PGF 18U Divisions - Premier and Platinum

[NumeroUno]

PDad,

I just looked on the PGF web site, I didn't see that anywhere. Where did you find that?

[BoomBoomPow]

PDad,

I just looked on the PGF web site, I didn't see that anywhere. Where did you find that?

Its at the bottom of the home page...lame though, all it is, is a Header to the list of teams that will eventually fill those spots...ie, WHO's Coming. NO discription of anywhere what the difference is and why they are doing this(even though we ALL KNOW)...OR, if they are split out/slotted by seperate qualifying events or where teams place AT the qualifiers.

[SBradley]

PDad,

I just looked on the PGF web site, I didn't see that anywhere. Where did you find that?

Its at the bottom of the home page...lame though, all it is, is a Header to the list of teams that will eventually fill those spots...ie, WHO's Coming. NO discription of anywhere what the difference is and why they are doing this(even though we ALL KNOW)...OR, if they are split out/slotted by seperate qualifying events or where teams place AT the qualifiers.

Patience - they have been very busy since nationals - going to cut off ASA at the knees.

[jonriv]

I always thought the strenghth of PGF was that they ran lean and and kept it very selective. If they make it too big with different layers etc..., don't they run the risk of becomming bloated and unrespensive in the way that caused them to break from ASA in the first place? They should be very careful with their brand- exclusivity and selectivity is what makes their brand different/unique

[ontheblack]

I always thought the strenghth of PGF was that they ran lean and and kept it very selective. If they make it too big with different layers etc..., don't they run the risk of becomming bloated and unrespensive in the way that caused them to break from ASA in the first place? They should be very careful with their brand- exclusivity and selectivity is what makes their brand different/unique

I dont think unresponsive is an issue.

I would think that if you add a 2nd tier 18 division, you would probably cut down the number of teams in each. There are a ton of 18u teams out there though that dont go to PGF because they know they are not top level Gold.

[jonriv]

I always thought the strenghth of PGF was that they ran lean and and kept it very selective. If they make it too big with different layers etc..., don't they run the risk of becomming bloated and unrespensive in the way that caused them to break from ASA in the first place? They should be very careful with their brand- exclusivity and selectivity is what makes their brand different/unique

I dont think unresponsive is an issue.

I would think that if you add a 2nd tier 18 division, you would probably cut down the number of teams in each. There are a ton of 18u teams out there though that dont go to PGF because they know they are not top level Gold.

Does that not risk diluting the brand??? One of the things that "makes" PGF what it is - is it's selectivity - the "best of the best" Having a lower tier PGF cheapens teh brand(think of the Porsche 924) or the Chrysler LeBaron that was branded as a Maserati. IMO spreading out like that cheapens what I thought the founders set up to do in response to the bloated and diluted national tournament so many have decried what ASA nationals are

[freetacos]

I would think that it is more because of bloated egos and diluted bank accounts.....

ft

[ontheblack]

I always thought the strenghth of PGF was that they ran lean and and kept it very selective. If they make it too big with different layers etc..., don't they run the risk of becomming bloated and unrespensive in the way that caused them to break from ASA in the first place? They should be very careful with their brand- exclusivity and selectivity is what makes their brand different/unique

I dont think unresponsive is an issue.

I would think that if you add a 2nd tier 18 division, you would probably cut down the number of teams in each. There are a ton of 18u teams out there though that dont go to PGF because they know they are not top level Gold.

Does that not risk diluting the brand??? One of the things that "makes" PGF what it is - is it's selectivity - the "best of the best" Having a lower tier PGF cheapens teh brand(think of the Porsche 924) or the Chrysler LeBaron that was branded as a Maserati. IMO spreading out like that cheapens what I thought the founders set up to do in response to the bloated and diluted national tournament so many have decried what ASA nationals are

I guess that PGF sees it more as a complete replacement for ASA. I am sure there are more than enough 18u teams to play at the lower level that knew they didnt belong in an 18HS div with the top Gold teams.

[jonriv]

I always thought the strenghth of PGF was that they ran lean and and kept it very selective. If they make it too big with different layers etc..., don't they run the risk of becomming bloated and unrespensive in the way that caused them to break from ASA in the first place? They should be very careful with their brand- exclusivity and selectivity is what makes their brand different/unique

I dont think unresponsive is an issue.

I would think that if you add a 2nd tier 18 division, you would probably cut down the number of teams in each. There are a ton of 18u teams out there though that dont go to PGF because they know they are not top level Gold.

Does that not risk diluting the brand??? One of the things that "makes" PGF what it is - is it's selectivity - the "best of the best" Having a lower tier PGF cheapens teh brand(think of the Porsche 924) or the Chrysler LeBaron that was branded as a Maserati. IMO spreading out like that cheapens what I thought the founders set up to do in response to the bloated and diluted national tournament so many have decried what ASA nationals are

I guess that PGF sees it more as a complete replacement for ASA. I am sure there are more than enough 18u teams to play at the lower level that knew they didnt belong in an 18HS div with the top Gold teams.

I am sure there are plenty of teams, but that does not answer the dilution question. I did not think their goal was to become ASA?

[Trophy Hunter]

Seems it might be like playing Western (or Eastern, etc) ASA Nats. Better than not playing, IMO. The WestCoast teams are almost certain to buy in.

As for being exclusive, that concept gave way to making money back when Firecrackers expanded to a few thousand teams. Travel ball is about cash flow, generated by churning players through the system, or in the case of PGF, TCS, Etc, entire teams.

Jon, in order for PGF to destroy ASA they pretty much have to become ASA. Haning has said that he knows better than ASA what the game needs, so maybe in some way it will be different, but so far it continues to look more like a power play than a vast improvement. It's all the same, when you get down to it, just different people pocketing the money.