I think it fair to say our sport has undergone a massive contraction in the last few years; it's speculated the US has shed something like 70% of its turnover in the last few years leaving the industry reeling in the wake of such a financial tsunami.
All around us we are hearing tales of doom and gloom but surely we can't be seeing the final death throes of our beloved sport?
I'm obviously not referring to paintball across the board; I’m specifically talking about the retail market that services tournaments, walk-ons and rec players.
It's true to say that not all the news is bad because if we cast our eye toward Europe and the Far East, there is certainly some growth but is it enough to keep the vulture-like bank managers still flying above or are they about to descend and feed on corporate flesh?
A leading US industry figure remarked recently:-
'The US is a graveyard, and things are still managing to get worse, Europe is basically ticking over but the only real growth is to be found in the Far East and that's where I shall now focus my efforts'.
I think those sentiments will most certainly be echoed by several other big industry figures but does this mean paintball in the US is actually dying?
We are referring of course to the retail side of our sport which serves the following factions; tournaments/teams, rec/scenario players, and walk-ons .. all these guys buy equipment at some stage.
However, it must be said, site business seems to be relatively stabilised in the US.
This 70% contraction in retail sales has had wide-reaching effects and it remains to be seen as to which companies can downscale in time to prevent financial suffocation as expenditure races to outstrip resources; this is a race that just has to be won.
I predict that if we don’t win this race, our industry will create a vacuum that will be undoubtedly filled in the short to mid terms by Far-East companies, and if this happens, you can forget the levels of support our industry has previously given to our sport.
The Far-East people look as though they have little to no intention of investing a damn cent in retail paintball as we know it, leastwise not in Europe or the US.
Things may change of course but I for one will be crossing my fingers the Yanks sort their **** out because if history has taught us anything, its, if the Yanks are down, they are more than likely gonna come back gunning like a pissed-off Dirty Harry with a Kalashnikov.
People can say whatever they like about the Yanks but I give them this, there is no other nation around that can promote like those guys do and they understand what ‘support’ actually means as against paying lip service to it.
I do not believe the existing Far East companies have the same operational ethos and will thus strangle any remaining life out of our tournaments and teams.
I don’t believe it is the wilful intent of those Far East companies to actually destroy our tournaments but let’s borrow a ‘wonderful’ American term for the time being and describe it as ‘collateral damage’ ..... Nice eh?
For the time being, Far East sales will no doubt suffice as a financial lay-over while companies downscale their interests but this can’t last forever, the industry needs the US to begin its revival and quick!!!!
I suppose this all sounds a tad pessimistic but hey, don’t shoot the messenger here, for the most part, I’m just relaying the facts of the matter and perhaps my speculation thereafter is somewhat dismal but this is borne more out of expediency than anything else.
I would love to report a US green shoot of recovery but as of yet the only shard of optimism I can pick up is one that has its roots deeply embedded in pragmatism and it’s 'things can’t get much worse' ....... can they?
All around us we are hearing tales of doom and gloom but surely we can't be seeing the final death throes of our beloved sport?
I'm obviously not referring to paintball across the board; I’m specifically talking about the retail market that services tournaments, walk-ons and rec players.
It's true to say that not all the news is bad because if we cast our eye toward Europe and the Far East, there is certainly some growth but is it enough to keep the vulture-like bank managers still flying above or are they about to descend and feed on corporate flesh?
A leading US industry figure remarked recently:-
'The US is a graveyard, and things are still managing to get worse, Europe is basically ticking over but the only real growth is to be found in the Far East and that's where I shall now focus my efforts'.
I think those sentiments will most certainly be echoed by several other big industry figures but does this mean paintball in the US is actually dying?
We are referring of course to the retail side of our sport which serves the following factions; tournaments/teams, rec/scenario players, and walk-ons .. all these guys buy equipment at some stage.
However, it must be said, site business seems to be relatively stabilised in the US.
This 70% contraction in retail sales has had wide-reaching effects and it remains to be seen as to which companies can downscale in time to prevent financial suffocation as expenditure races to outstrip resources; this is a race that just has to be won.
I predict that if we don’t win this race, our industry will create a vacuum that will be undoubtedly filled in the short to mid terms by Far-East companies, and if this happens, you can forget the levels of support our industry has previously given to our sport.
The Far-East people look as though they have little to no intention of investing a damn cent in retail paintball as we know it, leastwise not in Europe or the US.
Things may change of course but I for one will be crossing my fingers the Yanks sort their **** out because if history has taught us anything, its, if the Yanks are down, they are more than likely gonna come back gunning like a pissed-off Dirty Harry with a Kalashnikov.
People can say whatever they like about the Yanks but I give them this, there is no other nation around that can promote like those guys do and they understand what ‘support’ actually means as against paying lip service to it.
I do not believe the existing Far East companies have the same operational ethos and will thus strangle any remaining life out of our tournaments and teams.
I don’t believe it is the wilful intent of those Far East companies to actually destroy our tournaments but let’s borrow a ‘wonderful’ American term for the time being and describe it as ‘collateral damage’ ..... Nice eh?
For the time being, Far East sales will no doubt suffice as a financial lay-over while companies downscale their interests but this can’t last forever, the industry needs the US to begin its revival and quick!!!!
I suppose this all sounds a tad pessimistic but hey, don’t shoot the messenger here, for the most part, I’m just relaying the facts of the matter and perhaps my speculation thereafter is somewhat dismal but this is borne more out of expediency than anything else.
I would love to report a US green shoot of recovery but as of yet the only shard of optimism I can pick up is one that has its roots deeply embedded in pragmatism and it’s 'things can’t get much worse' ....... can they?
