Time: 22:08:55 CET 13:08:55 PST 16:08:55 EST 06:08:55 Seoul 05:08:55 Beijing
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EM: Jason Lake rages, ESL responds
The Hostile story published earlier today has turned into a battle of the press releases.
By Michael 'Zechs' Radford
Mar 7, 2009 14:18
The Hostile story published earlier today has turned into a battle of the press releases.
The shocking story of Hostile being robbed at gunpoint, posted here earlier today has descended into a battle of words.
ESL's system for accommodating the players is unusual, but ESL's Director of Community Management defended it in a statement in the same place:
"Being housed in private homes is a CeBIT tradition, as there are several hundred thousand people coming to Hannover for the trade fair. Hotel capacities are very low and hotel rooms are extremely pricey and also fully booked months in advance." He also assured readers that "we [ESL] do anything in our power to keep them safe and happy during their stay in Germany."
Complexity's website suggested here that the player's family are considering legal action. However, they declined to go on record.
" I'm outraged by the way players were housed and transported in Hannover"
The accusations levelled at ESL were made by Jason Lake of Complexity. In a comment on GotFrag, Lake said he was "outraged by the way players were housed and transported in Hannover," and that he "[holds] the event organizers responsible." ESL's system for accommodating the players is unusual, but ESL's Director of Community Management defended it in a statement in the same place:
"Being housed in private homes is a CeBIT tradition, as there are several hundred thousand people coming to Hannover for the trade fair. Hotel capacities are very low and hotel rooms are extremely pricey and also fully booked months in advance." He also assured readers that "we [ESL] do anything in our power to keep them safe and happy during their stay in Germany."
Complexity's website suggested here that the player's family are considering legal action. However, they declined to go on record.
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It's sad that this happened, but it's stupid to say it was ESL's fault. Hopefully the four guys get caught.
Criminal activity in Hanover must be up 100% during the week of cebit as any half intelligent theif will know that 90% of the people in Hanover for cebit week will be visitors and could potentailly have something of value to steal. ESL pickup and drop off players every day of the tournament, literally taking them from their front door to the event hall, outside of this surely it's the individuals problem? ESL Cannot be held accountable for this, it's just an unfortunate event, really unlucky.
For a man that is supposedly a lawyer, he doesn't seem all that bright. Shouldn't have quit his job to begin with...
I mean everyone knows that during CeBIT there are a lot of criminals and that you need to take care of yourself and your stuff.
Jason posted some "questions" in the linked news but first of all sorry Jason, the picture itself you choose for the news shows what kind of an attention whore you are. This is highly disrespectful even against your own player, you never heard of Trauma don't you? Having a victim look at a picture of someone holding a gun up to someone elses head after he just had the experience himself will make your player feel more comfortable right now? And you really care about your players? Doesn't look like.
Some comments on the question he posted in the news.
"Why were the world's best professional gamers subjected to local housing?"
If you're not happy with how ESL takes care about accomodation for the "world's best professional gamers" why didn't you just book a Hotel yourself? Just be happy your players have free accomodation at all. Besides that, do you really think that robbery had something to do with the location of the housing? Even with CeBIT, Hannover is only on the 17th place in the criminal statistics in Germany for robbery so it's quite safe if you make sure you respect some basic rules.
I don't blame it on your player but to be honest if you already think you are housed in "bad area" what makes you go out 1 am for some beer and then if a group of people tries to rob you you try to defend yourself and not just give up the stuff. I live in Amsterdam and if that would have happened here he would be dead by now with two bullets in the face. Shit happens and sad story but honestly there are always two sides of a story. I can just speak from my experience with Americans I see over here day by day but most of them that get robbed here are partly responsible for it themselves with their behaviour, that's just my personal opinion and might not count for your guy just to clarify that.
"Was adequate and safe transportation provided as players have denied?"
What's adequate and safe transporation for you? Pope mobile for your players travelling on blocked roads to the CeBIT? Come on you can go by Taxi and nearly have no problem at all. Even public transport is safe besides pickpocketing.
"If said allegations are true, how will the Extreme Masters respond to these concerns in the future? "
It didn't happen at the venue, and it didn't happen during any time the ESL would be responsible for your players.
If you would really care about the safety of your players why have them travel alone? You are basically responsible for them in the first place. ESL can't employ some bodyguards because your player decides to go out middle in the night and have a beer.
In the end shit happens and sometimes it happens to you, there is nothing anyone can do about that stuff but instead of threatening the ESL with lawsuits you should rather think about your communication strategy. All the best to Shaun Catron nonetheless, get well soon and I hope you will have the chance to forget that incident as soon as possible. And if that teaches everyone one lesson its that you can't go out and keep looking through the pink glasses. Because the world is a cruel place and stuff like that happens, you need to be sure to be prepared for that situations or you're fu*ked.
Just my two cents.
bet if Hostile's teams "won" they wont do any alegation/reports for it
Hostile thought it was a joke, so obviously they were all told.
(mind the spelling)
Because honestly, I don't see the link with the fact that ESL is using housing accomodations and the fact that Hostile got stolen. Sorry but... yeah. I really don't.
Its not a matter of "OMG ESL IS TO BLAME FOR HIM GOING TO THE BAR AND GETTING ATTACKED", its more of a matter of sensible accommodations as Jason Lake posted in his blog here: http://www.complexitygaming.com/forums/blog.php?b=136
Read the facts before posting idiocy.
And I don't post idiocy, DUDE. Because Lake is obviously blaming ESL for no reason. It could have happened even if Hostile was in a 5 Stars hotel. So you're the one who says I post idiocy, yet, you can't even give me the link with that robbery and the fact that ESL made housing accomodations for the teams.
But hey, I guess coming from a Head of Staff in CompLexity, that kind of reply of you is to be expected.
I FULLY understand that CeBIT is a busy time for the city and that hotels are booked, but wouldn't you think this would be all squared away in advanced? It is not like the event was planned days before it took place. They knew how many teams were going to come and should have setup PROPER accommodations FAR ahead of time in my opinion. Proper meaning hotels etc as usually accommodations include.
I'm sure that some of you just like to fabricate some of what you read, but read the facts before you post moronic comments that include fiction such as Jason blaming ESL for hostile getting attacked. I don't know whether you people like to flame him for just being American, or whether its cause he actually had the balls to say something about the "unusual accommodations" (as SK called them).
"I'm outraged by the way players were housed and transported in Hannover and will have much more to say about it later. All the details aren't in as of yet, but as of this moment I hold the event organizers responsible. Housing professional gamers in the homes of local residents (some in questionable neighborhoods) is not professional and is not accpetable. The community is owed some answers, and owed them soon. Take care of our gamers. NO excuses. "
He was wrong because 1) there is no reason to be outraged by the way the players were housed/transported, 2) he obviously meant the event organizers were responsible for hostile getting attacked because he was put (according to lake) in a bad neighborhood, 3) he says putting professional gamers in local houses isn't professional, when it's done for actual professionnals working at cebit, for other sports, and it's actually an extremely popular system in Germany, 4) he says the neighborhood was bad, when other people have said it wasn't the case.
I'm fine with saying that the ESL could maybe have announced the housing system earlier on, but what exactly prevents the gamers from booking their own room (at a high price obviously) if they're not happy? Apparently hostile was happy enough prior to getting assaulted, since he had already slept at least one night there. The news piece on the coL website is also ridiculously ill-informed and biased. The ESL has acted very professionnally throughout this sad incident. And local housing IS proper accomodation.