Wait list is filling up!
The good news is that Pin-Masters weekend is more than 30 days after NACS Day . . . so anyone that’s willing to “work” with Tim Arnold can put together an event that weekend at PHOF as a backup plan for those that missed out on Pin-Masters registration 
Enjoy the last year of the $100 entry fee . . . supply and demand dictates that we’re either going $150 or $200 next year.
So you want money to be what decides who plays? What’s wrong with expanding the field to 144 players and lowering the cost to $75? It’d still be a larger prize pot than now. Or just expand the field to 108 and leave the fee where it is now. Go for $300 and have only the top 25 types and people with lots of cash come to play? At some point, you’ll drive away the “average” players who know they’ll probably be “donating” but are willing to pay a modest entry fee for the experience.
From what I know of the logistics, I don’t think the Supply side of the equation can be increased to that level.
Pretty much what Colin says. Expanding the field to 144 players or 108 players is a ton of work on my staff and our hosts. My crew has been very good at not biting off more than we can chew in all the events we’ve organized over the past decade+. Tournaments in the 60-80 player range is about as much as we’re willing to handle.
We’re not opposed to driving away “average” players when the price of poker gets too hot for them. I think the Pin-Masters Satellite tour has been a great way for “average” players to get the Pin-Masters experience closer to home. I’m perfectly fine for Pin-Masters to be 40 players at $200 each if that’s where it ends up heading.
Kudos to those organizers that are willing to try and expand participant fields indefinitely while keeping the price to play more manageable. That’s just not in the cards for us . . . ESPECIALLY with baby #3 on the way for me 
With Pinmasters being full, it’s unlikely I’d make the trip for Nationals if I manage to win states. I just can’t do any more of these trips where it’s possible to have a few bad games and it’s over. I don’t have a better suggestion or anything, but I’ve just realized those types of destination events aren’t for me.
Interesting direction. I have no issue with one high stakes PinMaster tournament if that is what you are going for then put it up to $500 a person and lets play for some real cash.
that’s understandable, the same way Circuit finals came up with another “side” event to not make it a “one trip pony” Pinmasters was always the 2nd event for Nationals/Womens.
What about opening Pinmasters sign up after States are completed and give equal opportunity to national finalist?
If that’s the direction the supply/demand takes it, then I’m fine with it. I don’t see any reason to jump directly to that level. However, if you’re interested in any sidepot action at the $500 level for next Pin-Masters I’m sure there would be quite a few takers.
One year I believe one of the locals played Zach in a group and wanted to play for $10 per stroke difference between their scores for the round. When in Vegas . . .
I find that most players prefer to book their travel outside of 8 weeks before the event.
This hasn’t been an issue when we weren’t even filling up Pin-Masters including those Nationals players. Last year was the first time we ever hit capacity after 5 years, and it wasn’t until right before the event itself that we hit it.
Clearly interest in the event has increased. Holding those players that are genuinely interested in competing in the event hostage until the 8 week point, just to have those players now have to race to register Pinburgh style against ~55 NACS winners doesn’t make much sense to me.
I used to think that Pin-Masters needed the NACS to survive . . . but that’s clearly not the case anymore. If NACS needs Pin-Masters to survive, we’ll find that out once we see how many States and Provinces end up being represented.
I was serious about someone stepping up to run another event out there at the PHOF. You could do a separate tournament each day and certainly give the players traveling in for NACS and Women’s an outlet for some additional competitive opportunities. I’m sure you would probably get some of the Pin-Masters players to join in and play as well.
I think the PHOF is a fun place to visit and I love playing the EMs there, but competing there again doesn’t really sweeten the deal for me.
I would tend to agree, it feels like they focus more on bringing pinball experience to the public. Are there other pinball joints in Vegas?
I’m checking with the Nevada State Rep to see if there any locations that would work well for some tournament action.
I’m confused. What thread did I stumble into?
Heard from the Nevada State Rep. There’s another joint that has 7 or 8 games in good condition that would be interested in even adding more games for events to be run that weekend.
http://goodtimezbilliardsvegas.com/index.html
(apologies for the continued hijack of this thread) 
Started a new thread for this topic.