blackpool type events

[Tony Harrison]

I think the trafford center in manchester would make a great event, taking it not just to places like shows,
but get to the public direct by takeing it to one of the busyest shopping centre in europe

I agree.

The Trafford Centre car park would be a great location.

However, the landlords would probably charge a shedload of cash for the privilege.

And therein lies the rub, together with the setup and running costs of a field for 2 days.

So as Junior has pointed out, a great location but a loss leader.

But if someone with deep pockets came forward, who knows?

I believe that there are a number of sports fields near the Trafford Centre which were scouted as potential locations for a large paintball event some time ago..............

 

[Ainsley]

Rather than us going to them, why not encourage them to come to us? At the moment, the only people who really know of any events are the ballers themselves.

We need to look at how to encourage the public to see it as an afternoon out. How do we do that? Allow for better spectator facilities? Have snap cages at all events for people to try out markers? Running commentary and a couple of screens up linked to a webcam at each end of the main field? I think these are the sort of things that will keep people there but not necessarily get them there.

Why not put some money into advertising the events.......some small flyers made up and handed out locally - or even just an advert in the local paper? Charge £2 entry or £5 per family for viewing purposes - make it like a 'picnic with attitude' day out.....small laser tag area with a few bunkers for kids? God knows. I'm just throwing things out here. Will events need to be organised better to accommodate for this? Hell yes, but it’s a step that needs to be taken if we want to take this to the next level.

Separate player and spectator areas are a must. I remember the first time I went to watch a SupAir tournament, I remember there was someone coaching at the side of the field that wasn't happy with a decision made. It’s a passionate sport, but the guy was using every expletive under the sun at the ref, and behind the guy was a family with 2 kids about 6 - 8 years old.....they quickly left. To me, small things like this is what put people off coming to watch. It’s either go down the rugby route of respect, or football's total lack of respect. However, having team and spectator sides of netting would keep this to a minimum.

While I’m on it, and about to get slated, I may as well voice my opinion on the Millennium TV coverage on Sky. To a non paintballer, it’s like a happy slap in the face. You see 20 seconds of one game, then a portion of another, and then suddenly, another game is won. There's no explanation of the game or tactical insight. American football does this well, with the white pens on screen and directional arrows showing plays......slowing the game down to see the moves and decisions made by each player. Always thought this would work well with paintball. Understanding and information is what opens the sport up to new people.

 

[Milky]

That condition was what finally rang the death knell for Pure Promotions who originated Huntington Beach and also the people who bought them out, they couldn't square that financial circle either.

i was under the impression that Pure Promotions had just started turning a profit when they sold it to Pacific and then they messed it up!

 

[JUNIOR BROWN]

At the end of the day it comes down to all paintballers to make paintball a better sport.

It doesn’t matter what leagues in what countries, at the biggest venues or putting it on the best webcast, pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to get TV involved.

That’s not the big picture! The big picture is it needs YOU the player to push it. Promote it in every place possible. If you have kids and they are at the age to play get all his or her friends together and go out and play, work outings, family days and so on…

But do it the right way! Support paintball fields and stores, help them get bigger and paintball will follow…

 

[Tony Harrison]

At the end of the day it comes down to all paintballers to make paintball a better sport.

It doesn’t matter what leagues in what countries, at the biggest venues or putting it on the best webcast, pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to get TV involved.

That’s not the big picture! The big picture is it needs YOU the player to push it. Promote it in every place possible. If you have kids and they are at the age to play get all his or her friends together and go out and play, work outings, family days and so on…

But do it the right way! Support paintball fields and stores, help them get bigger and paintball will follow…

Word.

 

[A-Dawg]

People can't afford the sport.

I show quite alot of my friends of my age videos of they sport, and they would all love to get involved they just cant afford it...simples

 

[Ainsley]

I don't know a single paintballer who doesn't push and promote the sport at every opportunity. Personally, I think that's the easy answer. As individuals there are factors outside our control that lead to the future of paintball.

Will the .50 cal ball reduce the cost to make the sport more affordable, thus opening the door to x amount of people who previously lay dormant? It's hard to tell. My point was that we need to welcome and invite spectators to see what paintball; specifically supair, is all about. I would say that 4 out of 5 people if asked, would still say paintball was played in the woods, and have no concept of supair as a form of paintball.

It's raising that profile to the outsider so that paintball is perceived as a sport rather than a game is a catalyst to the worldwide growth of paintball. Taking a step back and looking at our bubble from an outsider's eyes could perhaps show us what changes need to be made to contribute to this growth. That, to me, is the bigger picture.