As the month long tournament for the Iron Man Vault Edition kicks off, we wanted to share some additional coverage that’s hit for the RadioShack pinball promotion.
Organic coverage continues to spread with placements in The Contra Costa Times, SFGate.com, San Jose Mercury News, and Consumerist, with impressions reaching almost 75 million.
AOL News put together a great video, and the New York Post included the tournament news in their “Weird But True” column.
The Flippin' With the Greats League raffled off the second prize of the preseason, with [player]Tim Zollner[/player] winning a set of 3 Hall of Fame GGAF Medallions featuring players Dan Hampton, Steve Largent, and "Mean" Joe Greene, all with matching serial numbers, along with a set of Penn State medallions from a past Limited Edition promotional strike.
This coming week's random draw prize package for registered FWTG League participants is really special (and valuable!). Gridiron Support and Rich Gannon are showing their appreciation with a VERY limited "proof" (stamped in coin) struck Rich Gannon 2002 MVP Medallion with color fill trim. Only a handful of these Gannon "proof" Medallions were produced, so you want to get your hands on this. None have ever been sold. In addition, Rich has provided us with an autographed action photo. After the winner is drawn, Rich will also be sending along a personal handwritten "thank you" note to the lucky FWTG League player.
Don't sit on the fence…Get in on a shot at this valuable package!
The week #3 prize will be raffled off on August 28th at 9pm CST. All FWTG League members at that time will be eligible for the prize.
A reminder also that the player leading each division at the end of the preseason will win the "Preseason MVP award" and earn a spot into the Grand Final and play for a NIB Pinball Machine. Currently Andrei Massenkoff leads the NFC West, Damien Charlety leads the NFC South, Jon Drew leads the NFC East, Zach Sharpe leads the AFC South and Josh Sharpe leads the NFL North. Updated FWTG standings are available HERE.
For details on the FWTG LEAGUE, including how to register, format, prizes and more, click HERE.
Gridiron Support is currently offering a Preseason 10% discount on "Tier 1" and "Tier 2" IFPA/FWTG personalized League Medallions. In addition, Gridiron Support is offering special "group" sales discounts on Medallion orders of 3 or more. Call Vicki (Gridiron Support) at 612-999-FWTG (3984) for more information!
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.
Wired Magazine just released an article on the month long IFPA tournament beign held at Radio Shack to celebrate the end of the 80-year pinball ban in the city. Sponsored by Radio Shack, Stern Pinball and the IFPA, players will have all month to compete for a chance to win an Iron Man Vault Editiion machine plus $2500 in cash. Click HERE to check out the article.
Iron Man Pro Vault Edition Pinball Machine Ready for Play at Local RadioShack Store–High Score Wins Machine
OAKLAND, Calif. – August 20, 2014 – For 80 long years, residents of Oakland were banned from playing pinball because the game was viewed as illegal gambling. All that changed last month when the city’s long prohibition on pinball was finally lifted. To celebrate this momentous occasion, RadioShack and Stern Pinball are teaming up to host a month-long pinball tournament inside RadioShack’s new Interactive Remodeled store in Oakland.
Kicking off on August 20, RadioShack will place a brand new Iron Man Pro Vault Edition machine in its Fruitvale Station store location, with help from Stern Pinball and the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA). Participants are welcome to play for free and test their skills, no quarters required and no purchase necessary. More than mere bragging rights are on the line; whoever wins the tournament, wins the machine as a grand prize. Here’s how the tournament will work:
· Tournament begins on August 20, 2014 and ends on September 19th at 9:30 p.m. PT
· Players (must be 18 years or older) have 30 days to qualify for the finals and can visit the store Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. as many times as they like to try to set the highest score, at no charge and no purchase necessary
· To qualify, players must score 50,000,000 points or more
· 16 top-scoring qualifiers are invited back for the finals on September 20, 2014
· Finalists will enter a bracket tournament until one winner emerges
“Friends in the Maker community and other loyal customers inspired us to celebrate the return of pinball in Oakland. The pinball resurgence is a perfect combination of the best of retro and future technology. We thought this tournament would be a fun way to help celebrate our opening of 21 interactive remodel stores in the San Francisco and Oakland area,” said Mike DeFazio, senior vice president of store concepts at RadioShack. “The game is legendary and has appeal for experts and novices alike. While you are in the store enjoying our new interactive elements like the speaker wall and 3D printer, take the time to play a game with us!”
“Along with our friends at RadioShack, we’re obviously psyched to see pinball prohibition end in Oakland,” said Gary Stern, CEO, Stern Pinball. “Our company has origins in the pinball industry that date back to the ban’s enactment itself. We’re both honored and amazed to see brands like RadioShack embrace pinball, and help make it more accessible to a new generation of fans.”
If you want to showcase your pinball skills for a chance to win your own pinball machine, simply visit RadioShack starting August 20 at 3040 East 9th Street, Suite A. The tournament runs for 30 days, with the last chance to qualify on Friday, September 19 by 9:30 p.m. PT and a Grand Finale on Saturday, September 20 at the same location. The highest scorer on the machine in the Grand Finale will have the honor of taking it home. For more details and rules, visit the RadioShack TechSpecs blog, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About RadioShack Corporation
RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) is a leading retailer with more than 27,000 knowledgeable associates focused on connecting consumers with personalized solutions and discovering what’s possible through the latest in consumer electronics. The company’s updated product assortment incorporates national brands, industry-leading private brand products, mobile devices and wireless carriers. Customers can shop leading brands in headphones and speakers, wearable technology, smart toys and DIY supplies, connected home, power accessories and home entertainment at www.radioshack.com, or at one of the more than 5,000 locations in 26 countries. Find RadioShack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Stern Pinball, Inc.
Stern Pinball, Inc., headquartered just outside Chicago, Illinois, is the oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball games in the world. Stern’s highly talented creative and technical teams design, engineer and manufacture a full line of popular pinball games. Recent Stern titles include Mustang, Star Trek, Metallica, Avengers, X-Men, AC/ DC, Tron, Transformers, Avatar, Iron Man, Batman, Spiderman and many more. All of Stern’s pinball games are crafted by hand and assembled by Stern’s expert team. Both pinball enthusiasts and casual players around the globe enjoy Stern’s games. For more information, please visit www.sternpinball.com.
For further information please contact:
RadioShack Media Relations
Phone: 817-415-3300
eMail: media.relations@radioshack.com
The Flippin' With the Greats League raffled off the first prize of the preseason, with [player]Andrei Massenkoff[/player] winning a set of 3 Hall of Fame GGAF Medallions featuring players Dan Hampton, Steve Largent, and "Mean" Joe Greene, all with matching serial numbers.
The prize for week #2 will not only be the same set of 3 Hall of Fame GGAF Medallions featuring players Dan Hampton, Steve Largent, and "Mean" Joe Greene, all with matching serial numbers. In addition, Gridiron Support dug deep into their medallion archives and is offering up these rare Penn State medallions from a past Limited Edition promotional strike. These valuable quality medallions are no longer available anywhere. They were snapped up by Penn State fans shortly after their release.
The week #2 prize will be raffled off on August 21st at 9pm CST. All FWTG League members at that time will be eligible for the prize.
Detailed pictures of these medallions along with the custom IFPA medallions can be viewed HERE.
A reminder also that the player leading each division at the end of the preseason will win the "Preseason MVP award" and earn a spot into the Grand Final and play for a NIB Pinball Machine. Currently Andrei Massenkoff leads the NFC West, Damien Charlety leads the NFC South and Jon Drew leads the NFC East, with all other divisions currently up for grabs. Updated FWTG standings are available HERE.
For details on the FWTG LEAGUE, including how to register, format, prizes and more, click HERE.
Gridiron Support is currently offering a Preseason 10% discount on "Tier 1" and "Tier 2" IFPA/FWTG personalized League Medallions. In addition, Gridiron Support is offering special "group" sales discounts on Medallion orders of 3 or more. Call Vicki (Gridiron Support) at 612-999-FWTG (3984) for more information!
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.
14 teams competed in the 2014 PinBrawl World Team Pinball Championships, held Wednesday August 13th at PAPA HQ. After 3 qualifying rounds, IFPAPA (Sponsored by MPE), made up of [player]Doug Polka[/player] (ranked 1018th in the world), [player]Mark Steinman[/player] (ranked 215th in the world), [player]Zach Sharpe[/player] (ranked 3rd in the world) and [player]Josh Sharpe[/player] (ranked 20th in the world) earned a spot in the playoffs by winning POD #2.
In the Semifinal round IFPAPA (Sponsored by MPE) defeated Stoned Drunk! 70-47, and followed that up with a 64-53 victory in the Finals over the defending champion Beavis and the Pin-buttheads. [player]Zach Sharpe[/player] earned top honors as PinBrawl 2014's Most Valuable Player, earning 83 MVP points over the course of the tournament. Full results can be found HERE.
PinBrawl 2014 is underway! We have 14 teams battling for the four spots in the finals. Click HERE to follow the results live as the matches end.
World’s Leading Maker of Arcade-Quality Pinball Adds New GamesMELROSE PARK, IL – August 12, 2014 – Stern Pinball, Inc. (SPI), the world's oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball games, announced in cooperation with the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) exciting changes to the $tern Rewards Program. The program rewards dedicated players by providing them with the opportunity to use their rewards to purchase new Stern Premium games and other Stern merchandise at special IFPA prices.
In addition to AC/DC Premium, both Star Trek Premium and Metallic Monster Premium have been added to the lineup of eligible games available for purchase under the program. All games purchased through the $tern Rewards Program will include a custom certificate and t-shirt exclusive to the program.
Qualifying participants will also be eligible for discounts at the Stern online store which features a wide range of Stern and $tern Rewards Program merchandise exclusive to the IFPA rewards program.
Pinball players around the world can qualify for the program by participating and performing in IFPA-sanctioned pinball events. Top-ranked players, most-improved players, and player-of-the-month earn rewards points in the annual program.
The eligibility requirements for 2014 have been expanded to include players that finish in the top 1000 of the IFPA’s World Pinball Player Rankings at the end of the calendar year.
To learn more about the $tern Rewards Program, visit the IFPA website at www.ifpapinball.com/SternRewardsProgram
About Stern Pinball, Inc.
Stern Pinball, Inc., headquartered just outside Chicago, Illinois, is the oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball games in the world. Stern’s highly talented creative and technical teams design, engineer and manufacture a full line of popular pinball games, merchandise and accessories. Recent Stern titles include Mustang, Star Trek, Metallica, The Avengers, X-Men, AC/DC, Tron, Transformers, Avatar, Iron Man, Batman, Spiderman and many more! All of Stern’s pinball games are crafted by hand and assembled by Stern’s expert team. Both pinball enthusiasts and casual players around the globe enjoy Stern’s games. For more information, please visit www.sternpinball.com.
About the IFPA
The International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) was created with the express purpose of encouraging, supporting and endorsing competitive pinball throughout the world. The organization provides oversight and assistance to not only establishing pinball leagues, but also tournaments and other promotional activities. The IFPA has been able to bring together over 26,000 players now ranked (World Pinball Player Rankings) by competing in over 1600 leagues and tournaments taking place across the globe every year. The World Pinball Tour of IFPA endorsed events now features over $500,000 in cash and prizes given away each year.
Pinball players in the UK are now able to participate in an exciting new nationwide contest, with the launch of the IFPA UK Championship Series.
All the results from IFPA-sanctioned tournaments within the UK during the calendar year will count towards the IFPA UK Championship Series, including every main and side tournament.
At the end of the year, the 20 top-ranked players will qualify for the national Series Final to be held the following January or February. The Series Final will take place in different parts of the country each year, and will feature cash prizes to be won in every round, as well as cash and trophies for the top four players.
Every result from UK tournaments played so far this year has already been included in the rankings, giving the remaining tournaments an extra level of excitement with those qualifying places for the Series Final at stake.The IFPA UK Championship Series was devised by Craig Pullen and Greg Mott, and realised with the assistance of the IFPA’s Country Director, Martin Ayub.
Full rules, schedules and current rankings are now available on the IFPA website at: ifpapinball.com/ukcs
With the Flippin' With the Greats League and NFL Preseason officially underway, the IFPA and Gridiron Support are excited to announce that we will be filling the NFL Preseason with prizes that will be raffled off every week for FWTG League members.
The first prize to be raffled off on August 14th at 9pm CST will be a set of 3 Hall of Fame GGAF Medallions featuring players Dan Hampton, Steve Largent, and "Mean" Joe Greene, all with matching serial numbers. All FWTG League members at that time will be eligible for the prize.
Detailed pictures of these medallions along with the custom IFPA medallions can be viewed HERE.
A reminder also that the player leading each division at the end of the preseason will win the "Preseason MVP award" and earn a spot into the Grand Final and play for a NIB Pinball Machine. Currently [player]Tim Zollner[/player] leads the NFC West, with all other divisions currently up for grabs. Updated FWTG standings are available HERE.
For details on the FWTG LEAGUE, including how to register, format, prizes and more, click HERE.
Gridiron Support is currently offering a Preseason 10% discount on "Tier 1" and "Tier 2" IFPA/FWTG personalized League Medallions. In addition, Gridiron Support is offering special "group" sales discounts on Medallion orders of 3 or more. Call Vicki (Gridiron Support) at 612-999-FWTG (3984) for more information!
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.
| Rank | Name | Points |
| 1 | Jason Zahler | 3127.01 |
| 2 | Escher Lefkoff | 3098.70 |
| 3 | Zach McCarthy | 2808.94 |
| 4 | Arvid Flygare | 2346.71 |
| 5 | Raymond Davidson | 2227.63 |
| 6 | Viggo Löwgren | 2209.15 |
| 7 | Daniele Celestino Acciari | 2064.67 |
| 8 | Jared August | 2045.16 |
| 9 | Timber Engelbeen | 2040.42 |
| 10 | Luke Nahorniak | 1858.58 |
| 11 | Eric Stone | 1743.75 |
| 12 | Paul Englert | 1729.86 |
| 13 | Derek Thomson | 1725.35 |
| 14 | Johannes Ostermeier | 1720.57 |
| 15 | Neil Graf | 1632.20 |
| 16 | Gregory Kennedy | 1620.98 |
| 17 | Jack Slovacek | 1605.34 |
| 18 | Dalton Ely | 1597.79 |
| 19 | Julio Vicario Soriano | 1579.76 |
| 20 | Bowen Kerins | 1522.34 |
| 21 | Peter Andersen | 1513.02 |
| 22 | Josh Sharpe | 1484.85 |
| 23 | Carlos Delaserda | 1468.39 |
| 24 | Tim Hansen | 1465.71 |
| 25 | Keith Elwin | 1459.24 |
Josh Sharpe
Arlington Heights, United States
