01/30/2015
Originally Posted by GI Sportz
G.I. Sportz announced today the company has obtained new investors, enabling the company to move forward with major plans over the next three years. Richmond Italia, CEO of G.I. Sportz, explained that the addition of new, young investors with a clear understanding of paintball and belief in the possibility of growth for the game and industry will be instrumental in accomplishing the company’s goals. Italia confirmed that he would remain both the CEO of G.I. Sportz and the company’s largest shareholder, and reassured that there would be no changes in operations or personnel at G.I. Sportz or Tippmann Sports, which G.I. Sportz acquired in 2013.
The new investors joining G.I. Sportz are known as Fulcrum, and are an offshoot of HSBC.
Italia expressed genuine excitement during conversation about the future of both G.I. Sportz and paintball. Though he acknowledged paintball does face obstacles, Italia made it clear that the future plans of G.I. Sportz, with its new investors aboard, would rekindle every paintball business owner’s excitement about the world of paintball.
A paintball player since the mid-eighties, Richmond Italia played professionally with such legendary professional paintball teams as Image and Avalanche. Currently, Italia’s son Tanis now competes on the newly-reformed Team Image in the European Millennium Series.
G.I. Sportz was founded by a group of professional paintball players and business owners with the goal of delivering the player, dealer and field owner the most innovative products designed to improve the level of performance, quality and overall playing experience surpassing all other brands and manufacturers in the history of the game! G.I. Sportz manufactures the world’s best paintballs along with a complete portfolio of paintball equipment including the VForce line of Vision Systems and much, much more. In late 2013, G.I. Sportz acquired Tippmann Sports, one of the most innovative and recognizable names in the history of the paintball industry. With a worldwide network of distribution facilities and a remarkable selection of paintball products for every level of the game, G.I Sportz provides pro-shop owners, park operators and players on every level with the equipment, service and dedication necessary to succeed and win!
