How long do you think it will really take for paintball to go maintstream in America? 1 decade? less? Why is it taking so long?
how long?
- Thread starter jwstriker
- Start date
well
It's not actually taking so long. Compared with every other sport out there, pball has only been around five minutes.
It's not actually taking so long. Compared with every other sport out there, pball has only been around five minutes.
Snowboarding's only been around since the mid seventies and they're already in the Olympics
On the other hand we have already overtaken them in popularity (at least in the states) so maybe the revolution is coming?
In UK terms we aren't really even a sport yet because the Sports Councils don't recognise us... but they will whether they want to or not (which they don't)
On the other hand we have already overtaken them in popularity (at least in the states) so maybe the revolution is coming?
In UK terms we aren't really even a sport yet because the Sports Councils don't recognise us... but they will whether they want to or not (which they don't)
Why don't they want to recognise us as a sport? They can't possibly be using the excuse "it's violent", cos it isn't! Well, there are certainly other more violent ones...
(Donning asbestos suit)
It's difficult to get recognition for a sport that has a long way to go to prove its spectator-friendliness (even X-Ball has problems with being TV compatible, as a TV audience can't follow the action over the whole field, and paintballs travel too fast to see them on TV). And (this is the case in the US, not so much outsede) when the so-called governing bodies of the sport are caught up in politics, argument and backstabbing between autocrats and manufacturers interested only in their bottom line, it doesn't reflect well on the sport. Lastly, let's face it: when the teams, the fields, the tournaments and the rules are all owned by the same people it doesn't take a genius to say "conflict of interest."
When the tournament circuit debacle is unravelled, the rules committees (and refs) are truly independant of the teams, and participants feel they are doing more than lining the promoters' pockets, maybe tournament paintball will be taken seriously.
And the UK, as ever, will undoubtedly take its cue from the US on this one, although the Millennium series is doing wonders for the sport's credibility in Europe, avoiding (nearly) all of the antics of the NPPL/PSP circuit. What is needed in the UK, I suppose, is more spectators, more outside sponsors and more positive coverage (not soap operas portraying war games where somebody always gets blinded.)
Gentlemen, start your flamethrowers.
It's difficult to get recognition for a sport that has a long way to go to prove its spectator-friendliness (even X-Ball has problems with being TV compatible, as a TV audience can't follow the action over the whole field, and paintballs travel too fast to see them on TV). And (this is the case in the US, not so much outsede) when the so-called governing bodies of the sport are caught up in politics, argument and backstabbing between autocrats and manufacturers interested only in their bottom line, it doesn't reflect well on the sport. Lastly, let's face it: when the teams, the fields, the tournaments and the rules are all owned by the same people it doesn't take a genius to say "conflict of interest."
When the tournament circuit debacle is unravelled, the rules committees (and refs) are truly independant of the teams, and participants feel they are doing more than lining the promoters' pockets, maybe tournament paintball will be taken seriously.
And the UK, as ever, will undoubtedly take its cue from the US on this one, although the Millennium series is doing wonders for the sport's credibility in Europe, avoiding (nearly) all of the antics of the NPPL/PSP circuit. What is needed in the UK, I suppose, is more spectators, more outside sponsors and more positive coverage (not soap operas portraying war games where somebody always gets blinded.)
Gentlemen, start your flamethrowers.
D
duffistuta
Guest
I keep winning all the arguments... and they keep stalling
The funny thing is whenever it comes to the crunch and they say they consider the matter closed they always bottle-out in the end and hold a new meeting to "reconsider" our application
Their problem is they have a set of recognition criteria and are obliged to follow them. You can tell they really want me to get lost and are searching for a good reason within their own rules not to recognise us but after three years trying it's starting to look pretty unlikely they'll find one
Resistance is futile
Well at the moment I'm still waiting to hear their latest official "reason" but to be honest I think it's because:
(1) They think we're a load of paramilitary fanatics
(2) They worry if they recognise us the media will portray them as supporting a load of paramilitary fanatics
(3) They don't want to make us elligible for Lottery Grants!
Go Hotpoint!
If you need the assistance of a slightly deranged Performance artist to "aid" the negotiations, just ask
If you need the assistance of a slightly deranged Performance artist to "aid" the negotiations, just ask