Want Nike In Paintball?

[ogre55]

The Good, The Bad and the Fugly

Now we have a very interesting question here. On the one hand, having big companies around can do wonders for the sport. On the other hand, as many of you have pointed out on this thread, big companies can ruin this sport.

So how can the introduction of Nike or any other big company enhance/ruin this great sport of ours.

The Good:

Big companies bring big money which means, more and better sponserships. Maybe the pros won't need day jobs any more. There is also the possibilty of greatly increased exposure. The last time there was any regular show devoted to PB was back in the early 90's. It was on the old Sport Channel and was either a part of a hunting show or it was an offshoot, my memory has been eaten away over the years through the ingestion of overly large amounts of CO2 and paintball fill

Finally, with bigger money come more and better products. From a consumers point of view, that can only be a better thing considering that more products, means more competition, which, by the laws of economics, means lower prices of the players.

And finally, and most importantly, more exposure means more players.

The Bad:

Obviously, as a member of the AOG I am partial to my 'Mag and I don't want to see AGD's business hurt by more competition. I don't honestly think that will be a problem for AGD as they make high end guns, for which there will always be a market as you will have younger newer players, turning into older more seasoned players, which will require better classes of products. And since the number of companies that devote the kind of time and money to the development of quality products as AGD does is small, I doubt they will feel the pinch.

The Fugly:

For better or for worse, the avalanche has already begun. Oakley has entered the paintball market recently and if they find profits, expect others to follow. Eventually we may see the big names in fireams, like Remington and Smith&Weeson enter the fray on the marker side of the market.

And to be honest I would love to see a paintgun made by Browning, Winchester, or Heckler and Koch.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[paintballrulzs]

I was thinking they should def make nice cleats designed for paintball, also gloves and other type stuff. (Jersies, sock hats, ect)

[einhander619]

Here's my 2 lincolns:

Nike tried to break into a another "underground" "alternative" and "emerging" sport. Snowboarding. You know what? Most snowboarders, at least the ones who knew what they were doing, gave nike the finger and continued buying the products of companies who actually care about the sport. I know this is a little different, but I would rather buy the product of a company who started in paintball.

[JJBrookshire]

Nike and "guns"

I'm afraid you'll all find out that Nike will not consider supporting Paintball or hunting or trap shooting or target shooting etc... It seems that at the very top of the company there is an "anti-gun" policy. This is similar to the situation at Target. You will notice that there are no Nike hunting boots or squirt guns at Target. That is simply there corporate policy and unfortunately both are not likely to change soon.

[MagNumPI]

Guys, see the long term picture... If we get nike ot buy into it, they will be forced to promote it in a way that matches all the other sports. Golf was nothing till nike hit it, now we are seeing golfers in poweraid commercials.

Once one BIGWIG hits it, we have all the "i don't wanna get left behind-ers" doing it. next thing we have "Gatoraid official sports drink of the NPPL" and we are a "real" sport and we have "highlights" and "play of the day" on ESPN and TSN and what not.

Short term, yes we get another giant on our shoulders, but the giant brings more supporters.

[ben_JD]

Nike already makes paintball cleats...they just call them "football cleats". Pretty sneaky, eh?

[paintslinger]

Originally posted by ben_JD
Nike already makes paintball cleats...they just call them "football cleats". Pretty sneaky, eh?

lol

[liigod]

i think that nike has poor quality and high prices... i dont want them in paintball, cus they would fit right in.

[pumpamatic]

I think when Nike hits paintball they will simply grab a piece of ownership or some existing product and slap their name on it. Anybody who plays hockey would know that when Nike first sold skates they bought out Bauer(good skates) and more or less put their name on them. Sure, little different look, but same thinking, same blades, yadda yadda.
The only thing they might possibly do on their own for paintball is gloves, cleats, hats, or jerseys and pants. They might not be the highest quality, but it's that Nike logo that sells. (Although when it comes to shoes and cleats I've found Nike to be far superior over Reebok and somewhat equal to Adidas). I could see their masks sucking, I could see their guns not lasting long. I could definetely see Nike getting some company to mill up an Angel or cocker and then stick about 3 bubble logos on it. Would I care? no, I kinda like the idea. Will it be a higher price than any gun out there? More than likely. And don't count on me buying it even if it doesn't burn holes in pockets.

[shartley]

Good points from all...

Personally I see no problem with Corporate involvement in the sport. And since I don't have much time now, I will leave it at that.

On a side note.... it seems that people are forgetting that big companies like Nike make MORE than just shoes and clothing. Been watching Golf? Hear of Tiger Woods? Take a look at his Golf Equipment... read the manufacturers name.

Base companies cover much more than their original product lines now days.....

(Note to self and anyone else: I think if you do a search, we had about the same conversation here on AO about 2 years ago... it was great and had many good points brought up. I may look for it later and post the link.. unless someone else gets to it first. It is great reading.)

[lunchbox]

the problem with "our sport" going pro will mean one thing everyone seems to overlook.
a major league so to speak paintball league will mean every paintball player out there today will just be another poser even the best of the players now will just be wannabes. why well think about this you like playing football and baseball and basketball right, well even if you are awesome on the street your still a nobody to the sport. do you think in your fogiest dreams you would ever get a chance to be a pro yeah like your chance of playing in the nfl or nba right?
truth is paintball is fun because its something everyone can do because its a rec game not a sport.
i mean even the best ball players on the feild now will soon be replaced by paid athletes like baseball and football players. they will be geneticaly leaned tward a fit short person who can stretch every direction.
personaly i like being a paintball player way more than being looked at as someone posing to look like the pro's.
i swear people dont think they just want there thing to be king and everyone else to see what they do.
man if you want to watch paintball on tv get a life go out and play paintball.
say what you will about this but the gods honest truth is noone who plays paintball today will ever be considered an athleate when you start paying people to play.Because when you pay people to play then you have alot more to chose from to make a pro team then you do with those who are willing to play.
so in closing next time you want paintball to go pro syndicated realize that you are asking that when poeple see you play at a local feild your just a poser wanna be and not a paintballer like you are today.Dont give up a great game like paintball to the syndications of tv or sponsorship of other sports right now you own paintball but if you give it up to sponsors and corperations guess what you will no longer be part of the sport you will just be imitating a game pros play.

thats how i feel on the subject of "lets make our sport go to t.v. "

and as a reply to the original post dude if you want to wear nike clothing on the feild wear nike clothing noones stoping you you dont need a suit with a pen saying ok nike now endorses your sport now your real(till your replaced next season with real athletes) good job the nppl is rich and you are a poser with a sport you can watch on tv.
lunchbox

[SyntaxError]

I completely agree with lunchbox. The repercussions of taking paintball to the level of football and basketball might not be foreseen now, but when paintball IS taken to that level, everyone will find that they are crap compared to the new, paid, trained professionals. Local fields will become overcrowded, and prices will skyrocket because people WILL buy.

think about this first

[lunchbox]

yeah and also corprate brainwashing would make me gag to the point where well where im gaging right now the youth on the board saying we need nike we need pepsi i mean if you need a pepsi stop at the store on the way to the feild. and to me cphilip is a genius not butterin ya up phil but everytime i see your name in a post that asks a question i read it why cause you seem to know how it all works.but with corprate business running the show people like cphilip would e second guess nobodies and personaly i dont want that to happen btw we need a cphilip fan club logo. and if you havent noticed in pro sport world people like gunga fatman cphilip lunchbox tunaman and Kaiser_Bob dont exist theres no room for the heavy or old in prosport. but looking at the nj ao meet picks these guys seemed to be the life of the party (i shoulda went to it ionly live 45 min away.) but what im saying kids is this paintball has been around a long long time and has stood the test of time over and over again. you dont need nike or pepsi or marlbro stamped on something to enjoy it and to have fun. and you deffinatly dont need to see it on tv when you can easy enough go out and live it in the feild. stop being syndicated corperation zombies turn off the tv and enjoy what you have, a great game made up of great people. how many pro sport players can you actualy say are great people and you have met them one on one and played all day. and you can forget about the pros going to your local feilds the yankee's dont play with the local kids and neither will the pro paintballers.

[lunchbox]

I know they already make cleats designed for soccer, baseball, and foot ball. I think they should design a cleat pattern strictly for paintball. Then they would have another market. Maybe make them out of some slick material so paint won't stick on them.. but they'll still grip the ground.
???????????
FrAuStY i believe its called leather at least thats what my boots are made of hey hitech makes a great pair of boots that have gortech sides and are water resistant and dont heat up, there plain black and you can tuck your pant legs into them,and paint just slips right off they have sweet ground digging tread and work great on wet cement also. nifty huh. oh and only 70 dollars a pair .
but have you ever seen a specialty nike shoe under 100 dollars. i find it funny everyone saying sweet nike yeah i got to get one but people saying omg how will i affors a 65 beta 85 dollar lvl 10 upgrade hehehehehe the corprate brainwash machine amazes me .
cya later
BoxXx

[ogre55]

Professional Amateurs

Regarding the points made by Lunchbox and SyntaxError. I disagree because all you have to do is look at the professionals from that other "extreme sports", such as snowboarding (which is an olymic event) or BMX to see the future of PB professionals. These are kids, taken out of their local skate parks due to talent. They are not "bred". There is no reason to think that the future paintball athletes will not be recruited in the same way.

Yes bigger, taller players, of which I am one, have an inherent disadvantage, but they can and do still play, even in pro touneys. Check out Pigtv footage of recent tournaments for proof. Hell, in his prime, Babe Ruth was rounder than an R.P. Marballizer. :)

As for increased numbers of players overcrowding paintball parks, if there is a demand, there will be a supply. More players means more money, which means more places to play.

Almost every public park has a basball field and basketball court. Some, I have heard, have facilities for skateboarding. Maybe, with enough demand, public parks will start to have paintball fields. (Now I know I am dreaming).
But seriously, if there is a vast demand for paintball, there will be those out there who will meet that demand.