Counting PA as part of our power rankings isn't supporting them lol. In order for a tristate region to work Ny/Nj would have to go to PA to compete just as often as PA comes to compete here. If its only PA coming to ny/nj to compete whenever they can or feel like then they'll be just like how NE is with us.
So? I guess I failed to see how this is anyway hindering.
The main issue right now is that PA has no power ranking. Now, ill say it again, PA has
NO power ranking.
Now, if I recall, Most of us travel outside our own area to participate in events. Let's look at the facts right now. New Jersey, outside of KTAR/SKTAR, has no events happening at all. The closest thing is Rescue, and that has not even started yet (it will soon though =]) What do you think the New jersey people do to play? We travel to different areas to play. If its in in NY, we go to NY, if its in MDVA, we go to MDVA. I have people who come from South Jersey to go to a NY events. LIRR, Impact, Collision are all 2+ hours away from where they live, yet they still find some way to make it with 2 carpools minimum. I can't tell you how many times Inui has made it to my events with a carpool, and he lives in bumble**** ville.
Now what does that say? Well, lets look at the fact that S- Jersey and PA are right next to each other. Having events in S jersey can now help PA AND N-Jersey come to play with each other. What this also means is that it could be easier to pull together carpools to go longer distances.
What you have to ask yourself is what does a ranking system do for your community. It is a senseless act to display ones glory over his peers? Perhaps its just a measuring system to see people growing or declining skill over 3 month intervals. While both of these things are true, the real reason why we do a ranking system is to give people a actual reason to play and be unified in their area.
You stated that NE and PA would be similar in actions, but how would you know that for sure? Are you only estimating the results from past actions? If so, lets take the fact that NE hardly gets support because they live about a 2 + hour drive from NJ, and NY when it comes to carpooling hardly happens because majority of the players don't travel with a car. Now is that unfortunate? I guess, but it can't be helped. You can't expect S-jersey to go to a NE event because that's over 3+ hours in driving. The only people you could expect are the NY/N-jersey group, both which lack in actual transportation to places overall.
As you may have noticed, Jersey is the center point of play not due to the skill level, but accessibility for each sector. Every group around the Jersey area can make it into Jersey/Mid jersey, but branching out from the sides of jersey are difficult to do.
Anyway, back on the main statement. Giving PA a chance to be on a ranking is better then having them not have enough people for a ranking. It was mentioned that PA would not be seen if we did this due to skill, but the way I see it is that PA isn't on the map right now anyway due to inactivity in their own area.