Ep 53: Chowder League
Martin and Jeff talk to Chuck Webster of the New England Pinball League as they discuss: – new IFPA changes to leagues. Good or bad? – operating games and location pinball – music pins – trophy disregards – Fathom 2.0 update and reveal – Weird Al stream and TPF play
Kineticist’s take
IFPA rule changes threaten multi-location leagues; NEPL faces structural overhaul despite success.
Synopsis
Chuck Webster, organizer of the New England Pinball League (NEPL), joins Jeff and Martin to discuss major rule changes from the IFPA affecting large multi-location leagues. IFPA now requires leagues with 50+ members that allow concurrent play at multiple locations to split into sub-leagues rather than report as one unified league. This threatens the NEPL's structure despite its 300-400 players and 20+ locations. The conversation covers league economics, WHOPPER points priorities among players, operator dynamics, pinball restoration projects, and music-themed machines.
Entities
- CPR· company
- Stern· company
- Pintastic· event
- Trash Talker Invitational· event
- AC/DC· game
- Beatles· game
- Kiss· game
- Led Zeppelin· game
- Metallica· game
- Rush· game
- Stern Rolling Stones· game
- Weird Al· game
- Final Round Pinball Podcast· organization
- IFPA· organization
- New England Pinball League· organization
- Pittsburgh Pinball League· organization
- Southern New Hampshire Pinball Club· organization
- Chuck Webster· person
- Derek· person
- Gabe· person
- Jeff Teolis· person
- Jim Swain· person
- Martin Robbins· person
- Mitch Curtis· person
- Wicked Piss of Pinball· venue