Paintball Media Magazine December 2023 | Page 16

The History of the Pa

By John Amodea

The World Cup has become a monumental event in the game of paintball . It ’ s the end-all , be-all of paintball events — the one event that is truly a must-attend extravaganza ( no pun intended ). The World Cup , now run by the National Xball League , is the one event that draws nearly every paintball VIP in the world . From paintball manufactures , distributors and field owners , to tournament players , scenario players and their parents , grandparents and friends , the World Cup is the place to be every year for a week in Kissimmee Florida ’ s November sun .
But it hasn ’ t always been this way . Founded by field owner and tournament promoter Jerry Braun , the World Cup ’ s humble beginnings can be traced back to Mount Kisco , New York in 1990 where the PMI Piranhas knocked off the Lords Of Discipline and the Master Blasters in the finals of the first-ever World Cup to take home a fat $ 40,000 check for their efforts .

A Different Game

It was a different time and a different era of paintball in 1990 . The game was played almost exclusively in the woods in 1990 and
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