Think the team may be about to dissolve

[Lohman446]

Well thought out. Have you considered at level this hypothetical team would need to play at/how many events per season/ how many times in the money, to keep things rolling. Or would you figure the monthly dues would be enough if things were lean?

I would figure it would have to be budgeted like anything else. I would expect that short term and near future monthly dues would have to be used to balance things out over time. It would really depend on the team, abilities, and budget. PSP events, it seems to me, are very poor "income" events. Even winning the costs likely come very close to the prize packages on all but the top levels.

You would likely have to use dues to maintain the team for at least a year or so in order to build an impressive enough resume to be able to bring in supporting sponsors. As more sponsors were involved the dues could be decreased to keep a balanced budget (I doubt the concept works too great with "stockpiling" money). The advantage of running it as a business is you can use standard business accounting practices (cash funds available, etc.) to be able to keep the team together through thin times. Everyone wants to just walk into that team that is successful and "plays for free". Requiring a "purchase" to be part of the team helps sort out those in it for the short term. I think the trickiest parts would be contracts of some type. Purchasing into the team, taking its benefits, you sign on as part owner of it and accept responsibilities. I'm talking legally enforceable contracts here so that the team cannot just vanish with all the players reappearing on another roster two days later. Then again, purchasing in, and keeping the team worth something, would help here. Especially if that initial purchase were signifigantly higher than what the initial dues were and that money stayed as cash on hand. I mean I am not going to give up on 1/10th ownership (or whatever) of a $5000 account over $100 due in dues this month.

You would have to use proper accounting methods - which could only help in gaining sponsorship. Show a sponsor that handing you something is worth it. "This team has been economically viable for XX time using accountable financial standards. With cash reserves of XX, and a growing income, we demonstrate the ability to meet our obligations as part of this sponsorship program" has to be worth something.

[athomas]

Lohman446, that actually looks like a great way to run a team. I like the concept.

Interesting viewpoint.

Ive always looked at all sports differently. Most people want to play the best opponents they can. Its how they improve themselves. So most will play where the best competition is. Which draws in the cash, which ultimately leads to bigger prize packages to draw in the better teams.

You definately want to play the best opponents you can. Quite often you can do that without always paying the big price. If more good teams are showing up at the inexpensive tournaments, then the prestige level of those tournaments also goes up. And you are correct, the prize level also goes up as more teams attend because quite often, the prize pool is often based on attendance.

I can only see a team(and a sponsor) looking at it from an investment standpoint when they know they arent at the skill level required to compete in the better tournaments. Which is a wise choice.

Ive just never heard that its about the prestige from anyone, until you mentioned it.

I've looked at it from both sides. I started at the bottom. At that level I saw a number of top teams that were always winning the cash. I wanted to play the best teams I could, but the tournaments were expensive. We were paying $100/case for paint and $300 entry for a 3 man team. That got us a chance to play for a $2000.00 prize. We knew we were never going to win. All the tournaments were the same so you had no choice if you wanted to play at that level. All the while, the majority of the players were complaining of the price to play. So, a few of the organizers started offering inexpensive tournaments.

On the other side of the coin, I now play at a high level and have been on the podium consistently with any team I have played with in the past couple of years. I am now confident that if I play any tourny, that I am going to be in the money. The cash isn't as much of a concern, but there is still that nagging feeling that something bad could happen and we not get any money back. I still tell the guys, "If you are in it for the money, you are in the wrong sport." You have to want it bad enough to spend your own money to play.

Ok. So then which do you see more of? Lower cost tourneys or Higher Prize package tourneys? Which of the 2 are flourishing in your area?

The lower cost tourneys are getting more attention here. If you want to play often, thats the only way most teams can afford it. There are a few high purse tournaments that have been held annually for years and they do well also. I think there is a place for that. The big prize is always fun to chase but you can't be expected to chase it every time out.

Of course, those are basic economic principles. Im looking for specific examples that youve seen that may narrow down issues pertaining to paintball teams and tournaments.

I think it always comes down to basic economic principles. What value do you get out of the tournament? The one thing that people fail to factor in is the "prestige" of winning. Prestige is big. What weight does it carry for a semi-pro team to win a rookie of novice tournament? None. There is no prestige. Heck, you would probably lose credibility points for pulling that off. If a higher ranked team sandbags a local rookie or novice tourny just because they see easy money, the same thing happens. Now put the semi-pro team in the world championship and they win. Thats enormous. What if the prize pool was $500.00 or $5000.00. Would it matter? The money would be nice, but being world champions would trump that. Thats prestige and I would take it over the money any day.

[Lohman446]

I think it always comes down to basic economic principles. What value do you get out of the tournament? The one thing that people fail to factor in is the "prestige" of winning. Prestige is big. What weight does it carry for a semi-pro team to win a rookie of novice tournament? None. There is no prestige. Heck, you would probably lose credibility points for pulling that off. If a higher ranked team sandbags a local rookie or novice tourny just because they see easy money, the same thing happens. Now put the semi-pro team in the world championship and they win. Thats enormous. What if the prize pool was $500.00 or $5000.00. Would it matter? The money would be nice, but being world champions would trump that. Thats prestige and I would take it over the money any day.

Is a win in PSP (or any major tournament) worth more in future sponsorships than the prize money?

*Most* paintball teams it seems to me are short sighted. We care about what we can get this year (prize money), and maybe even consider next year (sponsorship), but how many of us actively plan well for five years from now.

I never have, and its why I quit trying to be part of any serious team. It defies business logic, and if its about making money, one needs to treat it as a business.

When I play PSP its to say I did it, I would love to be able to say in year XXXX the team I was on won Division XX. Its all about prestige, the value of that prestige is not meaningful to me because I would have no intention of pursuing it. The prize money would be nice but I surely don't play for it. Chances are its not going to happen. There are teams made up of players far more serious about it then I am. I wonder if they will be around in five years or if I will just be left playing there replacements?

[Aggravated Assault]

Lohman, What I really like is the point about being able to open your books to a potential sponsor. The other thing is by having a stake in the team, it really is in the players (owners) best interest to put forth the effort to make a sucessful team. You get a core of (really) dedicated owner/players presenting a professional front to potential sponsors.

Would you imagine many (any?) of the top teams are run in similar ways, or am I giving too much credit?


*EDIT* for above post - Lohman, I would say you are soo correct, it is about making money. Look at any sucessful sports team. Money is what gets the better talent, the better training sites, better equipment, bettter, well about everything. But then, where's the fun with all the stress of keeping the team in the black?

[RogueFactor]

I think it always comes down to basic economic principles. What value do you get out of the tournament?

Thats true of everything when money is involved. Im looking for specific examples that pertain to paintball. Paintball and its pitfalls are different in the nuances than other sports, ie golf(as previously discussed).

Also, value is subjective, and different for everyone. So Id like to know what value means to you. And what are the pitfalls youve experienced over the years in the sport of paintball.

Im going to assume that one thing value means to you is Prestige. So, would that than mean that you have greater Prestige, or bragging rights, from winning a tournmanet with a greater price package than one with a lesser one?

[Lohman446]

Lohman, What I really like is the point about being able to open your books to a potential sponsor. The other thing is by having a stake in the team, it really is in the players (owners) best interest to put forth the effort to make a sucessful team. You get a core of (really) dedicated owner/players presenting a professional front to potential sponsors.

Would you imagine many (any?) of the top teams are run in similar ways, or am I giving too much credit?


*EDIT* for above post - Lohman, I would say you are soo correct, it is about making money. Look at any sucessful sports team. Money is what gets the better talent, the better training sites, better equipment, bettter, well about everything. But then, where's the fun with all the stress of keeping the team in the black?

I would guess there is no share in ownership given to individual players. I would guess ownership is held by one (or a couple) of the players, a past player (as in Bob Longs case)< or the sponsors themselves (All Americans). A few may have been business ventures (Russian Legions) with the players acting as employees.

Last year I was part of a team that held potential. Well before things started breaking down I copyrighted the name and the image associated with the team. As the team started to fall apart ownership was left with a big question mark. In theory I own it, and I walked away. At this point the current captain "owns" it - he's a good friend. That being said, if things get ugly between him and the team (which I doubt, because it seems to be with no real goal anymore) there his. However, that team could have been something, and had everyone had a vested interest in it it may have been.

In a major tournament win I would think the prestige holds more potential dollar value (sponsorhip) then the prize package. Especially if you can string wins together over the year.

[punkncat]

In a major tournament win I would think the prestige holds more potential dollar value (sponsorhip) then the prize package. Especially if you can string wins together over the year.

This is absolutely the case. Any (sponsorship) deal you get will either be performance based, or on amount of product turned. Generally paintballs as through a shop or "distributorship".

[athomas]

Thats true of everything when money is involved. Im looking for specific examples that pertain to paintball. Paintball and its pitfalls are different in the nuances than other sports, ie golf(as previously discussed).

Also, value is subjective, and different for everyone. So Id like to know what value means to you. And what are the pitfalls youve experienced over the years in the sport of paintball.

Im going to assume that one thing value means to you is Prestige. So, would that than mean that you have greater Prestige, or bragging rights, from winning a tournmanet with a greater price package than one with a lesser one?

Prestige is big for me and I think it is big for others here as well judging by a couple of the other responses. Prestige is very subjective and you are right, its perceived value and total value (cash/expenses included) is different for each person.

Value to me, takes into account the longevity of the reward as well as personal satisfaction. Money is just barter material. How long does it actually last and what do I get out of it? If I win a tournament and break even or gain a bit, does it mean anything? I could have stayed home and broke even or worked and made some money. So, does the win have any value? I got to play paintball for a day for nothing. That's pretty nice. Was there a sense of accomplishment in my win? If the competition was of high enough caliber, I walk away with a good feeling. If they were just a bunch of throw together teams, then I could have just gone to a walk-on day and won some games against some inexperienced players. There's no sense of pride there. On the money side, how much would I have spent to gain the admiration of my peers for my victory? Some people spend a lot of money trying to gain respect and to look respectable. If I didn't spend the money on the tourny, but spent it on something else, would I have gotten the same satisfaction that I got by winning the tournament? In the future, if I can look back at my victories and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, then the money has been well spent. Will I even remember the cash that I won doing it? I probably won't even remember the value. Of course money has some value. If the tourny was outrageously expensive, I may have to give up something if I didn't win anything to offset the cost of playing. Did I budget for the loss? Is it going to bother me that I missed out on something because of the cost? Or, is my experience worth the cost. If I look back and don't miss the loss and have good memories of the event, then the cost is/was justified.

Paintball has its niche market, thats for sure. A lot of my friends and relatives don't play nor do they understand the level of competition that a tournament brings. Its harder to get outside support from friends and family than from other sports. We are at the mercy of the operators for the most part. Most of these guys are good guys and have the right intentions, but are running a business. They need to make a profit to stay in business. That's where paintball is a bit different from other sports. Most other sports have outside sponsorship either through private or public funding. Plus, if you choose to go to tournaments you are given an up front cost for the tournament. In paintball you are given an entry cost only. If you choose to shoot paint, thats an extra cost. If you make the next round, thats another extra cost. The organizers want as much exposure as they can get. That means they need as many teams as they can get and as big a prize pool as they can offer. A few teams means they need to charge more money per team in order to offer a big prize pool. More teams mean they can offer a larger prize pool without a high price per team. Unfortunately, they need to make the prize offering without really knowing how many teams are going to show. So, most prizes are contingency based on the number of teams. That way the organizer isn't out any money.

Paint sales at the tourny are where the operator makes his money. This is where it gets dicey. At least the entry is a fixed cost. The amount of paint you shoot is not. Paint is usually the biggest expense, more so than the entry fee. As you get experienced, you get an idea how much you use in a game. Home teams quite often have an advantage here, in that they are getting paint at cost or slightly above and have reduced or zero entry. If the fields are set up to have lots of shooting lanes rather than a lot of movement you can consume loads of paint. I've seen that one done. There is usually lots of flack after a tourny when the costs outway the rewards. If the costs were low, it doesn't matter that much if you won or not. Its considered part of the game. When the costs are excessive it gets nasty. I've also seen the "bait and switch" routine. Organizers dangle prizes like markers and accessories without actually listing the products but do list a value. Unfortunately when you win, the their idea of an $500 tournament level marker is usually different than yours. An Ion may show up as valued at $500 for example. Or, and this was one of my favs, a team won a set of baby blue track suits. What the heck was that? The prize had a value attached to it but was never specified nor revealed before the tourny.

Money is usually the driving force in this sport. The less you have the more it drives you. I play as much as I can in any tournaments that I can and I practice as often as I can. I also have a good steady income and as such, it doesn't impact my family life. I can still go out and do things with my friends and family. A lot of my younger team mates don't have that luxury. They are feeling the pinch when it comes to putting out the cash to play ball at a high level. They are giving up part of their social life in order to play. Some survive the crunch and some drop out. Guys get involved with their girlfriends and want to take them places. If money is tight, they have to make a decision. If the relationship is tight, then we loose the guy. In family matters, we lose the guy. In rare instances we lose the girlfriend. LOL. It also comes down to reliability of the player on the team. Can we count on that player to have enough money to play and to maintain his equipment. There is nothing more frustrating than showing up at an event and having a guy tell us his gun is broke and it is like this because he didn't have the cash to fix it in the past week.

If I put any more here its going to get harder to read than it already is. Hopefully it addresses some of the points.

[athomas]

A few more questions:

1) At what point, for the player, do you think money would not be a concern? Free paint? Free air? Free field fee? Lower paint cost(and at what point)? Lower air cost(at what point)? Lower field fees(at what point)? Free tournament entry? At what point specifically do you think the above costs would have to be at for cost to be a non-issue?
2) And which of the costs involved would most need to come down? Have you found an order of importance?
3) Do you think some costs would need to be eliminated altogether, or just mitigated? And which ones?

Obviously, in other sports there are equipment costs involved. Have you found that paintball is somehow different in this respect? I just dont hear that equipment issues are a major concern in other sports as they are in paintball.

Is the cost of a paintball marker(and its upkeep) so drastically different than the cost of upkeeping snowboard gear for a season? Or the cost of new golf clubs every season or few seasons?

I think the cost varies for each individual. If someone has $2000/month of disposable income, their idea of reasonable cost is different from someone who only has $500/month of disposable income. I'm not sure what a reasonable cost is. For me, I guess a reasonable cost is one that doesn't impact my day to day living. If I were to average $100/week, I would probably not be too unhappy. Ask the same question to someone who only makes $300/week and they are going to give you a different answer.

1. Most sponsored teams have some arrangement where they can play/practice at a reasonable cost. Our team owner gives us free field fees, free air, and cheap paint. In turn we help him out around the field as much as we can plus we drum up business for him with the local players. We also draw teams to the field who want to run practice games against us. With the freebies, we probably save about $30 a day per player for play. That helps. When we go to play tournaments, we have to cover the costs our self. Sponsorship is so hard to come by at the local level. Without a spectator element, there isn't the incentive for them to spend money on us. Why would they? They also need to see a value on their dollar.

2. I would like to see the paint costs come down. That seems to be the biggest total reoccuring cost. Next, the cost for entry. Our local field is cheap anyway. I don't see that as a problem where I play. There are other local fields that even I can't afford to go to due to high field fees. Even that one I don't mind too much for tournaments if it directly contributes to the prize pool. Equipment I don't see as an issue.

3. Anything people get for nothing, they don't appreciate. If it is just walk-on games, then its different than tournaments. For walk-on play I wouldn't mind free air for low priced paid entry. Field paint only is ok, but keep it reasonable. Use a tier system for pricing. High volume users get a better discount. That allows teams to hold practices at the field as well as just catering to casual players. For tournament players, I'm not so sure totally free is good. A percentage discount is great. Make the team at least somewhat responsible. That way they don't waste what they have.

I never considered gear a financial issue in paintball. I have a 2004 Angel that works great. I have a 2000 emag that works great. Plus I have various other guns kicking around just to tinker with. If I look at the dollar value that I carry to the field for a tournament, it really isn't any different than any other sport. If I played tournament golf, I would probably have a $2000(or more) set of golf clubs. If I played hockey, I would probably have $2000 worth of gear. There are a few exceptions such as soccer or baseball which are light on the gear. If I want to be trendy, my equipment costs are going to go up. Thats the cost of being up to date.

[RogueFactor]

I think the cost varies for each individual.

I realize this. I was asking for your personal experience. The following statement of yours gave me the impression you had specific examples that you could share--->

A lot of my younger team mates don't have that luxury. They are feeling the pinch when it comes to putting out the cash to play ball at a high level. They are giving up part of their social life in order to play. Some survive the crunch and some drop out. Guys get involved with their girlfriends and want to take them places. If money is tight, they have to make a decision.

So whats the pinch for them, specifically? What is it they are having the hardest time affording in playing this sport?

I'm not sure what a reasonable cost is.

Reasonable cost would be the amount where cost is a non-issue for you and your teammates. While everyone has varying incomes, there is a point where X amount of dollars per day of play is either under or over the amount the majority can pay.

For me, I guess a reasonable cost is one that doesn't impact my day to day living.

Agreed. So for you, right now its reasonable. For those on your team that have needed to drop out, it is not. At what cost point would those team members have been able to continue?

I would like to see the paint costs come down. That seems to be the biggest total reoccuring cost.

How much to make a difference? By what percentage? Practice paint prices should come down, or Premium Paint prices should come down? Both? All grades of paint?

Next, the cost for entry. Our local field is cheap anyway. I don't see that as a problem where I play. There are other local fields that even I can't afford to go to due to high field fees.

How much is the cost of entry at the field you go to? And how much is the cost of entry for the other local fields that you cant afford? That will at least give me a range of what you consider reasonable. An actual number I can work with.

Equipment I don't see as an issue.

I never considered gear a financial issue in paintball.

Strangely, I thought the following statement of yours was an equipment upkeep issue youve experienced with teammates. --->

Can we count on that player to have enough money to play and to maintain his equipment. There is nothing more frustrating than showing up at an event and having a guy tell us his gun is broke and it is like this because he didn't have the cash to fix it in the past week.

[athomas]

I realize this. I was asking for your personal experience. The following statement of yours gave me the impression you had specific examples that you could share--->

I had guys show up to a tourny a few weeks ago without enough cash. It wasn't my team but there were two of us guesting on another team with 6 other guys. Towards the end of the tourny when we needed more paint, nobody had any money. I ended up funding the extra paint. It wasn't a big issue for me because at that time I knew we were getting money back in prizes. It still made me shake my head.

So whats the pinch for them, specifically? What is it they are having the hardest time affording in playing this sport?

Paint is always the biggest expense.

Reasonable cost would be the amount where cost is a non-issue for you and your teammates. While everyone has varying incomes, there is a point where X amount of dollars per day of play is either under or over the amount the majority can pay.



Agreed. So for you, right now its reasonable. For those on your team that have needed to drop out, it is not. At what cost point would those team members have been able to continue?

For the guys that had to drop out this year, it was not so much the price. They had employment issues where there was no steady income. They couldn't commit to play no matter what the cost was. For me, I think it is around $100/week. For the majority of my team mates, I think it is around $75/week. I can afford a few more tournaments than some of my other team mates. If the tournys are expensive it affects me too, because if we don't place and get some of our money back, it cuts into my budget as well. That's why I like the cheaper tournys. Even if we don't place, I can still stay within budget.

How much to make a difference? By what percentage? Practice paint prices should come down, or Premium Paint prices should come down? Both? All grades of paint?

We pay $50.00CAN/case for our paint for practice. Premium is about $15 more. That includes all taxes and shipping. If that were cut in half, it would definately make it easier to justify. Going out for 5 hours of practice and spending $60 - $80 is hard. $30 - $40 is much easier to handle. When it comes to tournaments, the paint prices are usually around $80.00/case. That hits the pocketbook. The $400 entry is small compared to the $1000 paint bill. If the total cost was half, it would be much nicer. I don't even care if the prize was cut in half. Cut the prices. You can't always count on the prize. You can count on the cost.

How much is the cost of entry at the field you go to? And how much is the cost of entry for the other local fields that you cant afford? That will at least give me a range of what you consider reasonable. An actual number I can work with.

Our field costs are zero. That's where our sponsorship comes in and it saves us money. Combine that with our $50 paint and it is better than some. There are a couple of fields that have cheap fees and paint. Our field normally only charges $10/day for field fees and all day air. The paint prices are normally $100/case for paint. The operator is good about negotiating lower prices for teams though. The next closes tourny field 1 hr away charges the same. $10 isn't that bad. The next closest field to us which is only 20 min away charges $15.00 to play plus extra ( I can't remember the cost) for air. Just to step on the field it costs us over $20 and it doesn't offer us any benefit over where we are now due to the fact there aren't anyone using the facilities. There is also a field paint only rule in effect and the paint cost is $100. That's the special price. $120 is the normal price. We don't go there. The owner who I like has asked me to come to his field and stated that he would give us a deal, but won't commit to a price. We recently went to a field 2 hours away to practice against some teams we don't normally see until tourny time. Their field fees, air included, usually are $40 (I think you get a few free paintballs). We negotiated a $20 fee and the use of our own paint. It helped. Once in a while you can do this and it doesn't hurt the pocket book too much but I wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis. Using our own paint allowed us to keep the price down.

Strangely, I thought the following statement of yours was an equipment upkeep issue youve experienced with teammates. --->

Equipment upkeep is an issue. When all the money is spent on paint, it impacts the ability to maintain the equipment. Its tough when someone comes to practice and says, "I can't practice today because I'm out of money because I had to fix my gun". A $100 solenoid can ruin a day of practice in a hurry. Luckily, this doesn't happen very often. I see equipment as a one time expense unless you are a gun whore. That's a different problem. Yes there are maintenance costs, but they are small in the big scheme of things.

[Ninjeff]

for me, i think playing in a few local tourneys would be a great deal of fun. I have no delussions of granduer or little dollar sign pixies running through my head.
I would do it because its FUN and to say i did it. Ive been through the rigorous tourney scene and i just didnt like it.

However, i think a point need to be made about playing other teams. As a player i dont seek out the "best" opponent i can find. I seek out the most challenging for me.
What i mean is, if i were playing a tourney i wouldnt want to face the BEST there is. Eg: i would never in any way PAY someone to play, lets say, Dynasty. Im not about to shell out hard earned cash to get my rear handed too me. I know there are teams who have far deeper pockets, and practice far more than i can, or do, with my team. I dont want to play those guys. I want to play someone in my situation, at my skill level. I ALWAYS want to be challenged. PLay against teams that are "better than me" to improve. That being said, i dont want to play teams that will cream me and my guys. Its not about trying to "sell out" and play weaker teams, not at all. Its about wanting to play against people in MY skill bracket. I want a challenge, not a butt whopping.


And for me, the average player, paint is indeed the biggest cost. Its insane how much we spend for paint. And i dont even have my emag yet.

I spend about $40 every saturday to play, and thats recball. Nothing serious. But i can say thats shooting conservatively and if it were much more i couldnt play every weekend. Then i would get fat from lack of working out, my girlfriend would leave me and i would have to pick up her slack on bills. Then i would fall into deep depression form lack of "loving" and get fired from my job for poor performance. I would then have to move in with my parents, at age 27 and then there is NO way im getting a girl again. And in no time im 40 years old living with mom and playing DnD in the basement and arguing over whetehr or not Han shot first.

So yea, i would say paint cost is an issue.

[Aggravated Assault]

I would guess there is no share in ownership given to individual players. I would guess ownership is held by one (or a couple) of the players, a past player (as in Bob Longs case)< or the sponsors themselves (All Americans). A few may have been business ventures (Russian Legions) with the players acting as employees.

Last year I was part of a team that held potential. Well before things started breaking down I copyrighted the name and the image associated with the team. As the team started to fall apart ownership was left with a big question mark. In theory I own it, and I walked away. At this point the current captain "owns" it - he's a good friend. That being said, if things get ugly between him and the team (which I doubt, because it seems to be with no real goal anymore) there his. However, that team could have been something, and had everyone had a vested interest in it it may have been.

In a major tournament win I would think the prestige holds more potential dollar value (sponsorhip) then the prize package. Especially if you can string wins together over the year.

Ah, after revisiting this thread after waaay to many wiskey drinks , I was wondering, in regards to your origional outline...Compared to some of the examples above, I take it then your idea would be more akin to a "board of directors" than to player/owners? Either way I think is an interesting way of looking at it. Still, I just like the idea of there being more players with a real "stake" in the team.

On another note, I keep wondering too, considering the points brought up here, why paintball is so much different that most other sports. I've always thought the demographic in competive paintball has to be one of the most striking differences. I wonder if this contributes to the fact there are very few teams that have stood the test of time and become sucessful enterprises.

[Ninjeff]

Paintball is different due to the fact its a very "niche" sport. And, unlike OTHER sports there is a continuing and inherent "cost" to play. Most everything else, you get your gear, and you go at it. Maybe pay for "park fees" or what have you, but all in all its a very one time cost ordeal. Paintball however requires constant spending for paint. No matter how much gear you have or how much you spend on it, you still have to shell out bucks for paint. Combine that with the fact that despite its claimed "size" most people still dont know jack squat about the sport. Its the most popular sport no one knows about.