Army pulls sponsorship from game competition, puts event in question
by Jason Dobson 
{ Jan 25th 2008 at 11:20AM }
Oh really? That doesn't seem to keep the Army from wanting to host this April's Halo 3 tournament over Xbox Live, nor did it stop it from throwing the branch's considerable weight (not to mention an estimated $2 million) behind the Global Gaming League last year. The Army had sponsored the event in 2005 and 2007, and was expected to contribute $5,000 this year, a burden that we guess was simply too terrible to bear.
The Army's decision strikes us as doubly odd considering that the event is something of a showpiece for America's Army, with the title sharing space with Halo, PGR, and Madden in the Gameathon's tournament. For now the event sponsors have begun to look elsewhere for sponsorship, while a post on the event's website appears to hold out hope that the local recruiting office will eventually be swayed to once again participate in the competition. We've strapped on our mental projection helmets, and are sending good vibes their way.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
NATO_Duke @ Jan 25th 2008 11:25AM
Do you not see the problem with using "the branch's considerable weight (not to mention an estimated $2 million) behind the Global Gaming League last year." as a counter point for the Army's quote about them having "other priorities this year"?
How do last year's priorities involve or impact this years?
Knight Marquise @ Jan 25th 2008 12:31PM
NATO,
Now, don't be asking those kind of questions, you'll undermine the authors intent to cleverly bash the US Army.
mellojoe @ Jan 27th 2008 10:00PM
i live in BG, KY. this makes me sad. i guess we'll just have to march in the streets until they bring the Gameathon back.
Dustin @ Jan 25th 2008 11:28AM
I'm all for people (anyone, really) sponsoring anything to do with video games, but even still, the Army creeps me out. America's Army is a less-than-subtle recruitment program, and I'm just not ok with that. Anyone else feel the same way?
NATO_Duke @ Jan 25th 2008 11:33AM
Doesn't bother me really. My group started with AA, and a few of my guys joined the Army, or EU & Canadian military branches. (I don't think the game brain washed anyone into it - and more of our members came from prior military service to play the game.)
Jerk Face @ Jan 25th 2008 11:54AM
I'm with you Dustin. It's not like it's some kind of evil scheme to trick people into joining or something; but it still doesn't sit right with me. War is serious, you know? So to make it seem.. like it is fun? Or just like playing a game? It's not. It's not too different from any other war-time FPS, but being sponsored by the real-life U.S. military? I don't like it.
playwhutyalike @ Jan 25th 2008 12:01PM
My friends wife was going to join the military. The recruiter was buttering her up with "yeah, you will be head of the band (she is a music major) and you don't have to go to basic. When it came time to sign she found out the truth, she was going to basic, she had to apply for the band, not be head of it, so on and so forth, with a great chance of going to Iraq.
Now this is one example. I give kudos to anybody who wants to join the military, especially now, and my heart goes out to those who have lost any loved one in any war.
Oh, and really, who gives a shit how anybody spends their money, this is still America, right?
Dustin @ Jan 25th 2008 12:03PM
Exactly! There's a big difference between game like Tom Clancy game and then America's Army... the whole training mechanic of the game, and just knowing that I'm playing something that the government has sponsored (created?) and WANTS me to enjoy, maybe even enough to go out and enlist... that just weirds me out.
I know there was an article on Joystiq a while ago talking about Europe, and how the government there favors gamers over non-gamer recruits, and that definitely makes sense, but here in America we seem to take such a radically different and generally aggressive approach... it just doesn't seem right.
Knight Marquise @ Jan 25th 2008 12:40PM
"Army creeps me out. America's Army is a less-than-subtle recruitment program, and I'm just not ok with that. Anyone else feel the same way?"
Personally? No. It's an all volunteer force. People join for different reasons. My family has serverd this Country as far back as Pearl Harbor, WWII. Some members have joined for the benefits, i.e. brother joined to pay for his college education. Others, such as my son, joined because he deeply loves this country and wanted to give something back to a Country that has blessed us so greatly.
My greatest fear would be anyone that uses a video game to influence a life decision could actually end up joing our Armed Forces. Now, THAT, scares the shit out of me.
MarMar @ Jan 25th 2008 1:12PM
Knight Marquise, the military and the President like to characterize the army as an all-volunteer force; it's not. There's a thing called the stop-loss program which is an involuntary extension of a servicemember's enlistment contract that forces them to stay in the military well beyond the period they volunteered for, and it can have them reassigned to serve/fight in a place they did not volunteer to fight in.
Stop-loss is supposed be a temporary measure used in times of extraordinary crisis (like the defeat at Fredricksburg during the American Civil War) but Bush and the rest of those scum have kept stop-loss active for the entire duration of the war on terror and according to the military's own website "An expiration date for the Stop-Loss program cannot be determined at this time".
Like John Kerry said during his campaign, Stop-loss is a back-door draft, and I think it goes to show how cowardly and unamerican the mostly rich white males who administer the American military really are.
As for this matter at hand, PLEASE. Who in their right mind WANTS sponsorship from the military? It's just disgusting -- these video game competitions are about gaming, sportsmanship, friends/young people getting together and having fun and the military is trying to rake people into the service to shoot people and get PTSD. Most video gamers are smart and ought to be going to college so that they can atleast be officers in the military, not grunts on the frontline getting blown away!
Dustin @ Jan 25th 2008 1:24PM
Whoa, careful there MarMar... military service is a sensitive matter, and I would try to be a little more thoughtful with your words. Not everyone is a fan of the armed forces, but unfortunately it's something that holds this country together. For instance, I'm a pacifist, so I take serious issue with the Army and its recruitment methods, which is why I have a problem with America's Army, and after thinking about if for a while today, I guess I actually also have a problem with the army sponsoring this gaming event, even though my words earlier say otherwise. If I were in charge of this game competition in Kentucky, I would probably still take any sponsorship I could get, but if I had a choice, I would most definitely NOT choose the military to sponsor something like this. So no, most people probably don't want sponsorship from the military, but if it could make something like this event happen, then why not? Like you said, gamers are smart people. Especially if they end up at a competition. They can probably fend off the recruitment officers by themselves.
MarMar @ Jan 25th 2008 1:38PM
I'm echoing the sentiment of those who serve in and who actually see combat in the military. There's this funny tendency in America where those who vigorously defend the military's questionable practices are those who are either civilians or were in the military, but never set foot 100 miles from a gun battle (like certain national guard members who went AWOL). Our military isn't this polished All-American white guy image you see in those U.S. Marine commercials... If you travel a lot you see the military units in the airport flying to and fro and you'd think you were looking at the French Foreign Legion or something, because 85-90% of our servicemen are ethnic minorities, and you don't have to read Walter Benjamin's Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction to figure out that classifying their decision to join the military as "voluntary" is really a stretch of the truth.
Knight Marquise @ Jan 25th 2008 1:49PM
(sorry for the double post-damn reply system)
@marmar
I'm well aware of the stop loss program, it's nothing new. My family, on both sides, have served this Country for over 50 years. However, upon examining your post, it's painfully clear you prefer to demogog an issue rather then actually debate it.
I will not get into a heated argument with you over this, on a video game blog no less. It's easy to see your opinion of this country, its institutions, as well as leaders, are the opposite of mine, therefore we will have to agree to disagree.
My statements stand:
Does this sponsership and/or game "creep me out", No.
The US Armed forces are voluntary. There is not a draft.
People who could allow a video game to influence/make a life decision and then end up in our armed forces scare the shit out of me.
@Dustin
Well said and kudos to you for a very well thought out response.
Dustin @ Jan 25th 2008 1:51PM
MarMar... I'm certainly not defending the military. Like I said, I really take issue with all branches of the armed forces, but the article is over the military sponsoring things, such as this game tournament. So... sorry if I went off topic, but now we're just talking in circles.
Dustin @ Jan 25th 2008 1:56PM
@ Knight Marquise... Thanks for the kudos! Like you pointed out, this is a video games blog (an excellent one), and no place for a heated argument.
@ Everyone else...
Case closed?
I'm not trying to get the last word in or anything like that, but I just don't see the point in discussing it anymore, unless it has something to do with the military sponsoring a video game tournament.
Thanks!
MarMar @ Jan 25th 2008 3:54PM
Knight,
it's spelled "demagogue". Toodles.
hvnlysoldr @ Jan 26th 2008 2:15AM
You're quoting Kerry? OK here goes "If you don't study you get stuck in Iraq"
sepllcehck @ Jan 25th 2008 11:34AM
"Or really"
Jerk Face @ Jan 25th 2008 11:44AM
I love that picture!
Korova @ Jan 25th 2008 11:45AM
This is not a withdrawal, it is a strategic redeployment.
Organic_Shadow @ Jan 25th 2008 12:07PM
Uhuhuhuhuh.... "Amry"... uhuhuh
Ethan @ Jan 25th 2008 12:09PM
The army has run out of money, having thrown it all at Iraq and to a lesser extent, Israel.
tranism @ Jan 25th 2008 12:16PM
You don't want military money anyways. It's dirty. Tons of puppies and kittens had to die.
stevepolykronopolis @ Jan 25th 2008 12:37PM
Damn Israel, always sucking on the teet of big army.
Faar @ Jan 25th 2008 1:04PM
Following the pattern of the past, maybe they'll be back in 2009. :P
One might also ask what business it is of the army to sponsor a gaming tourney, but I'll leave that to more fanatical heads to discuss...
ARPRINCE @ Jan 25th 2008 1:11PM
They got pissed because there was no CALL OF DUTY 4 on the tournament.
MarMar @ Jan 25th 2008 1:14PM
here, here
Knight Marquise @ Jan 25th 2008 1:46PM
Marmar,
I'm well aware of the stop loss program, it's nothing new. My family, on both sides, have served this Country for over 50 years. However, upon examining your post, it's painfully clear you prefer to demogog an issue rather then actually debate it.
I will not get into a heated argument with you over this, on a video game blog no less. It's easy to see your opinion of this country, its institutions, as well as leaders, are the opposite of mine, therefore we will have to agree to disagree.
My statements stand:
Does this sponsership and/or game "creep me out", No.
The US Armed forces are voluntary. There is not a draft.
People who could allow a video game to influence/make a life decision and then end up in our armed forces scare the shit out of me.
@Dustin
Well said and kudos to you for a very well thought out response.
T3H WICKERMAN (TMNT DF) (BWF) @ Jan 25th 2008 1:47PM
With our economy the way it is, and not to mention a war where this money could be spent on our service men. Like ive said before the military is like tampons, and diapers. Do we need to pay to advertise for it? Thats why we have recruiters. Id rather the money be put into something good. I also feel a bit of a hypocrite saying these games make people want to join the army. Its similar to the media saying massexfect makes me a perv or how doom mortal kombat made me violent. ( I only have crazy sex with blue women after ive shot and ripped the hearts out of demons)
Obie @ Jan 25th 2008 2:29PM
If only they could pull out of Iraq that easy! Oh snap!
Synner @ Jan 25th 2008 3:06PM
Good, I hope the army stops wasting money on this shit, and does something about actually doing their job in Iraq.
It's pretty sad when the Army can't get the job done well enough that there is a need for the Navy to give up its manpower to "individually Augment" them. Personally, I remember quite distinctly walking into the NAVY recruiting office and telling my brother (who was trying to get me to join the Army on a buddy program with him) to FOAD.
Maybe they should be more focusing on doing their fucking job and not playing around at a video game tournament, because I'm pretty fucking sure that if the Navy gets hard up for people, they won't be sending in the grunts to get underway and swab our decks.
Oh, and Mar Mar, in case you don't realize, because most people don't, when you sign a contract it is for 8 years. 4 (or in the case of the army, 2-3) will be active duty, 4 will be inactive reserve.
It is made quite clear that while on inactive reserve you can be called back to service. The problem is, too many people are now thinking that the military is some sort of scholarship program, and start whining and crying when the time comes to do their fucking job.
Devan Atkinson @ Mar 16th 2008 7:36PM
Dear Owner/Manager of ASM,
Who Am I: My name is Devan Atkinson and I am 15 years old. I am a Co-Leader of
Team Lethal, a Rainbow Six: Vegas team for XBOX 360 on www.gamebattles.com. I am
currently a
high school student living in Texas,Spring
Why I am Contacting You: In order for my team to travel to the MLG Pro Circuit
for the 2008 season, my teammates and I are in need of a business that is
looking or willing to sponsor a team heading to the Major League Gaming events.
Due to the cost of traveling to these events it will be highly unlikely me or my
teammates will be able to attend all of the events without a business helping us
out financially on our side.
My Clans gaming Career Highlights:
-Team Lethal placed 5th in the Fall 2007 season on the GameBattles Old Spice TSS
Ladder with a record of 58-18 and just recently lost in the Championship match
of the
playoffs to a pro team in a hard fought battle which was for the Old Spice
$2,000 Cash Prize
-One member of Team Lethal, myself, is currently on XBLB’s Attack &
Defend/Retrieval roster where we finished #1 in the Fall 2007 standings and are
still competing in playoffs.
-Team Lethal is currently #1 on the Winter 2008 ladder with an outstanding
record of exactly 200-26, we are nearly 1,000 points ahead of the 2nd place
team.
What you will get out of a sponsorship: You may be scratching your head saying,
“what the hell, Pro gaming? This guy must be crazy.” Well the truth is I may be
crazy but many people have said that Pro gaming is the next big thing. There’s
already huge names sponsoring clans and even the events, such as Gilbert Arena’s
(NBA All star and proud sponsor of Halo 2 team, Final Boss), RedBull (main
sponsor of MLG), Frag Dominant (proud sponsor of Pro Skills). My clan will be
wearing team shirts, team hats, and team headsets with your companies name,
logo, or whatever else may please you. We will even change our clan name to your
business’ name if that is what you want. We will pass out mailing lists,
business cards, etc.
My clan is mature and tries to play the game as respectable as possible. Your
company will be very well represented at each event we attend.
In closing I hope this email finds you well, and I hope you take the time to
think this great opportunity through. I am not asking for a guarantee on any
type of sponsorship just for a consideration, as of right now we are not 100%
sure on our 4th starter for MLG but are completely serious about going to these
events and taking them seriously. I don’t want to say this in a cocky way but I
would say we are well respected on this game and with us representing your
company, people may just think “hey, these guys are sponsored by this company”
and it can create a better business for you. If you would like to contact me to
ask any questions or would like to setup an interview my information is written
below:
Email: tankboogie51@hotmail.com
AIM: TankZulu
Phone Number: 281 651 2194 (home)832 489 7833 (cell)
Here are a few links you may be interested in:
http://gamebattles.com/xbox360/rainbow-six-vegas/ladder/team/standings
-This is the 2008 Winter season standings in which we compete on, as of right
now we have a steady lead of 1st place.
http://gamebattles.com/xbox360/rainbow-six-vegas/ladder/team/bracket?season=158
-This is the 2007 Fall season playoff bracket in which Old Spice is giving a
$2,000 cash prize to the winner, we just recently lost in the championship match
to FragD (a professional R6V team)