Editing Spyder Cup


{{Short description|American amateur paintball tournament held in 2000 and 2001}}

The '''Spyder Cup''', also known as the '''Kingman Spyder Cup''', was an American amateur [[paintball]] tournament organised by [[Kingman International]] in association with Team Effort Events. Established in 2000, the competition was held at Three Rivers Paintball in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.[1][2]

The tournament was restricted to amateur five-player teams using [[Spyder]] paintball markers. It became known for its substantial prize packages, which included five Ford Mustang cars for the winning team in 2000 and five Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertibles in 2001.[1][3]

The inaugural tournament was won by [[KAPP Factory]] in 2000, followed by Nemesis KAPP in 2001. Kingman did not hold the event in 2002, instead introducing prize incentives for Spyder-equipped teams competing at the [[International Amateur Open]].[1][4][5]

== History ==

=== Establishment ===

The Spyder Cup was developed by Arthur Chang, founder and chief executive of Kingman International, the manufacturer of the Spyder paintball marker range.

Chang worked with tournament promoter Debra Dion Krischke and Team Effort Events to establish a national amateur tournament using Kingman equipment.[1][3]

Krischke was already associated with the [[International Amateur Open]], an established paintball tournament held in Pennsylvania.

The Spyder Cup used the same Three Rivers Paintball venue near Pittsburgh.

Unlike conventional tournaments, which generally allowed teams to use equipment from different manufacturers, the Spyder Cup required all participants to compete using Kingman Spyder markers.

The inaugural competition specifically prohibited electronic trigger conversions, restricting teams to mechanical Spyder markers.[1]

The event was intended for amateur players rather than established professional teams.

According to contemporary registration information, approximately half the players entering the 2000 tournament had never previously competed in an organised paintball tournament.[1]

=== Inaugural Spyder Cup (2000) ===

The first Spyder Cup took place on '''27–28 May 2000''' at Three Rivers Paintball.

A total of 99 teams participated, competing for a prize package valued at more than US$117,000.

The first-place prize consisted of five new Ford Mustang cars, with a combined advertised value of approximately US$88,000.[1]

The tournament featured preliminary games followed by two stages of semi-finals and a four-team final.

The finalists were:

* KAPP Factory
* Team Strange
* OBR I
* Machine

KAPP Factory won the championship, finishing two points ahead of Team Strange.

The final standings were:

{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
! Final-round points
|-
| 1st
| [[KAPP Factory]]
| 166
|-
| 2nd
| Team Strange
| 164
|-
| 3rd
| OBR I
| 134
|-
| 4th
| Machine
| 80
|}

The winning KAPP Factory roster consisted of:

* Brian Cole
* [[Ryan Greenspan]]
* [[Alex Fraige]]
* Kenny Chamberlain
* [[Yosh Rau]]

The players were associated with the California tournament scene, including KAPP, IronKids and other teams competing in regional and national competitions.

Their Spyder markers were prepared by Action Paintball in Southern California and fitted with DYE Boomstick barrels.[1]

Each member of the winning team received a Ford Mustang.

The cars were awarded in different colours, and the players arranged for them to be transported from Pennsylvania to California following the tournament.

Contemporary WARPIG coverage documented substantial rainfall during the event, including heavy rain on the second day.[1]

=== Spyder Cup 2001 ===

The second Spyder Cup was held from '''26 to 28 May 2001''' at Three Rivers Paintball in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.

The event was again produced by Kingman International and Team Effort Events.

More than 85 amateur teams entered the tournament, which retained the five-player format and Spyder-only equipment requirement.[3][4]

The advertised prize package exceeded US$175,000.

The championship prize consisted of five new Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertibles.

The final round took place on Monday, 28 May, following preliminary and elimination competition over the weekend.

The championship was won by '''Nemesis KAPP''', a team from Boca Raton, Florida.

Its published winning roster was:

* Todd Brister
* Josh Muller
* Damian Andres
* Steve Tota
* Jeremy Lantier

Nemesis KAPP defeated Overkill of Maryland and other finalists to win the championship.

The official tournament results recorded:

{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
|-
| 1st
| Nemesis KAPP
|-
| 2nd
| Overkill of Maryland
|-
| 3rd
| Nasty
|-
| 4th
| Nemesis Dye
|-
| 5th
| No Limit
|}

In addition to the five Mitsubishi convertibles, Nemesis KAPP received a US$10,000 contingency award from Raven for using the company's sponsored equipment.

Overkill received a prize package valued at more than US$10,000, while Nasty received equipment prizes and a US$5,000 Raven contingency award.[3][4]

The competition was filmed by Kusza Productions for a proposed television programme on Fox Sports. The contemporary announcement did not establish a confirmed broadcast date.[4]

=== Change of programme in 2002 ===

Kingman International did not organise a separate Spyder Cup tournament in 2002.

Instead, the company introduced a sponsorship and contingency programme at the International Amateur Open.

The arrangement was announced during the February 2002 Mardi Gras Open and marked Kingman's tenth anniversary.

Under the programme, Kingman offered to pay the entry fees of qualifying five-player teams competing exclusively with Spyder markers.

An amateur team winning its division using Spyder markers was also eligible for a US$50,000 contingency bonus.

Additional prizes were planned for novice and rookie teams.[5][6]

The available contemporary records establish editions of the Spyder Cup in 2000 and 2001. They do not establish a subsequent tournament operating under the same name.

== Competition format ==

The Spyder Cup used five-player elimination-based tournament competition.

Participation was restricted to amateur teams, with competitors required to use Kingman Spyder paintball markers.

For the 2000 event, only mechanical trigger systems were permitted. Electronic trigger conversions were prohibited.[1]

The tournament included preliminary rounds, elimination stages and a final championship round.

The competition differed from conventional professional tournaments through its manufacturer-specific equipment requirement and large prize awards.

== Sponsorship and associated activities ==

Kingman International was the principal sponsor of the Spyder Cup.

Other businesses associated with the 2000 tournament included:

* [[Raven Paintball]], which supplied protective equipment and sponsored prizes.
* [[National Paintball Supply]], through its eastern distribution business.
* [[32 Degrees Paintball]], whose paintball products were promoted at the event.

The 2000 Spyder Cup also marked the public debut of Raven's NUVIS-1 protective goggle and face-mask system.[1]

Both tournaments included charity activities involving members of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football team.

During the 2000 event, a celebrity exhibition match was organised in support of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

A similar exhibition was held in 2001, involving Steelers players including Justin Kurpeikis.

Kingman International donated US$10,000 to the hospital in connection with the 2001 event.[1][4]

== Championship results ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Champion
! Runner-up
! Third place
! Winning prize
|-
| 2000
| [[KAPP Factory]]
| Team Strange
| OBR I
| Five Ford Mustangs
|-
| 2001
| Nemesis KAPP
| Overkill of Maryland
| Nasty
| Five Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertibles
|}

The tournament results and prizes are documented in contemporary WARPIG coverage and official organiser announcements.[1][2][4]

== Significance ==

The Spyder Cup was a manufacturer-sponsored amateur tournament that combined equipment-specific competition with prize packages substantially larger than those normally offered at introductory levels of paintball.

The 2000 tournament attracted 99 teams, including many players with no previous tournament experience.

The event also brought together competitors who later became prominent in professional paintball.

Members of the winning KAPP Factory squad, including Ryan Greenspan, Alex Fraige and Yosh Rau, subsequently played for [[San Diego Dynasty]].

The event provides a documented example of Kingman International's efforts to promote the Spyder marker range through organised amateur competition during the early 2000s.

== See also ==

* [[Spyder]]
* [[Kingman International]]
* [[KAPP Factory]]
* [[Ryan Greenspan]]
* [[Alex Fraige]]
* [[Yosh Rau]]
* [[International Amateur Open]]
* [[Raven Paintball]]

== References ==

# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/spydercup2000/index.shtml WARPIG – Kingman Spyder Cup]. Bill Mills, 27–28 May 2000. Contemporary tournament report documenting the inaugural event, organisers, sponsors, prize package, winning roster and final results.
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/spydercup2000/rank.shtml WARPIG – Spyder Cup 2000 Final Rankings]. Official tournament standings.
# [https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2001/04/17/280706/638/en/Team-Effort-Events-The-Spyder-Cup-2001-Five-Convertibles-Top-Prize-at-Paintball-Tournament-Memorial-Day-Weekend.html Team Effort Events – The Spyder Cup 2001: Five Convertibles Top Prize at Paintball Tournament Memorial Day Weekend]. GlobeNewswire, 17 April 2001.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/articles/pressreleases/spyderwin01.shtml WARPIG – Paint and Convertibles Fly at Spyder Cup 2001]. Team Effort Events press release, 28 May 2001. Documents the winning team, roster, prizes, charity exhibition and tournament participation.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/mardigras/2002/index.shtml WARPIG – Mardi Gras Open 2002]. Contemporary reporting on Kingman's decision not to hold the 2002 Spyder Cup and its replacement International Amateur Open contingency programme.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/iao/2002/index.shtml WARPIG – International Amateur Open 2002]. Contemporary coverage documenting the replacement Spyder sponsorship and prize arrangements.
# [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/spydercup2000/2001/index.shtml WARPIG – Spyder Cup 2001 Scores and Final Rankings]. Official tournament scoreboard documenting the complete 2001 final standings.

== External links ==

* [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/spydercup2000/index.shtml WARPIG – 2000 Spyder Cup tournament coverage]
* [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/spydercup2000/rank.shtml 2000 final rankings]
* [https://warpig.com/paintball/tournament/spydercup2000/2001/index.shtml 2001 tournament results]

[[Category:American paintball tournaments]]
[[Category:Paintball tournaments]]