Interesting Paintball Statistics

[PumpPlayer]

FWIW, approximately 90% of regular players are under the age of 24.

Also, only 3 out of 4 players is a member of the online community. 3/4 is still huge for any sport, but so is the 1/4 NOT online.


Those numbers come from insurance figures and represent only those who play at licensed fields.
Still, I'll bet it's a heck of a lot more accurate than any PBN poll.

[Dryden]

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.

I still disagree.

Doing chores around the house for an allowance, having a paper route, mowing lawns, or running a lemonade stand are all valid sources of income for minors. Working for what you get, even if it is your own parents who pay you, versus receiving "handouts" is not equal. Birthday gifts, Christmas presents, Easter presents, or whatever are separate from that discussion.

I have supported my own paintball habit since I was 14 or 15. I am now 31. I worked for everything I've bought. Are you suggesting that I cannot rightfully claim this because my dad once bought me a $30 barrel that I asked for for Christmas to go with my new VM68 way back in 1992? Wrong. When people read the word 'support,' they interpret that to mean that a players' parents fund their involvement in paintball (> 75%) the same as most parents funds their own childrens involvement in more traditional sports, such as football, basketball, baseball, and soccer.

The data source you're working with is skewed. 90% of paintballers I know are adult rec ball/outlaw players who don't get on paintball Web sites to answer polls -- this sample set is even more out of whack if the site in question is pbn or pbreview.

[ojhspyro89]

Im a high school student who also pays for all my dues and such. Its hard, but its worth it.

I lied, my dad payed for my battery in my V7

[RoamingStorm]

my parents have never payed for anything that concern paintball

loans yes, but they have all been paid back with interest

[-Tab]

My parents have not and never will throw me money for paintball (Christmas and birthdays are exempt)

I'm only 17, but I honestly hate money being thrown at me. I cannot stand spoiled kids, and I would seriously dislike being one.

[Aslan]

pointless

This thread turned into something other than what it was intended to be...it like mutated or something. Somehow, my surprise that the vast majorityof paintballers seemed to be very young...has turned into an "I hate rich kids and their parents" thread.

Now that it's been hijacked...I can't really comment...because when my parents supported me...paintball was either not invented or in such infancy that I would have had to know a guy that knew a guy that knows a guy who plays paintball. You kids may have it bad that your parents don't pay for your paintballing...but at least you have paintball...and the internet...and cell phones...and computers...and automatic windows in your car...etc...

[jenarelJAM]

I think it became an "I hate rich kids" thread, as you put it, because so many of us are slightly bitter that other people get handouts. I admit, it is one of the things I hate most about paintball. I have worked every weekend, and all last summer, to fund my paintballing; I also have a friend who, when his Ion was stolen, his parents went out and bought him an Alias because(and this is a quote from his mom) "he's just so involved in this sport, and we wanted to help him." He's not involved in the sport any more than I am, probably less(since I actually browse message boards and know what the insides of my markers look like), and about 2/3 of my friends have parents with similar(although less extreme) viewpoints.
Gaa, sorry for the rant, but it feels good to let it all out.

[-Tab]

This thread turned into something other than what it was intended to be...it like mutated or something. Somehow, my surprise that the vast majorityof paintballers seemed to be very young...has turned into an "I hate rich kids and their parents" thread.

Honestly, what did you expect?

[Tom_D]

Wouldn't it be great to have a section of the forum that only adults could post too?

I don't believe any of these kids when they claim that they support %100 of thier paintballing without thier parents. I have never met anyone under the age of 18 that even paid for thier own paint. Let alone marker, jersy, pants, ect....

Comon now. You think little Johny spent six months slining newspapers to buy a $200 set of speedball cloths? No, he asked his parents for them and got them for his birthday. Or for a decent report card.

I would say the %30 of adults would be a little low from what I have seen, but then agian I don't go to comercial fields much.

But the 3% of kids that pay thier own way. I think that one might actualy be a little high. I would say more like %1. If its even a full percent.

[RavishingEddie]

Don't Forget

I just want Everyone to remember one thing. Adults invented this game not kids.

[JoshK]

Wouldn't it be great to have a section of the forum that only adults could post too?

I don't believe any of these kids when they claim that they support %100 of thier paintballing without thier parents. I have never met anyone under the age of 18 that even paid for thier own paint. Let alone marker, jersy, pants, ect....

Comon now. You think little Johny spent six months slining newspapers to buy a $200 set of speedball cloths? No, he asked his parents for them and got them for his birthday. Or for a decent report card.

I would say the %30 of adults would be a little low from what I have seen, but then agian I don't go to comercial fields much.

But the 3% of kids that pay thier own way. I think that one might actualy be a little high. I would say more like %1. If its even a full percent.

Little Joshy pays his own way and is offended by your tone.

[-Tab]

I don't believe any of these kids when they claim that they support %100 of thier paintballing without thier parents. I have never met anyone under the age of 18 that even paid for thier own paint. Let alone marker, jersy, pants, ect....

And I don't believe you.
I will agree that there are a lot of spoiled kids in the paintball word, but to say that you have never met anyone under the age of 18 that even pays for their own paint? Come on...

And yes, I do pay for ALL my paintball equipment and paint, and I'm 17.

By the way...
your grammar sucks.

[JoshK]

And I don't believe you.
I will agree that there are a lot of spoiled kids in the paintball word, but to say that you have never met anyone under the age of 18 that even pays for their own paint? Come on...

And yes, I do pay for ALL my paintball equipment and paint, and I'm 17.

By the way...
your grammar sucks.

Ditto...I think if are going to show your "superior" seniority off to us younger people you should atleast show your "superior" intelligence by taking two extra seconds to write with decent grammar.

Adding to my short sentence before; I pay for every single penny of my paintball habit. Also guess what? You may just have a heart attack from hearing it, but it's true...I am only 15. Oh wow. Wait there's more...act now and get some more information that you don't want to hear. All my paintballing friends pay their ways also, and guess how old they are? You never would guessed...younger than I am.


Of course there are a lot of kids you see that have mommy and daddy pay their ways, but quite a few kids who paintball do so out of their own pockets...expecially if they are about 15 or older.

And yeah...all of my friends had to wait a long time before they could afford their gun; maybe it makes them appreciate them a bit more?


-Josh

[JoshK]

I just want Everyone to remember one thing. Adults invented this game not kids.

The first person to shoot a paintball gun at another person for the sake of this game was the son of the "inventor". So maybe adults did invent this game, but young people helped. It wasn't until paintballs became cheaper and fields allowed younger kids to come that their participation actually started helping the industry (notice I did not say the "game", because that subject could be beaten until the apocolypse, even though most adults and non-posers would have to say they are helping to ruin it -or already have- but that is just another one of those subjects that have been beaten into a pulp).

[Pha|anx]

Comon now. You think little Johny spent six months slining newspapers to buy a $200 set of speedball cloths?

Yes, better yet Johny financed his gear by getting a real job. People 18 and under can get those....



/Oh snap?