From: RePlay Magazine

 

dial phone artDear Statistics & Information Seeker:

 

As you may imagine, we at RePlay Magazine are constantly bombarded with requests for statistics like those indicated above.

Regrettably, few statistics are available. Unlike many other industries, this one does not face any legal requirement for manufacturers to supply sales information to some federal government body. Nor do most members of this industry's manufacturing, distribution or retail structures support a tradition of voluntarily supplying sales or earnings information to some industry-run clearinghouse, such as one of the existing national trade associations.

Most manufacturers, distributors and operators of coin-operated amusement equipment guard their sales and earnings figures carefully, in order to avoid giving aid to competitors and to discourage civic officials from regarding their earnings as suitable targets for increased taxes.

 

AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY EARNINGS FIGURES

The best source that we know of for general industry statistics is the annual "Census of the Industry" issue, published by Vending Times magazine. It contains a breakdown of estimated annual dollar volume (earnings) for the whole industry, as well as estimated yearly earnings on location nationwide for various classes of equipment such as video, pinball, darts, pool, jukeboxes, etc. While the Vending Times staff does not claim their Census presents 100% scientific accuracy, the general feeling in the industry is that Vending Times' figures are roughly, reasonably in the ballpark.

You can contact Vending Times for a copy at 1375 Broadway, New York, NY 10018. Phone is 212/302-4700, fax is 212/221-3331.

 

ARCADE INDUSTRY STATISICS

For statistics about the arcade/FEC industry, we advise you to contact the International Assn. for the Leisure & Entertainment Industry (IALEI). They constantly poll their membership and also publish annual surveys. Their executive director, Carole Sjolander, may be reached at this email address: info@iafec.org or by mail or phone at: International Assn. for the Leisure & Entertainment Industry, c/o Executive Director Carole Sjolander, New Hampshire Office, 33 Henniker St., Hillsboro, NH 03244. Combination phone/fax: 603/464-6498. Fax only: 603-464-6497. Their website is http://www.iafec.org.

RePlay Magazine also has its Ultimate FEC Checklist on-line...this useful feature article, which appeared in our September 1997 issue, is a compilation of great ideas pulled from dozens of essays, opinion columns and interviews with and by industry experts on the subjects of FEC and LBE planning, management and philosophy from our 1994, 1995 & 1996 issues.

 

OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES

While the following sources may have few or no statistics, they may be able to provide some other types of information that you need.

AAMA, the American Amusement Machine Assn.
(trade association; annual Amusement Showcase International (ASI); contact William T. Glasgow, Inc. for further information about the show at 708/226-1300)
847/290-9088 (fax -9121)
website: http://www.coin-op.org
 
AMOA, the American Amusement & Music Operators Assn.
(trade association; annual AMOA trade show and convention; for show information call their regular phone numbers; you can also contact AMOA -- or check RePlay's annual Directory issue -- for individual state organizations)
800/YES-AMOA (937-2662) or 847/290-5320; fax 847-290-0409
email address: jack@amoa.com
internet site: http://www.amoa.com
 
AMOC, the Amusement Machine Operators of Canada
(Canadian trade group; contact them for detailed information on individual trade associations within Canadian provinces)
c/o Howison Amusements Ltd.
613/822-6808; fax: 613-822-2721
email: howison@howison-pool.com
 
AMERICAN GAMING ASSOCIATION
(for information about gambling devices)
Washington, D.C.
202/637-6502
internet site: http://www.americangaming.org
 
BILLIARD CONGRESS OF AMERICA
(billiard industry trade organization; for information on their annual tradeshow, contatct William T. Glasgow, Inc. at 708/326-1300)
719/264-8300; fax: 719-264-0900
email: bca@netins.net
website: http://www.bca-pool.com
 
DRA PRICE GUIDE
(a new and used equipment price guide)
Terry Bush, Publisher
954/423-4000; fax: 954-423-4005
email: drapg@earthlink.net
 
4th WAVE, INC.
(former defense industry analysis firm has its sights on the high-tech & amusement industries, providing in-depth surveys, studies & forecasts)
Dr. John Latta -- 703/360-4800; fax: -2311
Alexandria, VA
email: wave@fourthwave.com
website: http://www.fourthwave.com
 
IAAPA, International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions
(trade association; organizers of the annual "Parks Show" -- information can be obtained by contacting the association's regular phone/fax numbers)
703/836-4800; fax: 703-836-4801
website: http://www.iaapa.org
 
IDSA,International Digital Software Association
(trade association for the interactive entertainment software industry)
202-833-4372; fax: 202-833-4431
email: idsa@idsa.com
internet: http://www.idsa.com
 
IALEI, International Association for the Leisure & Entertainment Industry
(formerly IAFEC; trade association dedicated to the successful operation & management of family entertainment & recreation centers)
603/464-6498; fax: 603-464-6497
email: info@iafec.org
website: http://www.iafec.org
 
INTERNATIONAL RECREATIONAL GO-KART ASSN.
(trade association for the go-kart business; they generally hold their annual membership meeting during the IAAPA "Parks Show")
210/824-1923; fax: 210-824-5186
email: shmr@swbell.net
website: http://www.irga.org
 
JUKEBOX COLLECTOR
(fun and informative magazine for collectors & fans of jukeboxes with lots of ads for whole machines, parts, records and memorabilia)
Rick Botts, publisher
515/265-8324; fax -1980
 
JUKEBOX LICENSE OFFICE
(can supply information on the number of jukeboxes in America which pay copyright license fees)
1700 Hayes St., Suite 201, Nashville, TN 37203-3014
615/320-4000 or 800/955-JUKE (5853); fax: 615-320-4004
email: jukebox@edge.net
 
MINIATURE GOLF ASSOCIATION U.S.
(trade association; general membership meeting generally held during Leisure Expo)
phone/fax: 210-824-7011
email: shmr@swbell.net
website: http://www.mgaus.org
 
NAMA, National Automatic Merchandising Association
(trade association; national and regional conventions -- contact the association at their regular phone numbers for additional information)
312/346-0370; fax: 312/704-4140
website: http://www.vending.org
 
NATIONAL LICENSED BEVERAGE ASSN.
(trade association for all licensed beverage establishments)
703/751-9730 or 800/441-9894
 
NATIONAL KIDDIE RIDES ASSN.
(kiddie ride association that also provides coin-operated liability insurance)
573/636-3564 or 800/677-6572; fax: 573-636-8525
 

Promotional Organizations

The following groups may have information pertaining to their particular specialty.

AMOA NATIONAL DART ASSN.
(not-for-profit organization for coin-op, soft-tip dart leagues)
317/387-1299 or 800/808-9884; fax: 317-387-0999
email: director@ndadarts.com
website: www.ndadarts.com
 
AMERICAN POOLPLAYERS ASSN, INC.
(runs amateur pool leagues in the U.S. & Canada; tourneys & events)
314/625-8611 or 800/3-RACK-EM; fax: 314-625-2975
website: http://www.poolplayers.com

NATIONAL AMATEUR SHUFFLEBOARD LEAGUE & SHUFFLEBOARD FEDERATION
(operator league; support materials)
248/380-9300 or 800/380-3033; fax: 248-380-9305
email: info@shuffleboardfederation.com
website: www.shuffleboardfederation.com
 
NORTH AMERICAN TABLE SOCCER ASSOCIATION
(players' association)
website: http://www.natsa.org
 
PINBALL EXPO/FLIP-OUT PINBALL TOURNAMENT
(organizers of a four-day pinball event with tournament)
330/369-1192 or 800/323-FLIP (3547); fax: 330-369-6279
email: brkpinball@aol.com
 
PROFESSIONAL & AMATEUR PINBALL ASSN.
(PAPA pinball tournament; amusement game promotion)
908/754-0934; fax: 908-668-0404
email: epstein4@aol.com
website: http://www.papa.org
 
TWIN GALAXIES INTERGALACTIC SCOREBOARD
(promotions, contests and public relations for the coin-op games business)
email: info@twingalaxies.com
website: www.twingalaxies.com
 
US AIR-TABLE HOCKEY ASSN.
(air hockey tournaments, leagues, promotions and events)
303/444-9164
email: tableman@sprynet.com
website: http://www.airtablehockey.com
 
VNEA (VALLEY NATIONAL 8-BALL LEAGUE ASSN. ),
VIFA (VALLEY INTERNATIONAL FOOSBALL ASSN.), and the
USTSA (U.S. TABLE SOCCER ASSN.)
email: info@vnea.com
websire: http://www.vnea.com

 

Other coin-op/FEC/LBE amusement organizations and companies can be found at our Link Up page...From it, you have a choice of looking through the sites in alphabetical order or by category. In addition, many U.S. states (and Canadian provinces) have their own trade groups

Thank you for your interest, and good luck.

To send email to RePlay Magazine, editor@replaymag.com

Write or call RePlay Magazine at:
P.O. Box 7004, Tarzana, CA 91357
(shipping address is 18757 Burbank Blvd. #105 Tarzana, CA 91356)
Phone: 818/776-2880; Fax: 818-776-2888

© All contents of this page and the entire RePlay Magazine website at http://www.replaymag.com & http://www.replaymagazine.com Copyright 2003 RePlay Magazine. All rights reserved.

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