Play Meter

FROM THE THE EDITOR EDITOR----------FROM ., ; .;:- Hungry hounds hounds will will J\1'': ., ~· ' Hungry eat anyt anything! eat hing! \~· : . havespent spentmany manyhours hourswith withmy mycalculator calculatorthis this I Ihave month compiling numbers and percentages for this month compiling numbers and percentages for this of the industry report. It's fascinating and state state of the industry report. It's fascinating and frustratingto toextract extractaverages averagesand andtrends, trends,hoping hopingto to frustrating findpositive positiveprogression, progression,but butsometimes sometimesdiscovering discovering find negative niches. negative niches. time-consumingwork worktotopresent present Afterthe thehours hoursofoftime-consuming After of itself, it's especialto the coin-op industry an image to the coin-op industry an image of itself, it's especialdisappointingwhen whenthe thereport reportisisused usedagainst againstthe theininlylydisappointing dustry. When we report industry totals, it's gross coldustry. When we report industry totals, it's gross coltheindustry industryknows knowsreprereprelections ,which whicheveryone everyoneininthe lections, 50 percent of what operators actualsent only about sent only about 50 percent of what operators actualclaimasastheir theirown. own.That Thatshare sharethen thenmust mustpay payfor for lylyclaim escalating-priced games, overhead, vehicles, and escalating-priced games, overhead, vehicles, and justtotoname nameaafew. few. salaries,just salaries, is doing prettywell wellasasthe thefigures figureswill will The business The business is doing pretty attest, but the numbers do not paint a picture of an inattest, but the numbers do not paint a picture of an industry that is so well off that it can afford to pour dustry that is so well off that it can afford to pour money into depressed city and state budgets. In fact, money into depressed city and state budgets. In fact, the numbers represent an industry that has struggled the numbers represent an industry that has struggled recoverfrom fromaadevastating devastatingblow blowseveral severalyears yearsago. ago. totorecover No one deserves to be punished just because they have No one deserves to be punished just because they have finally reached a point where they are making an adefinally reached a point where they are making an adequate living. quate living. Anarticle articleininNewsweek NewsweekMagazine, Magazine ,written writtenby byan an An obvious game player covering the AMOA show, was obvious game player covering the AMOA show, was enthusiasm ,but butperhaps perhapsaabit bitdeceiving deceivingto to explicitininenthusiasm, explicit the general public . The article was positive for the inthe general public. The article was positive for the industry,but butprivate privateindustry industryfigures figureswere werequoted quotedout out dustry, of context. of context. Thereporter, reporter,Bill BillBarol, Baro!,quoted quoted$7 $7billion billionas asan anininThe dustry total (this is the figure from AMOA, which dustry total (this is the figure from AMOA, which doesinclude includecigarette cigarettevending vendingmachines, machines,whereas whereasour our does total does not include that number), not explaining total does not include that number), not explaining emwhatthat thatnumber numbermeant. meant.He Heeven evenwent wentsosofar farasastotoemwhat phasize that it was up a billion dollars from the phasize that it was up a billion dollars from the previous year. Unfortunately, we have all seen what previous year. Unfortunately, we have all seen what lawmakers cando do with with so solittle littleinformation. information. Up Upaa lawmakers can billiondollars dollarswill willfuse fuseitself itselfinto intothe theminds mindsofofgoverngovernbillion ment Rambos eager to attack assailant budgets with ment Rambos eager to attack assailant budgets with newmonetary monetaryweapons weaponsseized seizedfrom fromlucrative lucrativesources. sources. new 6 PLAY METER 1989 DIR ECTORY 6 PLAY METER 1989 DIRECTORY --Js~l\.:J. ~1 Butthe thecoin-op coin-opindustry industrysimple simplecannot cannotafford affordto to But singlehandedly rescue cities and states from governsinglehandedly rescue cities and states from government gluttony. It so happens that some New York ment gluttony. It so happens that some New York operators are battling for their very existence against operators are battling for their very existence against of squeezing squeezing more more money money from from lawmakers' plans plans of lawmakers' them. Once those officials have feasted their eyes on them. Once those officials have feasted their eyes on industrytotals, totals,it's it'seven evenmore moredifficult difficulttotoexplain explainto to industry these governmental guerrillas that $7 billion does not these governmental guerrillas that $7 billion does not meanoperators operatorsare arerich richand andshould shouldbe beforced forcedto topart part mean with their wealth . Articles that quote personal with their wealth. Articles that quote personal numbersdon't don'tbenefit benefitthe theindustry. industry. numbers We don ' t need to throw numbers outlike likeT-Bones T-Bones We don't need to throw numbers out hungrydogs. dogs. The Theentire entirecountry countryisisininaagruesome gruesome totohungry financial crunch , and everyone who has any authorifinancial crunch, and everyone who has any authorilooking everywhere for more tax dollars tytytotododososoisislooking everywhere for more tax dollars to balance budgets ' ' Bloodfrom fromaaturnip" turnip''isisan anold old to balance budgets. ."Blood legislators clichethat thatcomes comestotomind mindwhen whenthinking thinkingofoflegislators cliche trying to balance budgets on the quarters from overtrying to balance budgets on the quarters from overworked, underpaid operators . worked, underpaid operators. theindustry industry Asyou youread readthrough throughthe thelatest lateststate stateofofthe As report, you'll see like I did the industry is healthy and report, you'll see like I did the industry is healthy and growing. However,the thenumbers numbersare arefrom fromSeptember September growing. However, 1987 through September 1988, and no one can say that 1987 through September 1988, and no one can say that things will be better next year. The industry could things will be better next year. The industry could havethe therug rugpulled pulledout outfrom fromunder underit,it,like likehas hashappenhappenhave ed before. ed before. Publicity and public relations are important to any Publicity and public relations are important to any industry. We want the public to know that we are ofindustry. We want the public to know that we are offering low-cost entertainment and fun everyone can fering low-cost entertainment and fun everyone can afford.We Wewant wantthe theworld worldtotoknow knowthat thatgames gamesare arefun fun afford. and exciting to play . We want to brag about new and exciting to play. We want to brag about new technology , thrilling games, the value for the money technology, thrilling games, the value for the money you get from playing coin-op games. We are seeking you get from playing coin-op games. We are seeking player awareness and a favorable image for an inplayer awareness and a favorable image for an industry too often besieged by detrimental and negative dustry too often besieged by detrimental and negative visions. visions. V~~ alerie Cogneauch Valerie Cognevich Valerie Cognevich Editor Editor