Interesting Paintball Statistics

[Aslan]

I was looking at a post on either pbreview or pbnation...it was a poll where the person asked something like, "How much of you paintballing is supported (financially) by your parents?"

Now, let's assume that, for the adult paintball players...that the parents do not support their paintballing. Working off that assumption, the results were something like this:

57% Yes (parents support)
43% No (parents don't support)

So, this tells me that a minimum of 57% of paintballers are college aged or younger.

As for he 43% remaining, there has to be a % of adults, a smaller % of college aged kids with no parental support, and an even smaller group of say high school aged kids who support their own paintballing (allthough, this number is probably low).

That would lead me to the following "educated guess" this breakdown:

30% adult
10% college aged w/no support
3% high school aged w/no support

The point of this whole breakdown is that my guess (based on these numbers) is that 30% of paintballers are adults. That sort of surprised me...not alot...but a little.

But then I got to thinking of it...and the last few times I played...I was probably outnumberd 3-1 by kids.

Interesting. Or maybe not. Is it a good thing? Maybe...new blood...new interest. It just seems like I used to play and it was mostly adults...with a couple kids showing up...lately it's been reversed.

[Huskie_American]

If your basing your facts of adult paintballers due to a poll on PBN or PBR its going to be wrong. Im sure over half of paintballs population doesnt even use those sites, and the majority of those who do, is kids college age and younger...SO i highly doubt there are only 30% of adult paintballers

[warbeak2099]

You really need to test each of those subject groups seperately to find the exact percentages. I am a highschooler who supports his own paintballing and everything else for that matter, and I know plenty more. Based off of my experience, that 3% doesn't make sense.

[ttink]

i know lots of high school kids around here who get no monetary support from parents including me.

[bentothejam1n]

You really need to test each of those subject groups seperately to find the exact percentages. I am a highschooler who supports his own paintballing and everything else for that matter, and I know plenty more. Based off of my experience, that 3% doesn't make sense.

Yea 3% sounds a little to low. I'm thinking around 10%. A lot of the tourny kids I see at the proshop have their mom behind them with her credit card out
/proud part of that 10%

[FSU_Paintball]

I started playing paintball in high school. Really, except for maybe the *very* occasional bag of paint and Christmas/Birthday presents, I paid for my own habit. I played every other week so it wasn't cheap, either. Nearly all of my buddies paid their own way as well.

In fact, I'd say less than half of the people I played with had everything paid for by their parents. So I think 3% is way off.

[JoshK]

Yeah...for all of my friends paintball is supported by themselves. (Usually the actual gun and a little gear is a christmas present or something along those lines...)

So I really doubt those numbers are correct...but I still give you kudos for figuring it all out (even if you were using a poor source...which isn't exactly your fault).


-Josh

[etjoyride]

I support my self, except for the (very) occasional case of paint, and about 100 dolalrs worth of grear out of my 800+ invested(not counting paint and field fees of course)

And i am only a freshman in highschool

[tyrion2323]

I'm still not sure what the problem is when parents pay for things. I know plenty of jerkoffs who paid for their own gear. I just think that 14 year old kids can't really be expected to front most of their paintball costs in a speedball/tournament scene.

Or.

If it is a problem with paintball, why isn't it considered a problem when parents pay for their kids to sk and race on a club? Very comparable costs...

Just like any other aspect of paintball, it all amounts to the person behind the equipment.

/paid for my own gear
//way over 14

[BD_Paintball]

[MoeMag]

[camilion705]

I starte to play n middle school and the only thing my parents have paid for were a pair of Dye gloves and JT Tourny pants. Other wise they haven't paid another cent. I guess indirectly they pay for my gas, but I wouldn't count that...

I have found it really tough to get by playing such an expensive sport on a really tight budget. My friends' parents pay for nearly everything and it can be really frustrating. I play pump a lot simply to cut back on expenses, while I watch some of my friends unload with their super high ends.

I dont know whats going to happen when I go accross the country for college this fall! Hopefully I can at least play some good old pump.

[REDRT]

Well my folks never once supported any of my hobbies. Heck there never supported any extra curricular things like sports when I was in school. Never once did we go on a vacation. I only know family from funerals. So I've been on my own in the fun dept all my life. I think though interesting the data is flawed.

[Aslan]

Okay, for the sake of arguement, let me define "support". By "support", I meant that your parents have contributed "something" to your paintballing...maybe it's an occasional $25 for paint...maybe a birthday present here, Christmas present there...whatever. You guys got way too hung up on the whole "support" issue. That 3% is high school aged and younger kids who's parents have never bought them anything for paintball nor ever gave them money to play. That's gotta be rare because if the players are under 15, they don't have jobs...so they either get money from their parents or work for their parents...either way, it's "support" from their parents.

As to the other comments, you guys are absolutely right...it's probably biased towards younger players given the internet factor. But this was off pbreview, not pbnation. If it was off pbnation...then it would be skewed beyond belief.

So I guess the consensus is that 30% adults is too low? Keep an eye out at your fields next time you go...like I said...I'm seeing first hand that i'm (adult) outnumbered like 3-1 and 4-1...so 30% may not be that far off.

[REDRT]

Anything involving money and lots of it folks normally don't support it. If it doesn't pay the bills it is foolishness. I started playing at age 19 after boot camp. I'd wouldn't expect the folks to support me then. My brother is 4 years younger. He didn't receive any more than I did. There is people that support there kids hobbies. Some more so than others. My brother and I were not amonst this group. Money had and still is earned to support the habit as it was back at day one.