Editing 2002 NPPL season (section)

== Organisation and NPPL–PSP relationship ==

The NPPL acted as the rule-making and sanctioning organisation, while PSP produced the tournaments. The Los Angeles Open operated as an NPPL-sanctioned event despite the absence of a completed agreement between the organisations for the season.[1]

Negotiations concerned sanctioning fees, event requirements, the proposed length of the agreement and the independence of league leadership. The disagreement became public around the Las Vegas Open. Following that tournament, the NPPL announced plans to organise its own remaining events, including a tournament competing directly with PSP's Chicago Open.[1]

An agreement announced on 21 May restored NPPL sanctioning for Chicago, Atlantic City and World Cup. PSP agreed to a US$5,000 sanctioning fee per event and a set of event requirements. The proposed competing Chicago tournament was dropped.[1][2]

=== Las Vegas status ===

The second event was promoted as the '''PSP Las Vegas Open''', without NPPL branding. WARPIG's report from the tournament recorded NPPL officials asserting that it was sanctioned and that its results would count towards the NPPL series.[5]

However, WARPIG's subsequent May report and its end-of-season account described Las Vegas as unsanctioned because an agreement had not been reached. Its promotional title and sanctioning status should therefore be distinguished from its treatment in the season rankings: the published final NPPL standings included points from Las Vegas.[1][2][4]