Just so it did not come as a surprise to all participants on the 2019 Stern Pro Circuit tour with 18 events remaining, Stern in collaboration with the IFPA and PAPA, have modified the format of this season’s final championship.  This change will reduce the field of qualifiers from 40 players down to 20.  We will also be removing the first 2 rounds and this final in homage of the original PAPA Circuit final will be a strict ladder match format from start all the way to finish.

Through our post mortem process and in meeting with all parties including outside partners (production companies, ESPN, media outlets), this change is needed in order to reduce the overall time of the event, but more importantly paint a clearer picture to the casual viewer of this high level event in a simple, easy to understand and digestible format right from the get go.  While we do not have defined payouts for next year’s final since they are always subject to change based on additional sponsorships throughout the year, we can guarantee that the overall prize package for next year’s championship will increase.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to send feedback to circuit@sternpinball.com

NHK (Japanese public TV) covering the pinball movement in NYC. Click HERE to watch the video.

Northwest News in Fort Wayne, IN published an article on the Wizard’s World Silverball Spring Training tournament held this past weekend. Click HERE to read the article.

The Forum in Fargo-Moorhead, North Dakota published a piece on the Fargo Pinball League. Click HERE to read the article and watch the video.

Kenny Bell, fresh off his correct pick of Andy Rosa to win the Stern Pro Circuit Final, looks at the odds at MyBookie.ag for the Texas Pinball Festival, picks a favorite and a longshot, and weighs in on whether the winner will be from Texas. Bell’s article is HERE, the TPF odds on MyBookie.ag are HERE, and information on the IFPA’s new rules with respect to betting is HERE.

With the interest from MyBookie to continue posting betting odds on IFPA sanctioned tournaments, we felt it was prudent to update the verbiage related to gambling in our IFPA/PAPA player conduct rules. This verbiage can be found in Section III, Paragraph 8 of the IFPA/PAPA ruleset.

“Players are strictly prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating any bet, whether directly or indirectly through a third-party, on any IFPA sanctioned tournament in which they are a participant. This rule extends to Tournament Directors, Scorekeepers and tournament volunteers of that event. This includes betting on game outcome, statistics, score, performance of any individual participant, or any other kind of “proposition bet” on which wagering is offered.

The penalty for such offenses will be a 1-year suppression of that person from the IFPA World Pinball Player Rankings (WPPR) system, forfeiting their right to any IFPA related perks during the time of suppression. In addition, the IFPA grants full authority to the organizers of the IFPA sanctioned tournament in question to levy any additional penalties as appropriate to the offending person at their discretion.”

Any questions regarding this policy, please contact the IFPA at ifpapinball@gmail.com.

Here are the February 2019 IFPA winners for Player of the Month and Biggest Movers:

Player of the Month:
Markus Stix (142.71 WPPR’s)

Biggest Movers:
Patty Wang (+19,019 spots), Lars Buge (+15,539 spots) and Terrance Purchase (+13,650 spots)

These players have now all qualified for the Stern Rewards Program for 2019. Congrats to everyone!

Action is underway!

Follow along at:

https://matchplay.live/wr8g8

Streaming available at:

https://www.twitch.tv/deadflip

blog post courtesy of IFPA Italia

It was a weekend that will remain in the annals of the sporting pinball, Italian and international, the one staged at the beginning of February in Fulda, Germany. Where an authentic “Italian miracle” was made, with the triumph of the number two in the Italian ranking, Roberto Pedroni, who became the ECS 2018 Champion. Next to the other success obtained by Danny Iuliano, who won the second place in Fulda (only defeated in the final by Pedroni himself, in a final-derby that no one would have ever expected), he gets the ticket for access to the 2019 World Championship that will take place, however, in Italy. So the Italians in the World Cup race this time will be three: with Iuliano who becomes a member of the Italian national tricolor who will see him line up alongside Pedroni himself and our number one Daniele Acciari.

A resounding result, immense, that has gone beyond the odds. For Iuliano, in fact, it is a success obtained at his European debut, after he had gained access to the final Ecs 2018 thanks to the placement achieved in the final of the Italian circuit 2018 in late January. With a climb to success that is therefore worth access to the World. And if already the second place in the Circuit Ecs would have represented an extraordinary result already in itself, the fact that Pedroni arrived in front of him who is already on the list of World Cup participants 2019 of Assago, makes the story even more extraordinary and without previous.

The IFPA is excited to announce that Stern has added The Munsters Pro and Premium models to the rewards program. A reminder that the 2018 rewards earned by players expire December 31st, 2019.

The following games are now available under the program (subject to change at anytime): Batman 66 Premium (end of April), Deadpool Pro (end of March), Deadpool Premium (end of March), Iron Maiden Pro (end of March), Iron Maiden Premium (in stock), Guardians of the Galaxy Pro (end of April), Star Trek Vault Pro (in stock), Star Trek Vault Premium (end of March), Star Wars Pro (end of March), Star Wars Premium (end of March), Munsters Pro (end of March), Munsters Premium (end of April)

Detailed rules for the $tern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers, and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.