xgames rejects paintball

[ogre55]

Originally posted by Chaos
it was probably bob long or someone like that. A player that was on TV and they didn't have the permission to put him publically displayed or something stupid like that. Wouldn't we all like to take a hammer and beat the guy till his brains fall out and stretch his arms and legs till then rip out of their sockets then make tiny papercut incisions till he bleeds to death and... well maybe just i do....

Dude, take deep cleansing breaths.

Ogre

[ogre55]

Originally posted by AGD

ESPN does not want to show paintball because a big person in this industry sued them the last time they showed paintball. I can't say who it is because he might sue me. We will have to be the number one sport for ESPN to be interested.

If anyone has the specific magazine that this was printed in I would be interested in seeing it.

Thanks

AGD

With a few exceptions, law suits are a matter of [ublic record.

Ogre

[ogre55]

Originally posted by rabidchihauhau
Paintball (as it is played now - and yes, I'm being partisan in favor of the USPL rules) does not have:

a standard game length
a standard field
unbiased reffing
professional officiating
an objective governing body
or a set of rules which are enforceable.

Without those, ESPN is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT - paintball is NOT a sport.

Not being in favor of any set of rules, but being fairly well informed, let's compare some other activities which I dare ESPN to call "not a sport".

As for standard game lengths and fields, (ESPN classified "non-sport") there are different types and classes of tournament play like 10/7/5/3 man. Or unlimited NPPL, vs. Pan/AM circuit limited paint affairs. And while we are at it, let us not forget, pump and stock tounry play.

However, in auto-racing (ESPN classified "sport") we have NASCAR vs. CART vs. open wheels. Grand Prix vs. Oval tracks. And any number of other interesting variations.

Next let us move to unbaised reffing, professional officiating, an objective governing body, or a set of rules which are enforceable..

Yes in paintball (ESPN classified "non-sport") we have had some problems with all of the above. But no less than in Soccer (ESPN classified "sport" and as a side not the most popular sport in the WORLD), as well in figure skating (ESPN classified "sport" unless Olympic events are no longer sports.)

Sorry to get off on a rant.

Ogre

[FrAuStY]

Originally posted by williamb
I love paintball. I love playing it. Let's be honest though.. for someone who doesn't play, the current format is really boring to watch.

The current format can be equated to a bunch of kids in clown suits hiding behind blowup dolls with guns.

Snowboarding (which I also love), skateboarding, and the like are in the X-games because they are amusing to watch for people who do not do the sports themselves. It is entertaining to watch people flying, spinning, and jumping in the air. It is even more entertaining to watch people screwing up the above stunts in some spectacular manner that gets them hurt. People enjoy seeing other people doing crazy things, whether they succeed or not.

The only way someone is going to "screw up" and get hurt playing paintball, would be for them to have their goggles fall off and loose an eye. That wouldn't be entertaining, nor would it be good for the sport. True, there is the odd injury, as I'm sure Miscue can attest to, and it is moderately enjoyable to watch someone being bunkered. . but the real joy in this sport is playing, not watching.

Let's be honest though. The game will be far more competitive without Mountain Dew sponsoring someone.

If anyone can come up with a creative concept to make paintball fun for non-players to watch, then I'm sure someone would love to air it.

Just my opinion.

-W

Four words:

Helmet Cams, and JUMBOTRON!

That would be enough for people to enjoy watching paintball. They'd be able to have a "safe" birds-eye-view of the game being played. You could also have a Large screen showing locations of all the players.. so people could get an overview of whats going on, and when a possible confrontation will occur. This will of course have to be hidden from the player's view so there could be no cheating. I believe that would be a step in the right direction for making paintball more appealing to observers/spectators rather then just the players themselves.

[Automaggin2]

that article is over a year old. they are seriosuly tthinking about putting Xball in the Xgames. I read someowhere on PBnation that some guy was friends with the President of ESPN or something like that and he took him paintballing and the guy was hooked, so hes gonna see what he can do

[OldSchoolMag]

First of all, we are a sport.

Paintball's a sport, and reluctantly, so are things like fishing, golf, bowling, NASCAR, and underwater basket weaving. It's not the most prestigious of lists, but it's one that we're on.

Second, paintball has a bad enough rap as it is. Most people (mainly mothers, but that's besides the point) think paintball is a barbaric sport that trains kids for war and turns them against religion, capitalism, and vegetables.

However, that doesn't mean that as soon as little Newbie McGee takes a shot in the chest and it makes a welt on national tv that the whole sports gonna come crashing down, just that some people will gasp, others will cheer, and the show will cut to commercial. Also, I'd have to say that kids are a necessity to this sport. As young and impressionable as they are, they nearly drive the entire low end of the economy of this sport. You think any self-respecting adult with half the mind to research would buy half of those 'guns? Kids want what's hot, what's new, and most importantly, what's shiny. Paintball has it all, as well as the "first kid on your block" aspect, which would just turn into a bunch of spoiled brats trying to outspend each other, making people like Budd Orr and Tom Kaye smile...

Don't worry about ESPN. Without much major coverage aside from the occasional news blip about "those paintball rascals", we've gotten to the 4th place spot in extreme sports, and maintain less serious injuries than sports like golf and bowling, though the bowling portion may be attributed to the amount of alcohol consumed per game, but I digress.

Personally, I think the sport is doing fine as it is, and I'm not in any rush to see myself plastered on the big screen over at Enron Field (or Minute Maid Park, whatever, my town's a sell out...) anytime soon, but that's not to say I wouldn't mind

OSM

[Timmee]

I think there is a way to get networks hooked on the idea of having paintball on TV. One suggestion I have is to get a public access time slot through your local cable company. Make sure that the field(s) that are used for tapings are "camera friendly", and make sure to keep a copy of all the tapings for yourselves. Then, the next step is to present these tapes to some place like ESPN, for review. If they like what they see, they might be willing to take another shot at running games on tv. I don't know how much all this might cost, but a store/field might be willing to fund something in exchange for a well placed banner or ad. Just make sure to use a field that is "camera friendly" and enforces the rules in an objective manner.

[Tyger]

The X-Games "rejection" article, in completion

Well if you guys are gonna drag this thread out, you may as well know what you're fighting against.

ESPN the Magazine
Fall, 2001 Issue 4.17
Page 152, under the title "Rejected X"



-Tyger

(Yes, THAT Tyger... I'll go back into lurk mode now...)

[EnderWigginPballin]

Tom, as long as you don't give us your opinion on who is sueing ESPN, then there's no way that he could bring a slander or libel suit against you. If it is the TRUTH, then you have no problems....

if you said, "Mr, XXXXX XXXXX is an idiot and needs to deal with the fact that he's short and GZ isn't too great...." then that would be slander, or libel if a post made by you is considered as "published"

I bet that Blake Musser guy feels like a jerk now... thanks Tyger

[ntn4502]

Does anybody else have the uruge to gather some pitchforks and torches, and hunt down Blake Musser (not to be taken seriously)
But really, its kinda like saying Pete Sampras wouldn't be a great tennis player, if he didn't have the greatest racket... my .02 anyway

[Brian68mag]

That angers me, alot lol.

[Pile & A Half]

Yeah I heard it use to be on ESPN. I never really heard why they stop showing it? I don't think I ever rememberd seeing it on there before? But then again I don't have a clue when they played on ESPN. But yeah I think that would be awesome if the XGames would at least give it a chance. I know there would be a lot more supporters now. But yeah I will agree it is BS.

[raehl]

Well, I know I'm late in the game here, but...

The reason ESPN isn't interested in paintball has nothing to do with who sued who.

They won't have anything to do with it because they don't think they'll make any money.

And they're right. All the other sports on the X-Games have big corporate sponsorship dollars that follow those sports to the X-Games. Thus having those sports means ESPN gets big corporate sponsorship dollars.

Paintball does not have big corporate sponsorship dollars. Why that is is a whole nother thread.

Anyway, ESPN execs don't take things personally, they don't care who sued them, and they don't care who hates who. They base their decision on one thing and one thing only:

"Will this programming make us more money than other programming?"


That's it.

- Chris

[Ityl]

I find it kinda funny how some series do get Big sponsors, like lawnmower racing, it hasn't been around a long time. Then take the kart racing world which has been around a lot longer, and has many many more people and has only had crappy attempts at shows, and almost all were of the west coast road course stuff.

Someone needs to know someone big at like Pepsi, take em paintballin, and get them to sponsor a show.

[Wc Keep]

that was what i was going to post. and you know what we do have someone on the inside that can take the owners of pepsi and coke out together to duke it out :cough: tom :cough:. think about it though you get both of these big soda companies to battle it out and believe me one of those ceo's if not both are gonna love it. and pepsi also has mtn. dew part of them which is considered the "xtreme" drink. but why stop there get the ceo's of walmart and k-mart to go out together, with the brass eagle markers they sell, and they are gonna love it (unless martha stewart owns k-mart). i have yet to hear of someone who has wanted to go out and play paintball that has not loved it. i took my brother in law out to play and he loved it. so tom if you read this please take pepsi and coke out to sc village or cpx and show them that paintball is worth spending the money on.

p.s. if you take the ceo of pepsi onto the side make sure you have a bottle of pepsi in your hand. same thing with the coke ceo. as long as they dont have cockers in their hands.