Episode 322: Tobias Wagemann
As he gets ready for another big event this weekend (November Rain at Bulls & Balls in Fulda, Germany), the IFPA country director explains how he helped grow pinball competitions and perhaps...
Highlights
- The Whopper tournaments in Fulda attract elite international players and are comparable in field strength to World Championships
- Tournament registration sells out in 30 seconds and now has a waiting list
- Tobias runs 8-9 different tournament formats across 3.5-4.5 days, earning full TGP tournaments twice daily
- The tournament costs €100 for three and a half days including food and multiple tournament entries
- IFPA18 World Championship is scheduled for 2023 in Germany and will include EPC a week earlier with potential for 300+ players
- Tobias transitioned from frequent international tournament travel to local tournament organization after his first daughter was born four years ago
- Top-100 IFPA rankings mean little as indicator of skill; they primarily reflect tournament attendance frequency, not absolute playing ability
- Kim and Margit are the technical staff maintaining machines at the tournament and are described as exceptional
Notable quotes
“I was doing this interview anyway with you. I don't think you even know this. I had six people this weekend. You've got to do a pinball profile with Tobias.”
“this tournament sells out in 30 seconds... The positivity of that is that's how successful this is.”
“This weekend is like if Josh Sharp ran the Power 100 eight times in four days.”
“10 years ago I bought my first pinball machine... And now I'm organizing the biggest tournaments in Europe.”
“I think the atmosphere is a bit more stressless if you don't play for money. And I think it's a better solution.”
“I have a very wonderful wife... if you can hear it now was pregnant I said, ok, I have to reduce that, it's not possible to go every second or third weekend on the tournament”
“You're the puppet master. That's what you are. Or Dr. Frankenstein. I haven't determined which one.”
“When you look in the top 100 And you press on the best 20 results Half the tournaments are from Fulda”
“I think three to four tournaments a year, that's quite enough.”
“Safe drive home because I don't want you to crash on the Autobahn.”
Entities
- European Pinball Championships (EPC)· event
- IFPA18 World Championship· event
- Pinball Olympics· event
- Whopper Tournaments (Bulls and Balls, Ho-Ho-Ho)· event
- Laser Weapon Free· game
- IFPA· organization
- Pinball Profile· organization
- Albert Miller-Young· person
- Daniele· person
- Dina Lindsay· person
- Frank Goethe· person
- Jeff Teolis· person
- Jim Lindsay· person
- Josh Sharp· person
- Kim· person
- Margit· person
- Matthias· person
- Michael Kranz· person
- Nico· person
- Patricia (Paris)· person
- Peter Anderson· person
- Tobias Wagemann· person
- Flip Frenzy· product
- Match Play· product
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