Should paintball be televised?

[Tyger]

I know this will turn into a flame war, but I'm going to ask it anyway. The poll is just for the casual observers.

On one hand, we have people who say that paintball needs to be on TV. That the TV audience would turn into a revinue stream by mainstreaming paintball into people's homes. It would be recognition of paintball as a sport, and legitimise paintball as such. Plus it would be great to watch as well.

On the other, we have people who believe that it would ruin the sport by over-populating wiht people who saw paintball on TV and now want to be "Like Mike" if you will. Paintball on TV would be over-commercialised, over structured, and possibly filled with "prettyboys" who can't play but look good on TV.

Which brings to the point. SHOULD paintball be a televised sport?

As a related topic, what kind of paintball should be on TV? Tournaments? Scenario games? X-ball? A totally new flavor of paintball?

Open floor. Have at.

-Tyger

[teufelhunden]

I think the current paintballers would collectively have a heart attack if paintball was on mainstream tv at a time when more than 4% of the country is awake.

A good deal of paintballers always advocate taking paintball to the next step, making it more commercial, etc/whatever.. but don't like the consequences. For as long as I can remember, people have been saying how "TOTALLY AWESOME DUDE! " it would be if Nike, Reebok, etc. got into paintball. What people either don't realize or don't want to realize is that with big business comes big business practice. So for anybody who wants paintball on TV or to be picked up by billion dollar companies, you have to ask yourself.. are you ready for business wars that will make Smart Parts look like water under the bridge?

For reasons like this, I vote no.

[Bulldog]

I voted no, because I don't think it's matured enough yet. Maybe in a few years if it gets a strong governing body that enforces the rules. just IMHO.

[Jet-Xino]

I'd like to see paintball on tv IF its done right. The little that I've seen on OLN was done very well. I think the most important thing are getting some decent announcers who know the game and arn't extremely anoying. As an avid paintball player myself I can say their is nothing more boring than watching a paintball game where you do not know any of the people playing or have anything invested in the particular game and on top of that you have no idea whats going on on the field.

If I as a serious paintball player find the games to be boring or can't follow the game then their is absolutly no chance that a non paintballer would have any kind of interest in watching. I think with good announcers, good teams, and a product review here and there it could work. I think for the most part it would be good for the sport paintball (as long as the rules are seriously enforced and fair play encouraged). Any chance or oportunity to help the sport grow would be great I think. Yes you are going to have a increase in some cases of unwanted incidents but I think for the most part alot of new people could potentialy be exposed to paintball and we could see the sport grow even more which is good. I think the good would outweigh the bad.

I can't understand the mind set that would want to keep paintball hidden or as secret from the public. Yes as with any sport or industry as it grows bigger your going to have to deal with things becoming more commercial and deal with big business controversy but I think for the average paintball player or any paintball player the improvments and inovations made (spured on by competition) to the sport will be well worth it.

[MasonFootball89]

Yes

Ok pretty boys wouldnt get on TV because its like in any other sports a national league was formed and the top players would be on TV because of their skills.

Once paintball is on TV it will almost automatically turn into a hit sport even more than it already is.

I think one of the best things that could happen to paintball would be getting it on TV. People could see how much fun the sport.

This would help them see the reality of the sport instead of jackass shooting each other in the cup (jock strap) and using them to hurt people.

Also they would learn why people love paintball(plus Id love to watch it)

[Krysys]

No

Simply....no.

-JohnnyK

[WARPED1]

Yes, but not as an XGame or extreme sport.

[lather]

Paintball has been growing in popularity without TV. I dont need to see paintball on TV to justify my enjoyment and appreciation for the game.

[ramennoodles]

hey cool, i didn't didn't know krysys was on this board, thats awesome, anyway, no, if you wanna hear my reasoning, i agree with his rant, check it out http://www.krysys.com/ramble.htm

[Gunga]

Couple problems I see with paintball being 'TV worthy'. Tourney paintball at least.

One...in every other sport (that I can think of) that is on TV, there's only one ball. Keep your eye on the ball. Things will happen around it. With paintball...everyone's got the ball. It'd be too confusing for Joe Public I think.

Two...you'll see people cheating. Well, I suppose there could be creative editing, but y'know what I mean. Paintball involves people with guns who shoot at each other intentionally. Adding cheating into paintball's 'image' wiith Joe Schmoe would be bad.

Another thing...most everyone is dressed similarly. There's always gonna be a team wearing the same color scheme as another. You're not going to confuse the two teams when the Bears beat on the Packers. Teams would need unique uniforms. Also, the jerseys would have to be simpler designs (they're too busy IMO) so you can actually read someone's name at a distance. Large player numbers would be nice as well...but then you run into the problem of the pack obscuring it from the rear...and the bunker/ground obscuring it from the front. So numbers would have to be on the sleeves/shoulders as well.

[RenagadeOfFunk]

I agree with Gunga, and not just because of being a fellow Chicagoan..

its too hard to watch all the players at once, and what "moves" will be cool besides bunkering...

...in other sports there are base rules, unlike pb which has X-ball, and different # of man tournies...

...then there will be more people interested in pb which leads to problems...more guns everywhere more stupid teens shooting each other in unauthorized places.

...and there will be those "like mike" people, as stated before.
When i go play basketball and a local court there is always that showoff/punk who swears and makes fun of the other guy just to prove he is the best...we dont need more people with egos and then them using pb markers...

...i know i talking about the .001 % of the players...but with more and more people playing that number gets bigger...

[Automaggot68]

I think the current paintballers would collectively have a heart attack if paintball was on mainstream tv at a time when more than 4% of the country is awake.

A good deal of paintballers always advocate taking paintball to the next step, making it more commercial, etc/whatever.. but don't like the consequences. For as long as I can remember, people have been saying how "TOTALLY AWESOME DUDE! " it would be if Nike, Reebok, etc. got into paintball. What people either don't realize or don't want to realize is that with big business comes big business practice. So for anybody who wants paintball on TV or to be picked up by billion dollar companies, you have to ask yourself.. are you ready for business wars that will make Smart Parts look like water under the bridge?

For reasons like this, I vote no.

I very much agree with every reason stated. Good post

[Empyreal Rogue]

I saw a Speedball match on TNT one morning and this guy was blatantly cheating on Cable TV. But the refs, almost literally tackled him while one ripped the marker out of his hands and banned him. All while the game was going on.

When players get in arguments and start swearing at each other, it's no different from when Baseball Players clear the benches and fight each other and swear. You can easily tell what they're saying. The only difference is that it happens more often in paintball than baseball or football. Now Hockey is a different story, fighting is technically legal but there are consequences.

What I'm saying is that if the refs are willing to do ALL THEY CAN rather than half-butt their job then I'm all for televised paintball. If someone is cheating, let them cheat and let them get caught. Now the cheater boards are indeed more difficult to catch than a simple wipe but there are ways around it. Like before the match starts everyone's marker should be chronographed legally, as normal, with refs observing with BPS clocks. If they notice, through the clock, an obvious plateau in BPS then they're using a cheater board which would result in instant expulsion from the tournament. And in certain cases team expulsion.

That may be a bit extreme but if it's the only way to ensure -FAIR- play then so be it. Maybe players will eventually learn through fair play that there's no reason to cheat and give up. But that would be living in a dream world.

[vonort]

No!!!

Why? Is pretty much all I can say. Why do we want it to go to TV. Everyone thinks its going to bring lower prices and more advances. Most likely when companys like Nike get involved your going to see prices go UP!!

Someone mentioned then just the pretty boys will be on tv. Umm that is pretty much what runs the tourny circuit now.


And if you really want to stop ramping, and cheater boards. Make tournys PUMP ONLY. Solves that problem. Also slows down the action to make it easier for a ref to stay on top of wipers.

[paullus99]

Actually, I'm surprised SPIKE TV hasn't picked up paintball yet for broadcast. They have all kinds of unusually programming right now (including the basketball/trampoline hybrid game I can't remember the name of right now). Seems like a perfect fit to me - I wonder if anyone has approached and pitched them on it yet.......