[spqr-king]

Everyone complains that paintball is not big enough. We need to be in the X Games, Olympics, and on television MOAR!!!! But what would be the effects... I know personally I love football and paintball. I have met several professional paintball players/personalities and talked with them, filmed them and actually got to meet them past the screen. While I have never met a single professional athlete of any other sport... If paintball was like other sports we would lose many of the things that make paintball great but there are also a great deal of benefits!



What do you think? What would we gain/lose by paintball becoming like other sports?

[BurningPlaydoh]

I want to see paintball popularized, I couldn't give two shits what sports venues its at as long as people are playing.

[Panda Man]

At first it would be a huge gain, then after while the people that made the sport great would forgotten.

I wish paintball was just tad bit more socially acceptable, but at the same time I still want it as a hobby sport, not a "main sport"

[BurningPlaydoh]

Panda Man, on 12 February 2013 - 11:06 AM, said:

At first it would be a huge gain, then after while the people that made the sport great would forgotten.

I wish paintball was just tad bit more socially acceptable, but at the same time I still want it as a hobby sport, not a "main sport"

Good point, I think the first thing that needs to change is peoples perspective of paintball as unsafe. Its up to field owners and players to change that.

[gtcpaintball]

The perspective of paintball is a bunch of kids shooting each other. I Think PSP would be the closest we could have to being mainstream competitive sport.

[Panda Man]

No one will ever take paintball serious since its grass roots is "playing army man"

When I was younger in the 90's when I heard people talk about "paintball" I thought about dressing up in camo going out to the boonies... I never would of thought about inflatable bunkers or anything.

plus with as much "safety" advocated people are these days listening to someone "shoot at" another person is considered barbaric.... and as long as we "shoot at" each other paintball will never see the day where it's socially acceptable.

[TechPB-Mike]

^^^ the funny thing is, it was ALOT more popular when it actually was playing "army man"

Once it turned "power ranger", it shrank

[FreeEnterprise]

exactly what Mike said.

First time I ever saw paintball was way back in the early 80's. My friend and I were in a national park goofing off, and we happened to enter the military training area by accident and stumbled on a bunch of military members doing war games... With paintball guns. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen, as they snuck up and surrounded us without us realizing it until the first guy stepped out, and then when we looked around we realized they were ALL around us! They had on goggles and full camo.

The main guy who talked to us shot a tree with his marker and I was like... "I've GOT to try that sometime".



Fast forward about 20 years and I was riding my quad through my woods, and I remembered that experience decades before and thought... Wow, my woods would be PERFECT to play paintball. And my private field "Trails of Doom" was started. I could care less about tournament games, or even paying to play. I get to go out into my woods with my friends and we get to play army.


And you know what... We have a blast with it, and our other friends want to join us. Because THAT is fun. No drama. no wiping, no bunkers where kids camp out. Just fast paced games, in the woods with friends.


Paintball needs more of that, not less...

[BurningPlaydoh]

TechPB-Mike, on 12 February 2013 - 12:17 PM, said:

^^^ the funny thing is, it was ALOT more popular when it actually was playing "army man"

Once it turned "power ranger", it shrank

Does this have to do with the massive increase in the price of equipment?

I think the splatmaster private groups and well kept recball fields that many fields are starting up are great. Approachable for new players without getting stomped by tourney players while stayng away from a military look that might scare nervous parents.

[spqr-king]

Eh I dont know about going back to the woods... I dont mind playing woodsball but I love speedball theres just something there you cant get out in the woods for me. I think it would be nice if there was an all around boost but I dont want to lose that small community feel...

[tallsmallboy44]

spqr-king, on 12 February 2013 - 01:09 PM, said:

Eh I dont know about going back to the woods... I dont mind playing woodsball but I love speedball theres just something there you cant get out in the woods for me. I think it would be nice if there was an all around boost but I dont want to lose that small community feel...

As much as I love speedball, there are some things that you get with woodsball that you don't get with speedball.

This post has been edited by tallsmallboy44: 12 February 2013 - 03:14 PM

[Cookybiscuit]

How about no because its boring as fuck to watch.

[Old Dude PB]

Cookybiscuit, on 12 February 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

How about no because its boring as fuck to watch.

I agree that no one has found a format that has major spectator appeal. I think that the best thing about paintball hypothetically "getting big" would be the increased availability: more fields, youth leagues, school teams, local adult leagues, etc.

[spqr-king]

Cookybiscuit, on 12 February 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

How about no because its boring as fuck to watch.

Thats for sure a personal opinion because I could watch it all day... Also with better funding the tech they use to film would get better and therefore it would be a higher quality experience.

[PandasEverywhere]

People say paintball is boring to watch yet golf and baseball are extremely popular sports on television. I do not dislike either sport so do not think I am trying to bash them. Baseball is just some guy throwing a ball and you hope that someone hits the ball. Golf is essentially some guy hitting a ball down a field. Neither are very appealing sounding yet they are some of the most watched sports out there because people who understand the sports love them.

[Cookybiscuit]

WebDogPaintball did a pretty good video on this, I can't seem to find it. Basically he brings up the point that you can flip on a channel and watch any random sport you have no interest in, and still know roughly whats going on. Paintball doesn't really have that, its just a bunch of people standing still dumping pod after pod into eachother.

[FreeEnterprise]

Boring?...

Have you watched any of my recent stuff?...




Besides the focus on two of those shots, (got a new camera now) what is boring about that video?

[spqr-king]

Cookybiscuit, on 12 February 2013 - 04:08 PM, said:

WebDogPaintball did a pretty good video on this, I can't seem to find it. Basically he brings up the point that you can flip on a channel and watch any random sport you have no interest in, and still know roughly whats going on. Paintball doesn't really have that, its just a bunch of people standing still dumping pod after pod into eachother.

I dont know about that? I dont know the intricate rules of multiple sports I watch as long as you get the basics your good. Get hit with paint guess what your out boom you understand the basic concept of paintball.

[cockerpunk]

TechPB-Mike, on 12 February 2013 - 12:17 PM, said:

^^^ the funny thing is, it was ALOT more popular when it actually was playing "army man"

Once it turned "power ranger", it shrank

agreed. the age old hunt your friends in the woods has SERIOUS, fundamental and widespread appeal to lots of different people.

power rangers (tournaments) and LARPing (scenario) does not.

[bigx]

Am I the only person who is happy with paintball just the way it is? Its not so much growing as it is remaining steady as long as there is people to play then I could care less what people think about me playing.