I have to agree with this. Some of the categories I had to leave blank, not because I wanted to, but because there wasn’t an option for anyone in the northeast (unless they’re a “pinball traveler”).

NEPL was an option for best league, and obviously only people in New England will be voting for that. But in said league there are a half dozen collectors with un-freggin-real collections that don’t make this list, and then we also have a handful of kickass public locations with killer collections. Not one makes it. So the league makes it, but this hotspot region for pinball that makes this category possible gets no love for locations.

Also, it killed me to see F’ing Cosmic Carnival listed so many times in so many categories. That should only have a spot under artwork and NO other mentions. FFS, they had to redo the PF layout when people thousands of miles away like me took 1 quick look of the PF and reminded those geniuses that there’s no reason to have top rollovers if there’s no way to get up there after plunge! They had to introduce a drop bank with nothing behind to allow a ball to get back up top, and the resulting “orbit” shot just went back into the shooter lane to get up there. That company was dead on arrival. Their ramps, toys, MSRP, and YouTube streams should be in their own category for “biggest laugh of the year”. My local bowling alley with 1 pin has more of a case to be in the “best location” category than Cosmic Carnival has a case to be in the “best layout” category.

...Just so everyone knows how I really feel.

Thanks for the reply, Jeff.

The league thing sort of proves my point. It’s not the best league that wins. It will probably end up being the league with the most players. That’s more of a “regional headcount” poll vs. other categories for things like commonly available pins that one can order regardless of location.

Also as it pertains to the best location category, I looked at the first two as I’ve never heard of them. The one in TX with 50 games according to Pinside looks sweet. The next one in TN, may be a great location for TN, but as I mentioned above is at least on par, if not even inferior (IMHO) to some of the private collections and public locations in the northeast. Heck the below photo is a ridiculous location in a local amusement park and these location games are stacked with ColorDMDs and toppers. I’m sure many would consider this a Mecca and yet it’s basically an afterthought up here which again makes me question the selection process.
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I don’t know the selection process from the committee, nor do I really care to learn. I voted within the options selected. I just think a “best of” should truly be a “best of” competition and I sincerely question if the best of each category is listed. That’s all.