Classic Mode

Play Meter

Issue: 1986 February - Vol 12 Num 2

ACME will not admit
public to show
The American Amusement Machine
Association ( AAf./J.A) at a recent board
meeting dropped plans to open the
American Coin Machine Expo (ACME)
to the public on the closing day.
Opening the show to the public
was planned originally for the Amuse-
ment Showcase International (ASI)
before its merger with Amusement
Operators Expo (AOE). Inviting the
public to see equipment and talk to
manufacturers was an attempt to
promote the industry and its products.
But the plan was controversial from
the beginning. Several exhibiting
companies were concerned because
they supply only industry members. "I
will have nothing to gain from having
people off the street come by my
booth," said Ted Nichols of Mobile
Record Service, a company that pro-
vides records to operators.
The Illinois Coin Machine Opera-
tors Association (ICMOA) sent a letter
to AAfv1A objecting to the plan. and
only two days before AAf./J.A's reversal.
executive director Ari Seeds said
ICMOA was sending a letter to its
members asking for opinions about
having the public at the show.
After hearing of ACME's change of
plans. Seeds said, 'Tm delighted that
the AAfv1A board of directors made
this decision. II is in line with the
feelings of the majority of the opera-
tors in Illinois." He added that he
would immediately tell operators of
the decision and start promoting the
show every way possible.
Valerie Cognevich of Play Meter.
which co-sponsors ACME. said she was
glad of the decision. "We had our
doubts as to the viability of allowing
the public into a trade show. but it was
a concession we made when the two
shows were combined. We are very
pleased that the manufacturers asso-
ciation has listened to the opinions of
operators and fellow manufacturers
and made this decision," said Cogne-
8
vich, Play Meter editorial director and
ACME seminar coordinator.
"The intention." said Bill Cravens.
AAf./J.AboardmemberandNin tendo's
director of sales. "was not a bad one.
but we didn't have the time to get a
controlled audience. If we used ii as a
fundraiser for a controlled audience. I
think we could benefit from players'
reactions to the games."
Bob Lloyd, AAfv1A president added,
"All of us. the manufacturers associa-
lion and Play Meter. want a successful
show. This decision is just one example
of us collectively examining the facts
and coming to a decision aimed at the
•
show's success."
AMOA answers
Digital Controls
The Amusement and Music Opera-
tors Association (AMOA) has responded
to a letter from Digital Controls that
criticized the organization for "demon-
strating virtually no concern over this
heinous problem [of copied games.] "
William Carpenter, AMOA execu-
Hangman countertop
Hangman omitted
The countertop version of
Status Games Corp.'s Hangman
mistakenly was left out of the dis-
play of countertops in Play Meter's
Winter Buyers Guide. Play Meter
•
apologizes for the omission.
live director. replied to Digital. which
also withdrew its support of AMOA in
a letter that said in part:
"The board of directors of AMOA
has publicly endorsed the strong stand
[against copied games] taken by
AAMA and we so informed their
officers during that Saturday morning
meeting [at the recent AMOA] .
"The operators are very sympa-
thelic with the problem that challenges
manufacturers and are cognizant of
the law which prohibits such piracy
and any abetting of ii. If there is an
economic benefit to be gained by
buying a pirated video-game board.
that could be more than offset by
potential legal problems. I'm sure you
are aware. however. that this is not
unique to the coin-operated machine
business .... This is a problem of national
concern thpt spans across many
industries .... Perhaps more has to be
done at the federal-government level.
"However, apparently the aver-
age U.S. consumer is seeking the besl-
quality product at the best price and
probably d oesn't care where it's
manufactured."
The letter continued. " II is true that
our · operators should be aware that
manufacturers' research and devel-
opment will be impaired if this piracy
continues and should know that this
will eventually have a negative
impact on their future product supply
if manufacturers economically suffer
from continued piracy, and this is one
point that we will emphasize to our
members."
Carpenter questioned Digilal's
decision to withdraw from AMOA
" Instead of withdrawing from the asso-
ciation and being critical from the out-
side," he wrote. "would not a more
effective course of action be to remain
as an AMOA manufacturer member
and offer constructive suggestions
regarding how our association can
take meaningful steps to combat the
problem. Until such a lime as the
majority of this industry's manufac-
turers are members of AMOA it is
clear that the responsibility lies within
PLAY METER. February 1986
•
the province of the AAMA and not with
our organizatio n, which basically
represents the operators' interests.
Nevertheless . we want to offer what-
ever support will gain favorable
results. We empathize with your cause,
and we strongly support the activities
of AAf.AA in this problem area."
Carpenter added that the AfAOA is
planning a mid-year meeting in April
and invited Digital's recommend a-
tions on AfAOA's assistance.
•
pany, Tehkan, Taito America, Status
Games, Rowe, Roth Novelty, Mobile
Record Service, Kel-Chad, Loewen
American, PGD, Skee Ball, PGL Pro-
gressive Game Distributors, Roger
Williams Mint Innovative Industries,
M. Kramer Manufacturi ng, SMS Manu-
facturing, Network Paystations, Nadel
& Sons Toy Corp., SG Industries, and
See burg.
For more information on ACME,
call (312 ) 333-9292.
•
Booths selling fast
at ACME
Exhibit space at the first annual
spring ACME show is going fast. Any-
one who may have decided to pass on
the first ACME should look at the
impressive exhibitor list before making
a final decision. Exhibitors will be dis-
playing the latest equipment offerings.
Atari Games has hinted that there
will be something new at the show,
and if it's half of what Gauntlet was at
AfAOA it should be worth the trip:
Bally Coin-op (including Bally Mid-
way and Bally Sente) had some
impressive products at AfAOAand will
show more at ACME: Capcom, creator
of some of the top games on the mar-
ket has reserved space to show atten-
dees new things to come: Data East
has a tough act to follow with its past
string of number-one games, but the
hits keep coming: Grand Products. the
new company started by Dave
Marotske, Hank Ross, and Stan Jarocki,
is expected to introduce some sur-
prises the industry has been waiting
tor: Konami has treated operators to
some exciting products and ACME
should be no different: Nintendo still
has the most popular system, and
operators will be able to see its latest
kits; Merit which has given the industry
such hits as Pit Boss, Trivia Whiz, and
Tic Tac Trivia, now has BullBuster
Darts and will show its array of pro-
ducts at ACME: and Premier Tech-
nology, Williams Electronics, and
Game Plan will exhibit the latest pin-
balls.
Other exhibitors, assuring the most
comprehens ive exhibit of new equip-
ment and products possible, include:
Arachnid, Betson, Carousel Interna-
tional, Coin Acceptors. Coin Commu-
nicator, Coin Controls, Coin Mecha-
nisms, Communico, Inc., Computer
Amusement Systems, D & R Industries,
Deltronic Labs, Dynamo, ElcoteL
Exidy, The Game Exchange, Gray-
hound Electronics, AirVend, Wico,
Videobox Networks, The Valley Com-
PLA Y MITTR. February 1986
THE
CALENDAR
March 4-5
International Gaming Business Expo-
sition, Tropicono Hotel and Country
Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Con-
tact Conference Managemen t Cor-
poration, 17 Washington Street, P.O.
Box 4990, Norwalk, Connecticut
06856. Telephone: (203) 852-
0500. Telex 284997.
March 7-9
American Coin Machine Expo,
Downtown Expocenter, Chicago, Ill.
Sponsored by the American Amuse-
ment Machine Association and Ptay
Meter magazine. Contact W.T.
Glasgow at (312) 333-9292.
March 14-16
South Caroline Coin Operators Asso-
ciation annual convention and trade
show, The Carolina Inn, 937
Assembly St., Columbia South
Carolina. Contact Helen G. Sikes,
(803) 254-4444.
Glenn Braswell
AA.MA executive
director resigns
In a surprise announcem ent Glenn
Braswell, for the past three years
executive director of the American
Amusement Machine Association, has
resignetl as of March 1.
Braswell has accepted a better-
paying position with the national asso-
ciation of manufacture rs and suppliers
of flexible packages used for indus-
trial purposes in the consumer market.
Though Braswell will begin his
duties at the flexible-pac kaging asso-
ciation soon, he assured the AAMA
that he would see the ACME show
through to its conclusion and would be
available should there be a continuing
transition past March 1.
AAMA board member Paul Moria-
rity said, "Glenn has been a valuable
asset to this association, and I am sorry
to see him leave. Unfortunatel y, I can
certainly understand why he accepted
the extremely generous offer.'
AAMA board members met on
January 28 to discuss future plans and
agreed to start searching for a new
executive director.
•
March 21-23
Western Convention -Exhibit of
Vending and Foodservice Manage-
ment, Anaheim Convention, Center,
Anaheim, Calif. Organized by the
Notional Automatic Merchandising
Association(NAMA). Contact Walter
W. Reed at (312) 346-0370. 3,000
registrants ore expected.
Aprll 11-13
New York State Coin Machine Associ-
ation Trade Show, Turf Inn, Albany,
New York. Contact Gina Vichiconti or
Curtiss Matterson, NYSCMA Head-
quarters, c/o Matterson Associates,
427 Kenwood Ave., Delmar, NY
12054, telephone (518) 439-0981.
Aprll 26
Amusement and Music Operators of
Texas (AMOT) 6th Annual Texas
State Eight Ball Pool Tournament,
Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas. Contact
Pot Miller, (512) 454-8625. Direct all
inquiries to 940 E. 51st St., Austin, TX
78751.
May 16-18
Wisconsin Amusement & Music
Operators Annual Convention and
Trade Show, Embassy Suites, Green
Bay. Contact WAMO at (414) 529-
4704.
May 29-Jun• 1
Florido Amusement/Vending Asso-
ciation (FAVA) Convention Trade-
show. Hyatt ·or1ando, Kissimmee,
Florida. Contact Norm Jensen at
(904) 878-3134.
9

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