[FiremanMike]

Without paying $95 for the statistical book from 2005, of which I really only want 1 number, can anyone tell me what the participation was in 2005, as compared to 2004s 9.6 million.

Thanks

[Minnesota111]

Where can you buy the book?

[FiremanMike]

http://www.sgma.com/storelistitem.cfm?itemnumber=76

[drumnbassej1]

I don't have a number, but it was down.....alot. Most fields I deal with had a horrible year last year. 2006 has been better though, but I don't think its back up to what 2004 was.

[takedown65 (Banned)]

i have a feeling 2006 is gonna be a great year with all the publicity on espn and the economy is doin pretty good now too.

[Hardened Sniper]

Originally Posted by takedown65

i have a feeling 2006 is gonna be a great year with all the publicity on espn and the economy is doin pretty good now too.

In my humble opinion (and the opinion of many non-paintball types I've talked to who have seen the games on TV), I think that the ESPN 2 coverage will only hurt the fields more. Most players are camo-wearing tippmann-toting weekend warriors (so am I, have been for four years). Seeing the obnoxiously high rate of fire and bright colors only draws criticism from the average joe. If this is the kind of play being covered, and not the 90% of paintball-which happens in the woods and forts-then they will believe that all pay fields are set up like this. I've seen an airball field open and close its doors locally after 2 seasons here because the majority of the population doesn't want to play that way. The People don't want to play speedball, they want a wargame. Speedballers want to play speedball, and that won't pay the bills unless you have the population density for that kind of scene to thrive.

[FiremanMike]

Originally Posted by Hardened Sniper

In my humble opinion (and the opinion of many non-paintball types I've talked to who have seen the games on TV), I think that the ESPN 2 coverage will only hurt the fields more. Most players are camo-wearing tippmann-toting weekend warriors (so am I, have been for four years). Seeing the obnoxiously high rate of fire and bright colors only draws criticism from the average joe. If this is the kind of play being covered, and not the 90% of paintball-which happens in the woods and forts-then they will believe that all pay fields are set up like this. I've seen an airball field open and close its doors locally after 2 seasons here because the majority of the population doesn't want to play that way. The People don't want to play speedball, they want a wargame. Speedballers want to play speedball, and that won't pay the bills unless you have the population density for that kind of scene to thrive.

I have to think the only way to truly thrive is to have a field that has speedball and woodball at one location.