AOE operator attendance
has increased dramatically
ontrary to what some manu-
facturers and distriburors
believe, the operator is not the
backbone of the coin-op amusement
industry. He is the industry. Manu-
facturers, distributors, even trade
publications flourish or fail accord-
ing to how they serve the operator.
The ope rator has to bear the brunt
of overproduction, wildly fluctuated
prices on equipment, faulty product,
public antagonism, and hostile legis-
lation. Truly, operators are the
industry experts.
That's why the Amusement
Operarors Expo (AOE ) was not
called the Amusement Manufac-
turers Expo or the Play Meter Expo.
From its inception, it has been a
show that responded to operators'
needs and relied so heavily on opera-
tor support and participation.
C
Manufacturer support, on the
other hand, has been inconsistent.
In 1981 , after a lackluster attendance
at the first AOE, manufacturers
were quick to desert the show. Major
manufacturers-including the likes
of Bally, Stern, Taira, Williams, and
Centuri-did not exhibit the second
year, although they supported the
show initially. And other manufac-
turers, most notably Atari, didn 't
think an operatOr-oriented show in
the springtime was worth support-
ing. But they were all wrong, as is
evidenced by their later support.
Attendance increased by 58 per-
cent the year the manufacturers
pulled our. So, by the third year, all
PlAY METER. February 1, 1984
the second-year exhibition dropouts
were back o n the AOE bandw agon.
And even Atar i in 1983 finally came
on board.
Operator attendance at the AOE
h as increased dramatic ally and
steadily. Las t year the show boas ted
of 8,245 confirmed attendees, as
compared ro a mere 909 in 1980.
Strangely, booth sales for AOE '83
were at 500 ; that 's a g reat change
from the 87 boo ths in 1981 when
many of the maj or m anufacturers
agreed th at a springtime se minar-
expo progr am geared to the opera-
tor just wouldn't fly.
Manufacturers' show
Now the m a nuf ac turers are
staging their ow n show and , accord-
ing ro a lawsuit filed by AOE show
organizers ( Play M et er magazine
and Conference Management Corp.),
are actively boyco rring the AOE.
But D avid Pierson, Play M et er
advertising director and a n AOE
seminar committeeman, has this to
say about the conflict: " If ever the
manufacturers wanted to find out
for themselves if it is they and not
the operators th at are the industry,
then they couldn' t have picked a
better fighting ground . Despite the
fact that the m anufacturers will
probably have to contend with a
serious antitrust lawsuit , the AOE
welcomes the competition. A show
for manufacturers, by manufac -
turers , and of m anufacturers is not
going tO be supported by o perators,
especially in today's market.
" If the manufacturers' association
believes that by setting up a three-
day flea market of coin-operated
equipment and by offering a side-
show of manufacturer and distribu-
tOr-run seminars it can attract large
numbers of operators, it is in for a
surpnse.
"First of all, operators are not in
the mood tO attend an exposition
geared to help m a nufacturers
further exploit and victimize opera-
tors. And manufacturers are hardly
in the position they were in two
years ago when they could dictate tO
the operators. Today we have a
buyers' market not a sellers' market
where the only thing that matters is
avai lability. And the ma nufacturers'
arrogance during this video boom is
what has created the overwhelming
ope rator animosity tOward manu-
facturers ."
Manufacturers' power
Two years ago manufacturers
announced they would boycott the
AMOA Show if it were held in Las
Vegas. The manufacturers' power
plan prevai led because the AMOA
Show was moved ro New Orleans.
Due to this event and the acknowl-
edged animosity between the
AMOA and manufacturers ( Play
M et er, July 1, 1983, p. 10), will the
manufacturers attempt to sponsor a
second show in the fall and retract
support from the AMOA Show?
Will the manufacturers say this
industry is only big enough for one
show?
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