Are any 'pros' actually that...?

[jonhaley]

Are any 'pros' actually that?

What I mean is, what level of professionalism will the sport reach, say next year when x-ball is running at full speed. Will these people actually be earning a living from playing? In the past, 'pro' has pretty much meant, even at the top end, enough sponsorship not to pay for your own kit/paint

 

[Simon Malone]

Very few, I think lil' Jon from BL Ironmen is paid by System X. An i'm pretty sure Lasoya makes some doller from playing. Very few will make enough money to live on it, if any

I'd imagine the PGI staff could tell you

 

[TJ Lambini]

Well, I can tell you bout Nexus

Ledz gets 50p and a bag of chips per tournament, Jack gets a nice hug and some warming broth, and Bowen earns two micro machines every game he stays alive in.

Tha rest get paid in candy.

 

[Kevin]

aren't russian legion paid to play ?

 

[manike]

Originally posted by Kevin
aren't russian legion paid to play ?

Er kind of but complicated...

They all work for the guy that owns the team, Sergei, who is the President of a bank in Russia

In Russia they are his body guards and employees etc. In the rest of the world they are his Paintball team... so yeah I guess they kind of get paid to play paintball, but it's not just on the basis of they are in the team because of paintball... if you get what I mean? They are his staff wether bodyguarding or paintballing.

manike

 

[Al Woods]

It's like this

Paintball aint gonna get to the size that football or ice hockey is, we're more comparitive to skating or snowboarding. Extreme/fringe sports. Tony Hawk made a **** load from being in the game form day one (almost) and has made all his money from winning comps, doing demos and building his name up to a level where he can license his name as a brand (video games). As far as being paid to sk8, I doubt he really ever did until he set up his own board co. (birdhouse). I suppose we're gonna be similar. Unless you are real tight with a large sponsor (paint co. or store) that makes a large turnover from the sport then it aint gonna happen. Sure, some players already get paid to some extent but it aint a pure full-time job as such. They work for the stores that they're involved with, in turn, super cheap/free 'ball.

I know a few pro skaters and it worls similar with them. They get free stuff and sometimes pais travel and entry to sk8 events but as far as being paid as a job, nish.

Be f'kin nice if it happened though wouldn't it.