What needs to happen to speedball to keep it relevant?

[vijil]

So I've seen a few comments lately that suggest folks think speedball - or at least speedball as it stands - is fading into obscurity. Some have mentioned the huge disconnect between the style of paintball played in the PSP and the style played by punters, others have mentioned the fact that RaceTo just can't/wont take off as a spectator sport, besides of course the expense and immediate "why are they wasting so much ammounitions" reactions. Still others have pointed to the milsimification of scenario paintball and the growth of magfed as a sign that players just aren't that keen on the style. And of course there's the pro teams dropping like flies right now.

So if the pro leagues are supposed to be the F1 to paintball's momSUV, but are failing, what should our F1 be? Should we even have one?

Figure the comments here will be more insightful than that elsewhere.

[Pump Scout]

I think the "I hate speedball" crowd within paintball tends to be relatively loud, and gives a false impression that most players indeed hate speedball. What I'd suspect more is that the real majority of players are unaware or indifferent about speedball, because they don't play at organized fields. As for those who buy high end gear, most of them are likely willing to play just about any style, be it speedball, woods, scenario, one-v-one, magfed, pump, whatever. They want to PLAY.

There was a guy a handful of years ago who had a platform for his views through a video series, and a chip on his shoulder about "mainstream paintball". He'd rail against anything having to do with tournaments or the industry that were anything but how he thought paintball should be. I don't think he's been seen anywhere in the game in a few years now, and even those sightings were more like "oh, look who crawled back to the game he hates".

[PBSteve]

I've always thought the national pro circuit is way overdone. I think it'd be great to see a unified regional tournament series that doesn't mandate air travel for most, possibly still with a world cup at the end. Something that gets more people involved and on the field, possibly incorporates more styles of play into one series.

At the very least, someone needs to figure out a way to actually showcase player skill. It's easy for a non-player to find the talented (or at least go-to) players in most sports, but that's pretty tough in paintball.

[YOUNGSTOWN]

So I've seen a few comments lately that suggest folks think speedball - or at least speedball as it stands - is fading into obscurity. Some have mentioned the huge disconnect between the style of paintball played in the PSP and the style played by punters, others have mentioned the fact that RaceTo just can't/wont take off as a spectator sport, besides of course the expense and immediate "why are they wasting so much ammounitions" reactions. Still others have pointed to the milsimification of scenario paintball and the growth of magfed as a sign that players just aren't that keen on the style. And of course there's the pro teams dropping like flies right now.

So if the pro leagues are supposed to be the F1 to paintball's momSUV, but are failing, what should our F1 be? Should we even have one?

Figure the comments here will be more insightful than that elsewhere.

We definitely need a competitive venue. It's what separates us from everything else.
The problem is that the standard for competitive play has just got to the point to where it is simply unaffordable in cost consumption for the masses..and its showing.
In addition to travel costs going up, along with everything else...this just adds more fuel to the fire.
I think the competitive model is necessary for the industry but, it needs overhauled in a big way if its going to continue on in its current incarnation.
We need it ...but the sad truth may be that the rest of the world doesn't....

[cockerpunk]

i dont think its speedball itself that is fading. i love playing it, most folks i think do as long as they arn't playing with assholes.

its the business model of traveling across the country to play 10 minutes of paintball, have a ref cheat you out of a win, and then go home $2000 poorer. that is a dead model.

[Fred]

I thought the Xball format was neat. Combine it with limited paint/pump guns and I think you'd have a lot more excitement.

The biggest stopper to me seems to be that paint sales drive the required profit...

Pump Scout, a large feline theme comes to mind, am I right?

[Pump Scout]

Pump Scout, a large feline theme comes to mind, am I right?

Dead on.

[noclue119]

I agree with cockerpunk. The game format isn't dying, the expense of playing national event is dying.

Furthermore, WC use to be the place where all the new products are released. People went to WC for the shear experience of buying new things(Paintballer's xmas in Oct). But since PBE took off, a lot of people I know stopped going to WC

Also, Doesn't the major vendors own PSP? If so I think they need to come to an agreement that the new speedball things should be released at WC. That way it is a destination event instead of just another tournament.

Finally, Valken/KEE/GI needs to get out of the business of selling paint. I don't know if it is possible given the cost of the machines. But in the end the amount of money spent on shoot tons of paint is the single biggest factor of what drives people away from the sport.

We shot 5 cases of paint at PSP Pump each of the times I played. Total cost of playing PSP pump $150 + lodging, gas and food

[Davros]

I think Pump Scout is right when he says that majority of players are indifferent to speedball, but there is no source of data to back that up. Just a theory I suspect is correct. Locally all of my fields have shut down their speedball fields for lack of interest, so locally it probably is dying. Other cities in my region though have them. One new field is going to build one eventually.

"...what should our F1 be? Should we even have one?" Probably the only one, but I think we should not have one. It is just not that kind of sport. Tournaments to determine who is the best are inevitable and nothing wrong with that, but making it all about those things is not a promotional tactic that I think applies well to promoting paintball. "Try it, it is fun" is more applicable to paintball than "Look at these guys, maybe you will be like them some day" in terms of encouraging people to try it.

With the ultra high rates of fire and being allowed to shoot people at point blank range I am astounded that anyone tries paintball at all with all that speedball footage existing online. People I try to introduce paintball to always ask about how much getting shot (as in one ball) is going to hurt. Should our F1 equivalent be the form of paintball that makes first timers worried about the pain think they have to multiply said pain estimates by 10?

BTW, I have never tried speedball myself. It is not my cup of tea, but simply because I have yet to do it, I want to try it out.

For those of who already play it, it the above suggestions sound logical. Regional tournaments with the winners of each region meeting for one big tournament once a year. Calming down on the paint shot would probably help as it is a big expense.

[PBSteve]

If the PSP wants themselves to be relevant to spectators, in my mind the goals are faster-paced, more visible and more athletic. To that end a bunch more bunkers, paint limits, some kind of player tracking and bright paint should all be priority one.

Apart from the bright paint, I think most players would be on board with most of this anyway.

I still think regional feeder tournament series are the play though, give people the chance to compete. Anything you can do to reduce travel costs will increase participation and therefore your operating revenue.