After posting the Rob Berk interview yesterday, This Week in Pinball learned more about the situation surrounding Pinball Expo. And it is…a bit of a mess that can hopefully be worked out. Here are a few basics:
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On Thursday, This Week in Pinball posted the following mini-interview with Rob Berk:
Rob Berk: Yes, basically I’ve left my partner Mike Pacak and decided to do a show on my own which I’m calling Pinball Palooza. And it is going to be in Schaumburg, Illinois, and the dates will be September 12th-15th. And it will be basically the same idea, the same format as we’ve had with Pinball Expo – only a whole lot more.
RB: Thats a question even I don’t know. In discussing with our attorneys, it is unclear exactly who owns Pinball Expo at this point in time. So for the sake of moving forward and getting the momentum going, I’ve changed the name to Pinball Palooza, at least at this time. I guess eventually, whatever comes to be will pass and things will get worked out.
RB: I believe it is a difference in opinions on several different ideas about how the show should be run. At the end of the day, it just needed a change. Needed a new venue. It needed some more exciting aspects to it. It was time for a change, and I decided this was the time to do it.
RB: If I’m not mistaken, 32 or 33 years. I don’t know if you know the history, but the whole idea, the whole show was something I came up with in 1984. I had this vision of having a show where I could honor my heroes, which were the pinball designers and the artists. That was the idea behind even doing Pinball Expo. So after the first year, in my mind I was done. I had honored all these great designers. And after the show was over, maybe six months people started approaching me saying “when is the next show?” And I said there is no next show. But they said “this show was too much fun, you gotta keep it going!” and that is how it has continued to this day.
RB: In my mind yes.
RB: The main thing is – the exhibit space will be more than double the size of the existing Expo. That is something I always thought it needed. It’ll be larger and more spacious and just everything about it is a plus. It will be nothing but a good experience for people to come to the show.
RB: Not every one of them, but most of them. And they’re all on board. And they’re here to support me, and that’s a good thing.
RB: I was told directly by Spooky that if I do a show, he would be there to support me. So I think he’s coming back. Spooky as well as many others that have quit coming to the show for whatever reason. So it would be a lot of positive energy there, that is what I’m looking for. I want people to leave with a great experience – not a good experience, but a great experience – and say “man, this was fun. The whole show was fun from the beginning to the very end.” That is my whole focus.
RB: Massive. Because Chicago is the home of pinball. And I think big. I think at the end of the day, I just want people to have a great experience, and a fun experience, and a memorable experience. And I’ll do everything I can to make that happen. Pack your bags now, and get ready to rock!
Then yesterday afternoon, This Week in Pinball spoke to Mike Pacak, who shared the following:
Mike Pacak: I am still trying to work things out with Mr. Berk on the ownership of Pinball Expo in general. It makes no sense to have two shows, but at this point I have no choice but to put on a show at the Westin at the dates posted. That is pretty well it. I am willing to try to work this out, but attorneys are involved. I’m not wishing anybody any harm.
MP: Well I can’t use the word Expo exactly at this point. A pinball show will go on as planned – he had actually used the term “replacing Pinball Expo” which is a little questionable. A show will go on as planned instead of Pinball Expo at the Westin on the dates advertised that will be exactly like Expo basically.
MP: JJP I talked to because I’m good friends with them. I’m waiting to hear back from Stern. I’ve heard from Stern before that “we will support a show which is at the same dates as Expo”. But I can’t answer the Stern question yet, in an hour or so I could. I don’t know – are they going to do two tours or one tour? I’ve actually talked to American Pinball about touring them. I mean they’re small at this point, but that is a possibility.
MP: Jersey Jack at this point said he’ll be at my show. Whether he’ll be at both shows, he didn’t really say. But he will be at my show. But we’re still back to – distributors that distribute games can do what they want to do. JJP has several distributors. I was at the Louisville Pinball Arcade, and down there Flip N Out pinball was representing Stern and JJP and American Pinball. I was hoping to get this ironed so there could be a mutual announcement, but he chose not to do that.
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