Paintball Junkies
Paintball Junkies was an American paintball clothing and equipment brand established by Chris Corcino. The company specialised in tournament jerseys, trousers and protective equipment during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its products were exhibited at major American paintball tournaments, and the brand supplied clothing for competitive and recreational players.[1][2]
History
[edit]Paintball Junkies made its tournament debut at the 1999 Zap Amateur Open. Later that year, the company exhibited its clothing range at the 1999 Zap Masters, where contemporary coverage described clothing for men and women intended for use both on and off the paintball field.[1]
Chris Corcino, who established Paintball Junkies, subsequently founded Hybrid Products and Contract Killer. His involvement in the three brands was confirmed in a February 2023 interview with Paintball Nerd.[2]
The company continued exhibiting at paintball tournaments throughout the early 2000s, including the 2001 and 2002 Pan Am Circuit events in Washington. At the 2001 Seattle tournament, Paintball Junkies displayed its full range of jerseys and soft goods.[3]
In 2003, Roman Designs, Inc., based in Anaheim, California, applied to register the Paintball Junkies trademark. The application recorded 20 August 1999 as the brand's first commercial use. The trademark was registered on 27 July 2004.[4]
Products
[edit]Paintball Junkies produced clothing for tournament and recreational paintball.
Its documented product range included:
- Tournament jerseys – Paintball jerseys available in different designs, including clothing supplied for tournaments and special events.
- Paintball trousers – Protective playing trousers designed for competitive paintball.
- Protective equipment – Equipment including protective clothing and padding.
- Casual clothing – T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, hats, jackets and other branded apparel.
The company's trademark registration also covered gloves, footwear, sweatshirts and related sporting goods.[4]
Tournament involvement
[edit]Paintball Junkies maintained a presence at American paintball tournaments through exhibitions and sponsorship.
At the 2001 Xtreme Tournament Circuit event, the company contributed 21 jerseys to the tournament prize package.[5]
In 2002, Paintball Junkies sponsored an indoor playing field at Ballahpalooza, a tournament and paintball festival held in the Pacific Northwest. The field allowed visitors to experience paintball during the event.[6]
The company also supplied tournament prizes at the 2002 NPPL Atlantic City Open, including jerseys for teams competing in the five-player and ten-player divisions.[7]
SPPLAT Attack II
[edit]Paintball Junkies was the official jersey sponsor of SPPLAT Attack II, the 2003 scenario paintball event featuring actor William Shatner.
The company produced two distinctive jersey designs for the opposing teams. The Posse and Cavalry wore blue clothing inspired by nineteenth-century American cavalry uniforms, while the Raiders wore black jerseys incorporating bandolier-style graphics.[8]
Trademark status
[edit]The United States registration for the Paintball Junkies trademark was cancelled on 4 March 2011 under Section 8 of United States trademark law.[4]
The cancellation does not establish the date the company ceased operating.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- WARPIG – 1999 Zap Masters tournament coverage, September 1999.
- Paintball Nerd – Industry Impact Interview with Chris Corcino, 9 February 2023.
- WARPIG – Pan Am Circuit Seattle 2001 tournament coverage.
- United States Patent and Trademark Office records via Justia – Paintball Junkies, registration 2866826.
- WARPIG – Xtreme Tournament Circuit 2001, sponsor and prize list.
- WARPIG – Ballahpalooza 2002 tournament coverage.
- WARPIG – 2002 NPPL Atlantic City Open, Five-Man Prize List.
- WARPIG – SPPLAT Attack II, 2003 event coverage.