[Fifthplanecomin]

NOT ONE SINGLE PAINTBALL EXIBITOR LISTED AT THE EVENT BELOW - yet we continue to discuss ways to attract new players.
Maybe it's just too expensive for a table/booth but what an opportunity.

If I had a store, field or training center I would be there set up with some hands on snap shooting/target cage and tons of info.


It's Vancouver Island’s first Outdoor Adventure Expo comes to Victoria at Pearkes Recreation Centre on April 9, 10 & 11, 2010. This three-day event is a must for the Outdoor Adventure seeker! With over 140 exhibit spaces featuring camping, canoeing, kayaking, ziplining, hiking, fishing, whale watching, mountain biking, surfing, outdoor getaways, travel, products and accessories – plus so much more!

Have you ever wanted to fly or overcome your fear of heights while soaring above a crowd? Feel the rush as you experience the 130-foot indoor zipline courtesy of Adrena Line Zipline Adventure Tours, $3 minimum donation to KidSport of Greater Victoria.

The Yamaha Riding Academy will be onsite offering a FREE opportunity for kids aged 6 – 12 to take a ride on the latest Yamaha mini bikes. With certified instruction, the latest motocross gear and a 15-minute riding session, children will be safely introduced to the wonderful world of off-roading.

Experience the adventure by participating in FREE continuous seminars from a variety of industry experts.
Enter to win at the Expo, over $10,000.00 worth of fantastic prizes door prizes!

For more details click the link below:

http://www.ifmevents.com

This post has been edited by Fifthplanecomin: 05 April 2010 - 12:53 PM

[SouthPark]

Maybe a couple of vendors or a vendor+field could partner up and purchase a "table" at the event??? Maybe a Vendor+Field+ community group (Like IPF) could share space... I dunno... think outside the box. It might be a good idea.

[Fifthplanecomin]

Might be too late for this weekend but we should pull together something for next year.
My Wifes Mountain Biking Club has a Booth in it.

This post has been edited by Fifthplanecomin: 05 April 2010 - 08:35 PM

[Sparticis]

next years expo's tentative location is naniamo, which is probably a bit better for the paintball community. I would, however, love to see victoria's paintball scene (or lack there-of) taking advantage of this expo.

[SouthPark]

next years expo's tentative location is naniamo, which is probably a bit better for the paintball community. I would, however, love to see victoria's paintball scene (or lack there-of) taking advantage of this expo.

Huh? Victoria's lack of a paintball scene? Explain? How is there a dearth of ballers, balling options (three commercial fields + outlaw + an easy jaunt to Duncan for the Cage and Midway) in Victoria? Heck, with Harreson's new focus on the bushball milsim scene we have a source of parts, new gear and paint. We all miss the Bastion Victoria Store front and Duncan's PW Paintball... but... the scene is ON!

[Sparticis]

next years expo's tentative location is naniamo, which is probably a bit better for the paintball community. I would, however, love to see victoria's paintball scene (or lack there-of) taking advantage of this expo.

Huh? Victoria's lack of a paintball scene? Explain? How is there a dearth of ballers, balling options (three commercial fields + outlaw + an easy jaunt to Duncan for the Cage and Midway) in Victoria? Heck, with Harreson's new focus on the bushball milsim scene we have a source of parts, new gear and paint. We all miss the Bastion Victoria Store front and Duncan's PW Paintball... but... the scene is ON!

this maybe so, but its not exactly being put out that way with the lack of representation at events like this. people within the community know whats up, but that doesnt do much for everyone else.

[SouthPark]

I see... I am not sure how things will be different at an up-island expo. Are there plans afoot to see some island based industry representation at the Naniamo Expo in 2011 and if so, what/who and is there room to build an island coalition where Island balling as a whole is showcased?

[Fifthplanecomin]

If you open a Nanaimo Telus Yellow Pages can you find a local area paintball field listed?

[tracerfire]

depends on what year of phonebook hahaha... jkjk but yea

[tomn8r]

yes rob, paintball field and store yellow pages ads started in nanaimo with our company in 1991. so now we're at 20 years straight under paintball. norm was about 5 years after that as he loathed b.c. tel.

however, victoria started the paintball craze on the island with entities such as team s.h.i.t. (sooke hills industrial terrorists), the wolverines, leonard skynards paintball team and of course the untouchables. and as dave mentioned, victoria has the 3 largest paintball fields on the island.

what, perhaps, spartz was refering to was victoria's past decade of tournament representation; which was very close to zero - considering other teams such as the b.c. supernaturals and the duncan terminators had huge provincial and national success coming out of a much smaller population base.

but it's a new world and if dave and lee and company from war party can keep it together for another year/year and a half, and if bill and the other misfits keep going at their present course, then perhaps nanaimo's 2-decade long stranglehold on island amatuer dominance will soon come to an end. it only takes 1 dave, or 1 pw or 1 brando in victoria and that metropolis should be able to assemble a provincial amatuer contending team. definitely.

This post has been edited by tomn8r: 06 April 2010 - 10:31 PM

[Fifthplanecomin]

Thanks for another in depth history lesson Professor Palmer.

A simple "Yes there is a current paintball field and store listed in this years Nanaimo Yellow Pages Ads" would have also worked.

I found out tonight that my wifes mountian biking club got thier booth at this weekends expo for free - so it's really sad that no one is reppin' a paintball booth.
I'll guess that no one heard of the opportunity in time to make the decision to enter.

This post has been edited by Fifthplanecomin: 07 April 2010 - 12:49 AM

[tomn8r]

hey rob. just so you are historically up to date, in nanaimo alone we have

1.) dry grad five years running
2.) bathtub days outdoor shooting range
3.) coupon promotions every few years
4.) radio advertising
5.) internet advertising
6.) local big-game bilboards
7.) multiple televison promotions and 'fyi's'
8.) 3 websites; paintballevents.ca centralislandpaintball, and support here
9.) countless flyer promo's
10.) dozens of newspaper articles/stories etc.

so no one here has really missed the boat. as a matter of fact, we just might get a booking or two from something like that expo, but we just as easily might not. we spent a grand on a big promo a few years back on radio ads and received, maybe, 1 customer from that. $15 profit for $1,000 in advertising.

over the past 20 years our company has invested easily $50,000 in yellow pages ads alone. personally, i'm getting tired of every1 else (radio, t.v, yellow pages etc.) getting rich off my promotions. getting some1 to sit in a booth over the weekend for a paintball promomtion is not for me. staff, insurance, mess, set-up, tear down. = you get jaded.

the best idea for this expo thing (imho) is to do an island united thing. so paintball as a whole is showcased. now you've got a larger player-base in which to cull volunteers, and all paintball companies benefit instead of just 1.

you've had some very valid points in the past, and this one is good too. if you owned a paintball company, i'd prolly be stealing some of your ideas ha ha!

This post has been edited by tomn8r: 07 April 2010 - 07:32 AM

[SouthPark]

Heh Rob,

Was that SIMBS that got the free table at the Expo? If so, would that be a deal that would only be offered to an NPO like SIMBS?

As it stands right now it seems that each commercial paintball field goes it alone here on Vancouver Island. They each make there own business decisions as related to the bottom line for the respective business.

From what I gather there is no VIPBS (Van Isle PaintBall Society) or other umbrella entity representing the the industry and I know there is no "player based" equivalent to SIMBS (a society made up of riders doing business for riders). It might be an interesting thought experiment to go to the SIMBS web site ( http://www.simbs.com/html/info/default.htm ) and insert the term "PaintBall" into it wherever you see the words "Mountain Bike"... does it fit? Could such a PaintBall entity come to be? Organized to promote such things such as "To act to preserve and increase (PAINTBALLING) access on south Vancouver Island." or to "To participate in the planning process for and the management of recreational land as it relates to (PAINTBALLING) access and use." Could it work? I dunno... maybe?


Tom, I asked above if there "Are there plans afoot to see some island based industry representation at the Naniamo Expo in 2011 and if so, what/who and is there room to build an island coalition where Island balling as a whole is showcased?" I think you reflected that in your post to try for an industry based "Island United" effort.... how who what???

[tomn8r]

not sure. brains tied up with

paintballevents.ca
run 4 the guns
supernaturals competition team(s)
central island paintball field
central island paintball store
the cage
the hump
the 4 kids
the new house project

but i'm sure we could do something - no? i'm prolly in cuz i'm bored and retired ha ha!

[SouthPark]

ROLFMAO... I'm not bored...

[Fifthplanecomin]

the best idea for this expo thing (imho) is to do an island united thing. so paintball as a whole is showcased. now you've got a larger player-base in which to cull volunteers, and all paintball companies benefit instead of just 1.

You're right but you forgot about your ads you had to paint on the cave walls with the feathers from a Pterodactyl.
Teaching other cave dwellers how to do the Flintstone slide down the back of a Brontosaurous at the sound of the horn while laning corners with the autocockers you made out of wood - We get it, you're the Superman Bon Jovi of Paintball that's seen a million faces and rocked em all.
Your rock tour will never come to a end and that's the best thing about you.

All kidding and rib poking a side I'm always surprized that your long battle hasn't worn you out and you keep doing so much for us all without thanks - you're a trooper.

I'm not trying to make a point as much as I'm sharing a observation of a easily missed opportunity. This expo isn't Woodstock, it's not even OzzFest or a shirtless mass of females at Lallapaloser. It's a simple Outdoor Sports Expo that will have thousands of people visit this weekend who are eager to find something new to do outside with friends and family. A expo hyped over the radio stations and in local ads. A expo like the Tattoo Expo that was just here but with more hands on stuff to do for everyone.

By default I just thought there could have been one company or "organization" that would of wanted to represent paintball - I'll bet hundreds of people that attend the expo are not going to miss finding a paintball booth there but they would have gobbled up the experience if there was.

My wifes mountain biking club members are all SIMBS members but they have thier own club table.
(The other cool thing about SIMBS is being a memebr also provides you with insurance if you injure your self MB'n - Food for thought.)
I would imagine the simbs and other MBn clubs and shops will all be in the same area.

There's a all female mountain biking club known as "The Dirty Girls". Which is where my wife will be promo'n rides, and all things club related with other memebers.
They run the club as a NPO as well. They have thier own site and forum for group ride organizations, they have monthly meetings, a treasurer, a team account.
They've got thier own promo DVDs, Rack Cards, a blog, a youtube channel and all the basics with an array of skilled riders and those just beginning. Club Jerseys - etc, etc, etc. I'll bet they attract a good number of new memebers this weekend while they are at it. They've got the typical organization that an average paintball team doesn't have but could have easily enough.

We have all the elements as ballers but fail to stabilize them together to produce something as a social unit.
We keep getting closer and closer and one day we'll have it.

The forum is here, the unpolitically alligned teams are here, the talent pool is here, the training camp opportunities are here, the resources and volunteer memebers are here, the community loved fields are here - it's those extra steps we need to take to have the newborn Pterodactyl egg crack and let it fly around in this new decade. Just need the crew to do it - not a new team, not a paintball king but a group that wants it done.

I'm tired of seing other outdoor clubs and activities looking more organized and put together then us. Even car clubs have us beat at times - bbbaaaaahhhh

</observational rant>

This post has been edited by Fifthplanecomin: 07 April 2010 - 08:57 PM

[tomn8r]

i'm all ears. i can't do the expo thing alone. no way. waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy 2 many paintball things on the go. ridiculous how many. 2 or 3 normal paintballer's lives worth of paintball stuff. paintball paintball paintball. i eat it. sleep it. always constantly think about it. how to make it bigger. better, faster. stronger. more teams. less politics. better product. better players. better teams. more prizes. less cost. less bullshat. - this is what i do for a living. it's either born into you or it's not.

i wish i could go do the expo but then i would be relegating myself to this kinda thing all over again after doing the 26 paintball rah rah already. i'd rather eek out survival on a rental field and a practice facility. the life is already covered, it's the paintball fun that this paintball investment brings me. let's face it; hunting down and slaying humans is just plain fun.

[Fifthplanecomin]

Word.

[Deadeye]

I went to this event today as media for the Island Sports News. It was quite an interesting setup, easy to walk through, and well organized. I talked with the organizers and they said that they contacted the local paintball fields, but was told by a few of them that they didn't have the staff to run a stand. Hopefully next year someone can get something set up. They were excepting a few thousand to show up, I would say its a good way to promote the sport with a small indoor shooting range similar to what TNT Paintball did out side the zone a few years ago.

[Fifthplanecomin]

Staff? Nah - not something I would want to spend overtime wages on either

Forum Volunteers could of rocked it though - oh well, next one.

[ShadoWalker]

Well, if we can get a bit more warning on when these sorts of things (not just this expo but similar sorts of events) are coming up I'd be willing to chip in towards a joint presence and put time towards staffing a booth as long as the organizers aren't gouging too badly. Not something I can afford to fund on my own (especially seeing as I don't make money off this) but if one or more of the pro's was willing to hop in or we could swing NonProfit booth rates we could make it work.

[Fifthplanecomin]

Same. I'm down.

I aint rich but I can feed my hampster hotdogs.

This post has been edited by Fifthplanecomin: 10 April 2010 - 01:29 AM

[camoking]

I'd be in to helping out too. Perhaps if no actual vendors or commercial or commercial outfits are interested in getting involved we could always just organize some sort of informational booth to tell people about our sport from a players perspective. Have some speedball info and a speedballer on hand to talk about that, have a milsimer, pumper etc etc

[tomn8r]

i could put something together that's interactive(ish) where there is a shooting range. done it lots b4. something like 10 shots for a buck. win a prize. shoot the balloon or something. a drop sheet behind the target to recoup the unbroken balls. a balloon on a long string so when they hit it it goes flying. some sort of impact effect would sell. put all the proceeds towards one of them charities rob was talking about. have every field reresented that jumps on board. maybe free promo coupons to give away.

[Rockfrog]

i could put something together that's interactive(ish) where there is a shooting range. done it lots b4. something like 10 shots for a buck. win a prize. shoot the balloon or something. a drop sheet behind the target to recoup the unbroken balls. a balloon on a long string so when they hit it it goes flying. some sort of impact effect would sell. put all the proceeds towards one of them charities rob was talking about. have every field reresented that jumps on board. maybe free promo coupons to give away.

I would be on board for something like that ... I'm pretty poor but can volunterer time so no need for wages. I can help with construction, set-up, planning, blah, blah, blah.
If we plan ahead I'm sure I can scrape up some meager funds if needed (much like the rest of us). I think something like this would be a big bonus for the sport.
For instance, I've lived in Duncan since '98 and only found out about Midway back when we had Robin's benifit game. I've run into lot's of people in the past that were interested but just didn't know it existed anywhere (paintball). Back in '92 my experience was it was all word of mouth advertising ... and now in 2010 it's still pretty much the same (Kudo's to TNT for the radio campaign). But in reality it's a pretty closed community as far as getting out there goes. It's time we all took a step out and jumped on things like this. Sadly, I'm not the leader type, but I'm a pitbull with background planning and implemetation ... I just need direction so I don't loose track (my says it's my ADHD mixed with mild social retardation - I just say I'm focused ... on eveything).