Olympics

[Tony Harrison]

pbaccess.com are doing a pretty good job of webcasting the PSP events, so I don't think televising events would be a problem for them. Providing someone comes up with the money to finance the move.

Don't forget that all major events have spectators - they don't need goggles, because they are sitting behind a net.

Given that Curling and Archery are Olympic sports - and are both absolutely riveting to watch - I think paintball is in with a shout, providing we can organize ourselves.

 

[Tony Harrison]

To be Honest, I have no idea how Paintball would even work as an Olympic Sport other than TDM, everyone has same markers, paint and Equipment, it would also be very hard for Spectators to view without the use of Helicopters, otherwise it'd just be blurred camera shots, without the promise of ticket sales it would never see the light of day, then you have to get every spectator to either buy goggles or provide them with a truly safe environment and not need goggles.

Sorry to be a kill joy but Paintball is nothing but an Expensive ( But worth it ) Hobby, I also think you'll struggle to find the funding to assesmble full time funding and proper sponsors, currently it's only manufacturers providing a small discount and printed jerseys, I can't see a paintballer being on a Rolex or Marlboro advert ( puffing through his / hers I4's )

It's illegal to advertise tobacco.

 

[Doctor Of Chaos]

TBH, i would never say never.

in the last 10 years, paintballing has grown bigger then what i thought (i been away from it for 10years, so it has changed a lot for the better in my eyes).
We do have an governing body - in the UKPSF so if we keep getting players signing up to the UKPSF and keep spreading the word about paintball, then i can not see why one day paintball could make the olympic games.

 

[Harbinger]

pbaccess.com are doing a pretty good job of webcasting the PSP events, so I don't think televising events would be a problem for them. Providing someone comes up with the money to finance the move.

Don't forget that all major events have spectators - they don't need goggles, because they are sitting behind a net.

Given that Curling and Archery are Olympic sports - and are both absolutely riveting to watch - I think paintball is in with a shout, providing we can organize ourselves.

Yes but these nets at PB grounds aren't paint proof by any means, we've all been there and shot through them, it would take one spectator to get injured and then it's all off forever ( only Nascar are you allowed to treat spectators as collateral ) I work in H&S and I can honestly say the risks associated with making this a spectator sport are way to high / impractical, if not then I shotgun the job of doing so.

Archery etc they are aiming at specific static targets not other people running around with trigger happy Pballers.

Don't get me wrong I love Pballing but I really don't think it'll happen in my life time, I plan on living another 115 years or so too,

Saying that.........Handball was made a sport, clearly a game invented by people not skilled enough for Lacrosse / football / rugby so they all met up and created this, maybe with a mad spin on the game it could work, such as real bullets / bring back the Colosseum.

 

[Tony Harrison]

Yes but these nets at PB grounds aren't paint proof by any means, we've all been there and shot through them, it would take one spectator to get injured and then it's all off forever ( only Nascar are you allowed to treat spectators as collateral ) I work in H&S and I can honestly say the risks associated with making this a spectator sport are way to high / impractical, if not then I shotgun the job of doing so.

Archery etc they are aiming at specific static targets not other people running around with trigger happy Pballers.

Don't get me wrong I love Pballing but I really don't think it'll happen in my life time, I plan on living another 115 years or so too,

Saying that.........Handball was made a sport, clearly a game invented by people not skilled enough for Lacrosse / football / rugby so they all met up and created this, maybe with a mad spin on the game it could work, such as real bullets / bring back the Colosseum.

I don't think paintballs coming through nets are the biggest danger....................it's letting players loose with high pressure air tanks strapped to their gun, then seeing them throw their gun when things don't go their way.

 

[M4rkm93]

To be Honest, I have no idea how Paintball would even work as an Olympic Sport other than TDM, everyone has same markers, paint and Equipment, it would also be very hard for Spectators to view without the use of Helicopters, otherwise it'd just be blurred camera shots, without the promise of ticket sales it would never see the light of day, then you have to get every spectator to either buy goggles or provide them with a truly safe environment and not need goggles.

Sorry to be a kill joy but Paintball is nothing but an Expensive ( But worth it ) Hobby, I also think you'll struggle to find the funding to assesmble full time funding and proper sponsors, currently it's only manufacturers providing a small discount and printed jerseys, I can't see a paintballer being on a Rolex or Marlboro advert ( puffing through his / hers I4's )

I agree to the extent that it is very unlikely paintball will ever become an Olympic sport. However it is very easily televised and it wouldn't be that hard to set up for spectators if it were to become an Olympic sport. You clearly don't watch the PSP or mills events, both of which are webcast/televised and have hundreds of spectators. It seems to me you are not familiar with the speedball side of the sport and you were thinking more around the woodsball/scenario game.

Also I disagree with the point you make about only being a hobby... Pro paintball is a big thing, and for many of us the game is much more than a hobby. I think if you spoke to the likes of Dynasty, damage or RL (pro psp teams) and called what they were doing a "hobby" they would be rather offended.

 

[Tony Harrison]

I agree to the extent that it is very unlikely paintball will ever become an Olympic sport. However it is very easily televised and it wouldn't be that hard to set up for spectators if it were to become an Olympic sport. You clearly don't watch the PSP or mills events, both of which are webcast/televised and have hundreds of spectators. It seems to me you are not familiar with the speedball side of the sport and you were thinking more around the woodsball/scenario game.

Also I disagree with the point you make about only being a hobby... Pro paintball is a big thing, and for many of us the game is much more than a hobby. I think if you spoke to the likes of Dynasty, damage or RL (pro psp teams) and called what they were doing a "hobby" they would be rather offended.

I think for most of us it is a hobby.

PGI once ran an article about what some "top" players did so they could play.....it was surprising reading.

Only a few players earn money from paintball.

 

[M4rkm93]

Yes but these nets at PB grounds aren't paint proof by any means, we've all been there and shot through them, it would take one spectator to get injured and then it's all off forever ( only Nascar are you allowed to treat spectators as collateral ) I work in H&S and I can honestly say the risks associated with making this a spectator sport are way to high / impractical, if not then I shotgun the job of doing so.

Archery etc they are aiming at specific static targets not other people running around with trigger happy Pballers.

Don't get me wrong I love Pballing but I really don't think it'll happen in my life time, I plan on living another 115 years or so too,

Saying that.........Handball was made a sport, clearly a game invented by people not skilled enough for Lacrosse / football / rugby so they all met up and created this, maybe with a mad spin on the game it could work, such as real bullets / bring back the Colosseum.

I think for most of us it is a hobby.

PGI once ran an article about what some "top" players did so they could play.....it was surprising reading.

Only a few players earn money from paintball.

For the wide population it is a hobby, however with the pro teams, there is a lot of commitment involved, and even though very few players earn money from it it still requires the training, time and intensity of a professional sport.

I do believe I have read that article! Most interesting, I've heard of some pro players who flip burgers to pay their way in the sport!

 

[Tony Harrison]

For the wide population it is a hobby, however with the pro teams, there is a lot of commitment involved, and even though very few players earn money from it it still requires the training, time and intensity of a professional sport.

I do believe I have read that article! Most interesting, I've heard of some pro players who flip burgers to pay there way in the sport!

Agreed!

 

[Harbinger]

Sorry I forgot Pro's do that and throw tantrums, Like Murray lobbing a tennis raquet at the ground, can imagine that going wrong, bad language and then BOOM!

I think for most of us it is a hobby.

PGI once ran an article about what some "top" players did so they could play.....it was surprising reading.

Only a few players earn money from paintball.

My point, exactly this, there will never ever be enough revenue created from PB in the UK to have an Olympic team, even more so one that can win golds, Look at the Football teams for Andorra and Faroe Islands, all the players in the 1st teams work full time jobs and are not playing in Premier leagues or even lower leagues, all the " Baller army men" who play tournies etc aren't going to give up their high flying jobs to fly the flag for the UK PB team are they, and yes Mark I have seen the PSP stuff, and Hundred of spectators just don't cut it, you need to fill a football stadium to make it worthy of being a true spectator sport, otherwise you just have Darts, Medicore