Until I read Alanti's post, I was gonna state as a new player here, it is a really fun and challenging game that really doesn't cost a lot of money. And, if you wanted to put in some money after level 32 or so, for $50, the cost of an Xbox game - you could be rigged up pretty nicely with equipment for some time. Then, vids and surveys should take care of balls.
However, I have not played any tournaments - and I can definitely see that if "money" were on the line - it would be a devastating blow especially to some player that is having the round of his life and could win money. Not that it wouldn't be fair to the really, really good players either.
I looked at the VEM as a good thing until Alanti brought up the tourney credit slant - that is a very valid point.
DS