Paintball in the United States
Paintball in the United States is the national hub for American paintball history on WikiPaintball.
This page provides access to articles documenting the teams, tournaments, playing fields, organisations, equipment manufacturers, media and people who have contributed to the development of paintball throughout the United States.
The United States played a foundational role in the development of modern paintball. The first organised paintball game took place in New Hampshire in 1981, and the following decades saw the growth of commercial playing fields, equipment manufacturers, professional teams, tournament leagues and a major recreational paintball industry.
American developments have influenced the sport worldwide, from early marker technology and woodland competitions to professional speedball, scenario games and international tournament formats.
WikiPaintball aims to preserve this history through contemporary publications, tournament records, photographs, archived websites, industry documentation and the recollections of people who participated.
This page is a directory, not a comprehensive history. Explore the categories below to discover articles, records and historical resources.
Explore American Paintball
[edit]| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Teams | Professional, amateur and recreational paintball teams from across the United States. |
| Tournaments and Leagues | Professional championships, national leagues, regional competitions, tournament series and historical results. |
| Fields and Venues | Commercial paintball parks, tournament facilities, historic playing fields and recreational venues. |
| Organisations and Clubs | Governing bodies, leagues, associations, clubs and other organisations involved in developing the sport. |
| People | Players, coaches, referees, industry founders, field operators, journalists and other influential figures. |
| Equipment and Manufacturers | American paintball equipment manufacturers, technical innovations, products and industry history. |
| Media and Archives | Historical magazines, websites, forums, tournament coverage, videos and other publications documenting American paintball. |
Explore by State
[edit]Paintball has developed across all 50 states, with each contributing its own teams, fields, competitions and communities.
Browse articles by state.
A–H
[edit]| State | State |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alaska |
| Arizona | Arkansas |
| California | Colorado |
| Connecticut | Delaware |
| Florida | Georgia |
| Hawaii | Idaho |
I–M
[edit]| State | State |
|---|---|
| Illinois | Indiana |
| Iowa | Kansas |
| Kentucky | Louisiana |
| Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan |
| Minnesota | Mississippi |
| Missouri | Montana |
N–O
[edit]| State | State |
|---|---|
| Nebraska | Nevada |
| New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | New York |
| North Carolina | North Dakota |
| Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Oregon |
P–W
[edit]| State | State |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
| South Carolina | South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Texas |
| Utah | Vermont |
| Virginia | Washington |
| West Virginia | Wisconsin |
| Wyoming |
Washington, D.C. and US Territories
[edit]In addition to the 50 states, paintball has also been played in Washington, D.C. and the United States territories.
- Washington, D.C.
- Puerto Rico
- Guam
- United States Virgin Islands
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
Historical Periods
[edit]Explore the development of American paintball through different decades.
- 1980s – The origins of organised paintball, early equipment, commercial fields and the establishment of the sport.
- 1990s – The growth of national tournaments, professional teams, equipment manufacturers and paintball media.
- 2000s – The expansion of professional leagues, televised competition, speedball formats and the global paintball industry.
- 2010s – Changes in professional tournament structures, recreational participation, equipment technology and competitive formats.
- 2020s – Contemporary professional leagues, teams, manufacturers, major events and developments across the sport.
Historical Records and Resources
[edit]The United States has produced a substantial amount of paintball documentation, including magazines, tournament reports, equipment catalogues, instructional videos and online communities.
However, many historically significant records have disappeared as publications ceased operation, websites closed and digital platforms changed.
WikiPaintball aims to identify, preserve and reference these materials wherever possible.
| Resource | Explore |
|---|---|
| Tournament Results | Historical championship results, league standings, team rankings and individual tournament records. |
| Historical Publications | Paintball magazines, websites, forums, videos, photographs and other historical publications. |
| Equipment History | Historic markers, air systems, loaders, protective equipment and technical developments. |
| All American Paintball Articles | Browse the wider collection of articles documenting paintball in the United States. |
American Paintball and the World
[edit]The United States has played a major role in the international development of paintball.
American equipment manufacturers helped establish the global paintball industry, while professional teams, tournament organisers and playing fields influenced competitive formats adopted overseas.
International events have brought players and teams from around the world to the United States, while American players, referees, coaches and industry professionals have participated in the growth of paintball across Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and other regions.
WikiPaintball aims to document these international connections alongside the domestic history of the sport.
Relevant articles can be found through the team, tournament, organisation and people categories above.
Help Preserve American Paintball History
[edit]Were you part of the early paintball scene? Do you remember a team, tournament or field that deserves to be documented?
Despite the size and influence of the American paintball industry, many important parts of its history are at risk of being lost.
Historic paintball parks have closed, teams have disbanded, tournament organisers have ceased operating and once-popular magazines and websites have disappeared.
Countless tournament results, photographs, videos and stories remain in private collections or the memories of people who participated.
We're particularly interested in:
- Historical photographs, videos and tournament footage
- Tournament results, team rosters and event programmes
- Information about former paintball fields, teams and businesses
- Early paintball equipment, manufacturers and technical developments
- Historical magazines, advertisements, websites and forum archives
- Personal recollections from players, referees, organisers and industry professionals
- Records of American teams and players competing internationally
Firsthand memories are especially valuable when they help identify people, locations and events in surviving historical material.
Where possible, WikiPaintball aims to distinguish historical recollections from information independently verified through contemporary sources.
Even a small contribution can help recover a forgotten part of American paintball history.
About This Collection
[edit]The United States is a major part of WikiPaintball's long-term goal of documenting paintball history around the world.
The collection covers all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and US territories, including recreational paintball, competitive teams, tournament organisations, commercial operators, equipment manufacturers and international participation.
This is an independent historical project, separate from any particular commercial paintball company, manufacturer, league or governing body.
The collection is a work in progress.
Some subjects have extensive surviving documentation, while others are known only through photographs, archived websites, tournament records or personal recollections.
As new information becomes available, articles can be expanded, corrected and supported by additional references.
Our aim is to build a lasting historical record recognising everyone who contributed to the development of paintball in the United States.
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