I’m hosting my first tournament tonight, and while putting together my pre-tournament announcements, I thought it would be nice to finish with a phrase to start the event. Other competitions have one:
Baseball — “Play ball!”
Boxing — “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
Motor sports — “Drivers, start your engines!”
Poker — “Shuffle up and deal!”
Is there something like this already used for pinball? And if not, are there any suggestions?
“If you play out of turn, you’re DQ’d!”
In Portland this has always been “Good luck and have fun!”
“Please own your drains.”
“Last call for beer!”
For the last few years, in our league and tournaments at Free Gold Watch in SF, we modify the boxing call-out into “Let’s get ready for Pinbaaaaall!” (complete with announcer’s bell).
Always gets the crowd stirred up. 
… Aaaand I just ensured I need to book City Champ.
“Has anyone seen Franck Bona . . . we’d like to get started”
…and Kevin Martin quietly pushing the start button four times.
Andrei’s dad once sang the national anthem before an event there. That was friggin awesome. Dude has an amazing voice. He did change one line:
… ♫ and the home of Free Gold Watch ♪
It may have been the home of SFPD, but you get the idea.
Or, at Rhodes’s locations, “Good luck, don’t suck!”
Let’s flip the fuck out!
Not 100% on topic, but at the Add A Ball 4/20 tournament things traditionally kick off with a ceremonial shattering of a playfield glass. Apparently they accidentally broke one the first and second year and just decided to make it on purpose after that. It doesn’t actually kick off the tournament anymore though, it happens at 4:20. The tournament started earlier and earlier as time went on and more people wanted to play.
I have a speaker system setup throughout the house and outside. I start blasting the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack opening song and everyone knows the time has come.
Don’t flup. FLIP!
Good choice! Ive always thought this would work too.
In the boxing rumble style voice:
Welcome flipper freaks and pinheads, it’s time to take the plunge!
At the start of a game I always say to my opponent
"Good luck - ish"
Gentlemen, it can only be “Play better”.
