What did you guys do this year exactly anyway? I was told that you had emulated PSN?
Can't you just let the PS3 join the "real" PSN and use it for matchmaking, as the game itself runs p2p over LAN/WLAN anyway?
Usually it would have been fine, the last years my sticks all had quick disconnects so I couldve adjusted that way... but I had some problems with loose cables during travel so I soldered everything this time and no chance to adjust the buttons electrically.