Nike may enter paintball (Rumor)

[Bambulus]

I dont think Nike would be bringing out markers.

The current top paintball marker producers got where they are by being around a very long time and gradually improving products before trying to make a marker themselves.
Others, like AKA or Macdev had a history in hydraulics/pneumatics.


My point being, Nike dont have the expertees to cost effectively design a marker.
If they reverse engineer someone elses, they dont have the expertees to support customers (compared to the company they copy).
Plus they lose alot of kudos in the industry.


Id love to see nike soft goods but I dont think the likes of planet or dye need to worry about a nike marker.
Even a mask would be pushing it initially.

I was basing what I was saying on a line of soft goods. They could start out well with a set of paintball cleats, since nobody's really got the market cornered there, but if they do etablish a decent share of the paintball market, you can rest assured that they will want to get into the hard goods.

What somebody mentioned on the TechPB thread is Nike getting into golf. They entered with a range of soft goods, and then released a set of top end balls and irons. I'd imagine that's how they'd approach paintball. Cleats and soft goods, and then onto masks, loaders and other items like barrels and potentially markers, way down the line.

What I'm worried about is them taking a large chunk of the soft goods market, leaving companies like Sly and Draxxus and their range of soft goods struggling to compete. But I'm no marketing expert, I don't know if that would be the case in reality.

 

[Robbo]

Nike were looking at paintball back in 2002 when our numbers demographic was about as good as it could get.
The participant levels were anywhere between 8 and 12 million (depending upon the source) during that halcyon period of paintball but whatever the truth of the matter, we can just about halve the lower figure at the moment ..... our industry is about a quarter of what it was.

If Nike declined to get involved back then, I would doubt very much there would be too much of an appeal to hook up with paintball now.

I think this is probably just another bunch of BS that should booted in the trash can ......obviously kicked with Nike boots on though ...

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

Nike were looking at paintball back in 2002 when our numbers demographic was about as good as it could get.
The participant levels were anywhere between 8 and 12 million (depending upon the source) during that halcyon period of paintball but whatever the truth of the matter, we can just about halve the lower figure at the moment ..... our industry is about a quarter of what it was.

If Nike declined to get involved back then, I would doubt very much there would be too much of an appeal to hook up with paintball now.

I think this is probably just another bunch of BS that should booted in the trash can ......obviously kicked with Nike boots on though ...

Nice bit of pessimistic statistician in you, isn't there Pete?

 

[ses_paintball]

If Nike got into paintball I feel overall it would be a good because atm a lot of top Leagues like PSP and USPL are not exactly doing great financially, Nike could help promote it a lot more and with its numerous connections help get good venues for big events. I wouldn't be surprised if Nike started making Bunkers and soft goods

 

[Bon]

Nike were looking at paintball back in 2002 when our numbers demographic was about as good as it could get.
The participant levels were anywhere between 8 and 12 million (depending upon the source) during that halcyon period of paintball but whatever the truth of the matter, we can just about halve the lower figure at the moment ..... our industry is about a quarter of what it was.

If Nike declined to get involved back then, I would doubt very much there would be too much of an appeal to hook up with paintball now.

I think this is probably just another bunch of BS that should booted in the trash can ......obviously kicked with Nike boots on though ...

But entering the market in 2002, when like you said was as good as it got at the time would be a bad choice anyway? Entering a well established market is going to be harder, however with the downturn now turning around, they can enter in when its "easier" and as the sport grows once more their own balance sheets will look much better with year on year sustained growth.

 

[John C]

But entering the market in 2002, when like you said was as good as it got at the time would be a bad choice anyway? Entering a well established market is going to be harder, however with the downturn now turning around, they can enter in when its "easier" and as the sport grows once more their own balance sheets will look much better with year on year sustained growth.

Thats what I was thinking.
Apart from the bit about the downturn turning around.


The markets Nike are currently in are probably not growing like they were in 2002.
So this might be a good time to enter untapped markets if only to counteract the general decline in mainstream markets.

 

[Bambulus]

It's not so illogical to enter a makret when it's on the low. I'm not saying it'd be easy, but they could be aiming to enter paintball and market it to hell, attracting new players and facillitating a growth of the industry, bringing in more people willing to buy nike products.

Players just entering the sport will think Nike paintball products are the dogs danglies compared to others, and head straight for them since they're a well known brand for quality.

 

[Robbo]

Guys ...... Nike won't be supporting paintball, sorry and all that but if they take a look at the underlying paintball economy and cross reference that with the US economy, spot squeezing has more chance than paintball.

And that's not pessimism rearing its head, it's pragmatism.

 

[SAMUEL.D.RYAN]

If it's any time, you'd expect them to do it now...

If companies see the light at the end of the tunnel, they'll spend the cash they have now to get a foot in the new growth

 

[Robbo]

If it's any time, you'd expect them to do it now...

If companies see the light at the end of the tunnel, they'll spend the cash they have now to get a foot in the new growth

And what exactly are the industry indicators to suggest there is a significant growth spurt coming ?

I speak to most of the guys Stateside and I'm afraid there's not much recovery rhetoric going on ..... I only wish there were.