Who runs the show ?

[p8ntball72]

AO discussion.

Who makes the Rules?

Industry
Promoters
Field owners
Insurance
Players
ASTM

The reason I ask,
there seems to be a "anything goes" attitude at many of the fields that I have played in the last year.

Examples
Allowing ramping/burst modes when Signs clearly state "simi- only"
Barrel swabs as BBD's when it is clearly stated in safety briefing that its a "condom only" field.
Goggle safety is vary lax for advanced players even in posted areas.

Is this just poor field staff or is this kind of thing happening all over?

[PBCapo]

I guess like NPPL and PSP make their own rules, but i think each field is controlled by the owners..and i suppose that is poor reffing, but its also hard to catch sometimes, like ramping when someone is pulling close to 15 or whatever it is set at

[usagi_tetsu]

Sadly, several of those you mentioned are one and the same. The players own the company (or work for it) that makes their equipment and owns the fields they play on, and they also promote the tournament series they play in. Or even run the series, in some cases. About the only ones who stand outside the sphere who have any say of anything is the Insurance folks, as that's a seperate industry. ASTM has written their safety rules, but they are an independent body that merely suggests how things should be made/run - they have no power to enforce the guidelines they have put forth.

So who's responsible? Everyone. We all make the industry and the sport what it is. If you're seeing safety violations, tell whoever it is what they're doing wrong, and if that doesn't work, tell the field owners. If they do nothing about it, leave. Take your money (remember, we vote with our wallets) somewhere else, and let them know what you're doing and why. Best bet, if it bothers you that much, become a ref at that field. Where better to enforce the safety rules as you'd like to see them enforced than working inside the system?

[punkncat]

In many places profitable paintball is becoming harder and harder to acheive with the political environment, development, insurance costs, etc. There is a fine line where field owners want to enforce their rules, but at the same time must cater to the desire of the players who tend to be fickle. If they go to one field and get away with whatever they want, but then another field is strictly enforcing rules, where will many players go?

I think many fields post signs more as CYA, and let the players do what they want. Unless your field just brings more to the table than any other in the area the owner is kind of over a barrel.

As far as ramping and bunkering, I think it should be allowed for those who wish to practice like they play. Most local fields allow it during team practices, and for specific games throughout the day.

[GT]

Who makes the Rules?

$$$$$$

Follow that and you know who makes the rules. I cant tell you for certian is that ASTM has nothing to do with paintball

[Jeffy-CanCon]

Rules for competitive paintball are mainly written by the industry. X-ball is a commercial format, originated and owned by manufacturers. NPPL is heavily dependant on sponsors, who want rules that will allow them top showcase their new products, rather than restrict them to existing technology and a "level playing field".

The problems you describe, p8ntball72, are field-specific. They are found all over, but not at every field. They are not tolerated at my home field, nor at the US field I visit most often (EMR).

[luke]

Barrel swabs as BBD's

Never understood why this is a problem.

A barrel swab shoved all they way to the bolt is safer than any barrel plug or bag IMO....

[FinchMan]

Never understood why this is a problem.

A barrel swab shoved all they way to the bolt is safer than any barrel plug or bag IMO....

only a problem when the swab doesn't go all the back to the bolt to restrict the cycling of the gun. if it's able to fire, then it'll shoot the barrel swab pretty fast.

[Jotsy]

where i usually play we usually just have friendly games between friends and whoever shows up on the day. most of us are regulars and sometimes the refs pretty much just let us be while they tend to the walkon players on the woodsball fields (but usually they have at least one person there to attend to matters such as air fills or buying more paint). everybody is usually very responsible in terms of safety and we always like to jump on the occasional careless or absent minded individual. we usually ref ourselves and rules like ramping and bunkering are decided between the players before the game starts. we don't even keep score i guess we're lucky tho that most of the players at our site are the kind that like to call themselves out.

i think game rules only really need to be enforced when theres an actual competition going on.

[p8ntball72]

I have been under the impression that Insurance makes the rules. they are the ones that will have to pay the claims.

All major paintball Insurance has guidelines that must be followed to qualify for coverage.

I know that tournaments would be cash driven and heavily influenced by industry, but for Local field owners to cater to players while disregarding Insurance guidelines for safety is unacceptable.

I have stopped playing at these establishments... but it just seems that there are lines of irresponsible players to take my place.

To make paintball a legitimate sport, don't we need some governing body to Regulate?

[jenarelJAM]

When I see someone ramping(and its fairly easy to tell. If there is a constant stream with no pauses, its full auto or ramping) or bumping up their velocity, I tell a ref, or report it to the front desk. If they do nothing, I dont come back. I have been a ref before, and its not easy with rec games. Many times its 3-4 refs covering 15 or so people on each side, and spread out over a large field, they miss stuff(i reffed woodsball). All it usually takes is a suggestion to "watch that guy, i think hes ramping" and they either stop the guy, or kick him out.

[Pyroboy597]

Ramping is legal near me, but capped at 15 bps. As for your field, that is just called lazy refs.

[Jeffy-CanCon]

...

To make paintball a legitimate sport, don't we need some governing body to Regulate?

Yes. But the players, teams and promoters would have to buy-in to the idea. And that would mean sacrificing prizes and profits, and playing for trophies and medals instead. Unless you severely restrict the equipment, and limit paint use, paintball is very expensive to play. That encourages teams to want to play for prizes to win back their costs.

Right now, the manufacturers underwrite the major tournaments by providing prizes, which lowers the promoters costs and attracts players, increasing their profits. The manufacturers determine the rules of competitive paintball by deciding which tournaments to support (in those cases where they do not control the tournaments directly).

It might be possible to break the cycle with stock-class tourneys and/or leagues, where per-game costs are negligible. But that same low cost means low profits for promoters, and less money available to organise, advertise and promote this style of play. Add to that the fact that stock-class is relatively less sexy than open-class, and has a steeper learning curve which discourages many new players from trying it.

An independant paintball governing body, and legitimacy as a sport, is thus very unlikely.

[p8ntball72]

My local field is NEGLAGENT on sections 1,5,6,8,12, and 15.
So I no longer Support that Field owner

[MoeMag]