Do paintball players even make money? Do their salaries match those of basketball players? If you’re wondering if professional paintballers make a lot of money from the sport, then you’ll know all about it here. Learn more about the salaries and the sources of income of pro paintballers and it’s considered a lot.
Where Do Paintballers Get Their Money?
This is a big question and you should understand that every pro player has their own sources of income – some that you might not even know about. Of course, don’t discount the fact that some can even have other moneymakers that aren’t even a part of their paintball life. However, here are a few things a professional paintballer might earn from as an athlete.
1. Individual Salary
Did you know that professional paintballers get paid? They’re the same for any other professional athlete in this regard – they get paid regular salaries during game season. How much are they paid? That depends on their team owner and their contract.
Just like basketball, pro paintballers are given individual contracts and those contracts vary per player. If you’re a popular player and you play really well, chances are you’ll get a higher-paying contract. How high it is, that’s for professional players to know.
Aside from the individual contracts, the team owner will also have a say on the range of the contracts that will be given. Usually, the richer the team owner and the more sponsors that the owner has for the team, the higher the salaries. If it’s not the salaries, then the team gets more equipment.
2. Prizes
Do paintballers get prize money when they win a game? Of course, they do! Depending on how high the stakes are and how many was been agreed upon, professional paintballers will almost always have a prize. And yes, it’s in the form of money. It won’t feel like a win if they just got equipment, right?
But not so fast. Just because they get prizes when they win a match doesn’t make them wealthy. Remember, paintball is a team sport and all the prizes the team will win after every win will be split up between all the members. Sometimes, when the prize money is not very big, it doesn’t feel like it’s a prize anymore to some professional paintballers.
3. Sponsorships
And then you have sponsorships. The paintball games may not be as popular as basketball games, but they still have their sponsors. Who are their sponsors? They are often the paintball equipment and protective gear brands. Huge sports brands are not a common sponsor in paintball even if it’s in the professional league already.
If you’re a great player, then you will most likely have a sponsorship under your belt. Sponsorships not only get you free equipment, but they also help cover your traveling costs during the games. They’re a huge help to any professional player no matter how small the package is.
4. Clinics
While not all professional paintballers are asked to hold clinics, some of them do so to earn more in their field. When it comes to pro players, you will usually find some of them holding clinics or coaching sessions that will often help support them through off-seasons. The rate of the player for the clinics they hold will greatly depend on how the paintballer thinks his hourly rate is. Yes, it will most likely be an hourly rate to a few hours package.
Is holding a clinic the only job available in the industry? No. Some own a paintball business on the side or sell equipment to paintball businesses. You’ll be surprised at how many other jobs are available in the paintball industry.
Is a job necessary? Yes, unless you are already filled with sponsorships and your contract is high-paying. Paintball jobs can help pay for your other expenses during in-season because usually, players have to pay for their own accommodations and transportation.
How Much Does a Pro Paintballer Make?
So the next question is, how much does a professional player make? If they have all those sources of income, are they considered wealthy? To best answer these questions, they will be discussed separately.
First, how much does a pro player make? In all honesty, it depends. Wherever you go, the estimate is just too vague because no one will really tell you how much one will make (even the highest-paid one) because there are just so many variables that will affect what they receive. There are games, sponsorships, appearances, practices, among other things.
However, if you need a figure, it can be at least $10,000 for the paintball season. Of course, this is the base salary. If the player has a rich team owner and the owner decides to give higher salaries for everyone, then that definitely increases the annual pay the player receives.
For the second question, the short answer is no. It’s best to describe why by using a comparison. Let’s say a pro paintballer has several income streams and he is the highest player in the whole country. His or her total wealth won’t still be equal to that of a basketball player.
Now, you might be thinking that the comparison is not fair. Exactly, it isn’t fair because basketball is a totally different league. However, if you compare all the sports and their average players’ salaries, then you’ll find that paintball is nowhere near the top 3 highest-paid.
This makes you realize that paintball still isn’t as high of a money-maker as most people make it to be. Unfortunately, that’s the sad reality of it. Does that mean that a professional paintballer can’t live on just the salary of a player alone? That still depends on how the player uses their money.
Nonetheless, there’s nothing wrong with finding another way to make money, say, through clinics and coaching sessions. Are you considering a career in professional paintball? don’t be discouraged. If you’re good, you can always find other ways to make money through the sport you love.
