Neil McCray is a Stern Pinball representative and media personality within the pinball community. He appears at industry events such as pinball expos with official media credentials. However, his credibility within the community is contested, with podcast host Kaneda publicly criticizing him as a 'Stern apologist' and dismissing his claims about company backlogs as unreliable.
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The Wandsworth Civic Centre venue is run as a not-for-profit by the local council, aligning with UK Open's organizational structure
The UK Open broke all records for the number of pinball matches in an event last year
Three months out from a tournament is the sweet spot for booking flights to get good deals
Central London hotels average around £250 per night, making the Holiday Inn deal at under £100/night a significant saving
Event organizer and founder of UK Open tournament; running both UK Open and EPC in September 2024
UK-based pinball community figure who alerted Kaneda to the Pinball Profile interview
UK-based pinball player who played D&D Pinball at Stern media event
Co-host of Great British Pinball Podcast, UK pinball collector and enthusiast; owns extensive collection including Venom, Twilight Zone, Theater Magic, Monster Bash; known for thoughtful analysis and community involvement
Mentioned podcast subscriber who may have purchased James Bond 60th; Kaneda jokes about laughing at buyer
Pinside user advocating for better storytelling/narrative in Harry Potter; criticized for 'negativity' but Kaneda validates his points
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The memorable Jaws and Surfing Safari games from last year's UK Open and Mads' tiebreaker on Kong are moments people remember and rewatch
Asking all players to scorekeeper for two one-hour slots is necessary because volunteers cannot afford to commit 10 days of work
Pinball venues are struggling across the UK, with Kirk's Place closing and other venues facing financial challenges
Venom has a ball airball issue on the start ramp similar to Walking Dead's shipping problem, and Stern is working on a fix
Venom is a well-designed game with excellent flow that doesn't deserve the negative community reception it's receiving
Stern exposed electronics on Venom cabinets without proper shielding, requiring aftermarket protective parts
Theater Magic plays well and requires minimal adjustment after professional setup by Scott Rundell
Black Knight topper is being re-released at $1,500, a massive increase from the original $400 price Neil paid
CGC Big Lebowski machines consistently experience reliability failures when placed on location
Stern LE pricing has hit the ceiling and is 'mad now'
Co-host of The Great British Pinball Podcast; UK pinball event organizer (UK Open, Pinfest); collects and restores games; owns Pinball Republic venue
Co-host of Great British Pinball Podcast; operator/owner of Pinball Republic venue; fell off ladder during renovation
Played Jaws at CES; praised it heavily; Kaneda dismisses his review as typical LE buyer hyping their purchase
Wealthy pinball community member; mentioned as someone Kaneda wouldn't want to walk near
Example wealthy collector willing to spend $20,000 on James Bond regardless of content/value; used by Kaneda as rare exception rather than representative buyer
James Cameron's Avatar Limited Edition owner; attended New York City Pinball Championships two years in a row as helper; community supporter
Co-host of Great British Pinball Podcast; plays pinball competitively; attended UK Open, Pinfest, Pinball Expo; traveled to Australia for tournament and Chicago for Expo; detailed technical knowledge of manufacturing
Co-host of The Great British Pinball Podcast, attended Pinfest 24, purchased Labyrinth
Pinball personality discussing Bond 60's potential inclusion in UK Open tournament
Stern representative; claimed company has backlog of orders; Kaneda calls him 'a total joke' and 'Stern apologist'
Media personality with media badge at Expo; Kaneda contrasts with own lack of credentials