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Episode 279: Kim Martinez

PodcastAnalysis updated 2d ago31 min listen
From the creator

As a member of the IFPA Women's Advisory Board, Kim takes her vast experience in Ohio and shares her vision for better pinball for everyone.

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Highlights

  • The first Women's Royal Rumble at Cleapin featured 16 women competing in a ladder match for a WWE-style belt, with sponsorship from Stern, Jersey Jack, American Pinball, and various podcasts.
  • Level One Barn Arcade's league had approximately 70 players meeting weekly on Mondays before COVID-19 shutdowns.
  • A new Stern pinball machine costs upwards of $5,000; used machines cost at least $1,200-$1,300.
  • Kim Martinez believes socioeconomic barriers and lack of media representation are the primary obstacles to diversifying competitive pinball.
  • Carlos de la Cerda (Twitch: Lazer_Los) from Columbus performed a 900 million point 'death blow' on Iron Maiden and could rank in the top 50 globally if not for travel costs and economic barriers.
  • Kim Martinez was asked to participate in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-related project (filmed early August) specifically for representation purposes, but details were embargoed.
  • The IFPA Women's Advisory Board is working on initiatives addressing TD training, financial accessibility, and cultural dimensions of identity in tournament organizing.
  • Ohio has an exceptionally strong female pinball player base including Megan Brown, Amy Kesting, Holly Koskinen, Brie Reynolds, Deborah Tallman, and Jen Rupert.

Notable quotes

“I think the landscape cannot change unless you actually have people in charge that are the change that you're willing to seek out.”
Kim Martinez
“I have no doubt that the best pinball player in the world hasn't played pinball yet.”
Jeff Teolis
“There's a lot of socioeconomic barriers when it comes to pinball. It is a hobby that is not cheap. It's not accessible.”
Kim Martinez
“What tends to happen is an echo chamber...There's not really one person that has been allowed to kind of breach that circle and say, have you tried this, though?”
Kim Martinez
“The camaraderie is just off the charts between the competitors in these women's events.”
Jeff Teolis
“This is something that is very truthful with a lot of people, myself included. You become complacent in the world that you're living in...There wasn't that [distraction]. So all there was was just this glaring example of something that is very, very wrong.”
Kim Martinez

Entities

  • American Pinball· company
  • Jersey Jack Pinball· company
  • Stern Pinball· company
  • TNT Amusements· company
  • Cleapin (Cleveland Pinball & Arcade Show)· event
  • Tiny Tim Tournament Series· event
  • Women's Royal Rumble· event
  • Backbox Pinball Podcast· organization
  • Bells and Chimes· organization
  • IFPA Women's Advisory Board· organization
  • Level One Barn Arcade· organization
  • Amy Kesting· person
  • Brie Reynolds· person
  • Carlos de la Cerda (Lazer_Los)· person
  • Deborah Tallman· person
  • Holly Koskinen· person
  • Jeff Teolis· person
  • Jen Rupert· person
  • John Geiger· person
  • Kim Martinez· person
  • Megan Brown· person
  • Avengers Infinity Quest· product
  • Jurassic Park (Stern)· product
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Stern)· product

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