A Wind of Change

[Robbo]

Since I have been away on my self-imposed sabbatical, I have noticed on my return, a distinct lack of interesting threads.

There is also a similar lack of contentious threads where people are screaming at each other and wanting to rip each other's cyber-throats out.
Now I am in no way advocating or condoning this latter type thread but they do tend to liven things up a little.
That said, I would like to initiate this next thread but before I do, I need to do some groundwork.

For those of you outside the loop, the industry is in a bit of a turmoil at the moment, on one hand we have a plateauing of sales (and that's being optimistic) and on the other, we have corporate takeovers of our paintball industry becoming the norm.
Of late, we have seen PMI and NPS bought out in a combine deal to form the new Company Kee Action Sports; Draxxus was bought out by ISS.

JT, Viewloader and Brass Eagle by K2, Tippmann by another huge group which basically leaves Dye, Planet, Smart Parts and Kingman to withstand the bigboy onslaught.

Now my question is this, we all know high end corporate boards work on different financial criteria than our existing industry boards (inc those prior to takeovers) and so, how does everybody think this new philosophy will impact upon our sport.
I have my own ideas but it will be interesting to see how everybody thinks ......the floor is yours guys...

 

[Lump]

as i see it it can only be a positive move, bigger MONEY going in they expect BIGGER MONEY out, and to achieve this ( probable 5 year plan) they will be working to make the sport move in order to gain good concise revenue back within time scale.

no offence to the companies being taken over but if you grow with your catchment then you as a company will reach a plateau. it is at this point if you get the timing right a bigger company can help you grow again by influx of ideas and some times money

 

[Stokecity_m]

i'm sure a lot of things will change due to take overs etc,

i feel many companies will lose thier personal touch, and may also lose touch with what true paintball players want.

it might also be harder for the smaller teams to get sponsership as they would need to provide value for money to the sponser.

i can see where lump is coming from, however more money doesn't always equal better, just look at the NHS.

 

[Fish]

is there not two ways in which it could be played in simple terms of pricing to the end user?

1. prices rise, since one company controlls a number of others, and thusly, they are no longer in competition and can charge what he/she/they wish, as they control a large selection of things that ARE in demand... new little companies emerge and offer things cheaper, and either just about keep their heads above water, get bought out by larger companies to silence them, or drown...

2. prices drop, since these mega-companies can offer many differing ranges, and thusly are guaranteed a sale from every customer, since theyre bound to find what theyre looking for. they maybe even pretend they dont own the sub-companies, and pit them against each other almost... or stagger the ranges of products produced to give wider range of pricing variety and image, such as dye/proto but on a larger scale combining previously un-connected companies.

obviously the latter would be nicer for end users and traders... but we all know there are a number of greedy people out there


my take... and i may have missed the point... but i figured id concentrate on one point of it keep it simple for my little fishy brain cell

 

[Lump]

bigger does mean better look at small independents say there are 10 of them if they pooled to make one large company profits would be up they could reach a broader base. like the base dye sp have every one gains. the biggest move they can make is to give bigger better more often tournaments in the us i see the NPPL going up to 8 events next year

 

[Bon]

Personally I see it 2 or 3 of the bigger companies will keep the pressure up on all the smaller ones untill they sell up, get bought out or shut down.


Then it will (already is) a battle of the Patents, they will try to get as many as they can, and leave it to the courtrooms to start awarding big settlements eventually forcing the market to 1 big player.

 

[Ahdinko]

It'll be Microsoft all over again

 

[Lump]

one thing to watch is where the NPPL goes that will be the indicator for the whole sport

 

[mikey601]

one thing to watch is where the NPPL goes that will be the indicator for the whole sport

I hear its moving to wales

On a more serious note...

We need the small companies for the variety and to stop the big dogs from bullying people.

But hey, everyone has there price and i for one cant blame anyone to sell up for a profit

 

[Tom Allen]

Now my question is this, we all know high end corporate boards work on different financial criteria than our existing industry boards (inc those prior to takeovers) and so, how does everybody think this new philosophy will impact upon our sport.
I have my own ideas but it will be interesting to see how everybody thinks ......the floor is yours guys...

At the grass roots level, you and me, there'll probably be no change at all. A few brand names will come and go, and the "in vogue" products will dance in circles again with their sheep patiently following.

Same old, same old.............