PPMA speaks for Kingman Paintball and the paintball industry

Paintball is the country's 10th most popular sport, 6th most popular extreme sport, and is still greatly misunderstood by non-players. Now an industry association gives media and the general public a single source for accurate information.

“We have more than 7 million players supported by a multi-billion dollar industry, but until now we have had no national voice,” said Lynn Scott, president and CEO of Brass Eagle, Inc. serving in his role as president of the newly formed Paintball Products Manufacturers Association (PPMA), which was created to serve, strengthen, unify and coordinate the activities of the paintball industry. Founding members include Air Concepts Industries, Inc.; Airgun Designs, Inc.; Brass Eagle, Inc.; Indian Creek Designs, Inc; Kingman International Corporation and Worr Game Products, Inc.

PPMA Executive Director Jessica Sparks noted that “there are a lot of misconceptions about paintball play and paintball safety that have been going largely unchallenged.” To start addressing that problem, she explained, the PPMA has created the Paintball News Bureau, a centralized source to which the media can turn anytime paintball as a sport, or paintball products, are part of a story.

The entertainment industry, in particular, has often featured the unsafe, even vicious use of paintball markers – the special airguns used in paintball – on TV and in films.

“You’d never know, from watching some of these shows, that paintball is a form of ‘capture the flag,’ a sport in which there are far fewer injuries than in football, baseball and soccer, a sport that builds teamwork so well it’s become very popular for corporate outings,” said Sparks.

Another focus of the PPMA will be to encourage the safe use of paintball products – and condemn their unsafe use, as in the occasional report of paintball-related vandalism.

“We believe that anyone caught using paintball products in the commission of a crime, and anyone knowingly providing such products for the purpose of committing a crime, should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Lynn Scott. “Such activity is the exact opposite of the honesty, sportsmanship and fair play we encourage in paintball players.”

About The Author:

Mark Harris is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.paintball-guns-n-equipment.com. Find all the paintball gear, masks, jerseys, guns, pistols, protection, paint supplies, accessories and more.