerely,
Kim