The *REAL* reason paintball will never be an extreme sport

[Robbo]

In My Humble Opinion

I can't really understand why this thread was even started, 'Extreme' is merely a label and the consequent issue of classification, academic.
The real issue is whether we can mainstream paintball and not whether it is going to remain marginalised under the 'Extreme' or any other tag for that matter.
The reason people introduced this notion of an 'Extreme' tag was to validate our sport and lump it with a raft of other 'cool' things to do that pisses off your parents.
What better than to align paintball with an existing set of sports already established in minds of the young as 'Cool to do' ?
Paintball doesn't need them as Toulouse as shown us, 4000 people all screaming and shouting at a game where two thirds of the spectators ain't got naff all to do with paintball, should tell us all something.
Paintball Extreme? Nah, we wanna go mainstream !!
Just my opnion U understand
Robbo

 

[JanSolo]

Are you suggesting that 'Extreme-ness' and 'Mainstream-ness' are mutually opposed?

Jan.

 

[Robbo]

Extreme V Mainstream

U show me an 'Extreme' sport that is 'Mainstream' and I'll show you a pro who has never cheated !!!
Robbo

 

[Tyger]

In My Humble Opinion

Originally posted by Robbo
I can't really understand why this thread was even started, 'Extreme' is merely a label and the consequent issue of classification, academic.
The real issue is whether we can mainstream paintball and not whether it is going to remain marginalised under the 'Extreme' or any other tag for that matter.
...
Paintball Extreme? Nah, we wanna go mainstream !!
Just my opnion U understand
Robbo

I started the thread in a humor attempt, but it did turn rather serious. And I still think that paintball needs to name a few moves after foods. (Stalefish to Melon Grind, example)

Robbo said it already about why paintball was lumped into "xtreme" sports. I'm just sick of the label. "Xtreme" sports don't get covered on EXPN's Sportscenter but once a year.

But, Robbo, I don't think that paintball is READY to be mainstream yet. Oh, perhaps the venues are ready. But how "cool" would it be to watch a tournament player get away with a blatent wipe on national TV? Would you punish them after the fact if they got away with it on the field?

No, paintball needs to grow up first. It's not one faction that needs to get with it, I mean "PAINTBALL" as a whole has a lot of growin' up to do.

-Tyger

 

[Robbo]

Response

Rob, I will send u something that may change your mind, seems coincidental but i just wrote it, it should answer all your questions.
Pete

 

[paintballs75]

Paintball IS an extreme sport

Paintball IS an extreme sport. Here's why:

The Sporting Goods Manufacturers' Association says it is.

Don't care? What the heck is an SGMA? I'm not in the states, it doesn't affect me?

Sorry, but once again thanks to the Henrys, we've been saddled with an 'image' issue.

The Henry's lobbied long and hard to get the SGMA to include paintball in its market research, surveys and trade shows.

The SGMA is THE marketing organization when it comes to sports - all sports, because they do the surveys which are analyzed, utilized and RESPECTED by: big monied sports buyers, investors, corporate Marketing VP types, business analysts and wall street gurus.

Here's how BIG money marketing works. You get the firm(s) that do the RESPECTED surveys and studies to include your personal thingie. They put out the numbers. Because THEY are respected by the people who SPEND the money, what they say, how they say it and whether its accurate, truthful or not - THAT becomes reality.

The Henrys (extortionist, blackmailing no-good a-holes who have thankfully been paid off to leave the industry) realized that 'extreme' sports were in for a big boost and wanted paintball (or their version of it which, I think, involved body paints and others kinds of 'balls') to be able to ride the wave of investment dollars and got the SGMA and its Super Show (of sports) to include paintball in that category in 1998-1999.

Now, it doesn't matter that paintball doesn't meet the internal (SGMA) definition of extreme: paintball is not an individual sport, its a team thing) they put it in there because if they didn't put it in there, they would have had to create a NEW sports category, and paintball wasn't big enough at the time to justify that (it is now and, I believe, is being moved into the 'adrenaline sports' category).

Nevertheless, we're lumped in there with extreme sports which I, personally, label 'stupid non-sports'. There's no difference between skateboarding on a guardrail and getting yourself shot out of a cannon; no difference between mountain biking and getting dragged behind a car while standing on a piece of cardboard and holding onto the bumber. These sports (forgive me, those of you who 'participate' in them) require no 'skill' (if they did, they wouldn't be dominated by the 'stars' who are three decades older than the participants): they're nothing more than a kid doing a wheelie on his three-speed, taking his hands off the handlebars and screaming 'look ma, no hands!' as his head crashes into the curb.

Paintball on the other hand just might be able to get away with the lable of 'extreme TEAM sport' - but for clarity's sake as well as for accuracy, I personally define TOURNAMENT paintball (not the 24 hour "I wanna be an airborne ranger" bs) as a SPORT, period.

With the exception of collusion on the part of tournament promoters, reffing teams and whoever's been picked to win this particular event, paintball matches one-for-one withe the definitions of soccer, football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, etc.

Gee. Anyone out there I haven't pissed off?

As an aside, Tyger: as someone who has destroyed a knee and separated a shoulder while playing competition - not to mention the 12 stitches in the scalp, the broken nose, the usual 'rug' burn, multiple compound contusions, scrapes, cuts, welts and sprains, you can get plenty injured playing paintball - if you're trying to win.

Steve

 

[LARSEN]

You'r right....

Adrenaline sport.

Thats why i do it. I need that adrenaline of running to my first bunker and see what happens.

Even sitting at work thinking about moves or situations can get the old ticker going , it all about adrenalin not injuries because we rearly have any to brag about.

I think our bigest problem ist the limited room we have. We don't have mountains to ski on or parking lots to skate on. Maybe parents are more afraid of giving their children permition to go paintballing than to give the a skatebord.

Oh what the hell do i know................? But i need my "RUSH" thats for sure.