State of the Industry

[shartley]

[Muzikman]

Damn damn damn damn! I agree with Sam again. This has to quit happeneing

[LudavicoSoldier]

IMHO the "Industry" needs to focus on supplying players with more places to play instead of more gear to play with. And not just places for "tourny" players to play either. Lets face it, the era of mom-and-pop paintball is very nearly drawing to a close. Fields need financial backing to be able to be successful. How about the big companies re-invest some of the money they are making into developing the playing infrastructure.

[KJHawley]

How does current, and future, state of paintball affect you anyway?. People can get up on a soapbox and state facts or simply say the sky is falling, but in the end people rarely listen. I hear gloom and doom of pb in every forum from alot of different people. It really doesnt matter at all, you will still go the field this weekend and play IF you still like to play.

Many people- myself included- DON'T like to play anymore, and for these very reasons. I started playing when everyone was using pumps, and I loved it. I've never had as much fun as I had when my friends and I were running around in the woods. Of course, we had a hard time finding places to play, we put non-playing bystanders in jeopardy by not having netting, etc., and we were undoubtedly shooting hot. So I can see the reason for playing at fields. But not airball, in its current state.

The gun makers are not making you shoot a guy 20 times, the hopper manufacturers are not making you shoot over 20 bps, and the clothing makers are not making you hate another for the clothes that they wear. It all comes down to the individual and how they play the game.

Except that individuals have these tools at their disposal, and a reason to use them. What it really comes down to is that person ORGANIZING the game- if the tournament promoters, and ESPECIALLY local field owners, tried to make THEIR game fair for everyone, this wouldn't be a problem.

I love playing with my team, they are all good sports that get out when hit, give each other props for good shots, and are not embarassed to get shot and go to the deadbox. It is becmong harder and harder to find a good game because people are generally tools, and you find this out when you step on the field with them.

Man, that's cool. If any of my local fields were filled with people like this, I'd play there every week. Wouldn't it be cool if all the players at your local field were there just for FUN, the refs enforced the safety rules to make sure everyone had fun, and the field owner set up the field and rules to make it fun for everyone?

[Steelrat]

I think that it is unlikely that the sport will be able to return to what it once was.

I really found it interesting that sales have gone down 30%, even as I've noticed more and more paintball gear at major retailers like wal-mart, Dicks, Sports Authority, etc etc. I wonder where (goegraphically) the drops have been, and with what specific equipment.

[Steelrat]

IMHO the "Industry" needs to focus on supplying players with more places to play instead of more gear to play with. And not just places for "tourny" players to play either. Lets face it, the era of mom-and-pop paintball is very nearly drawing to a close. Fields need financial backing to be able to be successful. How about the big companies re-invest some of the money they are making into developing the playing infrastructure.

Thats a good point.

[shartley]

I think that it is unlikely that the sport will be able to return to what it once was.

I really found it interesting that sales have gone down 30%, even as I've noticed more and more paintball gear at major retailers like wal-mart, Dicks, Sports Authority, etc etc. I wonder where (goegraphically) the drops have been, and with what specific equipment.

I tend to agree with this line of questioning as well. I know that some segments of the sport appear to be doing fantastic. And we have seen new businesses pop up catering to players that do not fit in the tournament/speedball categories. They also seem to be growing rather nicely.

[phantomhitman]

to add something to soldiers point:
There are a few mom'n'pop places that have grown over the years to huge forces. Places like pevs, sc village, paintball central (pbc) are starting to buy and open more and more fields. In the nc/va area they (pbc-pevs) are the premier fields and are quickly making it harder for new fields to start out, especially if they are close to them. That is the catch 22 beast though, you want a great field to play at but that means tons of money and bigger bank accounts required for starting fields.

[GT]

I'll be honest, I didn't read everyone's post becuase most of you suck. I am just kidding settle down. let me hit this from a different angle

Spoke with an industry insider today that said paintball sales are down 30% from last year, this info having been received from prominent retailers in the industry.

I swear, everytime I get up to take a piss there is a new marker comming out. Is the sales loss do to lower than expected sales of all products to include new products for this fiscal year or is this a normalized loss as compared to products sold this year that were also sold last year?

How are the mags doing compared to last year? I assume buisness is good since R&D still continues...

I don't pay any less for paint now than I did in '99 when I started palying. Infact new mag prices, Emag and RTP, are realitvily close to their 99 price with exception to thier new features. The industry as a whole can suck it, I only buy goods from a select few.

[LudavicoSoldier]

On a sepearate, but related topic (from my previous post)

We see so many people caught up in the "gun whore" mentality. Especially new players. It's one thing of have been playing for several years, and have a sizable collection. It's a different beast to have new players immediatly think that being a "gun whore" is a way to achieve status in this sport. The industry, as a money making machine, perpetuates this idea. The industry needs to be more focused on getting people to PLAY paintball, instead of on buying gear and BSing on the forums. Afterall, isnt paintball about getting out on the field and actually playing?

[SlartyBartFast]

The industry needs to be more focused on getting people to PLAY paintball, instead of on buying gear and BSing on the forums.

[KJHawley]

to add something to soldiers point:
There are a few mom'n'pop places that have grown over the years to huge forces. Places like pevs, sc village, paintball central (pbc) are starting to buy and open more and more fields. In the nc/va area they (pbc-pevs) are the premier fields and are quickly making it harder for new fields to start out, especially if they are close to them. That is the catch 22 beast though, you want a great field to play at but that means tons of money and bigger bank accounts required for starting fields.

This is SUCH a good point- by you and soldier. We're talking about these huge multinational companies who are making the markers and the paint, while the field owners are dominated by guys who are literally operating out of the back of a truck.

I've never played at any of the nationally known fields like SC village or Challenge Park, but I have played at one big enough to be featured in the Greg Hastings Paintball game, and of course numerous other fields. And I have yet to find something so basic as a restroom. IT's the 21st century: can't we at least have INDOOR PLUMBING when we play paintball?

[GT]

The biggest improvement in modern paintball, pre-halo, is reliability

[RogueFactor]

I could not afford to play the yway I do now if the costs went up. I would switch to a pump and play less often.

So do you think paintball as we know can sustain itself if the players that play the sport cant afford to?

[phantomhitman]

So do you think paintball as we know can sustain itself if the players that play the sport cant afford to?

By paintball sustaining itself you mean the companies actually make money right? Or are you talking about the sport itself being popular?

The breaking point as far as playing goes is paint. You will never hear a person say I cannot play this weekend because I cannot afford air, or clothes, or a hopper. You do not need a $1000+ setup to play and can work your way up that level if wanted. The paint is the non stop killer that MAKES people stop playing. So if paint prices skyrocketed you would see a major slowdown in paintball. The sponsorships would dwindle down to only serious winning teams, it would be harder to get rec players to come back, and even serious tourney players would be forced to cut back. I still do not see how a box of plastic/jello/paint costs $45, but that is another arguement.