Now Driver Wood ceases Walkons too. What future for Walkons in the South East?

[~Solo~]

Is was announced this morning that Driver Wood in Copthorne, Surrey would cancel it’s walkon calendar with immediate effect. The timing of this announcement couldn‘t have been more significant - at the exact time of the posting of the news they should have been about halfway through the second of third game of their first walkon of the year. I suspect that they had in-fact had to cancel the day due to lack of attendance; a sharp contrast to the turnouts they have had for Airsoft games of late.

I liked Driver Wood. It was an interesting alternative to its local competitors and Gareth was genuinely committed to ensuring that his customers had a great day and the best facilities around. Every month brought new Facebook announcements of what innovations were taking place at the site and whilst some of it may have raised an eyebrow or two, they were no doubt attractive to the site’s primary customers - punters. I’m saddened that I won’t be able to enjoy that site any longer and that there are now even fewer options for a Walkon in this area.

So the burning question is whether Walkons are sustainable in the current climate of Airsoft growth, Team growth and stagnant wages. Whilst they may be a pleasant folly for the site owner that is an industry veteran, they’re probably not that profitable and, in-time, may even become something of an unwieldy fifth wheel, taking away focus from the punters.

In my fourteen years of playing I’ve seen Dragon’s Lair, NRG, Mayhem SE, Go Paintball, Holmbush and now DW all cease their Walkons or paintball altogether. All of these sites were within a one hour radius of where I live and so were on a casual roster of where I would visit for a monthly game. Many closures have been in the last few years and in tandem I have seen a steady decline of familiar faces either retire due to cost / family / burn-out or move into organised teams with a focus on big games and tournaments.

Little can be done about wages and the lure of ’real guns’ (airsoft) to unknowing punters but my observation is that it now appears to be less common to see teams or team members at Walkons than it used to be. Is the rapid growth of teams and associated recruitment potentially starving custom from the Walkons that they would traditionally recruit from? Is this a threat to the Walkon’s existence and in turn their own future recruitment opportunities?

 

[Tony Harrison]

From what I've seen at sites, it's a nationwide downturn of walkon events due to lack of numbers. But as you say, airsoft numbers are going up.

So to answer your question, walkons are not sustainable in the present climate. At least not in the UK - I remember reading a post about how Hollywood Sports Park bucked the trend by opening 7 days a week, but not many sites can do that. And definitely not in UK weather.

 

[Stan]

As someone who used to be on here on a daily basis, it is striking how small the UK paintball community feels. I understand that much of the traffic from here has gone onto Facebook. The issue with that is that you need to sign up to multiple groups to access the content. I'm signed up to two walkon groups and two selling groups and it's painful keeping track of everything compared to just having everything on here like it used to be... encourage people back on here and get the community growing again!

 

[~Solo~]

As someone who used to be on here on a daily basis, it is striking how small the UK paintball community feels. I understand that much of the traffic from here has gone onto Facebook. The issue with that is that you need to sign up to multiple groups to access the content. I'm signed up to two walkon groups and two selling groups and it's painful keeping track of everything compared to just having everything on here like it used to be... encourage people back on here and get the community growing again!

You're quite right. This was the first significant new thread (excluding For Sale threads) on here since October and one of the first posts since the beginning of December but it has attracted only two replies!

 

[ant290]

I guess it depends on what your idea of a good walkon is. we have 2 sites within 25 minutes of where i live in Southampton, and both of them offer a fun days woodland paintball once a month for walk on customers. neither has 50+ players attending, and neither offers big game style attractions (tanks, major story plots etc) but both of them do have a core of friendly people who go to play each month which keeps it interesting to go to.

There are quite a few big game style events that are put on over the summer which remove that requirement for full fledged productions to be put on by local sites.

Another thing is... some players will save up all month to go play supair... and wont play their local site because its not a tournament.

You're quite right. This was the first significant new thread (excluding For Sale threads) on here since October and one of the first posts since the beginning of December but it has attracted only two replies!

Social media means that we have seen every product inside and out before it actually gets released... no-one needs to post things like that because a shooting video of the new gun is already available. would be great to see people like PBHydro and the various anodizing studios posting more of their work here, and other people who make smaller paintball things.

Even Planet have to post their own guns on here.. and they barely get any response. are people too afraid to be excited about something?

my observation is that it now appears to be less common to see teams or team members at Walkons than it used to be. Is the rapid growth of teams and associated recruitment potentially starving custom from the Walkons that they would traditionally recruit from? Is this a threat to the Walkon’s existence and in turn their own future recruitment opportunities?

one of the walkons here is run by the sites local team, and all of those players turn up to use the sup-air field too. perhaps that's just luck from where I am.

 

[James ECI]

Walkons are made by the numbers - it benefits all to have regulars as well as visitors.

Personally i think 20-30 are optimum numbers to have a reasonable game of paintball before it turns into paint slinging.

You also need good fields and a site owner who cares and actually enjoys the company of the regulars - because they aint making bank with what they charge in green fee!

Whats happened in the south is walkon regulars have dried up - id guess the most common factor is real life coming into play then coupling this with the value to them of the day out at paintball vs say being at home.

Ant is right that lots of players will save just to play a proper tournament and if thats what they want to do then at least they are still playing.

What I've seen in lots of this is the oh we are losing this or missing that - but if this is the moan, what do you suggest as the solution?

UKWM came about to put on woodsball events - cool (but equally as per my convo with Solo, for the hours ive put in, I probably havent profitted)

So my solution is that someone needs to take the reigns and create something in the south.

Work with a site, advertise and build something better.

This would take work, something I think alot of people are scared of / they just dont have the resolve to see it through for no promise of profit.

 

[Missy-Q]

Honestly the future of walk-on play is, and has always been, in the hands of the walk-on players.
People usually become walk-on players after having bought their first gun. They typically start to show up at the field they purchased the gun from, and meet other walk-on players. Some of those walk-on players will be sociable people, and will make friends with other walk-on players. Some are not interested in the comradeship of other players and prefer to do their own thing.
The sociable ones will end up going to big games and maybe joining teams, because they have interacted with like-minded people, and that's a natural progression. The ones that are there that don't mix with the rest of the group much (there's nothing wrong with this btw) usually end up in small groups struggling to find a place that they like to play. If there is s large field like NPF around, they don't have to worry because there will be enough like-minded people there to have a good scrimmage.
So, I would say:
a. Travel further out, to the flag-ship fields that can guarantee a competitive and fun day out for walk-on players. What is an extra hour's drive if the result is a much better day out for you in your chosen hobby?
b. Find and befriend like-minded players, and stay in touch with them so that you play where they play. If you are uncomfortable doing that, or can't find any, see option 'a'.
c. Play clean! In a shrinking demographic, within which you want to have fun and require other people to participate, you can't be the *******. If you are, you get left at the curb.

There aren't as many walk-ons. It will be harder to find a good game outside of organised big-games. Retail is down, that means walk-ons are down. The industry has moved to a participant-based model rather than a retail-based one. This will get better, but will likely get worse first, as I don't feel we have hit bottom just yet.
And airsoft has flattened out as a market - maybe even declined a little in 2019, so the growth you are noticing there will almost certainly dry-up soon.

 

[~Solo~]

Whats happened in the south is walkon regulars have dried up - id guess the most common factor is real life coming into play then coupling this with the value to them of the day out at paintball vs say being at home.

Ant is right that lots of players will save just to play a proper tournament and if thats what they want to do then at least they are still playing.

What I've seen in lots of this is the oh we are losing this or missing that - but if this is the moan, what do you suggest as the solution?

I genuinely believe that the UKWM is a great event and that you and your colleagues have done an amazing job in getting it to where it is. I want to be really clear that I'm not knocking it all - it has raised the bar for woodland play massively in the south east.

However, I feel that I can confidently say that there a many faces that I have been familar with in the Walkon scene from the last few years that infrequently or no longer attend the likes of Driver Wood and Campaign but are still playing for a team. I may be wrong but I assume that this is because their commitment to the team calendar takes priority. It could of course be that their level of play has been elevated above what the Walkon can offer and so it no longer holds the same attraction.

I have, of course a vested interest as my preference is Walkons over Big Games and Team membership - I have a young family and couldn't commit to the latter. But! If the Campaign Walkon was to fold at some point in the future there then wouldn't be a proving ground for new players that the teams could then recruit from.

I suppose, in answer to your question James, should teams make a concious effort to support the local walkons that they recruit from. Obvioulsy its not something that is 'enforcable' but possibly a consideration?

 

[Missy-Q]

Just gonna be a dick here for a second (or 2)...

What you are asking, is that some 'other people' (the teams) put in work (conscious effort) to support the local walk-on fields that you feel they recruit from, because you feel that this might enhance the walk-on attendance in your area. Yet you have already stated that you would not be interested in this for yourself. Nor, I would imagine, would you be happy if said teams were successful, because that would surely mean you would have even fewer people to play with/against...
What you want, I think, is more walk-ons to play with/against, but you want them to come to you, to your local paintball field, and then fail to be recruited by the teams you believe are recruiting them, despite the renewed effort you are suggesting.

/dickness

 

[~Solo~]

Just gonna be a dick here for a second (or 2)...

What you are asking, is that some 'other people' (the teams) put in work (conscious effort) to support the local walk-on fields that you feel they recruit from, because you feel that this might enhance the walk-on attendance in your area. Yet you have already stated that you would not be interested in this for yourself. Nor, I would imagine, would you be happy if said teams were successful, because that would surely mean you would have even fewer people to play with/against...
What you want, I think, is more walk-ons to play with/against, but you want them to come to you, to your local paintball field, and then fail to be recruited by the teams you believe are recruiting them, despite the renewed effort you are suggesting.

/dickness

So, I made quite an effort to frame the original post in a way that opened a discussion about what might be a wider problem and one that isn't particularly great for our sport. Sadly this forum isn't as active as it once was and I thought it might be the right platform to have this discussion rather than on FB. I deliberately didn't make it about me or a personal winge but well done for turning it around.

I don't just 'feel' that teams recruit from local walkons; I know that they do as I have seen unaffiliated players join up with local teams... and that's absolutely fine, I'm not knocking that at all as, for many players that is part of their natural progression in the sport. I personally don't wish to play at team level as I don't have the time to commit to what that entails but that's my business and I don't think that you're in a position to 'imagine' what I would or wouldn't be happy about.

To quote James ECI again: "what do you suggest as the solution?". I answered his question with a suggestion - one that I would have thought would be in the best interest of teams because if all the walkons were to close due to lack of attendance, where else would the teams find new blood? I'm not sure that they would be able to recruit effectively from Punter days. To put it another way; if you stop visiting the shops to buy your groceries then eventually the shop will close and there will be no groceries available to buy.

Yes, I want players to play with as does any sportsperson that casually visits a tennis club or a bowls clubs or a netball club for example - whats wrong with that? As for them coming to my local field - not quite! Driver Wood was a 45 minute drive for me. Campaign is an hour. Most of the other walkons that have closed were similar distances so I've never had any expectation that players would come to me.

I thought that I made just a few balanced observations and a possible suggestion about helping what is a sad situation but you've wanted to make this personal about me. Thanks for that.