Is The Point Series Broken?

[Flexmoney]

Could you say, find the average score of B and C class shooters against top GM's at major matches,

Yep.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...&hl=top+100

[38superman]

Jake, I Agree.

Maybe that's been the problem all along.

The effort to bring the PS to the masses has it backward.

Make the series something special and the masses will come to it.

"If you build it they will come"?

Tls

Edited August 9, 2006 by tlshores

[tpcdvc]

It's not necessarily important to bring the point series to the masses for competing, just for viewing. The NASCAR point series is just that....a professional point series that generates interest.

So I hve been thinking about this again as the year comes to a close.

The reason that works for NASCAR is because of the huge fan base. We are competitors not the fan base. The reason nascar has a point series is to determine an overall winner. We use a kind of superbowl method (Nationals) to determine our overall winner. If anything, the point series is more interesting to us folks that could never at this given moment have a chance in he%* to win the Nationals. I still say fix the existing PS by requiring the division in a given match to have at least one GM that scores in the top 5% or grading it on a curve (if an A wins he can only receive 84.99 percent for the PS only and everyone else gets their percentage based on the 84.99). No, neither idea is perfect. But it would go a long way in making things better.

TC

[TRNinTX]

The problem that I see is that it is hard to crown a PS Champion that has any meaning if the National Championship is not a part of the series. No offense to those participating, but look who is not participating this year.

But then that goes back to the whole issue of affordablilty for the masses.

[bgary]

IMHO, the fatal flaw of the point series is the fact that... unless you have a realistic chance of *winning* it, there is no point in buying into it.

If you took the buy-in/pay-back facet out of it, and made it purely a mathematical exercise (eg, who scored the best across some number of pre-specified big matches), then it would *mean* something to crown a point-series winner, but... it would be less interesting to those who want to cash-out for that win.

$.02

B

[Flexmoney]

Bruce, did you ever take a look at that thread that I linked to a few posts ago...the system that "Dowter" setup?

It was a measure/comparison of Major match performance. It could have been done a few different ways, but Dowter seemed to have the thing worked out rather smartly. (I haven't seen him around in a long while )

[38superman]

I have participated in the Point Series every year since I've been in USPSA.

However, it will take some dramatic changes to get me back into it.

My problem is that some of the matches don't participate even though they promote it on their application.

I have seen matches that were listed as points series matches on the USPSA web sight, but did not participate.

Some matches are in one year and out the next.

How can you possibly plan your schedule around the Point Series when there's no way to know in advance which matches are in or out?

I was in 7 majors this year and only 3 of them counted in the series.

That made a pretty dramatic difference in the standings for me.

Why bother?

Tony

Edited October 20, 2006 by tlshores

[shred]

IMHO, the fatal flaw of the point series is the fact that... unless you have a realistic chance of *winning* it, there is no point in buying into it.

If you took the buy-in/pay-back facet out of it, and made it purely a mathematical exercise (eg, who scored the best across some number of pre-specified big matches), then it would *mean* something to crown a point-series winner, but... it would be less interesting to those who want to cash-out for that win.

$.02

B

Exactly. Since this is pretty much an amateur sport, I see no reason to have a pay back for the PS. Put everybody in it automatically, make it a member benefit and dump a sorted list to USPSA.org every month. "cashing-out" should never be a goal of anything USPSA does.

[tpcdvc]

IMHO, the fatal flaw of the point series is the fact that... unless you have a realistic chance of *winning* it, there is no point in buying into it.

If you took the buy-in/pay-back facet out of it, and made it purely a mathematical exercise (eg, who scored the best across some number of pre-specified big matches), then it would *mean* something to crown a point-series winner, but... it would be less interesting to those who want to cash-out for that win.

$.02

B

Exactly. Since this is pretty much an amateur sport, I see no reason to have a pay back for the PS. Put everybody in it automatically, make it a member benefit and dump a sorted list to USPSA.org every month. "cashing-out" should never be a goal of anything USPSA does.

+1 on that.

Everyone in. Also, every state and area match is a PS match. But include a method to address the no GM problem for smaller matches so the D-M competitors can't gain an advantage by shooting in said small matches. Counted matches could remain the same (Two area, 4 state ect..).