Sports Media Report
Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball machines, proudly announced today the Stern Pro Circuit. Teaming with both the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) and the Replay Foundation, the Stern Pro Circuit will be a 20 tournament event, resulting in the top 40 ranked players from the season competing in a last-man-standing championship final taking place in Chicago in spring 2019.
“Stern Pinball and the IFPA are both leaders in different aspects of the pinball industry, and the Replay Foundation is excited to collaborate with both of them,” said Mark Steinman, Director of Operations at the Replay Foundation. “The Stern Pro Circuit will help elevate competitive pinball to even greater heights, and we’re looking forward to the positive impact that it will have on the pinball community.”The Stern Pro Circuit will be comprised of the top 20 tournaments around the world based on their World Pinball Player Ranking (WPPR) point value. Competitive pinball players will participate in this circuit of tournaments, with all results during the season contributing to their final qualifying point total. At the end of the Stern Pro Circuit season, the top 40 ranked players will be invited to compete in the Stern Pro Circuit Final tournament in 2019.
“The IFPA is very excited to team with the Replay Foundation to create the first industry sponsored professional tour of events for competitive pinball,” said Josh Sharpe, President of the IFPA. “Getting the support from Stern Pinball and what the company brings to the table as the industry leader will help us take the sport of competitive pinball to the next level.”
The Stern Pro Circuit Final will be an invitation-only, no-entry-fee-required event with over $500,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs throughout the season. Machines used in the final championship tournament will be a mix of both classic and new Stern Pinball titles. When only 2 players remain, they will compete in a best two-games-out-of-three series to determine the Stern Pro Circuit Champion; the winner taking home the iconic Stern Pro Circuit Belt along with a brand new Stern Pinball machine.
“This Stern Pro Circuit is going to be unlike any previous tournament circuit,” said Gary Stern, Chairman and CEO of Stern Pinball. “With 40 of the world’s best pinball players all competing under one roof, this is going to be the biggest event in competitive pinball—a must-see event!”
For additional information on the Stern Pro Circuit visit: https://www.ifpapinball.com/circuit/overview/
