# 2025-26 NACS Media Madness

**Source:** IFPA  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2026-01-21  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.ifpapinball.com/2025-26-nacs-media-madness/

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## Analysis

IFPA announcement of 2025-26 NACS (North American Championship Series) Media Madness coverage, highlighting state pinball championships across multiple U.S. states and regions. The post lists upcoming state championship tournaments in Michigan, Utah, North Carolina, New York, Montana, Delaware, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Virginia, with some tournaments earning 'Super State' designation. Coverage emphasizes the growth and cultural significance of competitive pinball across diverse geographic regions.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] IFPA Women's State Pinball Finals heads to Fremont — _Official IFPA announcement in article headline_
- [HIGH] Pinball State Championship in [unnamed location] earns Super State status for second consecutive year — _Explicitly stated in article listing, indicating repeat Super State designation_
- [HIGH] Rochester Pinball Collective hosts state championship, sending top players to nationals — _Official IFPA tournament listing indicating RPC as host venue and championship pathway_
- [HIGH] Multiple state championships are positioned as pathways to national competition — _Repeated language about 'shot at nationals' and 'sending top players to nationals'_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| IFPA | organization | International Flipper Pinball Association publishing the 2025-26 NACS tournament schedule |
| Josh Sharpe | person | Author of the NACS Media Madness announcement posted January 21, 2026 |
| Rochester Pinball Collective | organization | Host venue for state championship in East Rochester, New York |
| District 82 | organization | Hosts Wisconsin state championship in De Pere |
| Cape Fear | organization | Hosts North Carolina State Pinball Championship |
| Fremont | location | Location of IFPA Women's State Pinball Finals |

### Topics

- **Primary:** State Championship Tournaments, IFPA Tournament Structure
- **Secondary:** Competitive Pinball Growth, Women's Pinball Competition, Regional Pinball Culture

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Celebratory tone highlighting growth of competitive pinball across North America, positive framing of state championships as cultural touchstones. Language emphasizes thriving, evolving competitive scene.

### Signals

- **[event_signal]** Coordinated multi-state championship tournament circuit across 9+ states with official IFPA sanction, indicating mature tournament infrastructure and sustained community engagement (confidence: high) — Comprehensive listing of state championships in Michigan, Utah, North Carolina, New York, Montana, Delaware, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Virginia with explicit IFPA Media Madness branding
- **[community_signal]** IFPA publishing media coverage and promotional content for state championships demonstrates institutional support for grassroots competitive infrastructure (confidence: high) — Official IFPA post titled 'NACS Media Madness' highlighting state tournaments across multiple regions
- **[competitive_signal]** Super State designation granted for second consecutive year to at least one state championship, signaling recognition of tournament quality and player participation standards (confidence: high) — 'Pinball State Championship hits jackpot by earning Super State status for second consecutive year'
- **[market_signal]** Narrative of competitive pinball as established cultural phenomenon with geographic diversity and sustainable tournament pathways from state to nationals level (confidence: high) — Repeated emphasis on state championships as 'pathway to nationals,' characterization of pinball culture 'thriving' in regions like Utah, and 'arrived' positioning in Port Clinton

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## Transcript

2025-26 NACS Media Madness Posted By Josh Sharpe, on January 21, 2026 - Michigan’s best pinballers compete for top honors - IFPA Women’s State Pinball Finals heads to Fremont - Pinball has arrived in Port Clinton - How competitive pinball evolved into a thriving culture in Utah - Cape Fear hosts North Carolina State Pinball Championship tournament - State pinball champion crowned in East Rochester - Pinball enthusiasts gather in Missoula for state tournament - MT State Pinball Championships - Delaware’s Pinball State Championship gets underway Utah pinballers have a flipping good time with upcoming state championships - Irmo taproom hosts South Carolina state pinball championship - Pinball State Championship hits jackpot by earning Super State status for second consecutive year - Wisconsin pinball players fight for state championship title in De Pere - Winners crowned at Virginia State Pinball Championships - Wisconsin’s top pinball players gear up for state championships at District 82 - Rochester Pinball Collective hosts state championship, sending top players to nationals - Top Wisconsin pinball players face off in De Pere for a shot at nationals 0 Comments » Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. reCAPTCHA Recaptcha requires verification. Privacy \- Terms protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy \- Terms

_(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 43b7baa7-46ef-446f-8ff6-70801d779329*