(Topic ID: 176347)

Ideas for how to help boost location pinball?

By Whysnow

7 years ago


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    There are 134 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 3.
    #1 7 years ago

    I am often jealous of larger cities which have a larger group of players and more regular opportuntites to play pinball and meet new people. In short, about 4 years ago there was zero opportunity to play decent pinball in Madison. Myself and a few buddies organized to create Madison Pinball. We started with 1 location and 4 games. We now have 3 locations and over 24 games (4, 9, 12-13 at the 3 locations). Our main goal was to share our personal games on location for people to play and spread the word of the silverball.

    We have built up a core group of regular competitors. They come out to the monthly competitions we host. They come out to the launch parties. They come out for the selfie leagues. All the while when maintaining games I see lots of regular location players that never come to any of the monthly gatherings. It seems to me that the competitive side has kept some people from coming out (the same 3-5 people win every month as they are just damn good).

    I have racked my brain and tried to figure out new ways to promote and bring these people in as I would love to see the niche continue to grow. I am looking for some new ideas or genuine thoughts on how to bring new people into pinball.

    Granted there are only so many hours in the day and we are only a town of 250k so I fully understand there is a ceiling.

    What are your ideas? real ideas please...
    Are you are regular location player but rarely play in competitions? why?

    Are you an operator or run IFPA or other events? What works for you? has anything helped? do you advertsie and how?

    I seriously appreciate any insight or input on how to continue to spread the word of the silverball.

    *worth note that the main motivator here is to bring more people into pinball

    #2 7 years ago

    Fliers on community boards?

    Pamphlets in local restaurants?

    Inquire with the local paper, TV station, and radio stations to see if they want to do a piece on the local pinball scene?

    #3 7 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    Fliers on community boards?
    Pamphlets in local restaurants?
    Inquire with the local paper, TV station, and radio stations to see if they want to do a piece on the local pinball scene?

    great ideas!

    #4 7 years ago

    Work with locations to offer kids pinball parties with games on free play?

    #5 7 years ago

    Also, the biggest factor keeping me coming back to a location is game rotation. I know you seem to rotate fairly frequently but I don't know how many locations seem to have the same lineup for literally years. Blows my mind.

    #6 7 years ago

    Leagues.

    I run The Sanctum. 45 games. We have a league always running. Every Monday night. Sometimes it's the bigger New England league. When that's not in session I run other leagues. Pingolf, pinball poker, head to head. Whatever it may be I feel like running that time. That consistent every week meet up helps really build the community of players. CT had no location pinball 5 years ago. Our leagues run up to 50 or so players each session now. Plenty others come just to hang out and don't even play in the leagues.

    #7 7 years ago

    Give away free beer!

    #8 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:

    Leagues.
    I run The Sanctum. 45 games. We have a league always running. Every Monday night. Sometimes it's the bigger New England league. When that's not in session I run other leagues. Pingolf, pinball poker, head to head. Whatever it may be I feel like running that time. That consistent every week meet up helps really build the community of players. CT had no location pinball 5 years ago. Our leagues run up to 50 or so players each session now. Plenty others come just to hang out and don't even play in the leagues.

    can you explain some of your league structure please? how do they work?

    #9 7 years ago
    Quoted from KenLayton:

    Give away free beer!

    would be nice, but we have not made a penny in 4 years (everything goes back into maintaining games and trying to bring in new stuff).

    #10 7 years ago
    Quoted from westofrome:

    Work with locations to offer kids pinball parties with games on free play?

    good tip!

    #11 7 years ago

    Don't forget about advertising to local colleges if they are close by. Students are always on the lookout for free/low-cost weekend entertainment.

    #12 7 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    Don't forget about advertising to local colleges if they are close by. Students are always on the lookout for free/low-cost weekend entertainment.

    one of our locations is in sight of Madison College. Working on flyers now.

    13
    #13 7 years ago

    Have some bikini girls twirling signs out by the curb side.

    #14 7 years ago

    We have two locations that host monthly tournaments. I pulled the 2016 figures (as much as are out thus far at least; I had 12 points of data for Location 1 and 10 points for Location 2) on both. It may be interesting/useful.

    Location 1: $5 entry + coin drop. Payout to top 3 finishers. Waives $5 fee for first-time attendees. 10 machine bank. Average attendance of 19.75 players per month (low of 13 and a high of 24). The average attendance of non-rated players is 1.67 "newbies" per month.

    Location 2: $5 entry + coin drop. Payout to top half of the field. 7 machine bank. Average attendance of 20 players per month (low of 10 and a high of 31). The average attendance of non-rated players is 3.5 "newbies" per month.

    Cost barrier is very similar. Coin drop average is higher at Location 1 (most machines at $0.75/play) than Location 2 (most machines at $0.50/play) but cost per tournament is still pretty similar at both locations. Location 1 is a bar but it allows kids to come in and play. Location 2 is a restaurant (pizza joint). The two locations are about 20 minutes apart. Location 1's tournament has a reputation for being where the better players consistently attend.

    Anyway, looking over this, the average monthly attendance is very similar for both places. What's more telling is how many of those people are relatively new to competitive pinball. There's a significantly better pull on newbies for Location 2. And I think it's for a mix of reasons:

    1) When I word-of-mouth to someone, I recommend Location 2 more than Location 1 for a first tournament, because I think they'll find it less intimidating. From speaking to others I don't think I'm alone in doing that.
    2) Location 2's payout model means even not-so-great players have a chance of at least winning their entry fee back. I know I was pretty thrilled the first time I won back my entry fee, and I've done at least that well there multiple times. I've never won money at Location 1 by comparison.
    3) Location 2 is located in the same strip mall as another location with pins (bank of 7). So, if you wash out of the tourney and want to keep playing you can make the 30-second walk and do so there without waiting on the tournament to finish.

    I think reasons 1 and 2 have the most impact, but no numbers to back that up obviously.

    #15 7 years ago

    Although many might not like to hear it there is still a bit of a stigma associated with pinball. Our towns are about the same size and I know lots players in my neck of the woods that love to play but have no interest in competing in tourneys or joining an organized league. Its kind of a guilty pleasure for them and they dont like to admit their addiction to their social circles. I would try working with your locations to put some sort of lunch special together and offer $.25 play on a slow afternoon for a few hours on the weekend. Around here Saturday afternoons are always charity shifts for bartenders and they would love to see some biz in the early afternoon.

    #16 7 years ago

    Are you an operator or run IFPA or other events?

    *Yes, both. Metro Tucson is 1m people, so 4X Madison, and the locals are pretty resistant to coming out to play.

    What works for you?

    *I have a core group of players for my tournaments, but it's not normally larger than a 10 player group. League has hovered at 20 players, but goes up and down.

    has anything helped?

    *New players are hard to find and keep because they have an uphill climb to even get out of last place at events.

    do you advertsie and how?

    *We spent a touch over $400 for a booth (and power...) for a booth at Tucson Comic Con. Took 3 games (Super Mario, Star Trek 25th, Ghostbusters) and set them on free play for the weekend. Had a banner and business cards. The site went from ~3 hits a day to ~20-30 a day for the weekend and we got 2 new FB likes. Whoopie... One of the likes was a vendor at the show who was based out of town. Met a lot of people though and even if they just play casually and I never see them when I am there you never know. Last year's earnings and this year's around this time isn't even fair because I have a GB now and that accounts for 25% of coin drop.

    We did just have a pretty big news story written by the local paper. It was on the 30-machine location, but my location and league were mentioned. Going to reach out to media as well and see if we can get some interest as well.

    One thing that failed massively but looked like a winner at the time was FB ads. I paid $35 for 7 days of advertising to test it out. We went from 44 likes to 140 likes and I clicked on the profile of every new like we got. Most of them seemed like they were real people and had a ton of pictures with them in it in what was obviously local areas of town. I have never seen a single one of them like or comment on the page.

    Quoted from Whysnow:

    would be nice, but we have not made a penny in 4 years (everything goes back into maintaining games and trying to bring in new stuff).

    I do a random draw for a pint at every bi-weekly I do. $10 a month can certainly be found with my 4 machines worth of coin drop. That location has 8 machines, I have 4 and my partner has 4. We opened up another location recently who wants 8 games total, will likely be another 4-4 split. I don't take anything out and put it in my pocket, it all goes into repairs and the next machine, but if prizes can't be given by the location, then they could certainly be budgeted for.

    #17 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Have some bikini girls twirling signs out by the curb side.

    Better yet, have a hot girl dress up in a sexy Bride of Pinbot outfit and have the grand prize of the tournament be to win a date with her.

    #18 7 years ago
    Quoted from DennisK:

    We have two locations that host monthly tournaments. I pulled the 2016 figures (as much as are out thus far at least; I had 12 points of data for Location 1 and 10 points for Location 2) on both. It may be interesting/useful.
    Location 1: $5 entry + coin drop. Payout to top 3 finishers. Waives $5 fee for first-time attendees. 10 machine bank. Average attendance of 19.75 players per month (low of 13 and a high of 24). The average attendance of non-rated players is 1.67 "newbies" per month.
    Location 2: $5 entry + coin drop. Payout to top half of the field. 7 machine bank. Average attendance of 20 players per month (low of 10 and a high of 31). The average attendance of non-rated players is 3.5 "newbies" per month.
    Cost barrier is very similar. Coin drop average is higher at Location 1 (most machines at $0.75/play) than Location 2 (most machines at $0.50/play) but cost per tournament is still pretty similar at both locations. Location 1 is a bar but it allows kids to come in and play. Location 2 is a restaurant (pizza joint). The two locations are about 20 minutes apart. Location 1's tournament has a reputation for being where the better players consistently attend.
    Anyway, looking over this, the average monthly attendance is very similar for both places. What's more telling is how many of those people are relatively new to competitive pinball. There's a significantly better pull on newbies for Location 2. And I think it's for a mix of reasons:
    1) When I word-of-mouth to someone, I recommend Location 2 more than Location 1 for a first tournament, because I think they'll find it less intimidating. From speaking to others I don't think I'm alone in doing that.
    2) Location 2's payout model means even not-so-great players have a chance of at least winning their entry fee back. I know I was pretty thrilled the first time I won back my entry fee, and I've done at least that well there multiple times. I've never won money at Location 1 by comparison.
    3) Location 2 is located in the same strip mall as another location with pins (bank of 7). So, if you wash out of the tourney and want to keep playing you can make the 30-second walk and do so there without waiting on the tournament to finish.
    I think reasons 1 and 2 have the most impact, but no numbers to back that up obviously.

    good info.

    We have only coin drop as entry fee. Curious if you think the $5 entry helps or hurts. I dont really like the idea of pay extra to play; esp when half the people will continually be paying into a pot that will mostly be the same 5 people that win. thoughts?

    We do:
    Only coin drop to play
    Free pitcher/ drink tickets/ bomber to winner (some months we twist this up and make it for the consilation bracket)
    Main incentive seems to be WPPR points, but this is also what seems to keep noobies away since they dont win as often.

    We have had real success with a few guys that stunk when they started but stuck with it and win regularly now.

    Any thoughts on how to get more noobies to come and stick it out?

    Also wondering how many of your noobies come once and then are done? vs come once and get hooked.

    #19 7 years ago

    Be sure your monthly competitions, launch parties, and leagues. Aren't chasing off players.

    People that just want to play pinball and have fun, don't like getting beat up by experienced players who usually only come in for events.

    LTG : )

    #20 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Have some bikini girls twirling signs out by the curb side.

    -2 on the way to work today. That would be brutal for the girls...

    #21 7 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    Be sure your monthly competitions, launch parties, and leagues. Aren't chasing off players.
    People that just want to play pinball and have fun, don't like getting beat up by experienced players who usually only come in for events.
    LTG : )

    yeah, been trying to hand out prizes more and more to those not in the top bracket. I find it more fun also.

    #22 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    yeah, been trying to hand out prizes more and more to those not in the top bracket. I find it more fun also.

    I think you misunderstood my point.

    Paying people to come doesn't work. And players you aren't getting aren't entering events, and you lose them as just regular everyday customers.

    LTG : )

    #23 7 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    I think you misunderstood my point.
    Paying people to come doesn't work. And players you aren't getting aren't entering events, and you lose them as just regular everyday customers.
    LTG : )

    I see, so you are sayingto be careful that you dont run off the casual players due to hosting too many events.

    #24 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    -2 on the way to work today. That would be brutal for the girls...

    Oh yeah. It would be an interesting sight to see though.

    #25 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I see, so you are sayingto be careful that you dont run off the casual players due to hosting too many events.

    Kind of. Knowing what works and isn't working, or hurting you.

    About a year before my refresh, I dropped a few things due to lack of interest. Once a month event, May Day Tournament, day after Thanksgiving tournament, New year's Day tournament. And a half year ( before the refresh ) later I started seeing an increase in business.

    It was an eye opener. The cash box never lies.

    No immediate plans to bring anything back right now. Pinball Circus is on hiatus, may return someday altered. And when something like Batman66 SLE gets here, a smaller private launch party rather then a big one during normal hours.

    LTG : )

    #26 7 years ago

    I've always thought it would be cool to offer a free beer for a high score entry. The operator can make the default high scores higher and limit it to one free beer per game per person. Could also make the offer just for a grand champion entry.

    #27 7 years ago

    Never a good player, I went to a couple competitions but was completely intimidated by the good players there. And totally bored, since I'd lost a ball in 10 seconds, while the other players kept the ball going for 5-10 minutes. Unless you have a chance of winning, who wants to wait around to play and be beaten?

    Honestly, I think the competitive players sometimes give the game a bad name. Too many of them are full of themselves, or get really violent with the games or complain when glitches occur. It's really not that pleasant.

    If you want to get the "non-compete" players in, host casual freeplay nights-- $10 entry fee for all the games you can play, and make your money on beer and food.

    I would to these events at your 12-pin location, so no one has to wait. And put your most recent Stern pins or some of the "novice-friendly" B/Ws like Attack from Mars there (if you have it). I would also focus on marketing to the UW-Madison and MATC demographic, since it's the younger people who will keep the game alive. Find inexpensive ways to sponsor certain student events such as videogame clubs or competitions or amateur rock band nights. See if you can tap into social media platforms used by students. Posters are always good.

    #28 7 years ago
    Quoted from PanzerFreak:

    I've always thought it would be cool to offer a free beer for a high score entry. The operator can make the default high scores higher and limit it to one free beer per game per person.

    one of our locations just started a weekly high score thing. He would pick a new game each week and highest score won a free beer. The first 3 weeks the same guy came in, put up a monster score the first day, and won the beer. Coin drop appeared to suffer in those games, lol. Exact opposite effect as it seemed people avoided playing those games and nobody new played at all.

    #29 7 years ago
    Quoted from raisindot:

    Never a good player, I went to a couple competitions but was completely intimidated by the good players there. And totally bored, since I'd lost a ball in 10 seconds, while the other players kept the ball going for 5-10 minutes. Unless you have a chance of winning, who wants to wait around to play and be beaten?
    Honestly, I think the competitive players sometimes give the game a bad name. Too many of them are full of themselves, or get really violent with the games or complain when glitches occur. It's really not that pleasant.
    If you want to get the "non-compete" players in, host casual freeplay nights-- $10 entry fee for all the games you can play, and make your money on beer and food.
    I would to these events at your 12-pin location, so no one has to wait. And put your most recent Stern pins or some of the "novice-friendly" B/Ws like Attack from Mars there (if you have it). I would also focus on marketing to the UW-Madison and MATC demographic, since it's the younger people who will keep the game alive. Find inexpensive ways to sponsor certain student events such as videogame clubs or competitions or amateur rock band nights. See if you can tap into social media platforms used by students. Posters are always good.

    good suggestions.

    Quoted from raisindot:

    make your money on beer and food.

    unfortunately we dont make any money on food/beer since we just put the games out.

    #30 7 years ago
    Quoted from raisindot:

    And totally bored, since I'd lost a ball in 10 seconds, while the other players kept the ball going for 5-10 minutes. Unless you have a chance of winning, who wants to wait around to play and be beaten?

    I totally get this. I started trying to counteract this by giving out prizes to lower brackets. Our typical format is to play through a group of games to qualify and then split into 4 packs for playoffs. Some months the lowest 4 pack gets to win the pitcher of beer. It is not much, but it is something. I completely understand the bordom of getting beat on a game.

    #31 7 years ago
    Quoted from raisindot:

    If you want to get the "non-compete" players in, host casual freeplay nights-- $10 entry fee for all the games you can play, and make your money on beer and food.

    I like this idea also. Not sure how to logistically do it since I dont have the time to sit around at a location all night long, but good idea.

    Maybe there is a way to use payrange to do this? We have payrange on all the games at out bigger location. Wonder if there is a way to set up unlimited play with a one time fee for a preset time?

    #32 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    We have only coin drop as entry fee. Curious if you think the $5 entry helps or hurts.

    Neither would be my guess, but if anything I'd lean hurts, because it's a cost and costs are turn-offs. But, it is a low cost. The thrill of winning cash is great, but unless you do something (such as our Location 2 and the top-half payouts) there's just not much chance of new players winning it. I think the regulars come for WPPRs. Oh, both locations do have a small trophy for whoever wins. So they might also come for the trophy, but I think the WPPRs are the main draw for regulars.

    Quoted from Whysnow:

    Any thoughts on how to get more noobies to come and stick it out?

    Encouragement more than anything. My first tournament I went to I was very nervous. I didn't know anybody, I'd not competed in ANY sort of tournament since the 1990s (and never had done so in pinball before), and got destroyed like you'd expect. But people made the effort to talk to me and I came back a couple months later. And it grew on me.

    So I try to talk to the new people, especially when I'm matched up with them. I'll even talk to them while I'm playing my turn, make jokes about all my bad shots, etc. Just my style I suppose. Now, when I actually get someone to come who hasn't before, I'm even more proactive (since they're my recruit). Stressing that the skills will come (I'm not a good player, but I can't deny I'm better than I was before I started competing), and to focus more on learning tricks/rules to the games, figuring out which ones are the most fun to play, and so forth.

    I guess I sort of treat it like just going on location to play for fun, but with the tournament to provide a sort of structure to the activity. Like a guided tour of sorts.

    11
    #33 7 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    Be sure your monthly competitions, launch parties, and leagues. Aren't chasing off players.
    People that just want to play pinball and have fun, don't like getting beat up by experienced players who usually only come in for events.
    LTG : )

    I'd have to agree with this. I'm a casual player, and don't really participate in leagues/tournaments.

    When I see league/tournament event--that usually means the games aren't available for casual play, so I don't bother.

    #34 7 years ago
    Quoted from DennisK:

    So I try to talk to the new people, especially when I'm matched up with them. I'll even talk to them while I'm playing my turn, make jokes about all my bad shots, etc. Just my style I suppose. Now, when I actually get someone to come who hasn't before, I'm even more proactive (since they're my recruit). Stressing that the skills will come (I'm not a good player, but I can't deny I'm better than I was before I started competing), and to focus more on learning tricks/rules to the games, figuring out which ones are the most fun to play, and so forth.
    I guess I sort of treat it like just going on location to play for fun, but with the tournament to provide a sort of structure to the activity. Like a guided tour of sorts.

    very good advice! I need to get better at that.

    #35 7 years ago

    If your locations are restaurants or bars, they are the ones making money on food and beverage sales. Your "having not made a penny in 4 years" comment shows that a pure pinball/arcade model cannot sustain itself. You should ask for a bigger cut from the location you are in.

    #36 7 years ago
    Quoted from Blitzburgh99:

    If your locations are restaurants or bars, they are the ones making money on food and beverage sales. Your "having not made a penny in 4 years" comment shows that a pure pinball/arcade model cannot sustain itself. You should ask for a bigger cut from the location you are in.

    unfortunately there are numerous other operators willing to dump in gambling machines and broken junk, so asking for more money is a good way to find the door.

    Keep in mind we really are doing this for the fun of pinball and to share the silverball. Sure it would be nice to make money, but I am convinced at this point that Madison is not large enough to make actual money on just pinball. We would need a 100% cut or double the playing population and have them play twice as much

    We are happy to just be promoting pinball.
    I would just like to continue to help build it up from here.

    #37 7 years ago

    Have a beginners bracket, an a advanced bracket. Top two players ineligible for next tournament. Once a month the 2 weekly winners for the month played in the best of the month tournament. Just some ideas I remember from a pool weekly tournament that was ran here locally.

    #38 7 years ago

    Casual players and tournament players do not mix well. Trying to bring the casuals into tournaments will likely turn them off entirely.

    I'm putting together a pinball club at work next year. We have a pretty decent employee count and can meet to play when tournaments would never be played. If we wanted to do our own group competition that would be fine and I would run it and not play.

    I think awareness that we even exist is our #1 hurdle. You can have as many events as you want, but if people don't know about you it doesn't matter. The problem with our main location is it has zero casual foot traffic. If you are there, you are there to play hockey, indoor soccer, or pins.

    #39 7 years ago

    Monthly free tournament (to enter, but have coin drop)

    Every entry gets entered into a raffle at the end of the year. Must be present to win.

    Raffle off a <$700 working pinball machine.

    Winner of each monthly gets two entries and whatever prize you can find a sponsor for.

    Last two years the person that won the free game didn't own any machines nor won a tournament in the year.

    Win a free pinball machine looks great for advertising.

    Just my 2 cents

    #40 7 years ago
    Quoted from Pdxmonkey:

    Monthly free tournament (to enter, but have coin drop)
    Every entry gets entered into a raffle at the end of the year. Must be present to win.
    Raffle off a <$700 working pinball machine.
    Winner of each monthly gets two entries and whatever prize you can find a sponsor for.
    Last two years the person that won the free game didn't own any machines nor won a tournament in the year.
    Win a free pinball machine looks great for advertising.
    Just my 2 cents

    I like the idea of giving away a machine. Several of my players would actually like that sort of prize.

    Who has bang for buck marketing ideas to bring in new players. Not for events, just getting them in to play.

    #41 7 years ago
    Quoted from Pdxmonkey:

    Monthly free tournament (to enter, but have coin drop)
    Every entry gets entered into a raffle at the end of the year. Must be present to win.
    Raffle off a <$700 working pinball machine.
    Winner of each monthly gets two entries and whatever prize you can find a sponsor for.
    Last two years the person that won the free game didn't own any machines nor won a tournament in the year.
    Win a free pinball machine looks great for advertising.
    Just my 2 cents

    I really like this idea! Not sure if we can justify the cost of a pinball machine to give-a-way? worth looking in to.

    maybe even a cheap EM that we fix up and make it play nice.

    Part if the problem is so many promotional things cost money.

    I do really like this idea! Just gotta figure out how to make it happen.

    #42 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I have racked my brain and tried to figure out new ways to promote and bring these people in as I would love to see the niche continue to grow. I am looking for some new ideas or genuine thoughts on how to bring new people into pinball.

    so glad you started this topic as I have been thinking about the same thing trying to grow pinball in Boston

    #43 7 years ago

    As they say, location, location, location. The barcades around here are PACKED on the weekends but I think it's because of the venue and location more than the pinball. The regulars will show up wherever you put the pins, but if you want to attract the bar hoppers then you have to put the pins where the hipsters are, probably on State Street, the Rathskeller, or bars close to campus. (I spent many hours in Union South personally). Also, my friends and I tend to play drinking games like low score buys the next round. I bet if you put a pin in a frat house and record what games they come up with it would be enlightening!

    #44 7 years ago
    Quoted from BigBangBack:

    trying to grow pinball in Boston

    Try the inflatable kind!

    pl2231541-charming_advertising_inflatable_mirror_ball_theme_park_family_toys (resized).jpgpl2231541-charming_advertising_inflatable_mirror_ball_theme_park_family_toys (resized).jpg

    #45 7 years ago

    There are a few things that seem to keep people intersted in our local league (about 105 players). The first time you enter, the league fees of $10 are waived. If you try it and don't like it, you're not out anything. We also have divisions, so your playoffs are always against people of a similar skill level, so you're not outmatched even if you're new or more of a casual player. The machines are at a local gaming and comic store, which I think helped get non pinball, but people who enjoy games, into it. The games are very well maintained and rotated enough to keep the interest of the more frequent players.

    One of the huge things is flexibility. Our league lets you play games on any day Sunday through Wednesday. This offers the ability to accommodate almost everyone's work and life schedules as not everyone can always be somewhere at a specific day and time each week. My wife and I have a three month old, so this is huge for us as we can just go and play with our friends on the nights he's being good or we have some time as opposed to having to always be there Tuesday at six or something like that.

    The league also does events like pinball school, where the owner of the games and the top players teach new players rules and flipper and ball skills and general technique. There's a barbecue at each playoff event and the culture is really one of everyone having fun and helping each other get better.

    In summary, make it easy for people to join and play, and make it friendly and open for everyone!

    #46 7 years ago

    I ran a "beginners league" with no WPPR points and no running standings, just a weekly gathering where I taught 2 games each week.

    It was $5 dollars a week, only paid if you participated that week

    The 2 games I taught were put on free play for the duration of the day that I taught them so they could practice after I went over them.

    The $5 fees went into a pot for a high score tournament on the games taught. The players got 2 entries to max out their score on the games. The tournament games were played the week after I taught them so they had a week to practice the games.

    Players also received $1 off their drinks at Pinball Jones on league night

    It was really a test run of the idea and we did not advertise it besides word of mouth and some facebook stuff. Got 10-15 people or so each night. A lot of people were "regulars" to the beginners league and showed up most nights.

    At the end I had a party at my house for everyone. A few "beginners" joined our real league but I see a lot of the people playing more often now.

    That "ahh-ha" moment when people realize pinball has more skill involved than just dumb luck is priceless, and once they learn the basic skills and some rules to the machines, they enjoy it so much more.

    #47 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Have some bikini girls twirling signs out by the curb side.

    You were so close, to the perfect answer, missed it by that much. Here it is, 'No Bikinis tops', just topless coin change women in the arcade.

    #48 7 years ago
    Quoted from grantopia:

    One of the huge things is flexibility. Our league lets you play games on any day Sunday through Wednesday.

    is it an honor system for scores?

    How does it work when nobody is there to watch?

    I like the idea of a league.

    #49 7 years ago
    Quoted from InfiniteLives:

    I ran a "beginners league" with no WPPR points and no running standings, just a weekly gathering where I taught 2 games each week.

    I like this idea. I tried it twice last year and only 2 people showed up.

    maybe I will give it a go again next year.

    #50 7 years ago

    First and for most more games would be on location if games were not so ridiculous in price. All the ops here I have know for over 10 yrs. They all laugh at the nib prices and have not bought new since tron. I don't blame them one bit. Location pinball wont ever be great unless there are tons of locations with games. Ain't gonna happen.

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