When we heard that Chattnooga C.E.P had begun a crowd funding campaign for the 2014 tournament season, we knew we had to get in touch with Robbie Goldsmith and see what exactly was going on. Below is a quick interview with the C.E.P captian, and a some more info about how you can can get involved!
SP: What was the impetus for starting this campaign?
Robbie Goldsmith: There were 2 things that pushed us towards a campaign. 1) Our backs are pretty much against the wall as far as finances go. Playing the 2013 season with an average of 8 players, and the retirement of our owner Steve Nicola (his amazing daughters need dad!) put us in a pinch financially. 2) We wanted to do something different, and right now there are no big business men looking to front the bill, I looked for ways we could be different in raising money. What came to mind was the first ever crowd funding campaign for a Professional Paintball team.
SP: Obviously the $16,000 that you are trying to raise will mean a lot, but what exactly does the team want to do with that amount? Cut the cost of events, pay for paint?
Robbie Goldsmith: We want to pay for 2014 entry fees so we can build a solid financial base for the team. We now have 11 players, all paying dues which is a big help! And anyone that knows me knows I like to “create”. I have some ideas on how we can build a sustainable plan, unfortunately, like everything good in life….these ideas take time to come to life.
SP: What can we expect for CEP in 2014?
Robbie Goldsmith: Hard work. We have finally brought on long time pro Kevin Fillers to coach the team. We owe it to our fans, family, and sponsors to make it back to the Champions division. We are determined to give it our all to prove we can play there.
For more information, including a video detailing C.E.P’s current state, we emplore you to visit their IndieGoGo page and donate a few dollars! They’re offering some great rewards for backers including jerseys, pro coaching time, and t-shirts!