Two Highly Collectible Games; Proceeds Benefit 8 Players
Stern Pinball, Inc. (SPI) completed the inaugural NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Program by auctioning two highly collectible Godzilla Premium pinball games played by Fighting Illini football players during the team’s breakthrough 2022 season. The two games were housed in the Liuget Players’ Lounge at the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Performance Football Center at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. During the season, players competed against one another and boasted their pinball prowess on social media as they rose on the leaderboards.
The two Illinois Football Signature Edition Godzilla Premium games included an exclusive numbered plaque (1 of 2; 2 of 2), player-autographed translites for each game’s backbox or separate framing, and Certificates of Authenticity signed by Stern Pinball’s President and CEO, resulting in a successful, sought-after auction of one of the hottest pinball machines in history.
Through the NIL program, Stern Pinball partnered with 8 players as a way to help empower student-athletes both on and off the field. All proceeds from the record-breaking auction helped benefit the following eight football players on the 2022 Fighting Illini football team:
- Devon Witherspoon (#5 draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Seattle Seahawks)
- Jar’Tavius “Quan” Martin (Second Round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Washington Commanders)
- Isaac Darkangelo (signed by the Detroit Lions)
- Calvin Hart, Jr.
- Tahveon “Taz” Nicholson
- Tip Reiman
- Casey Washington
- Isaiah Williams
With the NIL program’s rousing success, Stern Pinball is currently discussing future opportunities to help empower future student-athletes through the power of pinball!
About the Godzilla Premium Pinball Game
In this monster-packed pinball adventure, players become Godzilla! The evil aliens, the Xiliens, use mind control rays to take control of the monsters King Ghidorah, Gigan, Megalon, Ebirah, and Titanosaurus. The Xiliens are demanding all of Earth’s resources. Godzilla and its allies, Mothra, Rodan, and Anguirus, battle the Xilien invasion with the goal of conquering Mechagodzilla to become King of the Monsters! To learn more about Godzilla Premium, please visit https://sternpinball.com/game/godzilla/
About Insider Connected
Insider Connected is a comprehensive technology initiative to connect the universe of Stern pinball machines. The platform is designed to enhance and extend player engagement with the games across both home and commercial environments. It also presents professional operators of the pinball machines a robust set of tools to drive location play, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely, and maintain the machines.
Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com. Players can also register at a connected game by scanning a registration QR code on the machine. Once a player registers, they are issued a unique QR Code that can be used to identify that player at any connected Stern pinball machine anywhere in the world. When a player scans into the machine, they can track progress, earn new game specific achievements, engage with the player community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests.
"Insider Connected is transforming how players interact with pinball machines. Operators are benefiting from new tools that drive repeat play and help maintain games remotely while players can earn special entertainment location badges," said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc.
About Stern Pinball, Inc.
Stern Pinball, Inc. creates compelling entertainment that inspires a lifetime love of games, sparks passion, forges friendships, and connects people everywhere through fun, innovative, technologically advanced pinball games, and experiences. Headquartered minutes from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe.
Recent Stern Pinball titles include Foo Fighters, James Bond 007, Rush, Godzilla, The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira's House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball's games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com.
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Contacts
Zach Sharpe
zach.sharpe@sternpinball.com
