Is Paintball Ready For TV?

Trying to Play Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball

Welcome back to another episode of Paintball Ruins My Life with Brad Johnson, live from my spare room in Sacramento! After surviving a last-minute power strip disaster, I’m jumping straight into the action. First up, I’m breaking down the upcoming ICPL Windy City Classic at the legendary Badlands Paintball Field. I dig into the team counts and share some cool nostalgic deep-dives from 90s paintball magazines. I also give you a quick update on my highly anticipated Lux Air review—including a painful lesson on how I accidentally broke mine. Then, the chat helps me compile a list of the absolute biggest gimmicks in paintball history, from JT slam pods and rocking triggers to the infamous Tipman C3 propane gun. To top it all off, I attempt a trip down memory lane by emulating Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball on my M1 MacBook Air. It gets a little wonky, but we push through. Huge thanks to BFPgear.com for sponsoring! Tune in, subscribe, and enjoy the ride.

Best Defunct Paintball Companies?

Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, I’m coming to you live from my space in Sacramento to dive deep into a mix of modern gear drama and heavy paintball nostalgia. First up, we have to talk about the Adrenaline Luxe AIRE saga. Adrenaline debuted their custom version of the AIRE and the internet absolutely lost its mind—and not in a good way. I break down the community backlash, why they completely scrapped the initial design, and look at the AIRE's updated features like the anti-bounce breech geometry and micro-ported barrel tip. Then, we take a trip down memory lane with a massive tier list of defunct paintball companies. With help from the chat, we rank the absolute best old-school brands that are no longer with us. I’m breaking down the history and legacy behind iconic names like Diablo, Draxxus, Zap, Chronic, Nelson, and RP Schere. We wrap things up talking about the ultimate paintball video game, Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball, and look at how standalone pro events could shape the future of the NXL webcast landscape.

Best & Worst Plays NXL Dover and Recap

In this episode, I’m coming to you live from my spare room to recap everything that went down at NXL Dover. It was a wild weekend of paintball, and I’ve got plenty of thoughts on the results, the layout, and some of the most talked-about moments from the event. I kick things off by breaking down the pro results, with Tampa Bay Damage taking the win over Edmonton Impact, and then I dive into my personal takeaways. We talk about the "star bunker" and how it’s changing the game by encouraging stealthy, creative play. I also get into the officiating, the rash of injuries we saw, and my take on those new black bunkers—do they actually hurt the viewing experience? The highlight of the show is my "Best & Worst Plays" segment. I’m analyzing the slickest moves, from Mike Urena’s swan dive to Thomas Hara’s insane rookie performance. On the "lowlight" side, we discuss the tank explosion heard ‘round the world and what it means for equipment safety. Plus, I share a few of my own crazy stories from my days owning a paintball store.

NXL All-Star Game, 3v3 Dover ESPN, More News

Welcome back to the show! In this episode, I’m breaking down some of the most exciting updates currently hitting the paintball world. We start off by talking about the NXL All-Star Game and what it means for the sport's competitive landscape. I also dive deep into the 3v3 Dover event and its upcoming ESPN coverage—a huge step for getting our sport in front of a mainstream audience. Beyond the tournament scene, I’m sharing my thoughts on the latest gear releases and industry shifts that you need to know about. Whether you are a divisional player or just a weekend warrior, there is a lot to unpack regarding how these changes affect the way we play. I also take some time to answer your questions from the live chat, covering everything from marker maintenance to my personal setup preferences. It’s an action-packed session full of honest takes and community discussion. Grab your gear, and let’s get into it!

Is Paintball Ready For TV?

n this stream, I take a deep dive into the big question: Is paintball finally ready for TV? [03:08] I look back at the early 2000s era of PSP and NPPL on ESPN and compare it to the high-tech production capabilities we have now, like drones and barrel cams [04:42]. I also share my thoughts on why 5-man might be more interesting for seasoned players, while 3-man could be the key to catching a new audience's eye [06:51]. Beyond the TV talk, I’m recapping the International Classic Paintball League (ICPL) results from Ambush Paintball Park [22:53]. It was a wild weekend with the All-Americans edging out Aftershock by a single point in the Pro-Am 10-man [22:32]. I also spend some time answering your questions on the new Carbon DRV loader [26:11], discuss the "dying art" of paintball print media with Nigel D'Souza's new photo book [32:26], and riff on some classic gear like the Automag and the "loudest hopper ever made" [01:29:12].