I was at my local airsoft/paintball store when I over heard a conversation between the store owner and a customer. The customer was trying to figure out which game to go into. Airsoft or Paintball. The owner proceeded to tell this guy(maybe 19-20) that paintball although popular in the past is starting to go out of style and that airsoft is the "New" thing to get into.
I was amazed I never believed that airsoft would ever surpass paintball as far as gun sports go. I listened a little while longer and heard that many paintball fields were allowing airsoft more and more. Aswell one place he knew of for sure was opening up strictly for airsoft use.
I was wondering if this is old news or is this completely wrong and the owner has no idea what he is talking about. I would love for airsoft to become more popular so that I don't have to travel as far to play in a real facility. What I want to is, is airsoft getting more popular than paintball?

I really hope its not getting big. The amount of cheaters, recklessness, everything we hate about of beloved sport will be shooting through the roof. People being @$$holes on the field, cheating, carrying guns in public, acting like they're all that because the win all the time(by cheating), etc........ For now, our sport is pure and kept in line from within because there isn't that many who play(at least in the US) so we all look after it on our own. But when everyone is into we'll become a bunch of paintballers ourselves. The thing that got me into this sport is that its an underdog, it's way better than paintball, and only the few an proud play. Thats how it should be. I like being the only person with a G36c in my area. Don't you just love the looks on peoples faces when you show them your guns and the sport, they light up like its christmas morning. I'm willing to sacrafice a few hours in a car to play airsoft if it means keeping this sport from being mainstream. I figure, ok let them buy the see through guns and think that they're 'airsoft players,' but lets try and keep the real airsoft underwraps.