Millennium Apathy !

[sumo89]

surely it is mainly up to the big companies to draw new people into the sport and by all their latest equiptment.

The situation is not helped by the fact there is no set or easy way to make the transition from woodland to sup air, there needs to be more sites like Sebban's which provide for people who want to progress. Again this is down to people realising money can be made from it and the wheels of capatalism rolling into motion.

 

[Buddha 3]

If we're seeing a gradual shift away from competetive sport by the obsese Playstation generation, we might benefit at the expense of other sports as the required fitness level is lower.

You're kidding right?
Sure to be able to play in the local brew-hall league, you can be Lardo McLardalot, but if you want to be a serious paintballer, you have to be conditioned really well. Why do you think you see less and less people like Bob Long and Ledz with a shooting iron?

If you don't work on your stamina and such, you will get your ass handed to you. Simple.

Oh, and nice to see Rancid posting again.

 

[Spike]

surely it is mainly up to the big companies to draw new people into the sport and by all their latest equiptment.

That's why we pile cash into events like the PSP NPPL & Millenniums. If you analyse the costs vs takings then for the most, companies would agree that there is little return for the effort put in, but we all see the need to be there to show the world what paintball is in the hope that it may turn a few spectators to the idea of playing a game at their local field which could lead a few new tourney players. We also support a lot of our trade customers by being at these events. Don't take this the wrong way I love tourney ball and I love the customers we have but if you analyse the business as a whole - the staple diet of any paintball goods supplier is the recreational / rental market.

This is the grass roots where we must grow our players from as they come to a site and try the sport and then get hooked it the game is handled correctly. Mike Pevril's seminars in the US are aimed at promoting your field to get more business in but the easy transition comment made earlier is a very good point.

 

[Gadget]

You're kidding right?
Sure to be able to play in the local brew-hall league, you can be Lardo McLardalot, but if you want to be a serious paintballer, you have to be conditioned really well. Why do you think you see less and less people like Bob Long and Ledz with a shooting iron?

If you don't work on your stamina and such, you will get your ass handed to you. Simple.

Oh, and nice to see Rancid posting again.

You need to be fit, sure, but I don't believe for one second that the Dynasty roster could hold a candle to a premiership football team in terms of fitness.

A lot of opinion in this thread seems remarkably dismissive of anyone who plays tournament paintball but isn't committed 110%, willing to train hard and tries to improve themselves. I think people need to wake up and realise that there will only ever be a tiny minority of people who want to take the game that far. The majority will be content with a far more relaxed approach to the game.

I don't think that's a bad thing. Why does it matter if we can't field teams that can compete with the creme of the US?

 

[Robbo]

I think you are right Gadget, 100% ...and therein lies the problem that we all refer to...

 

[balf]

its true id love to play the mills but at the moment finances dictate otherwise...but i am 20 so i will play and i will prove robbo wrong...after all he is a southener so i must

 

[Dusty]

You need to be fit, sure, but I don't believe for one second that the Dynasty roster could hold a candle to a premiership football team in terms of fitness.

A lot of opinion in this thread seems remarkably dismissive of anyone who plays tournament paintball but isn't committed 110%, willing to train hard and tries to improve themselves. I think people need to wake up and realise that there will only ever be a tiny minority of people who want to take the game that far. The majority will be content with a far more relaxed approach to the game.

I don't think that's a bad thing. Why does it matter if we can't field teams that can compete with the creme of the US?

I do agree with you for the most part. The only part i will disagree with is the training and pushing bit. I will always train hard and give my playing 100%. I am not so silly as to think that makes me a good player, and I know I will NEVER play at the top level.

However I will make the effort to go to Campaign. It is like the end of year exams!!

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

and to be honest, thats a silly amount of money for any average working chap to be paying

Well - to be honest with you, it has been like that for ages

It is a life choice really - if you want to live the paintball lifestyle, you sacrifice everything else - if it is just an enjoyable occasional pasttime, that is cool too.

But, if the latter is the case for you, then you are not really the target group for the Campaign Cup or other major events anyhow.

Point is, if you have the desire to play paintball at top level, finances don't really factor into it.

On the old ugly Ducklings team, that played 10-12 events abroad every year... with nothing paid for by sponsors except paint, the job descriptions were:

- carpenter
- student
- woodsworker
- junior salesman
- cement caster (x2)
- disabled pensioner
- salesman

And we are talking events ABROAD here - not a single one in your own country

Not tooting my own horn here - just making you aware that where there is a WILL - there is a way

Nick

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

Mike Pevril's seminars in the US are aimed at promoting your field to get more business in but the easy transition comment made earlier is a very good point

I view this as KEY to the whole development of our sport.

Not just because it creates a lot more players - but also because once the general public is used to paintball being Sup'Air - because that is what they have themselves tried down the local field at a stag party - the odds for the sport being a media success are far greater.

At the moment, in Western Europe, I would guess about 25 % of the general population has tried paintball at one point or another...... but not 1 in 10.000 has ever been exposed to what we are trying to promote - the rest all think paintball is "Rambo in the woods" - and THAT is a marketing nightmare.

Nick

 

[pestilence]

To throw in another factor thats missing from Campaign - and thats Atmosphere ( and i dont mean the team -if they are still going).

I played CC last year, in the M5 - (yea, but im in the twighlight of my game now ) and to be honest - it had NOTHING like the atmosphere of say '02 or '03. I remember in the second year CC was at Crystal Palace and you had loads of Yanks come over - Bad Comany, Trauma, Avalanche, Image, Dynasty, AA's, Kapp factory. For some humble little brit, it was probably more about the star spotting. it felt like a big event.

last year, there was nothing. The Div's all split up, xball, CPL, 7-man, M5. Everything diluted, it just felt empty.

I dont beleive cost is a factor in an event like this - if you really want to play an event, you'll find a way. But I will only play an event that I think is value for money, and CC just aint got it anymore IMHO...

Bring back the pazzazz!