I mean, you are a gym teacher, right? Should be up to task.

Fight? Are we back in middle school or something?

Seriously. Settle down. Or go take some more meds.

Wednesday the free play room starts taking shape. The majority of games arrive on Wednesday and if you bring a game you get fed that night as well.

Thursday more games come in and the vendor spaces get put together, the game and vendor halls open at 6:00PM. The Stern tour happens Thursday and there is a VIP party at 4:30 for vendors, speakers, staff and folks who bring games. Pinball Life has his Open House usually.

Friday the show is in full swing. PBL has their ticket event.

Saturday is the last official day of the show, load out starts later at night and starts back up Sunday.

There is A LOT_ to do at the show, and time flies.

Andrew

Who hurt you?

Thanks, glad y'all enjoyed it! The wheel got pretty thrashed during expo due to a previous questionable repair, but since the show I've rebuilt it better and far stronger; shouldn't come loose EVER again. (Fingers crossed!)

My uncle!
Just joshin ya.
Since you obviously have to have the last word, go ahead. Just get with me before Expo next year. Watching football...done with you sweetheart.

Adam Vinateri

*Vinatieri

The Packers game was great.

"Just get with me before Expo next year"
dude I thought you to was fighting not making out!

This thread has got weird...

I was at Expo, lots of shit going down everywhere, parties, drinkin’, smokin’, cussin’- one thing that was not happening was a lot of pinheads getting their shooter knobs polished unless they brough the wife, significant other, concubine, mistress, FWB.

One thing was for sure, we had a phuck ton of fun, I definietly put my braincell count on suicide watch, and we played a few games of pinball. Not sure why anyone would complain about the noise. There was some piece of hotel machinery that kept cycling on and off next to my room that was louder than any party of headboard banging I’ve ever heard...

Yeah what the hell was that? We looked above the door thinking it was a fire alarm lock but nada. I feel bad for the vendors who were on each side. That would make your brain explode listening to that every 30 secs all day.

The magnetic locks above the doors. They were really loud. Haha

I’ve been to Expo twice and I’ve been to TPF four times an I got to say Embassy Suites beats the Chicago hotel hands down

Embassy Suites are the best chain of hotels for a show guest bar none. Specially the ones with a gourmet breakfast bar and special order cooks on staff.

Agreed!!!

Also the free booze "managers special" every night!

Always thought those automatic door locks were annoying, but it’s like the hotels own knocker going off

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2001 Expo pic with me goosing Rick Swanson.

Too cool ! Thank you !

LTG : )

Correct. Vendor space and vendor passes are now sold separately at TPF. Several TPF vendors bring pins to the show which earns them a show entry for each game and they'd asked for a discount on their space (which was fair). Some vendors only needed 1 vendor pass and asked for a discount (also fair). Some wanted more passes than what their booth included (what's a vendor pass worth that gives access to setup and after party hours?). Some vendors are playing in the Wizards Tournament which also includes show entry.
So, we reduced the price of the space for vendors and vendors have several options of getting the passes they need. Bring a game (which gets them a free pass), buy one pass, two, etc.

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The prevailing strategy I saw everyone using Sat night was to wrench the wheel back and forth so quickly it was almost a digital control, not an analog wheel. No one ever made the hole so I think that was bad strategy Thanks for bringing it, way cool game!

Wait, there is a pinball show in Ann Arbor?

I have a stack of these in my box of expo stuff still...

Did he put them under every door in the hotel this year? So tacky

VFW show sells out via word of mouth but he still drives to Chicago & back just to plaster Expo with flyers and measure dicks, I mean count machines. That's dedication.

BERK came to the VFW show a couple of times to measure dicks, I mean count machines, as well. Took notes and figured how to screw Mike over and get all of the money instead of just half.

From those that have critiqued Expo, it appears that instead of half a declining show, Berk gets all of a growing show. As messy as the breakup was, the changes appear to be working.

It's sort of nice for a show to have a person limit and not have to fight crowds.. and I think clay is more counting down machines vs number of machines (he had less to count this year). He's very proud of keeping all his machines working before and during the show. But really they are completely different shows. VFW is good for playing a huge variety of games (many rare). Clay has no speakers, no industry people hanging out, no vendors, no restaurants within walking distance (unless you count the hot dog stand), no hotel room within walking distance (unless it's a tent).

I will be posting clay's home address next year so that everyone can have a "love in" on his front yard during the weekend of the show
sort of like a mini woodstock, but for pinball!

"A household necessity" Hah!

Arlene's Truck Stop on I-94 on the West edge of Battle Creek (Exit 92) had one in the restroom not long ago.

Really good food there too.

I'm going to have to check it out. Because if there's really good food in the restroom, I can only imagine how great the food is in their restaurant.

One of a kind. Note it's not a 24/7 place. It's not Wolcott...

Does anyone have pics of the spanish games lineup? The inder and spinball games?

Saw pics with games turned off at expo due to not working or simply unplayable. Vendors with lower traffic and sales then prior years. The tournaments being moved to a dedicated room was something that needed to be done for years. Glad to see it finally accomplished.

did you go this year?

It was the best it has been in pretty much forever.

Some vendors are reporting better than previous years... other less... sounds like more about product being sold/ audience then anything?
Game hall was the best I have seen in the 7?+ years I have gone. Best playing, most diverse, best selection, and never felt too crowded for me.
First I have ever seen overflow rooms actually used.
First Stern break out room with TONS of the new and good playing stuff.

No matter how much some try to spin something, this expo was really a rebirth and on a great and bright trajectory by all accounts from all I have talked to that actually attended.

I agree, this years expo was great, best I've been to.

I think that this year's Expo was good, not great. It was diverse enough with pins for those that like the 20+ year old pins (free play room), new pins (Stern room, JJP and CGC in the Vendor Hall), Vendors (seemed like less than last year), Pinball gadgets and how they work, Pinball Auction room (newer used pins mostly - within the last 20 years), and Seminars (less number of "must see" presentations this year).

Several vendors said that traffic was way down and there was a "weird vibe" with not many people buying things. That's sad as it sounded like at least a few didn't think it was worth it this year and if you read through some of their posts earlier, they kind of say that. CoinTaker people looked bored out of their mind - not much traffic there, which was surprising. The JJP booth stayed busy and had a lot of key JJP people taking shifts there answering questions. That was good to see. Including pre-purchases, we spent about $1k there on stuff (including Pinball Life). I just hope that in future years the show is better for the vendors. Seeing things at CoinTaker, Lermods, and Lighted Pinball mods pertaining to future pins that we may someday buy was good for us. We know what more things will buy from them in the future.

Stern got the best setup - new pins, Elvira signings, music, tournament room. That's where all the positive energy and excitement was. Not having the tournament in the hallway and giving them more room was a good improvement.

I missed seeing more mod people there like Pingraffix, the people that sold the unlicensed themed coasters/clocks/mats, the people that sold the crafty pinball related trinkets.

We spent a lot of time trying out the Elvira pin, trying to find treasures in the vending hall, and playing pins in the auction room (guess that was the overflow room?). The older pins in the free play only kept our interest for about a half hour. The Game Exchange suite was fun, went there a couple of times for a change of pace. Talking with the JJP people was definitely a highlight. Meeting a few new people that share this crazy hobby was a good thing too. The Pinball Life Thursday was fun too.

Overall, we had a good time. Thanks to the organizers and volunteers.

Wow.

The two times that we went in there probably 15-20 pins were turned off. We'd rather play the more recent pins than EM's and pins from the 70's-80's, but there is plenty of people that do love them. That's why I thought that it was good that there were pins from all eras there (diverse). Nothing wrong with people liking different types/eras of pins.