Play Meter
Issue: 1979 January 15 - Vol 5 Num 1 - Page 9
Play Meter Show set
for New Orleans' Rivergate
PLAY METER Magazine will
definitely hold its own trade show
and seminar program for the coin -
operated amusement industry at the
Rivergate in New Orleans , Louisiana
in the spring of 1980, announced the
magazine's editor and publisher,
Ralph C . Lally [I.
The PLAY METER Conference
and Trade Show , will feature a series
of seminars to be held each day over
the three -day period . The seminar
series reportedly will include a wide
range of operator-oriented topics
covering all phases of the business ,
with panel discussions , workshops ,
lectures and question -and -answer
sessions on a multitude of topics of
interest to operators .
"The show ," said Lally , " will be
designed to give the operator a host
of information to bring back with
him , rather than just a handful of
brochures .
[n last year's March issue (page
15) , PLAY METER announced that
it was investigating the possibility of
holding such an operator-oriented
show . And Lally said the final
decision to go ahead with the
exposition and conference was based
upon very strong positive responses
on two samplings ·of the industry .
The first sampling , which was
conducted in conjunction with PLAY
METER's annual operator survey,
queried operators about what topics
they would like to see covered , and
whether they would attend such a
show . Operator response was over
seventy percent in favor of attending
the show . Notably , PLAY METER
was inundated with suggestions as to
seminar topics . Additionally , opera-
tors were asked , if a technical
seminar program were provided ,
would they also take their technicians
with them to the show . More than
half of those responding said they
would also take their technicians .
Then , in its second sampling ,
PLAY METER queried prospective
exhibitors in its annual directory
questionnaire and received a 64
percent favorable response from
them , and another 22 percent said
they were undecided as to whether
or not thev would exhibit.
Said Lally , "We are extremely
pleased at the response we have
received from all segments of the
industry about our plans to run an
operator-oriented show . Obviously
many other people in the industry
feel as we do that there is a strong
need for such a show and program .
''Toward that goal, " he continued,
"We would like to encourage
manufacturers , distributors , and ope-
rators , and everyone else associated
with the industry to make any
suggestions as to what they feel
would help make this exposition and
conference even more meaningful.
"For our part ," he said , "We are
already beginning to organize the
best show we know how . We want to
make this the best program the
industry has to offer. There's a lot of
untapped knowledge out there , and
we hope to tap it and bring it out in
the open ."
The Rivergate , the future site for
the PLAY METER Show, was also
the site for the 1977 I.A .A.P .A. ·
Show and for the upcoming Parks
Show as well. PLAY METER plans
to hold the show in a different city
each year to cover as wide a
geographical spread as possible.
thereby exposing it to as many
operators as possible .
Basketball-
video game link?
Most people would argue that
basketball is a skill game , right? Well ,
what about pinball and video games?
An article which appeared recently
in the New Orleans States Item
quoted NBA all-star forward Leon -
ard "Truck" Robinson as saying that
coin -operated amusement games
have helped him develop his basket-
ball talents .
Robinson , who last year led the
National Basketball Association's re -
bounds and minutes played , told the
States Item reporter that he would
rather spend his layovers at airports
in the arcades than at the snack bar
hecause it sharpens his reflexes .
" Believe me, " he was quoted as
saying , "the eye -hand coordination [
develop from playing the machines
helps to improve my game . [n high
school it helped me with my
shooting . It's an instinctive thing ."
"The eye contact in picking up
missles that come across the screen
may be compared to shooting a
sixteen-footer instinctively ," said
Robinson.
PLAY METER , January, 1979
Playboy bunnies test their pinball skill on Bally 's new Playboy machine at
the A. M. O. A. Show in Chicago . Playboy bunnies will again be on hand at
the A. T.E . Show at the Alexandra Palace in London , England later this
month .
9
for New Orleans' Rivergate
PLAY METER Magazine will
definitely hold its own trade show
and seminar program for the coin -
operated amusement industry at the
Rivergate in New Orleans , Louisiana
in the spring of 1980, announced the
magazine's editor and publisher,
Ralph C . Lally [I.
The PLAY METER Conference
and Trade Show , will feature a series
of seminars to be held each day over
the three -day period . The seminar
series reportedly will include a wide
range of operator-oriented topics
covering all phases of the business ,
with panel discussions , workshops ,
lectures and question -and -answer
sessions on a multitude of topics of
interest to operators .
"The show ," said Lally , " will be
designed to give the operator a host
of information to bring back with
him , rather than just a handful of
brochures .
[n last year's March issue (page
15) , PLAY METER announced that
it was investigating the possibility of
holding such an operator-oriented
show . And Lally said the final
decision to go ahead with the
exposition and conference was based
upon very strong positive responses
on two samplings ·of the industry .
The first sampling , which was
conducted in conjunction with PLAY
METER's annual operator survey,
queried operators about what topics
they would like to see covered , and
whether they would attend such a
show . Operator response was over
seventy percent in favor of attending
the show . Notably , PLAY METER
was inundated with suggestions as to
seminar topics . Additionally , opera-
tors were asked , if a technical
seminar program were provided ,
would they also take their technicians
with them to the show . More than
half of those responding said they
would also take their technicians .
Then , in its second sampling ,
PLAY METER queried prospective
exhibitors in its annual directory
questionnaire and received a 64
percent favorable response from
them , and another 22 percent said
they were undecided as to whether
or not thev would exhibit.
Said Lally , "We are extremely
pleased at the response we have
received from all segments of the
industry about our plans to run an
operator-oriented show . Obviously
many other people in the industry
feel as we do that there is a strong
need for such a show and program .
''Toward that goal, " he continued,
"We would like to encourage
manufacturers , distributors , and ope-
rators , and everyone else associated
with the industry to make any
suggestions as to what they feel
would help make this exposition and
conference even more meaningful.
"For our part ," he said , "We are
already beginning to organize the
best show we know how . We want to
make this the best program the
industry has to offer. There's a lot of
untapped knowledge out there , and
we hope to tap it and bring it out in
the open ."
The Rivergate , the future site for
the PLAY METER Show, was also
the site for the 1977 I.A .A.P .A. ·
Show and for the upcoming Parks
Show as well. PLAY METER plans
to hold the show in a different city
each year to cover as wide a
geographical spread as possible.
thereby exposing it to as many
operators as possible .
Basketball-
video game link?
Most people would argue that
basketball is a skill game , right? Well ,
what about pinball and video games?
An article which appeared recently
in the New Orleans States Item
quoted NBA all-star forward Leon -
ard "Truck" Robinson as saying that
coin -operated amusement games
have helped him develop his basket-
ball talents .
Robinson , who last year led the
National Basketball Association's re -
bounds and minutes played , told the
States Item reporter that he would
rather spend his layovers at airports
in the arcades than at the snack bar
hecause it sharpens his reflexes .
" Believe me, " he was quoted as
saying , "the eye -hand coordination [
develop from playing the machines
helps to improve my game . [n high
school it helped me with my
shooting . It's an instinctive thing ."
"The eye contact in picking up
missles that come across the screen
may be compared to shooting a
sixteen-footer instinctively ," said
Robinson.
PLAY METER , January, 1979
Playboy bunnies test their pinball skill on Bally 's new Playboy machine at
the A. M. O. A. Show in Chicago . Playboy bunnies will again be on hand at
the A. T.E . Show at the Alexandra Palace in London , England later this
month .
9
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).