Paintball in Utah

[PhattyMcPhatt]

I frequent the boards here, but usually do not post alot, but after reading about battlegrounds closing it got me thinking of what is going on with the sport of paintball, in last couple of years it seems field after field is closing and with the exception of Velocity it seems like no new ones are really opening, which is really to far for me to go on a weekend to play, due to wife and kid obligations. What do all of you think is holding Paintball from exploding in Utah? I took the wife and kid to Disneyland in December and on the way from LAX to the hotel I passed 4 or 5 shops and 3 or 4 fields, now granted Las Angelas is alot more populated than us but still in that strectch of Highway/Freeway in a City that big that is alot of shops/fields to pass. I know someone that is trying/thinking about starting a field with possibly 1 Reball field and 1 regular paint field if not a 2nd reball field and has shown me his business plan and it sounds good, he has some other companies that would like to hook up with him, that don't neccesarily have anything to do with PB, but that would help create more revenue and make the field an all around cool place to play and hang out, but he and his possible investors/partners are just really cautious of starting the business up because of how other fields have done in the past. Me and my friend that is thinking of opening the fields stopped by Addicts last night to watch some people play a little and he is quite suprised that with the caliber(sp?) of players we have here that we don't have more fields/shops (he is from California). So what do you all think is holding paintball from exploding in Utah and becoming a more popular sport? Do you think we need more fields? I would just like to know what other PB players opinions and thoughts are. Sorry if this subject has been brought up a ton of times before.

[wile_e_coyote321]

bottom line... here is the number one thing stopping people from opening and keeping fields open in UTAH.

MONEY!!!!!

People in utah at tought from a very young age to spend wisely and therefore paintball won't take off based on the cost factor alone.

I live up in tremonton and for me to find a good game I have to drive a
min of 30 miles for great play I have to drive 75 to 100 miles ( note this is all one way). The next major factor is weather here in utah.

We only have an avg. of seven good months of outdoor time here in utah. Cali in most areas does not suffer from snow fall and the temps are 30 to 40 degrees warmer year round.

[Pale Rider]

wile_e_coyote321 you make some good points

Folks in Utah don't seem to want to pay for services rendered. Because we are a self-sufficient society, there are a lot of financial areas we as a state fall short in.

It cost a lot of money open a shop; buy compressors, set up inventory.
We as PB players have some great local shops, but some of the cheap ass players hoping to save a few $$$ will go to Wal-mart for lousy paint or buy guns on line. ( you know who you are and shame on you 😠 )

Quit buying your stuff off the Internet and support the local shops, I know most of them will price match anyway. You will pay more with shipping on the net …yes you will!!

We are lucky to have people who will go into debt to open fields, run scenario games year after year after year. These same folks put on torments and fight the local cities to find ground to play on. It costs a lot of money to open a field, run a tourney, and keep a shop open. The logistics and cost are un-real. Yet I hear complaints about the cost of entry fees or paint or up grades or the refs. Most of the time they break even or score very few dollars.

My advices if you have a concern or a problem and want to vent do so but have a solution to fix your problem or just keep your mouth shut.

Here’s and idea try putting some time in as a ref. Help set up at a big game, clean up after a tourney or heaven forbid clean up after yourself so they can save on clean up costs. Be an asset to the PB community instead of complaining.

Call your local city council and tell them what we want and need. If enough people make noise, there is land that could be a PB Park.

Finally if you can read this thank a Teacher. If you have welt marks on your body thank the owners, promoters, and refs and then support them with your purchases and entry fees or ….don't and in a year or two it will all be gone.


Ok rant over. Back to work 😎

[Skinny]

A lot of the reason it is hard to keep open a shop or a field has to do with loyalty from customers. You stated that in california there are shops and fields everywere. I think there are a several reasons for this. The main of course is there is a lot larger population. I fill anouther reason is when you purchace something from a store online were does the money go? It goes out of state to help build fields for someone else. Paintball in Utah is not a high profit item and it is allmost impossible to find investers. If I new 2 years ago what I know now we would not have opened a brick and mortar store. None of the stores in Utah are making a good living, they are getting by and or have other jobs. On a daily basic we have kids bring in new items that they purchaced on the internet and ask us to show them how to make it work or install it for them. Most of the time with shipping and our labor they end up paying a lot more. Next week Ballistic is going live with a full online store, this is a effort to get some of that out of state money so we can build a new local field. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL STORES AND YOU WILL HAVE MORE PLACES TO PLAY.
Check us out next weekend
www.ballisticpaintballsupply.com

[Velocity1]

Originally Posted by Pale Rider

wile_e_coyote321 you make some good points

Folks in Ut don't want to pay for services rendered. Because we are self sufficent, there are a lot of financial areas we as a state fall short in. It cost a lot of money open a shop, buy compressors, set up invantory.
We as PB players have some good local shops, but cheap ass players will go to Wal-mart for lousey paint to save a $1. Why.

We are lucky to have people who open fiels, run sceniro games year after year after year. Thease same folks put on Tourments and fight the local citys to find ground to play on. Yet I hear wines and complaining about the cost of this or the bad Ref's or what ever.

My advice if you have a concern or a problem and want to vent do so but have a solution to suggest too.

Put some time in as a ref. Help set up at a big game, Clean up after a tourny. Be an asset to the PB community, Call the citys tell them what we want and need. If enough people make noise, there is land that could be a PB Park.

It costs a lot of money to open a field, run a tourny, keep a shop open
The logistics and cost are un-real.

Quit buying your stuff off the internet and support the local shops, I know most of them will price match anyway.

Finally tell the Owners, promoters, and Refs thanks and then support them with your purchases and entry fees or don't and in a year or two it will all be gone.

Ok rant over. Back to work 😎

Wow, nuff said- Pale rider has hit it more directly than possible. Not everyone will probably like to see what you have said, but it is true.

[FrontPlaya04]

join the club!! B.O.P.S.! go to link in sig!

[Tubyboy]

A lot of the decrease I know of my friends is the kids that go to fields. A whole bunch of rich kids that think they are to cool for everyone and start a shit load of drama. I know personally I hate going to addicts because half the kids there think they are the next best thing and to cool for everyone else. Now that tournament paintball has taken over Utah it has decreased a lot. Face it at this rate paintball will be gone in Utah in the near future.

[panic]

If paintball died in Utah I will die as well. I kinda agree with you though. I love addicts and I play there as much as money can allow, but there are some people that make it less enjoyable, but it's easier to just deal with those people and play at the best field in Utah. yee ha