from the editor
Calendar
With the start of a new industry year on the horizon, it would
do us well to reflect for a moment on the year that has passed.
Last year was sensationally "kicked off" by Tournament
Soccer's $125,000 World Championships in Denver Labor Day
Weekend. The tournament was a huge success with one two-man
table soccer team winding up with $20,000 of cold hard cash. It was
probably the greatest promotion for this industry since Bally's
Wizard-Iy tie-in with the movie Tommy.
Later that September, the first new phonographs for the year
popped up. Also during that month, Rock-Ola Mf.g . Co. celebrated
its 40th Anniversary.
In October the MOA convention stole all the headlines. A new
attendance record was set and the show was an absolute success
with manufacturers, distributors and operators raving about it for
months afterwards.
The '75 MOA Exposition saw another huge surge in the games
area. Video games, pool tables, foosball tables and pinballs
virtually dominated the buying market for the winter months
following.
The spring and summer brought a rush of new arcade games
out for the vacation months. And buying, if selective, was at an
all-time high. According to most operators, the arcade season itself
was a good one, not the best perhaps but far, far from the worst.
For most, it was a good year. For some it was not so good and a
few have fallen by the wayside. The manufacturers that have
dedicated themselves to their three most important customers, the
distributor, the operator and the player have survived and will
continue to thrive. Those who continue to produce inferior products
that are poorly designed and marketed are doomed to failure.
Perhaps the watchwords for the coming year should be
"quality, reputation, reliability and service." H a manufacturer
can't offer at least three of those qualities, he has no business in the
business.
As Play Meter goes to press, Tournament Soccer's $125,000
World Championships are on again, this year in Minneapolis. Let us
hope that the year they "kick off" will be another good one for the
industry. May we reach new heights at all levels of our industry,
expecially the consumer level.
Ralph C. Lally II,
Publisher & Editor
6
eptember 16-18
Music Operators of Virginia,
annual convention. Hyatt
Hou e, Richmond, Virginia.
eptember 17-19
Florida Amusement Merchan-
di ing Association, annual con-
vention. Deauville Hotel, Mi-
ami Beach, Fla.
October 2-3
Wi con in Mu ic Merchants
Association, annual convention.
Holiday Inn, Wausau, Wisc.
October 2-3
Coin Operated Industries of
Nebraska, meeting. Ramada
Inn , Omaha, Nebraska .
October 7-10
National Convention-Exhibit of
Vending and Food Service Man-
agement, Civic Center, Phila-
delphia , Pa.
October 14-16
West Virginia Music & Ven-
ding A ociation, annual con-
vention. heraton Inn, Clarks-
burg, We tVa.
November 12-14
Mu ic Operator of America,
Expo 76. The Conrad Hilton
Hotel, Chicago, Illinoi .
November 18-21
IAAP A [Parks Show J. The
Rivergate, New Orleans, La.