New Zealand Paintball Players League
New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL) was a New Zealand tournament paintball league that organised competitive events during the early 2010s. Its documented competitions included five-player tournaments, national championships and X-Ball events, with activities recorded between at least 2011 and 2014.[1][2][3]
The NZPPL operated tournaments in the Auckland, Kāpiti Coast and Horowhenua regions. Its events attracted New Zealand teams as well as international competitors from Australia and French Polynesia.[3][4]
The organisation maintained its official website at nzppl.com, while results from its later competitions are preserved in the PBLeagues database.[3][4]
History
Earlier use of the NZPPL name
The nzppl.com domain was already associated with competitive paintball in 2006.
An archived website from August 2006 used the name New Zealand Premier Paintball League and promoted three-player, five-player X-Ball and seven-player tournament formats. It also advertised the XPS competition series and media coverage in PB2X magazine.[5]
By October 2007, the website carried an announcement that it was undergoing reconstruction for 2008.[6]
Later versions of nzppl.com used the name New Zealand Paintball Players League.
Although the same domain was used, the surviving records do not establish whether the 2006 organisation and the league operating during 2011–2014 had continuous management or organisational structures.
The precise founding date of the New Zealand Paintball Players League has not been independently established.
2011 season
The NZPPL was operating a tournament programme by 2011.
Its official website advertised a Super 5 Man tournament at Tatum Park, Manakau, Horowhenua, for 23–24 April 2011.[1]
The event was scheduled over Easter weekend, with team registration and field inspection on 22 April.
The league's subsequent media archive preserved references to several 2011 competitions, including:
- NZPPL Nationals
- Queen's Birthday tournament
- El Rancho Labour Weekend tournament
The archived media page linked to videos produced by RisingStarPaintball, including footage of the Nationals Cup and Plate finals.[2]
Complete results for these competitions have not been recovered.
2012 season
The NZPPL continued organising five-player tournament paintball during 2012.
An archived version of its official website from August 2012 contained links to four event pages and a dedicated season rankings section.[7]
The season is covered separately in 2012 NZPPL Super 5 Man Series.
A retrospective report published by Asylum Paintball in 2014 credited ADHD with winning the opening NZPPL round of 2012.[8]
The league's original registration page advertised Event 3 for 20–21 October 2012 on the Kāpiti Coast.
The published entry fee was NZ$600 per team, and the registration list contained 24 named teams.[9]
These included South East Cartel, Skullz, Predators, Phoenix, ADHD, TPC Blast, Tiger Blood, Disposal Unit and Mischief Militia.
The list documents registrations rather than confirmed tournament attendance. The final results for Event 3 have not been recovered.
2013 season
The NZPPL organised a three-round Super 5 Man Series during 2013, alongside a separate Race 2 Open tournament.
The league's official records preserve complete results for the opening two Super 5 Man rounds and the Race 2 Open.[10]
| Dates | Tournament | Venue | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9–10 March | Super 5 Man Event 1 | El Rancho Holiday Park, Waikanae | X-Fighter$ |
| 1–2 June | Super 5 Man Event 2 | Adrenalin Paintball Sports, Paraparaumu | X-Fighter$ Fracture |
| 31 August – 1 September | Race 2 Open Tournament | Blockhouse Bay Reserve, Auckland | X-Fighter$ Fracture |
| 26–27 October | Super 5 Man Event 3 / Nationals | Asylum Paintball, Karaka | KC Damage |
Sources: NZPPL official event announcements and rankings; Blacksheep Communications.[10][11][12][13][14]
The October Nationals concluded the Super 5 Man Series.
KC Damage won the final tournament, with Wellington Vendetta second and X-Fighter$ Fracture third.[14]
X-Fighter$ won the overall 2013 Super 5 Man championship after finishing first at the opening two rounds and third at the Nationals.[14]
The season final was filmed by Blacksheep Media, led by Tony Dickson. The resulting video was released in March 2014.[14]
2014 season
The NZPPL continued operating during 2014.
Its PBLeagues archive records three events:
| Dates | Event | Location | Recorded result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12–13 April | NZPPL Race 2 Event 1 | Paraparaumu | Mechanical Division 1 event; final standings unavailable |
| 30–31 August | NZPPL Race 2-4 Event 2 | Auckland | ADHD won Pro X-Ball |
| 25–26 October | NZPPL International Pacific Championship | Asylum Paintball, Auckland | Trauma won Division 1 X-Ball |
Sources: PBLeagues event archive and 2014 season results.[4][15][16]
The April competition was registered as a Mechanical Division 1 RaceTo-X event, with five teams listed as registered and paid.[15]
At the August event, ADHD finished first in Pro X-Ball, followed by Trauma and The Wild Bunch.[16]
The October International Pacific Championship included teams from New Zealand, Australia and French Polynesia.
Trauma won the Division 1 X-Ball competition, ahead of Legacy NZ and Kamikaze Knights.
Phoenix Tahiti finished fourth and Australia's South East Cartel fifth.[16]
A fourth event had been proposed for the Queen's Birthday period, but its completion has not been established from the recovered PBLeagues records.[14]
Organisation
The NZPPL maintained an official website publishing tournament announcements, registrations, event information and rankings.
An archived contact page from 2013 identified Jason Newport as a director and Ben Bahler as an administrator.[17]
The surviving records do not establish the league's complete management structure throughout its history.
Competition formats
The NZPPL operated several tournament formats during its documented seasons.
Super 5 Man
The Super 5 Man competitions used five-player teams and formed the basis of the league's documented 2011–2013 tournament programme.
Events included Cup and Plate classifications, with results contributing to season rankings.[1][10]
RaceTo and X-Ball
The league also operated RaceTo and X-Ball competitions.
Its 2013 Race 2 Open tournament was held in Auckland, while the 2014 calendar included Pro X-Ball and Division 1 X-Ball competitions.[12][16]
Mechanical paintball
The 2014 NZPPL programme included a mechanical-marker competition.
PBLeagues identified the April event as Mechanical Division 1 RaceTo-X, with ten-minute games advertised.[15]
Relationship with other organisations
The NZPPL operated alongside other New Zealand tournament organisations, including the New Zealand Paintball Players Association (NZPPA) and the South Auckland Paintball Club (SAPC).
SAPC operated its own tournament programme, including competitions at Lock N Load Paintball and Asylum Paintball.
The NZPPL and SAPC were separate organisations, although teams participated in events organised by both.
The NZPPL should also be distinguished from the original National Paintball League, which was established during the 1990s.
No formal organisational continuity between the original NPL and the later NZPPL has been established.[18]
Historical records
The principal surviving records of the NZPPL include:
- Official website captures from 2006 and 2011–2013.
- Tournament announcements and registration lists.
- Official 2013 Cup, Plate and Race 2 results.
- The PBLeagues 2014 event and season archives.
- Contemporary tournament photographs and video recordings.
These sources establish NZPPL activity before 2013 and preserve substantial information about its later competitions.
The complete results for the earlier seasons have not been recovered, and the league's final operating date has not been established.
See also
- 2012 NZPPL Super 5 Man Series
- 2013 NZPPL Super 5 Man Event 1
- 2013 NZPPL Super 5 Man Event 2
- 2013 NZPPL Race 2 Open Tournament
- 2013 NZPPL Super 5 Man Event 3
- NZPPL International Pacific Championship
- New Zealand Paintball Players Association
- National Paintball League (New Zealand)
- South Auckland Paintball Club
- Paintball tournaments in New Zealand
References
- NZPPL – Super 5 Man Tatum Park Event 1, 2011. Official tournament announcement, archived 14 April 2011.
- NZPPL – Events Gallery. Archived official media gallery containing links to 2011 tournament footage, 28 October 2013.
- NZPPL – Official Website, August 2012. Archived homepage and tournament navigation.
- New Zealand Paintball Players League – Event Archive. PBLeagues. Official 2014 event listings.
- New Zealand Premier Paintball League – Official Website. Archived 20 August 2006. Documents the earlier NZPPL name and competition formats.
- NZPPL – Website Reconstruction Announcement. Archived 14 October 2007.
- NZPPL – 2012 Season Website. Archived 18 August 2012, linking to four event pages and the rankings section.
- Asylum Paintball – Sponsored Team ADHD Wins NZPPL Event 1. 2014 retrospective report listing earlier ADHD results.
- NZPPL – Event 3 Registration, 2012. Official registration page advertising 20–21 October 2012 and listing 24 team registrations.
- NZPPL – 2013 Series Rankings. Official Cup, Plate and Race 2 results, archived 28 October 2013.
- NZPPL – 2013 Super 5 Man Event 1. Official tournament announcement, 9–10 March 2013.
- NZPPL – 2013 Race 2 Open Tournament. Official tournament announcement, 31 August – 1 September 2013.
- NZPPL – 2013 Super 5 Man Event 3. Official Nationals announcement, 26–27 October 2013.
- Blacksheep Communications – Blacksheep Media Release 2013 NZPPL Video. Scoop Independent News, 16 March 2014.
- NZPPL Race 2 Event 1. PBLeagues, 12–13 April 2014. Event registration and format.
- New Zealand Paintball Players League – 2014 Season Rankings. PBLeagues. Official recorded placings.
- NZPPL – Contact Us. Archived official website identifying Jason Newport and Ben Bahler, 28 October 2013.
- The Rise and Fall of the New Zealand National Paintball League. Mercenaries Star. Historical account of the original National Paintball League.