Would you Save the Industry if it Cost you a MILLION BUCKS?

[vlhockey22]

I don't think an investment like that is worth it. I just can't see the entire paintball industry going down. The players will always keep the sport alive.

[Hemorrhage]

To quote AGD:

"I want to ask a simple question..."
and
"...I expect intelligent answers."

Well an intelligent answer to this from of question. I see only two options. Yes. And No. That's it guys.. Tom you should have just done a poll. Why are people so stupid? You can't look that deep into something so simple. It's like diving into a 1ft pond. Yes or No...

[845]

I agree with one of the posts above that says it should not be one company who does this but a group of companies and people. So no I do not think one company especially a small company should fork over 1 mil to save a billion dollar industry. When there is obviously so many other people who have the money also.

[aaron_mag]

Originally posted by Hemorrhage
To quote AGD:

"I want to ask a simple question..."
and
"...I expect intelligent answers."

Well an intelligent answer to this from of question. I see only two options. Yes. And No. That's it guys.. Tom you should have just done a poll. Why are people so stupid? You can't look that deep into something so simple. It's like diving into a 1ft pond. Yes or No...

As if a question of the appropriation of a million dollars is as simple as whether or not you want fries with your hamburger. It is of course a very deep question. To gauge the impact of a million dollar donation/investment people spend thousands of dollars on studies and legal advice....

[nuclear zombie]

yes .

[Star_Base_CGI]

What if Tom already spent the million dollars.

If you added up all the money everyone spent to keep us playing with junk its already a million dollars.

[Infratracide]

Uhh well, you could say paintball is a bit more unstable than most other sports in the world. There are many factors, inside and out, that threaten it. Outside of paintball (law) the players are better suited for influencing the outcome. That means give your local senator a call when they decide to mess with regulations. Inside the sport I understand that manufactoring companies are in a constant fued. One company in particular is stirring things up a bit and I think that they are gunna get shoved off the huge mountain of cash they are making. One company cannot possibly maintain 10+ copyright infringement lawsuits when everyone of them have the potential to make their own copyright void. (there is much previous art that SP has just laid claim too, everyone they sue will try to disprove their copyright.) The industry isn't going to die antime soon.

Together we should keep our sport healthy by thinking possitivly, playing safe, supporting good ideas, and having fun.

[Robbie]

black mail

There is no way i would let a company try to strong arm $10.00 dollars from me let alone 1 million dollars. It has Nothing to do with wether you have the money its the principal of it.i would rather spend 1 milion fighting something than just rolling over. Alot of people have done alot of selfless things in this sport to try and make it great. Its not always about how much money you can rake in.

[warpfeedmod]

I would do it on one condition, and only one, it does not hurt anyone on the other side/end. I.e. mean using this money to rebutt a lawsuit, patent a technology, buy out another company, etc. If the person on the other side of this is going to get hurt by losing their job, think about the repurcussions on that person. Sure everyone says don't do it if it will affect your own well being and your ability to support yourself/family. But what about who might end up getting hurt in this deal? What about if that person/company loses out?

I would look at it more of is there an 80% chance that some other company could go out of business, someone else could end up broke and on the street with their family? Do you want to be known as the one who saved the industry? Or caused a company to fold and put those people out of work/on the street?

More of a moral dilemma for me, if you could prove without a doubt that someone else wouldn't get hurt as a result of this, I would do it. But if it is going to put more people out of work and possibly hurt somene else, take the money and invest it in something more secure.

[Albinonewt]

Originally posted by warpfeedmod
I would do it on one condition, and only one, it does not hurt anyone on the other side/end. I.e. mean using this money to rebutt a lawsuit, patent a technology, buy out another company, etc. If the person on the other side of this is going to get hurt by losing their job, think about the repurcussions on that person

I disagree with you on that point for an important reason.

Assuming that the industry needs saving that means that the end result of not saving the industry puts that person out of work either way. If saving the indutry means a bunch of people lose their jobs but many more keep them then I think that is a net benefit to the industry that would have otherwise lost all of those jobs.

Now, there is a difference between that and simply investing the money just to put others out of business. I would still do that, since in order to expand my business enough to crush someone else's I would need to hire, which means the net effect at least a status quo in jobs.

[Xyxyll]

I don't know if this has already been said (was too lazy to look through pages 2+), but it might not be too hard to regain $1 million w/ a fund. That way players all across the world could be the ones saving the industry.

[LaW]

So is there going to be any more follow up to this post Tom?

[karphead]

I'd do it in a heartbeat if I stood to gain $$$ from it, 80% are killer odds. I'd bet a lot on 80%.


If spending the 1Mil means you're going to save the industry and stand to make a pretty good profit afterwards, even if it just means the elimination of a competitor, then go for it. Like I said, 80% chance of coming out on top is great odds.

If you're spending the 1Mil just to keep the industry afloat while not furthering your company's position in the industry, it would probably be a waste of money. The industry needs to come together and save itself, not rely on Tom Kaye to keep it up. I mean, Tom, you're a paintball God and all, but you aren't made of money (to my knowledge)

^^Basically a rehash of what a lot of other people are saying, now that I reread it. Eh.

[LudavicoSoldier]

I have to agree with Star_Base_CGI

"At the very least for paintball, you need some ground, a mask, a gun, some friends and some paintballs. People will always play paintball. It doesnt need saving. Alls it needs is cheap paintballs and all day air. "

Honestly, I dont care what is the newest or fastest marker out there. Give me a nice light marker, cheap paint, and all day air (which we allready have for cheap). I have to stress the CHEAP PAINT. Aside from recent events (SP and such) paintball is doing pretty well. However, spending $100+ on paint per day of play simply drives many people (me) away. Give me a case of good paint (decently brittle, minimal seam) for $25-$35 (or less) consistantly, and I would be on the field every single weekend. My 2 cents...

[LaW]

oh wow, you guys can't complain about paint prices... although places still sell them for lots of money ie 100 dollars or so... there are plenty of fields that sell cases of paint for 65 or less too.

When I started playing 8 years ago I paid upwords to 115 to 130 dollars for a CASE of paint... how crazy is that? I think paint prices are doing ok. You have to also take into account that the fields you play at have to make their money somehow and thats where paint sales comes in... probably the number one money maker of the field.