Feasibility of pball exhibition matches to promote "awareness".

[Carbon]

How feasable or effective do you think it is for companies to tour diff. cities and setup exhibition matches in order to create pball "awareness" or at least to make a quick buck?

Also maybe, setup playable fields for spectators to join.

They do this with other activities like inline skating, skateboarding and BMX. Im not certain of the logistics of equipment handling, setup/takedown, merchandising.

its seem to me this would be an ideal bridge between "the local level" and "paintball on tv" the sport deperately needs.

[Resurection]

How feasable or effective do you think it is for companies to tour diff. cities and setup exhibition matches in order to create pball "awareness" or at least to make a quick buck?

Also maybe, setup playable fields for spectators to join.

They do this with other activities like inline skating, skateboarding and BMX. Im not certain of the logistics of equipment handling, setup/takedown, merchandising.

its seem to me this would be an ideal bridge between "the local level" and "paintball on tv" the sport deperately needs.

Honestly, from what I have seen, there's no one in a position to do this that I think would portray the sport in a good enough light to make a positive impact. Sad....

[Target Practice]

So we can take the game to people to show that the majority of players are foul-mouthed bastards, and that parents shouldn't let there kids within 1000 feet of them or the sport?

[Carbon]

well, i suppose you get to handpick the players. Its all attitude and selection for the right kind of player wouldnt be too hard. I mean if you are going to do a traveling roadshow, you would want people who are true professionals, people who dont cuss (all that much anyway).

So in a sense you have more than just paintballers but, moreso company/industry epresentatives.

I mean if someone told me they were gonna pay me to travel around the country to play paintball for close to free. have at it.

[Carbon]

So we can take the game to people to show that the majority of players are foul-mouthed bastards, and that parents shouldn't let there kids within 1000 feet of them or the sport?

the majority arent tourney players.

[Lohman446]

Without cracking on players.

The only successful venue I have seen at getting non-paintball players to come watch was Huntington beach, and I have only seen the pictures from there.

Even Disney's Wide World of Sports and reasonable local advertisement (I was there) has not drawn a large crowd of non-paintballer spectators.

I doubt Skydome has had a massive success... though I do not know.

These are great venues, and even they have not been able to have a tremendous draw. Right now, it does not seem there is a large interest of non-players. I may be shown I'm wrong here, and I am certain many of you want to beleive I am, but I think there is not the draw we all wish was there.

[SlartyBartFast]

Want to promote awareness?

You need one of the big retail equipment companies (BE or K2) to put together a touring round-robin format open tournament. Bring low cost tournament play to the retail clients and renegade ballers with expert reffing and oraganisation.

To promote awareness you have to ditch the money prizes and promote grass-roots competition.

Tough job and you'd have to get sponsors.

[hitech]

...you would want people who are true professionals, people who dont cuss (all that much anyway).

I guess it's become all too excepted in paintball today... And we wonder why it is hard to get anyone to take us seriously...

[Lohman446]

Want to promote awareness?

You need one of the big retail equipment companies (BE or K2) to put together a touring round-robin format open tournament. Bring low cost tournament play to the retail clients and renegade ballers with expert reffing and oraganisation.

To promote awareness you have to ditch the money prizes and promote grass-roots competition.

Tough job and you'd have to get sponsors.

I think its the other way. I see something like NASCAR has done with its races, with Budweiser, Nike, Energizer - you get the idea a BIG NAME company - sponsoring a tournament (and demanding the air time) with a week of events leading up to it.

[hitech]

Want to promote awareness?

You need one of the big retail equipment companies (BE or K2) to put together a touring round-robin format open tournament. Bring low cost tournament play to the retail clients and renegade ballers with expert reffing and oraganisation.

[SlartyBartFast]

I think its the other way. I see something like NASCAR has done with its races, with Budweiser, Nike, Energizer - you get the idea a BIG NAME company - sponsoring a tournament (and demanding the air time) with a week of events leading up to it.

You have to get the following first. That's the problem with every paintball endevour to date. They all want to get to the big leagues before building up to it.

But, there are a number of related products and names that COULD put together a great tournament series.

How about innitially a Walmart/BE Cup? Perhaps add a paint sponsor. No big teams. Just a couple of airball fields that tour Walmarts and setup in the parking lot. Open registration and round robin play with a team of full time proffesional refs.

Initially, the main sponsors would only have a direct link to the game. Their advantage would be the promotion and sales of their products. I've always thought a Talon Cup would be an awesome idea. With sponsorship from BE and Walmart, for little more than the cost of the marker in the store, you could compete in a tournament. Sign up your team, get new markers in their packaging, play. No big prizes, just fun.

If the participation grows, bring in other related sponsors. Sports drinks, etc.

Then, once respect has been gained and the events grow, create local organising committees for the areas with larger participation. With that committe, start influencing local series to feed the local big events. Use the heavy influence to impose low costs and focus on fun and sportsmanship. Impose local reffing standards. Then, move the venue out of the parking lots. With the big non-paintball names stadiums are available that would shun even the PSP and NPPL. But, still the organisation and events are focused locally.

Next step: The larger centers that have a feeder system break into classifications. BUT the open round-robin event MUST be kept to promote the fun aspect. Winners in classes at large events win travel to other big area events. Small area events send winners to the nearest big area.

Planned, staged, controlled growth.

All the current series (even the well organised small ones) want to immediately go to state, national, and international status. Instead of just running a good fun event, they immediately take on player tracking, classification, big prizes, sponsorship, etc.

[SlartyBartFast]

CUT THAT OUT! :rofl:

The way you're following me around with praise, I might start thinking I have a stalker.

[Carbon]

good points of view.

Im not exactly saying this is an easy venture for paintball to get into. But i belive it is certainly easier to tap than mainstream television. Paintball is like golf. There is a desparity of entertainment value in observing and watching the game than actually playing it. It just is more enetertaing to play than watch.

But thats exactly what i mean when I say exibitions. No prizes for the exhibition teams. If you can get comapanys to commit to maybe a 6 city tour with a trade booth. Any company, non paintball esoteric companies. National chains and brands, Starbucks, energy drink comapnies, Cell phone companies ect.

In essence it would be a paintball demo, similar to skate, bmx and inline demos. Except with a much greater potetial of crow/spectator participation.

What about a clandestinely planned and staged match, with really cool runthroughs and bunker moves? Yeah it aint real but so what?

You have to undestand, watching a skate demo is awe inspiring but, is it conducive to actually getting the crown invovled the same day the event takes place? Not really. The learning curve is just too steep, enough for someone to break their ankle trying to Ollie the 1st time.

Paintball on the other hand, the initial curve is not very steep. Consider how exciting it was for you when you got your 1st elimination or your 1st 3 elims in one game. Couple this with the immideate reaction to when your average outsider watches a paintball game, "whoa, i can do that".

[ntn4502]

I think its the other way. I see something like NASCAR has done with its races, with Budweiser, Nike, Energizer - you get the idea a BIG NAME company - sponsoring a tournament (and demanding the air time) with a week of events leading up to it.

Like Xbox?

[Cameo]

If i remember correctley clear channel entertainment was putting together "teams". they had ppl call in to win then those ppl were given gear and put on a team with the diskjockey's to play at I think a PSP event nearest to thier area...
It didn't get that good of a responce..