# 2025 Stern Pro Circuit Championship **Source:** Stern Pinball **Type:** video **Published:** 2025-10-28 **Duration:** 2m 46s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AzM7poFt2Y --- ## Analysis Stern Pinball held the 2025 Pro Circuit Championship featuring a new challenge-based, objective-focused tournament format emphasizing speed and racing against the clock. The event culminated 20 regional events throughout the year, with Zach McCarthy winning the finals and receiving a custom Stern belt. The new format proved popular with players and spectators, moving quickly without long wait times between matches. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] The 2025 Stern Pro Circuit Championship used an objective-based challenge format focused on speed rather than traditional scoring — _Direct statements from tournament commentators describing the format as 'all challenge based' and 'race against the clock' with timer-based completion mechanics_ - [HIGH] The championship culminated from 20 regional events held throughout the year — _Tournament organizers explicitly state 'This is everyone culminating from 20 events that happened over the past year'_ - [HIGH] Zach McCarthy won the 2025 Pro Circuit Championship finals — _Direct statement: 'Zach McCarthy comes out on top' and commentary describing his performance as 'insanely quick' and 'blindingly fast'_ - [HIGH] The challenge-based format eliminated long wait times between matches and kept the tournament moving quickly — _Player commentary: 'The tournament was moving quickly. You were just playing constantly. You didn't have to wait for long games. It was almost always your turn to go. It moved great.'_ - [HIGH] Top competitors at the event included Zach McCarthy, Jack Slobicek (who won Expo last year), Arvid, Vigo, and Freeman Davidson — _Tournament broadcast identifies these competitors by name and credentials_ ### Notable Quotes > "Honestly, any tournament, you give me an objective, I will do that thing." > — **Tournament participant/commentator**, early in broadcast > _Expresses enthusiasm for the objective-based challenge format as a tournament approach_ > "Usually when you play under pressure and you have a lot of stress, try to play it slowly. But here, you can't really play it slowly." > — **Tournament commentator**, format discussion > _Explains how the speed-based challenge format fundamentally changes player strategy and pressure dynamics_ > "I representing Italy I can say My playing style is on fly because when I play pinball, I have to be fun. If I not fun, I play very bad." > — **International competitor**, competitor interview > _Reveals personal playing philosophy emphasizing enjoyment over mechanical perfection_ > "I like to watch other player because I can learn something. For example, I watch a lot Keith Elwin and Nick Sane." > — **International competitor**, competitor interview > _Shows community culture of learning from top-tier players like Keith Elwin and Nick Sane_ > "I wouldn't be shocked if they win." > — **Competitor**, pre-finals > _References Arvid and Vigo from Sweden as strong contenders heading into finals_ > "Zach McCarthy comes out on top with an insanely quick Yeah, that was blindingly fast." > — **Tournament broadcast**, finals conclusion > _Describes McCarthy's winning performance as exceptionally fast, emphasizing speed as key metric in this format_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Stern Pinball | company | Host and organizer of the 2025 Pro Circuit Championship, provided custom belt prize | | Mountain Dew | company | Sponsor of the 2025 Stern Pro Circuit Championship | | Zach McCarthy | person | Top pinball player who won the 2025 Pro Circuit Championship finals with blindingly fast challenge times | | Jack Slobicek | person | Top competitor at the championship; won Expo last year, known as fierce and relentless competitor | | Freeman Davidson | person | Competitor who advanced/progressed in the championship tournament | | Arvid | person | Swedish pinball competitor at the championship, regarded as strong contender | | Vigo | person | Swedish pinball competitor at the championship, regarded as strong contender alongside Arvid | | Keith Elwin | person | Legendary pinball designer cited by competitors as player they study and learn from | | Nick Sane | person | Top pinball player cited by competitors as player they study and learn from | | 2025 Stern Pro Circuit Championship | event | Major pinball tournament using new objective-based challenge format, culmination of 20 regional events | ### Topics - **Primary:** Tournament format innovation, Speed-based and challenge-based competition, Competitive pinball player performance, Stern Pinball Pro Circuit structure - **Secondary:** International pinball competition, Player strategy and gameplay philosophy ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Strong positive sentiment from players and commentators regarding the new objective-based tournament format, which is described as fun, fast-moving, and effective. Winners and competitors express enthusiasm and satisfaction with the event structure and competition quality. ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Stern using speed-based challenge format to create faster tournament pace and higher engagement, addressing historical concern about long match wait times (confidence: high) — Player commentary: 'The tournament was moving quickly. You were just playing constantly. You didn't have to wait for long games. It was almost always your turn to go.' - **[competitive_signal]** Top international players (Swedish competitors Arvid and Vigo, Italian player) competing at Stern's flagship event, indicating global reach and prestige of the Pro Circuit (confidence: high) — Multiple international competitors mentioned as top contenders; broadcast features interviews with international players - **[event_signal]** 2025 Stern Pro Circuit Championship held with new challenge-based format, representing significant innovation in how Stern structures its flagship competitive circuit (confidence: high) — Tournament explicitly described as 'all challenge based,' 'all race against the clock,' culminating 20 regional events with 32 finalists --- ## Transcript Welcome to the Stern Pro Circuit Championship brought to you by Mountain Dew. The format this year is all challenge based. It's all race against the clock. This is everyone culminating from 20 events that happened over the past year. The format is objective based spinning. I love objective-based spinball. Honestly, any tournament, you give me an objective, I will do that thing. You hold both hands on the timer, and then once it starts, you're good to go. And then as soon as you complete the challenge, you stop it. I think it's fun and interesting that it's a new quick time. Usually when you play under pressure and you have a lot of stress, try to play it slowly. But here, you can't really play it slowly. Yeah, the tournament was moving quickly. You were just playing constantly. You didn't have to wait for long games. It was almost always your turn to go. It moved great. It was really fun. Well done, Mr. Freeman Davidson, progressing. The prize is this sweet belt. Cast a brand pinball machine from Stern Pinball. Top competitors at least today for this event you have Zach McCarthy, Jack Slobicek who won Expo last year. I representing Italy I can say my playing style is on fly because when I play pinball, I have to be fun. If I not fun, I play very bad. I like to watch other player because I can learn something. For example, I watch a lot Keith Elwin and Nick Sane. There's also Arvid and Vigo, who are here from Sweden. I wouldn't be shocked if they win. I haven't practiced any techniques to turn off and on the timers. I try to not knock it over. We are almost there. We are entering the finals. All 32 players that we saw today are fabulous players. Congrats to them all. They all fought valiantly to get here, and they fought valiantly here. And Zach McCarthy comes out on top with an insanely quick time. Yeah, that was blindingly fast. So, very excited, just fresh off it. Yeah, it was a great tournament. Brand new, it's nerd, Mimamichi. He's a fierce competitor, he's never out of it, and he's relentless. Best word to describe it. _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 0a68fe3f-dadf-45a6-b9bf-ec5e6f3ef270*