Should we try to attract spectators and fans? How?

February 24, 2026

Civilian Marksmanship Program▸Youth 3 PAR▸Should we try to attract spectators and fans? How?

YES. Attracting spectators and fans is another way to make junior shooting competitions more meaningful. Every 3PAR match should do what it can to welcome spectators, starting with simple actions like placing chairs at the back of the range. Good lighting over the firing line (at least 1000 lux) will ensure that athletes can be seen and photographed (but don’t permit flash). Few 3PAR ranges have the luxury of electronic scoring to instantly display shots and scores for spectators, but the key to attracting spectators is still bringing the audience into the competition. There should be an active scoreboard for spectators. The Orion system provides an electronic scoreboard (leaderboard) that scrolls through the top team and individual scores. With a spare computer and projector or LED TV panel, updated scores and rankings can be seen throughout the match.

A promising way to promote fan growth is by posting scores and rankings on Internet websites. The CMP, NRA, USA Shooting and the Orion Results Center are implementing innovative ways to make match results available to fans via the Internet. The CMP posts live electronic target images; the Orion Results Center has been remarkably successful in posting live scores and target images on the Internet during competitions and in tracking fan responses. Orion results are scored and uploaded to dedicated webpages as soon as targets arrive from the firing line. Orion tracks visitors to its match results postings and its viewer statistics provide evidence that junior shooting can attract fans. In the 12-month period ending on 30 June 2014, the Orion Results Center recorded 35,000 unique viewers who logged more than 100,000 sessions with over one million page views. Another key feature of the Orion Results Center is that it allows individual athletes to post their scores and targets on Facebook® or send them via Twitter®. Social media is becoming a new way junior shooters can reach fans and friends who cannot come to the ranges to watch them.