FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE……..
THE UNITED STATES OF PINBALL
The Nation’s Best Wizards Compete To Take Home The Crown
After a year of grueling competitions, with more than 2,000 tournaments and leagues staged from coast to coast and over 11,120 players putting their flipper skills and endurance to the test, it will all come down to a single day for 704 of America’s finest pinball wizards representing 43 states and the District of Columbia.
The International Flipper Pinball Association is pleased to announce the 5th Annual IFPA State Championship Series finale taking place on January 20th. An incredibly ambitious undertaking, the competition is based on tracking the World Pinball Player Rankings (WPPR) performance of players in all IFPA sanctioned tournaments and leagues on a state-by-state basis throughout the year. And calendar year 2017 proved to be one of the most active and successful times in history as pinball continued to bounce back into the leisure entertainment spotlight.
The resurgence in pinball has captured the fascination and attention of both the young and young at heart not only throughout the United States but around the world with over 56,000 players now ranked and more than 4,800 different events and competitions being staged annually. And these numbers keep increasing at a dramatic rate.
In just over a decade, the International Flipper Pinball Association has been able to provide support, guidance and a structure to solidify all of these players and competitions with the help of over two dozen different IFPA country directors leading the charge. The result has been more than $1,750,000 in cash and prizes awarded during the past twelve months.
The International Flipper Pinball Association 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.
“It is remarkable to trace the history of pinball, going back to France and the days of ‘bagatelle’, to appreciate how much has changed while still keeping the game relevant and intensely captivating. From one generation to the next, pinball has not only endured but it has thrived as the supreme test of man versus machine”, states Josh Sharpe, President of the IFPA. “Pinball has continued to evolve with technological advancements keeping it on the cutting edge. We are seeing new locations and businesses opening their arms to the magic of the silver ball with the net result that millions of players are taking part in this totally immersive and tactile experience that defines pinball.”
The IFPA is sponsored by Stern Pinball, Jersey Jack Pinball, Nitro Amusements, Zen Studios, Marco Specialties, Flipper Fidelity, Raw Thrills, Planetary Pinball Supply, Bay Area Amusements, Little Shop of Games, Playfield Protectors, Texas Pinball Festival, Player One Amusement Group, Color DMD, Double Danger Pinball Accessories, Tilt Amusements, Betson Enterprises, Farsight Studios, Game Exchange of Colorado, Suzo Happ, the Professional and Amateur Pinball Association, the Amusement and Music Operators Association, and the American Amusement Manufacturers Association.
For more information regarding the IFPA or any of its participants, please contact International Flipper Pinball Association Vice President Zach Sharpe (ifpapinballPR@gmail.com) or check the organization website: www.ifpapinball.com.
