Dave Youngblood, 2022 Hall of Icons Inductee.

The Man in Black

Notable Teams: Ironmen.

At the precipice of paintballs explosion onto the competitive stage in the early 1990’s, Youngblood stood out amongst the rest both on the field, and within the industry. Often donning a black suit on the 10-man woodsball fields during the games earliest professional games, Youngblood quickly built a reputation both an an elite player, and a master marketer. Dave would go on to create the company DYE Precision (Dave Youngblood Enterprises) and launch some of the most successful products of all time such as the Dye Ultralight Barrel, the Matrix, and Dye Rotor. During a time in the game where paintball was looked on by the mainstream world as an outsiders game, Youngblood brought the sport into the forefront of the extreme sports world with his brash style, and unique approach to the games marketing. He was a critical engineer of what would become the modern media renaissance in the sport behind the creation of PBAccess, the games first legitimate live streaming platform for the pro game. His continued dedication to the sport, even long after he has stepped off the field, has helped build a tradition in the sport centered around pride in craftsmanship, professional commitment, and support of the tournament side of the game. However, for some of the sports biggest legends and greatest players, he isn’t just a groundbreaking entrepreneur within the sport, he is the Man In Black.