As a sport we have evolved a long way but one thing that remains constant is this:
Joe Public goes to a paintball site for the first time and is issued with his playing kit and overalls. These overalls will consist of either 2nd hand military camouflage/green boiler suit or a purpose made camoflage coverall. He then spends the whole day playing this amazing sport, either liking or hating depending on his mind set. When he goes home and speaks to colleagues/family and tells them what he did at the weekend the conversation will be something like " I played Paintball, you know the game where you dress up like soldiers......"
Now I know the above is simplified but it is true. We reinforce the 'weekend warrior' image everytime a new player comes into contact with this sport at a rental site. I know a lot of sites have modernised fields by including an Airball/Hyperball field and I applaud this. But I bet they didnt change the overalls!
Am I the only one who thinks its time for a change.
I believe sites should introduce plain brightly coloured overalls i.e. Red and Blue, to hopefully start losing this 'warrior' image. On a practical point it makes team distinction easier. Maybe a site could have shirts/overalls made up especially for its use, giving it a unique image. Whatever happens the sport becomes a winner because you are already getting the 'punter/public' seeing the sport as played by them for the first time closer to the sport that we now see in the arena.
No doubt someone will tell me of a site that already does the above. If they do, then my idea isnt completly mad, and I would love to hear the reactions it has got from their paying public. To those sites that do, congratulations, for trying to further the image of Paintball.
Joe Public goes to a paintball site for the first time and is issued with his playing kit and overalls. These overalls will consist of either 2nd hand military camouflage/green boiler suit or a purpose made camoflage coverall. He then spends the whole day playing this amazing sport, either liking or hating depending on his mind set. When he goes home and speaks to colleagues/family and tells them what he did at the weekend the conversation will be something like " I played Paintball, you know the game where you dress up like soldiers......"
Now I know the above is simplified but it is true. We reinforce the 'weekend warrior' image everytime a new player comes into contact with this sport at a rental site. I know a lot of sites have modernised fields by including an Airball/Hyperball field and I applaud this. But I bet they didnt change the overalls!
Am I the only one who thinks its time for a change.
I believe sites should introduce plain brightly coloured overalls i.e. Red and Blue, to hopefully start losing this 'warrior' image. On a practical point it makes team distinction easier. Maybe a site could have shirts/overalls made up especially for its use, giving it a unique image. Whatever happens the sport becomes a winner because you are already getting the 'punter/public' seeing the sport as played by them for the first time closer to the sport that we now see in the arena.
No doubt someone will tell me of a site that already does the above. If they do, then my idea isnt completly mad, and I would love to hear the reactions it has got from their paying public. To those sites that do, congratulations, for trying to further the image of Paintball.
