The IFPA / FWTG League is excited to announce (just in time for "Expo") – a Time Warp Pinball is up for grabs!

This machine is shopped out and ready for your home game room.

Time Warp will be awarded to a randomly selected FWTG League Participant on Oct 23rd @ 9pm CST.

Winning player will be responsible for any shipping charges (we will help coordinate a wholesale carrier), or the Pinball can be available for pick up in the Minneapolis or Chicago areas. As an alternative prize, Gridiron Support is offering a set of (5) GGAF Hall of Fame Medallions with matching serial numbers, if the winning player declines the Time Warp as their prize.

Remember, you MUST join the FWTG League to win.

In the coming weeks there will be many more great prizes awarded (including Pinball machines), so get in the game now!

Most importantly, your participation in FWTG League directly benefits Coach Ditka's Charity…Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.

Please make sure to "Like" Gridiron Support and the IFPA on Facebook as well!

A quick reminder that there are TWO components of the Flippin' With the Greats campaign:

1) The LEAGUE – This is fantasy football meets pinball. Sign up and join the team of your choosing. All the WPPR points you have earned in 2014 will go towards helping that team in the standings. We will be raffling off prizes the rest of the year to league members, including NFL memorabilia, pinball memorabilia, spots into the Grand Final, and actual pinball machines. Click HERE for more details.

2) The TOURNAMENT SERIES – This will be the IFPA's December charity fundraiser campaign supporting the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. There will be 32 tournaments held in the various NFL cities, along with Coach Ditka Wild Card tournaments available for cities outside of the NFL markets, where players can donate to the cause, and play for a chance to advance to the Grand Final and win other prizes. Click HERE for more details.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF) is a non-stock, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing financial grants and ‘pro bono’ medical assistance to retired NFL players in dire need. The organization focuses on the humanitarian side of post-football related issues, which include coordination of social services to retired players who are in need due to a variety of reasons including inadequate disability and/or pensions.

Get behind Coach Ditka's Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund and "LIKE" Gridiron Support on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gridironsupport.org.

Once again the FWTG winning player came from the NFC North, with Dave Gorka (representing the Bears) taking home this classic Las Vegas Hilton Slot Machine.

The next Prize to be awarded will be a Pinball Machine, so join the FWTG League today to get in on the action!

Again, we are pleased to announce that the FWTG Tournament Series will be expanded beyond the 32 NFL team markets. Any city in the world can host a " Coach Ditka Wild Card" FWTG charity fundraiser tournament. The winner of each "Wild Card" Tournament will also be awarded an Invitation / Entry to the Grand Final Event.

Remember, The "Flippin' With the Greats" season long Pinball initiative Directly benefits Coach Ditka's Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund…Your participation literally helps Change Lives!

There are many more BIG prizes on deck to be given away to League players throughout the NFL season. Don't miss out! Join in now to get in on the action!  

A quick reminder that there are TWO components of the Flippin' With the Greats campaign:

1) The LEAGUE – This is fantasy football meets pinball. Sign up and join the team of your choosing. All the WPPR points you have earned in 2014 will go towards helping that team in the standings. We will be raffling off prizes the rest of the year to league members, including NFL memorabilia, pinball memorabilia, spots into the Grand Final, and actual pinball machines. Click HERE for more details.

2) The TOURNAMENT SERIES – This will be the IFPA's December charity fundraiser campaign supporting the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. There will be 32 tournaments held in the various NFL cities, along with Coach Ditka Wild Card tournaments available for cities outside of the NFL markets, where players can donate to the cause, and play for a chance to advance to the Grand Final and win other prizes. Click HERE for more details.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF) is a non-stock, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing financial grants and ‘pro bono’ medical assistance to retired NFL players in dire need. The organization focuses on the humanitarian side of post-football related issues, which include coordination of social services to retired players who are in need due to a variety of reasons including inadequate disability and/or pensions.

Get behind Coach Ditka's Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund and "LIKE" Gridiron Support on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gridironsupport.org.

The booming competitive pinball scene up in Wisconsin isn't the only exciting pinball activity going on. The Wisconsin State Journal recently published a piece on new pinball manufacturer Spooky Pinball. Click HERE to watch the video and read the article.

The inaugural IFPA European Championship Series is now through Event #13 out of 17, after Belgium hosted the Belgian Open Pinball tournament. Full results for Belgian Open Pinball are available HERE.

An incredible 1012 players have taken part in at least one ECS tournament, with [player]Michael Trepp[/player] having regained the lead by 23 WPPR points over fellow Swiss [player]Robert Sutter[/player] and 27 WPPR points over [player]Daniele Celestino Acciari[/player]. The current ECS standings are available HERE.

The next ECS event takes players to Finland, where the 2014 K15 Open will be taking place October 17-19th. Details of that event are available HERE. The entire ECS schedule can be found HERE.

NBC affiliate KY3 in Springfield, MO covered the 3rd annual Ozark Pinball Syndicate's tournament. Featured is [player]Dayvv Brooks[/player] (ranked 164th in the world). Click HERE to watch the video.

IFPA President [player]Josh Sharpe[/player] (ranked 17nd in the world and falling) was recently interviewed by Coast 2 Coast Pinball host [player]Nate Shivers[/player] (ranked 4210th in the world) to talk about the recent announcement of the changes to the WPPR system for 2015, the PAPA 17 World Championship, and much more! Check out the interview HERE.

The Columbia Daily Tribune published an article about the Columbia Pinball League. Featured in the article is [player]Adam McKinnie[/player] (ranked 100th in the world), [player]Daniel Carpenter[/player] (ranked 877th in the world) and [player]Josh Sharpe[/player] (ranked 17th in the world). Click HERE to read the article.

As the landscape of competitive pinball has broadened, the IFPA is constantly investigating ways to make the World Pinball Player Rankings more accurate for how we rank players across the globe. This latest change to the formula is quite extensive, with a complete overhaul as to how the value of a tournament is calculated. These changes will be implemented starting January 1, 2015.

Below is an overview of changes for the new 2015 formula:

• The point value for every tournament and/or league event — whether previously called Main, Side, League, Launch, Charity, Annual, Periodic, or otherwise — will be graded separately as a single, distinct event and count as one line item for a player's World Ranking resume.
• The base point value for every event will no longer have a guaranteed 25-point minimum, and instead be based on the merit of the event's # of participants in addition to the quality of the event's format.
• Events eligible for determining a player's World Ranking will be increased from the best 15 active events to the best 20 active events.  Events eligible for State, European, or country Championship series ranking will remain unlimited during the affected calendar year. 
• Events that are three to four years old will be worth 25% of their original value instead of 0%.
• There will be no limitations to how many events any particular location or organizer can hold, but there will be a minimum number of players required for any tournament that is listed as 'private' on the IFPA calendar in order to be endorsed by the IFPA for WPPR points.
• The changes will NOT be retroactive: the original WPPR point values for events prior to 2015, and the combination of Main/Side tourneys and Periodic tourneys into single line items for World Ranking consideration will remain unchanged.
• The Tournament Value Adjustment (TVA) mechanism will remain unchanged.

   

For full detailed information on the 2015 formula, click HERE.

To celebrate the launch of The Walking Dead Pinball machine, Stern and the IFPA are teaming up to host 22 launch parties going on across the globe!

Click on the flyer to find the Launch Party nearest you, or visit the IFPA Calendar HERE!

There will be machines set up at each location on free play, with a cash prize tournament also being held throughout the party. Please see flyer for location information, and contact the IFPA at ifpapinball@gmail.com should you have any questions.

The Pitt News at the University of Pittsburgh published an article covering the competitive pinball scene in Pittsburgh. Featured in the article is [player]Cryss Stephens[/player] (ranked 14th in the world), [player]Christopher Meyers[/player] (ranked 1058th in the world) and [player]Greg Galanter[/player] (ranked 240th in the world). Click HERE to read the article.