Great News for Everyone Who Plays Paintball!

[Ov3rmind]

Link, More In Depth Statistics

I guess striving to portray our sport in a positive manner really paid off. After reading through this, and thinking about past years, I think paintball is going to finally start to become recognized for what it is. The NPPL and PSP this year have already put together tourneys that have recieved more press and public attention than in any past years (like the TV commercial the PSP ran for LA, or the overall atmosphere the NPPL created at Huntington Beach). I feel that tournament paintball is gradually moving towards a better future, and that over the next few years we're going to see a lot of positive change for paintball overall.

On top of being the fastest growing sport, we also had the highest percent growth for female participants. 75.2% increase at a total of 1.4 million women playing in 2002.

I'd just like to say I'm excited to see whats going to happen in 2004, and I'm overjoyed to see paintball progressing at such a rapid rate.

[reefer madness]

next the olympics

[shartley]

[cris8762]

Sam, you forgot someone else to give credit to!

The Fields!!!! they work really hard to bring in new people to the sport and keep their regulars "paintball grunts" coming back again and again!

I know you will say that it is only for profit, and i will agree that it is PARTLY for profit (more than half, but it really depends on the field) but most of the fields around here are owned by great people that want to help bring in as many new people to the sport as possible! I'm seeing commercials on cable TV for one field on Comedy Central, and i'm hearing ads for another field on the local Rock station (96.1 if u live in the triangle area).

I think that the stores and fields are working just as hard, if not harder to help promote our sport and keep it growing. Even if most of the reason they do it is for profit, they are helping OUR sport and insuring that it will be here to stay.

[aaron_mag]

Sam is right. None of my friends knew anything about the NPPL/PSP before I got them out on a field to try it out. Actually I think they are still blissfully unaware of tournament play. They played because it sounded like fun and then were hooked.

As for tournament play there is nothing wrong with it. In off road motorcycling you have top racers that people follow. That doesn't change the fact that most people off road motorcycle because they tried it, liked it, and bought a bike.

[Jonno06]

how can you type such a long post?

i really hope with this "growth", some cheating in tournament paintball will stop, or atleast go down.

[shartley]

Originally posted by cris8762
Sam, you forgot someone else to give credit to!

The Fields!!!! they work really hard to bring in new people to the sport and keep their regulars "paintball grunts" coming back again and again!

I know you will say that it is only for profit, and i will agree that it is PARTLY for profit (more than half, but it really depends on the field) but most of the fields around here are owned by great people that want to help bring in as many new people to the sport as possible! I'm seeing commercials on cable TV for one field on Comedy Central, and i'm hearing ads for another field on the local Rock station (96.1 if u live in the triangle area).

I think that the stores and fields are working just as hard, if not harder to help promote our sport and keep it growing. Even if most of the reason they do it is for profit, they are helping OUR sport and insuring that it will be here to stay.

Originally posted by Jonno06
how can you type such a long post?

i really hope with this "growth", some cheating in tournament paintball will stop, or atleast go down.

And this is EXACTLY where thinks like the NPPL/PSP comes into play (no pun intended ). And I agree whole heartedly.