David Laurentson wrote:You're welcome to put a corp logo over your own house, if you like: if you run a business, they may have a roof you can use too!
Absolutely, and I do proudly fly the checkered racing flag above my apartment complex!
But that's not the topic of discussion.
Firstly, I would like to have a proper forum post to reference, so that when someone is saying "I think it's a good thing that CCP gives out special prizes to certain event organisers, and yes this constitutes some form of favoritism, etc., etc.", they have something substantial to link that clearly shows CCP's standpoint on the issue.
Secondly, concerning the actual flag on a roof, which is a completely different topic: Yes, I can fly a flag above my own roof, but can I offer to fly someone else's flag above my roof as an incentive for something in-game?
Can I use flag-on-roof as a prize in one of my races? Is this OK?
What if instead of having the flag made and flying it above my roof, I have it made, and then ship it to the winner, so he can own it and fly it above his own roof? Is that OK?
What if instead of commissioning the flag to be made, I just Paypal him the money so he can have it made himself. Would that be an acceptable prize?
If the money I sent him as a prize for winning my event was not even earmarked for flag-flying, would that change anything?
What if I offer an iTunes gift card as a prize?
(This is an actual example from a contest hosted by one of those EVE-related radio stations a few years back. The prizes were a GTC code (not a PLEX, just the number off the back of a card), some ISK, and a $20 iTunes gift card redeemable in the US iTunes store.)This subject is very complicated, and there are many, possibly conflicting, precedents from the past ten years.
I feel that whenever a representative makes a vague or dismissive statement on any subject, it only makes things worse, and that's why I strive to encourage these fine gentlemen such as Mr. Goliath to make clear, concise, public posts about these difficult questions, no matter if the answer that comes out is something I agree with or disagree with.
So far this year things are going very well in this regard, and I hope we can keep this trend going. It hasn't always been so easy to get a straight answer out of a rep.