In my opinion the same is true, and a bit worst, if the opposite happen :
imagine training as a 4v4 non mixed and then majors tournaments are mixed mandatory, not only your team is ill prepared but totally non-compatible with tournaments. You will be forced to drop/swap one player.
In the opposite, having a mixed team doesn’t force you to do anything* in case of either decision about major tournament : you could play them as you trained.
It’s my vision of “safe”, having the smaller common denominator to play all tournaments.
It’s not the vision i see myselft forcing people to agree with but in a pure “mathematical” point of view i think it’s the safest.
I agree that an open format that aim for inclusiveness could work well for the Swiss bp scene, because teams will have choice. They will have the choice to take the risk of having to change their lineup (in either direction, going mixed or reverting to non mixed if the feel the need of it) and also may benefit of saved slots for mixed team as you proposed.
The be really transparent : i think that i kind of see what you’re aiming at Emmet (please note that i’m not sure) but i’m not sure the time and the size of the bike polo scene is on the side of having different levels, gender, formats, etc tournaments or league.
Pardon my english if it’s not clear.
- except having a mixed team lol