Play Meter

video screens as inexpensive means of
promoting products. Rowe is working
on this tie, and operators soon will
benefit from these efforts. Of course,
many more video jukes need to be out
there before advertising becomes an
important part of their operation.
Baily's Aladdin's Castles sees the
video juke as a steady $150-a-week
earner that will be around for years
and years. I agree. Operators should
realize that a video juke in a location
probably will earn three times more
than a regular jukebox. If the $48-a-
week national average for jukeboxes
is valid, then a video juke easily should
average $150 a week. It's up to the
operator to decide how to structure a
deal so he can be assured of making a
profit.
Conclusi ons
and recomme ndations
A video jukebox should be used to
an operator's advantage. It can secure
"cream" locations or open doors for
new kinds of locations like airports,
supervised coin-operate d laundries,
hotels, chain restaurants, and bus
stops. Here are a few tips.
1. Get the tape-rental cost up front
Q:
A:
or off the top. If you install additional
monitors and speakers make sure a
charge for that investment also is
taken off the top.
2. Ask for 60 percent to 70 percent
(and a minimum) of the gross reve-
nues. An operator should receive at
least $125 a week, his end, for a video
jukebox. It can be demonstrat ed
easily that this equipment helps
improve an establishmen t's business,
and this is the operator's way of being
paid for providing this service. Dinner
business has been increased eight
percent with the addition of a video
juke in my latest polling of restaurants.
Some taverns are using a video juke to
replace a disc jockey or live bands on
certain nights. Get used to the idea
that the 50-50 days will shortly be a
thing of the past as the prices of equip-
ment and services rise out of sight.
3. If you can rotate different kinds
of tapes or get an extra week between
tape shipments, try to change the
tapes every two weeks. Once a month
just doesn't seem to be enough.
4. Use the video juke to attract
customers who don't play your video
games. There is little sense in getting a
video juke if it only makes money at
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WHEN YOU DEAL WITH
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124
l!JffiO
the expense of your video games in a
location. When I put a video juke in a
gameroom that has all brand-new
videos and pins, it doesn't create the
same splash as when the video juke is
put into a location that doesn't have all
the latest games.
5. If you go with a Rowe model,
remember that updating the records is
50 percent of your priority.
6. Be creative in making your deal.
I am working out a lease-purcha se
arrangemen t with large chains that will
satisfy both my goals and the loca-
tion's. I just heard that a large restau-
rant chain signed a 24-month agree-
ment to pay $150 a month to an opera-
tor for video jukes set on free play.
This is a good deal for both parties.
Thanks to Rowe lnternational's
Joel Friedman, Jerry Gordon, Mike
Reinert (director of video operations),
and Gil King (president) and John
Nelson of Nelson/ Aved for the time
they have spent with me and the staff
of Alpha-Omega Amusement s.
For further information I can be
reached at Alpha-Ome ga Amuse-
ments, 6 Sutton Place, Edison, NJ
08837 (201)287-4990. As always, keep
cranking.
•
.
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PlA Y METER, April 1. 1986