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TOPL membership?

DRANO

Super Member
Nov 15, 2012
2,827
519
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Mississauga
Went to my first TOPL gathering last night at Nick's. I also had a lot of questions regarding the league.
Not sure I could commit to a weekly schedule, but it seemed like a good group of guys and participation seems to be fairly relaxed.

I would suggest going to a couple and see what it's all about. I'm pretty sure the schedule is posted here and/or on MAACA.
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
DRANO said:
Went to my first TOPL gathering last night at Nick's. I also had a lot of questions regarding the league.
Not sure I could commit to a weekly schedule, but it seemed like a good group of guys and participation seems to be fairly relaxed.

I would suggest going to a couple and see what it's all about. I'm pretty sure the schedule is posted here and/or on MAACA.


Unfortunately the sched is only on the yahoo site
 

necro_nemesis

Active Member
Nov 20, 2012
196
34
28
Newmarket, Ontario. Canada
In answer to your question no it isn't difficult. TOPL seeks out players that want to play competitively. That's how the league continues to thrive and I'm often seeing new faces coming out to play.

I can't make it regularly but they are always looking for fodder like me to fill the ranks. To be competitive though you have to anticipate participating a considerable amount but I don't think not being able to come all the time is neccessarily frowned upon.
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
necro_nemesis said:
In answer to your question no it isn't difficult. TOPL seeks out players that want to play competitively. That's how the league continues to thrive and I'm often seeing new faces coming out to play.

I can't make it regularly but they are always looking for fodder like me to fill the ranks. To be competitive though you have to anticipate participating a considerable amount but I don't think not being able to come all the time is neccessarily frowned upon.


Maybe I misunderstood the initial post ... are you trying to join the yahoo topl site (which Mike or Adam would have to approve) or just asking about showing up at a TOPL night (anyone can show up at a TOPL night they are totally open)
 

frolic

Member
Nov 19, 2012
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Considering they play all over the place, weekly attendance would be difficult for me, but I could see myself showing up every once in a while and taking a beating, so if that was ok, then I'd be ok with that.
 

mwong168

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 14, 2012
6,680
1,450
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Toronto
Drano and I car pooled to our first TOPL event this past Monday at Nick Angel's place who has a very nice collection pins and very unique mods too. It was a very relaxed and laid back atmosphere and I got to finally put some names to faces whom I had exchanged many PMs and emails with in the past. I believe if you are showing up for the very first time it is $7 bucks and after that it is $5. I am sure Adam (aka Vengeance) who does this religiously will fill you in on the details and hopefully a schedule or more information will be posted in his section and TOPL will make this their new official home?

I really wish I could do this every week but finding the balance between work and family time gets pretty hard for me day to day but do place on attending another one. At least I crossed a few titles off my bucket list such as playing the infamous Big Bang Bar :)
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
mwong168 said:
Drano and I car pooled to our first TOPL event this past Monday at Nick Angel's place who has a very nice collection pins and very unique mods too. It was a very relaxed and laid back atmosphere and I got to finally put some names to faces whom I had exchanged many PMs and emails with in the past. I believe if you are showing up for the very first time it is $7 bucks and after that it is $5. I am sure Adam (aka Vengeance) who does this religiously will fill you in on the details and hopefully a schedule or more information will be posted in his section and TOPL will make this their new official home?

I really wish I could do this every week but finding the balance between work and family time gets pretty hard for me day to day but do place on attending another one. At least I crossed a few titles off my bucket list such as playing the infamous Big Bang Bar :)


Close on the $$ but it is the other way around ... first time you only pay host fee ($5 to the host for upkeep of the machines and usually some beverages and some grub) .. after your first meeting then it is $2 to the league which goes into the prize pool for the playoffs and $5 host fee so $7 ... the only times this changes are public location (pinball cafe/playdium no host fee so only $2) and double header weekend meetings where since you are playing two full rounds it is treated like two meetings so $4 league fees plus $10 host fee (you are probably playing pinball for 4 hours or so at the doubleheader meetings)
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
frolic said:
Considering they play all over the place, weekly attendance would be difficult for me, but I could see myself showing up every once in a while and taking a beating, so if that was ok, then I'd be ok with that.


That's totally okay .. if possible playing 4 weeks out of the 15 (which could be 4 meetings if one was the double header) will give you an offical ranking .. that isn't mandatory but it is used for seeding in the playoffs ... but many people just come out to 2 or 3 times a season (there are approx 3 seasons every calendar year .. usually takes about 13 months to complete the 3 seasons)

But come out to one to start with and see how you like it !
 

frolic

Member
Nov 19, 2012
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I am on the yahoo group... just checked the location of the next meeting. It is over an hour away for me.

I hate to sound like an old turd, but how late do the meetings run? I'll have to factor the drive home into it.
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
frolic said:
I am on the yahoo group... just checked the location of the next meeting. It is over an hour away for me.

I hate to sound like an old turd, but how late do the meetings run? I'll have to factor the drive home into it.

8-10 usually .. doors open at 7 or 7:30 depending on location ... if you can make it ... trust me Ballyboys is worth going to

Adams is on the list as well if that is more in your direction (he is in Keswick) not as many A titles but more machines and both Ballyboy and Adam keep their machines in top condition (as do the vast majority of topl sites).
 

frolic

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Nov 19, 2012
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I'm right in the heart of Toronto. It looks like everyone is all over the place.

Who is Ballyboy? I don't know who's name that is. On the calendar it is first names.

I'd like to go, sounds like a good time to me, just need to make it happen :).
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
frolic said:
I'm right in the heart of Toronto. It looks like everyone is all over the place.

Who is Ballyboy? I don't know who's name that is. On the calendar it is first names.

I'd like to go, sounds like a good time to me, just need to make it happen :).


If you are in mid Toronto your less than an hour (maybe in rush hour going out it will be an hour but it will be less coming back) Ballyboy is the host next week that is his handle on the other forum .. there are more than one Dan in the league (I'm one of the other Dan's) but the calendar is correct ... do what you can to make it out .. you won't be disappointed.
 

Vengeance

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2012
1,990
139
63
Keswick, ON
Hey Tim

Head over to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/topl/

and join the mailing list there, I'll make sure you get approved and this will notify you of when and where we are playing.

As for starting to actively update here, there is talk about it but TOPL does have a few requirements, first and foremost being security of the address of our hosts.

If you google Toronto Pinball, they very first thing that comes up is The Toronto Pinball League, I don't know about you, but the idea that anyone who decides to google Toronto Pinball would be able to get my full home address does not fill me with warm fuzziness.

The other is the notification system, TOPL has been around for 17 years so we are kinda stuck in our ways, we like having a calendar of events that automatically emails updates to members on where and when we are playing.

I've talked to Brock and Mark about what our requirements and they are willing to try and see if they can meet our requirements, so we'll see.

But Tim that is why it is a bit harder to join up with the mailing list at TOPL as opposed to joining the discussion here.

Adam
 

Vengeance

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2012
1,990
139
63
Keswick, ON
SquidVicious said:
frolic said:
Considering they play all over the place, weekly attendance would be difficult for me, but I could see myself showing up every once in a while and taking a beating, so if that was ok, then I'd be ok with that.


That's totally okay .. if possible playing 4 weeks out of the 15 (which could be 4 meetings if one was the double header) will give you an offical ranking .. that isn't mandatory but it is used for seeding in the playoffs ... but many people just come out to 2 or 3 times a season (there are approx 3 seasons every calendar year .. usually takes about 13 months to complete the 3 seasons)

But come out to one to start with and see how you like it !

It's actually 5 weeks not 4, you need 5 weeks to obtain a valid percentage and that will allow you to be eligible to participate in the B division at the TOPL playoffs as well as become eligible for the most improved player award.
 

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Vengeance said:
SquidVicious said:
frolic said:
Considering they play all over the place, weekly attendance would be difficult for me, but I could see myself showing up every once in a while and taking a beating, so if that was ok, then I'd be ok with that.


That's totally okay .. if possible playing 4 weeks out of the 15 (which could be 4 meetings if one was the double header) will give you an offical ranking .. that isn't mandatory but it is used for seeding in the playoffs ... but many people just come out to 2 or 3 times a season (there are approx 3 seasons every calendar year .. usually takes about 13 months to complete the 3 seasons)

But come out to one to start with and see how you like it !

It's actually 5 weeks not 4, you need 5 weeks to obtain a valid percentage and that will allow you to be eligible to participate in the B division at the TOPL playoffs as well as become eligible for the most improved player award.

Yup I had meant to state 5 weeks but 4 dates if one of the dates was the doubleheader ... got ahead of myself.

but the most improved unless it's been changed back is 7 weeks so you got it kinda right Adam (or it was changed back to 5 and no one posted it)
 

Vengeance

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2012
1,990
139
63
Keswick, ON
SquidVicious said:
but the most improved unless it's been changed back is 7 weeks so you got it kinda right Adam (or it was changed back to 5 and no one posted it)

You need 7 weeks attended in the current season in order to be eligible to win, but on need a valid percentage (in two seasons) in order to start participating.
 

frolic

Member
Nov 19, 2012
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I think a more public message forum presence would be a great promotion for TPOL. I agree that home addresses need to be hidden, but that could be worked around. Lurkers could follow what was going on and be motivated to try it eventually. I'm certain it is not the group's intention, but it came across sort of like a private club with the hoops to jump through to join. I had to apply twice to get into the yahoo group. Had I not emailed Mike and tried again, I could have easily given up.

Even look at this thread as an example... there are multiple prospective members you've been able to reach out to already.

Anyhow, some food for thought.