Money = cameras = money
Richard, sorry but I don't know how to do that quote thing.
"If games are filmed and cheaters named, shamed and punished, then paintball will start to become a sport that can be taken seriously by the media,"
The reason paintball isn't being taken up by the media has got nout to do with cheating. It's got to do with money. If 60 million people were willing to watch a televised paintball event, then it would be televised - and they wouldn't give a **** about cheating. Christ, if I was the producer I'd focus in on it. Paintball needs its bad boys. It's exciting to see someone flout the rules. It get's you all riled up. It's what people talk about down the pub.
"after all a sport whose top teams rely on cheating is not a sport that can be televised is it, as soon as people see that its all about cheating better that the other team they'll go back to watching cartoons"
Every sport in the world is littered with cheats. Football? Every single game is full of fouls, handballs, diving, shirt pulling.... c'mon Richard. Where's the difference between playing on and a deliberate foul.etc.
"With your nightmare scenario that the top pros do not wise-up to the fact that the spotlight is on them and continue to cheat. Well then they are penailised, and other, better players become the top, or they recover themselves and learn to play top level paintball without cheating."
Look, let's say I run team A and they have a good chance of winning the world cup. I want my team to play full-on paintball - ie muggings galore. I take playing on as an occupational hazard. You ban my team and I'm pulling out the other four teams that I run. I also have a business alliance with the owners of teams c, d, e f & g. If I walk, they walk. So, what you going to do about that... cos me, I'm setting up my own circuit. How much money have you lost? Expensive principles mate.
"I will be very suprised to see paintball leagues on TV etc for very long if the blatant cheating that some poeple describe continues unchecked (I wouldn't watch it, and I love paintball); people will quickly tire of watching people play on and wipe themselves to trophies."
The bone of contention troughout all these threads is, wiping aside, playing on-type infrigements are an accepted party of the game if you want a game with loads of muggings. If you ban people for this you'll end up with a 7 on 7 attrition where people are afraid to make a move.
"And of course if you can get companies to suply the judging equipment in return for having their logo slashed across it (think wimbledon etc) then that becomes realtively cheap."
But there's only half a dozen people watching it... I wouldn't pay more than a few squid to have my logo on a judge's vest.
It is true that filming games doesn't automatically mean pro leagues and TV broadcasting etc, but it will help the sport to become more marketable.
No, I think paintball has got to become more marketable BEFORE Tv comes in.
Personally mate, i think there's only you and me reading this, so's best we not bog the board down. See you round, Richard.