Quoted from JodyG:Rich unveiled the preliminary shirt design early last year, and it set off a firestorm on social media. He chose to change nothing, double down and continue to go through with having the shirts made and sold out of them at the show. Sure, it was a "success" in the moment, but how many people were turned off from coming to the show at all after the initial announcement and social media storm? I want to see this hobby grow, and times are changing. This isn't 1986 any more. One of the great growing and untapped markets of this hobby are among women and kids. There are likely many women out there who stay away from pinball due to the greasy, sexist stereotypes that are reinforced by the t-shirt design from this show. Yes, it is a free world...but when a promoter of a show decides to market the hobby in this manner, I am personally not going to support it. For someone that wants to see the show get bigger, why would you purposely try to alienate a portion of your market? You should be looking to attract as many different demographics as you can, not placate to a vocal minority. If you have a problem with me standing up for what I believe in, Chip/Rich...i'm sorry you feel that way. Good luck with your endeavors...my involvement either way is pretty minuscule in the grand scheme of things.
My name is SKIP not CHIP but you seem to be the one that has a "CHIP" on your shoulder. Rich lost a lot of money on the shirts last year trying to make people happy with an alternative shirt made that didn't sell thanks to a few people bashing the original shirt design. As Rich said the original "offensive to a few" shirt was designed by a woman with school age children. Maybe it wasn't for everyone but most people seemed to love it. My wife even wanted one but they were sold out before I could get one for her.
Art is art - it has nothing to do with sexism it was just something similar to the art of the day when these great classic old machines were being made. Maybe it is time to go back to all the old churches painted by the masters of their day and put tops on all the topless women in their paintings? People are just way too uptight these days!