The role of University Paintball Clubs & Societies?

[cjsoftuk]

So, we're nearly into 2013, and the club at Southampton Uni is just about surviving. Meanwhile, down the road, Portsmouth seem to have a fairly decent tournament team. Other Unis also seem to be able to turn out teams for events, so what's going on?

Short answer is, I don't know. I've got 500+ people on the mailing list for the club, and 10 or so who've shown an interest in tournament 'ball - how many of those have actually converted into players? Pretty much none.

We've tried to cater for the rental and walk-on market, mainly, and I've always said that *if* feasible, we'd go into tournament. But that was very much an if. The University would like us to be playing in tournaments, but I'm not quite sure where to start on that debate (so I won't).

So, at this point I feel it's appropriate for me to turn to the community for advice. What role should University paintball clubs and societies be doing? Should they be working to promote the sport to new-comers? Should they be catering for people who have their own kit? Should the club be providing kit for people to borrow?

There's a lot of questions there, and I don't expect everyone to have answers to all of them. But what would be useful is an opinion on what you think we should be doing in 2013.

 

[Geoboy]

How much do you charge them for a walk on? And how much for tourni?

 

[cjsoftuk]

We've tried several pricing models over the last couple of years - and none have seemingly worked.
Part of the issue lies in the fact that we have to recoup some money on the trip to pay the union back for some of the kit we bought, and let our members use on the trips.... The reason we bought the kit in the first place: To try and make it easier for people to play tournament 'ball.

We haven't yet entered a tournament, mainly because I can't seem to get enough people together from the Uni for a team.....

As to the walkon situation, much as I don't *like* doing it, we typically come to an agreement with the sites to make some money on the paint sales. We typically charge £30 for the trip, including entry, lunch, transport, and a few hundred paintballs (usually 300), and then £3 per 100 extra at the moment. We have, in the past, tried charging £50, including lunch, transport, entry, and a box of paint, and that doesn't go down well (we got fewer on that trip than we do on trips nowadays).

Once we've finished paying off the Students' Union, then perhaps we can see about prices below this, but it's unlikely I'm going to be able to get the cost of a walkon down to under £50 inc a box, particularly if the person needs rental kit.

Even at £40 per trip inc 1000 paintballs, say, that's not going to work if I can't get people in. The more worrying thing is the number of people who seem to think that because club trips cost more than (swear words removed - certain other company), it's too expensive, because they don't take into consideration the cost of extra paint. The fun bit I've also heard is that the paint we buy must, apparently, be of inferior quality as it costs less....

 

[Geoboy]

Hmmm so you took out a loan to buy gear even though you can rent gear at the sites? Maybe you should just charge what the site is asking get deals from them and try not taking your peoples money to pay off your debt? That would be a start tbh.. You can usually borrow kit for a fiver. So try selling all the stuff and pay your debt off bud.

 

[cjsoftuk]

We had to look like we were trying to make inroads into the tournament scene. That was the problem.
That said, I'm inclined to side with your view of sell the kit, and be done with it. The union may decide they've had enough, and force us to disaffiliate, and re-affiliate as a society, not a club (subtle distinction), but then that's perhaps what we should be anyway.

Before I suggest this to the committee - Anyone else want to add to the debate?

 

[Oscar23]

Sell your souls and use the money to hire some russians?

 

[Geoboy]

In all fairness if you get friendly with a paintball site you can usually pick up cheap deals, something like a box of paint lunch and use of the site all day for 40/50 quid, dont charge your members extra to pay off your debt, you will never get members that way. If people want to play paintball they will pay out for it.

 

[Eddy Collumbell]

i thought the whole point of a Uni Club/Society was to play paintball, not make money off it...

 

[cjsoftuk]

It is - but only if you've got money in the first place..... if you've got a loan from the Union (which, I should add, wasn't SUPPOSED to be loan to start with) you have to pay that back somehow.....

 

[Geoboy]

Sell the stuff you bought and pay it off... if needs be do. Fund raiser of some sort.. either way if you came up to me and said want to play paintball? Oh yea im in debt so im charging am extra 10 quid i wouldnt bother meeting you again, sell what you have.