ESPN, Fox Sports and others have brought paintball to prime time television and exposed many people to the sport for the first time. But, if you scan your TV listings, it definitely hasn't become a mainstream sport with regular coverage. While many people want paintball to break into the big time and become at least as popular as bowling and billiards, I'm not so sure that's what's best for the sport.

Paintball is a social sport and much of the enjoyment comes from the time between games, swapping stories or simply enjoying the company of your buddies. What keeps me coming back to the field year after year is not glamor, the potential for fame or even winning, it's the camaraderie and the memories. By mass marketing the sport, the wins and losses matter more than the time spent playing. New players will come into the sport focusing on becoming the next big thing, rather than simply enjoying the experience. And, just like Nike targets LeBron James, companies will focus more on supplying the top teams rather than supplying the new player. Plus, with an increased focus on "winning it all", more and more cocky idiots (you know what kind of person I'm talking about), will show up at fields, bragging about their skills, whining when they lose and generally ruining the experience for everyone there.

Now don't get me wrong, when I'm on the field I'm very competitive and I love to win, but the victory doesn't compare to the personal satisfaction I feel from doing my best and enjoying the strategy, action, adrenaline and adventure of the sport. I wish TV could convey that aspect of paintball, but up to this point, they can't. Making paintball mainstream might just be trying to sell paintball as something it's not.

As much fun as it is to watch ESPN showing a game of paintball, I much prefer playing one myself. I'm all in favor of the number of paintball players to increase exponentially, but I hope the small-time feel of the game will never leave.