Pinball championships showcase increasing interest in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — It was love at first sight — or first listen — when Crystal Cory went on her first date with her current partner.

She heard him say he competed in pinball tournaments and was interested enough to check it out for herself. Then, she found herself playing pinball machines for fun, listening to the dings whenever she flipped the ball from one side to another. She eventually participated in tournaments, too. Cory genuinely loved playing.

She had so much of a great time, she competed in and won the Women's Utah Pinball Championships last year, a sign not only of the growth in her playing skills but also of the increasing interest in the game across the state.

"When I would hear about pinball, I would be like, 'That doesn't make any sense, but OK.'" Cory said. "Same with the tournaments. But after playing and watching myself get better, it became addictive. It's a lot of fun."

This weekend, the Utah Pinball Championships take place in Ogden and Salt Lake City, giving Utahns a chance to see what the excitement is all about. Organizers assure you the literal bells and dings of the machines will bring you back to the fun of your childhood.

Pinball is a growing sport, nationally and locally. The International Flipper Pinball Association reports more than 124,000 people across the country participated in at least one state-organized event last year. In 2023, slightly more than 33,000 people competed in tournaments. That number grew to nearly 39,000 in 2024.

Statewide tournament organizers report 426 pinballers competed in state-sanctioned tournaments in Utah in 2024, which surpassed their goal of 400 players. Through a statewide pinball infrastructure, pinball supporters organized 100 pinball events throughout the state in 2024, which gave people interested in learning more about pinball the chance to do so in their area of the state.

These efforts led to Utah being named a "Super State" in the national pinball world. Typically awarded to larger states, such as California, Florida and New York, the status allows the tournaments to have more participants while also recognizing the growing interest and sturdy pinball infrastructure in a state.

It also gave locals a chance to learn more about why pinball is a sport and not just some "nerdy game," Utah pinballers said.

"I take my two youngest kids, and we have a pinball night once a month. It can't be interrupted by anything. We really enjoy it," said Bre Edge, a participant in this weekend's championships. She has brought her five children to pinball events, activities and tournaments over the years. "And this is a sport. It takes all you got. The mental capacity to strategize and the strength to do this is intense."

In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, many would have frowned upon Edge's interest in having her children play pinball, with or without her. Pinball was banned in cities across the country because it was seen as a game of chance that could lead young people into a life of delinquency, according to Roger Sharpe, a reporter who sued New York City to remove its ban. Sharpe was successful. That ban was overturned in 1976.

Today, pinball is a way not only to play a game but to meet new people.

Cory moved to Utah less than a year before the COVID-19 pandemic. When everything shut down, she did not have a large friend base so upon the reopening, she was ready to roll and meet new people. She not only got a new partner but new friends.

"I now have my community," she said.

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