I’m not sponsored by anyone (I WISH!) Will I be able to do that?
Anyone can get sponsored, but the definition of ‘sponsored’ isn’t necessarily what it’s generally thought to be *
I’ll be buying 2 x Boxes of paint so it’s not like I’ll be trying to get freebies. I just would like to try some different paint rather than just always shooting Tomahawk
For paint, Bolter has given the best advice which is to ask traders (+ other players) and try some test balls.
Of course do bear in mind that everyone has they own opinions on what makes one paintball better than the other, but every batch could have its own issues. A great paintball may one month be the best ever, and then have a bad batch the next month. Then add on environmental conditions on the day plus storage and transport
Situations vary - at a competitive tournament players want the freshest, most fragile, and most consistent balls to fly predictably and break on the lightest impact. A rental site wants a good hardy ball that could be on the shelf for a couple of weeks, will survive being shot from the roughest gun, survives pods being dropped, smashes through bushes and might break on a player
Whereas at a big game people want something inbetween that works in their gun, breaks when they hit a player, and doesn’t break the bank
See what others are buying, listen for any moaning coming out of pre game chrono setups (for bad batches), do the drop test:
For all the best paintball and airsoft products check out www.ansgear.com
youtube.com
A good ball will break if you drop it on concrete/hard surfaces
If you have to throw a ball down hard then it’s not going to break on a person once shot across a field
* sponsorship in paintball comes down to a couple of things:
1) Buying into a brands annual ‘sponsorship’ promotion - this means you buy from a choice of gun, hopper, belt, goggles, clothing etc. If you want/need all of those items & are happy with their brand range then you get a bulk discount. If not then you’ve committed at least £hundreds for the ‘right’ to claim you’re ‘sponsored’
2) A brands marketing - you buy into the brand, and they get to be associated with you.
Typically tournament sponsorships give a ‘discounted’ price on the paintballs you buy, and if you get photographed on the podium you can find your paint bill gets an additional discount
The offer of heavy discounts or even free paint for the best performance can help with paint sales as teams buy & shoot more and more paint to try and win the number one spot for free paint - but most teams have to pay the bill at the end of the day
3) If you’re really, really lucky and are worth something to the business then you can find yourself getting the nirvana of ‘real’ sponsorship - free stuff & first hands on with new products.
(the odd free t shirt and stickers don’t count)
But the ‘free stuff’ comes at a price - you are contributing something to the brand. You’re the ‘factory team’, have a full two way relationship, or the greatest player ever on the podium all of the time and are an ambassador to the brand…..
‘Sponsorships’ are seen on the tournament circuit, but individual players have been known to ‘represent’ particular brands. Back in the day individual scenario players were the ‘face’ of a brand or product such as one who represented a barrel brand, others with self heating canned food, or an electrolyte sports drink etc
If you can picture yourself as a paintball brand influencer, and can express to that brand how invaluable you can be to them then that’s your entry to the world of sponsorship
Personally the ideal paintball sponsorship to be won would be with Premiere Inn and / or van hire
