Pinball info
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
League boundaries??
- Thread starter Mooseman
- Start date
I've only got a couple of years of data unfortunately with regards to (rough) locations that league meets have been held. I do keep meaning to draw a rough boundary map of the regions though
There is a quite a bit of empty wasteland between Northern League and Scottish League though. If you're moving that way there's more than a handful of people that would be interested in seeing something spark up I'm sure
There is a quite a bit of empty wasteland between Northern League and Scottish League though. If you're moving that way there's more than a handful of people that would be interested in seeing something spark up I'm sure
SteadyP
Site Supporter
After doing the open at Pinfest I’d love to have a north east league- think the issue is going to be the lack of large collections in this part of the uk to meet league requirements
No need to buy a kilt thenHaving done 900 miles at the weekend seeing 15 houses we’ve bought a place south of Edinburgh
In Shropshire
You can play in any league but your scores are only registered in one. That would be whichever you nominateIs there a map showing which league your likely to be in compared to where you live?
I know you don’t have to follow it and if willing to travel can play in any league.
Just wondering as we move house
Somewhere
I don't think there are any boundaries, or any need for them really. IMHO the names are just indicative to give an idea of where the meets are likely to be held.
Asiapinball
Site Supporter
That question was asked a few weeks back on another thread. The lack of large collections is the big issue in the North East but its also the ability to have multiple players.. I currently have 9 set up in the house, but facing each other with just enough room to get the glass off in between so it's comfortable for 4 or 5 players at a time but any more than that and you are playing literally back to back and with absolutely no space for players waiting for their turn in the group. Most others I know in the NE have similar set up issues even if collections are large enough. I am 35 miles from Newcastle. I have played every session of the Northern League for the last 3 seasons, it ranges between 220 and 280 mile round trip for each meet / 2.5 to 3 hours each way! I would welcome a NE league but I don't think it will happen any time soon.
Asiapinball
Site Supporter
I am almost ready to submit a planning application that would mean I get a pinball room suitable for my collection of 30 machines and actually being able to host sizeable league / tournament meetings. But I don't expect planning to be granted until early 2025 and conversion will be a year so maybe early 2026 before its ready. Sneak peak at the space that will hopefully become my pinball area. It's 1200 sq.ft. It looks small in the pic but the pic is deceptive. The ceiling height is almost 8ft. The long back wall to the left is 42ft, so there is room for 16 machines in a row along that wall. 28ft side to side - the pic only shows 2/3rds the width.
I'm looking forward to hosting in 2026.
I'm looking forward to hosting in 2026.
Attachments
I believe this is the official boundary map for the UK Pinball League
There is a quite a bit of empty wasteland between Northern League and Scottish League though. If you're moving that way there's more than a handful of people that would be interested in seeing something spark up I'm sure
Was wondering about your feedback on this Paul after the other thread comments.... trust just needs another co-coordinator then, maybe this side of the Pennines? If numbers halved then surely more hosts can cater.
Potentially? I think I agree with what others have said in the past, that there's a chance that if a region is split, then a good percentage will still travel to see their mates.
There's broadly a 'danger' that if two regions are too close, then people might visit both (as a guest player to one of the leagues). That could end up increasing numbers in a Lancashire League if a Yorkshire League managed to discover some new faces for example.
I suppose that could be managed by the two regions deliberately scheduling the same dates though.
I might try setting up a questionnaire style thing to discover if there are more potential hosts out there, and try to get a better understand of where people are travelling from to their local league
Last edited:
M62 will be closed at the lancs/yorks border on league meet days. 
My place has been the most Northern of the Midlands League venues for the past few years. I am within a mile of the A1 so car journeys here are reasonably efficient.
Newcastle 2h 30m
Hull 1h 30m
York 1h 15m
Sheffield 50m
Doncaster 40m
I have too much on now with my Village Hall duties so I wasn't planning to host next year. But if it would help a North East League to get off the ground, I could do so.
Newcastle 2h 30m
Hull 1h 30m
York 1h 15m
Sheffield 50m
Doncaster 40m
I have too much on now with my Village Hall duties so I wasn't planning to host next year. But if it would help a North East League to get off the ground, I could do so.
Asiapinball
Site Supporter
The empty wasteland between the current Northern and Scotland leagues is vast. The most Northern of the Northern meets is near Leeds but Northern meets all really fall within 20 miles of the M62 corridor (if extended to the west coast) I understand the most Scottish meets are in the Glasgow to Edinburgh corridor. There is a 200 mile journey between the two. I am equidistant as is Newcastle, Sunderland Durham. Any North East League would need to be centred on Newcastle Sunderland Durham and Middlesborough as that is where the populations are.
Last edited:
Asiapinball
Site Supporter
... but total population for NE, DL, DH and TS postcodes that cover Northumberland, Tyneside Teeside Durham and Darlington is just 2.5 million compared to well over 10 million for the current Northern League catchment area so North East may always struggle getting players and venues.
Why is it even a rule that guests can attend? If people want to open their house to guests why can't they do that on a non-league day?
When overcrowding in one region has got so ridiculous that there were 54 registered players in the Northern region (plus extras that showed up and didn't even submit scores) it seems that's a rule that might need looking at
Well, you are supposed to say whether you intend to go or not (but most don't bother). If it became apparent that there was to be too many attendees then the host or organizer could potentially say its too full and not allow outsiders. Of course if 54 players turn up that are registered, a few more probably isn't going to matter!
South Wales Region... email address is southwalespinball@gmail.com
( it's probably wrong on the league website I'd guess )
I have some ideas/plans around all that, but it's a significant amount of work and progress will be slow, but...
I'd like to add a registration/log-in system to the league website.
Everything on the site will still be viewable anonymously of course, but the login system will allow players to confirm their attendance to an upcoming league meet via the league site.
Once all that is in place then each host could also have a limit on attendance numbers, and then on a specific date prior to the meet, the registration for that meet opens and slots can fill up to the maximum (with a waitlist for any excess interest)
Bear with me though. I still have a day job and other things that unfortunately take up lots of time too.
It's possible that league coordinators could try and set a cap on attendance 'manually' via whatever means necessary in the meantime, but it's probably a lot of additional admin work. If league coordinators want to chat to me about it though then just let me know and I'll help where I can.
I think stopping "guests" entirely in the most overcrowded region in the country should be done by default.
People are welcome to visit and play my machines outside of leagues.
But league meets should be for only people competing in that region
People are welcome to visit and play my machines outside of leagues.
But league meets should be for only people competing in that region
Stopping guests might be more problematic than you’d expect.
Some players turn up with kids who then don’t compete.
Similarly what about hosts who have partners who don’t play. Are they going to be banished for the day? I know Anna often has a friend round when I’ve filled the house with pinheads.
I guess it’s less of an issue when they don’t then actually play the games but it all adds to a crowded house.
We’ve also had people leave half way through due to time commitments or people who play so badly they don’t submit their scores. Are they going to be classed as guests or players?
Some players turn up with kids who then don’t compete.
Similarly what about hosts who have partners who don’t play. Are they going to be banished for the day? I know Anna often has a friend round when I’ve filled the house with pinheads.
I guess it’s less of an issue when they don’t then actually play the games but it all adds to a crowded house.
We’ve also had people leave half way through due to time commitments or people who play so badly they don’t submit their scores. Are they going to be classed as guests or players?
All I know is, something needs to be done before it implodes.
Myself and several other regular players quit the league this year after 1 or 2 meets due to the ridiculousness of the numbers (take a look at the Northern results and see how many people gave up after meet 1 or 2)
The last two times I hosted I got 28 players both times, and that was stretching the limits of my house. I could not even consider hosting in the current time with 40+ players (+ guests)
Myself and several other regular players quit the league this year after 1 or 2 meets due to the ridiculousness of the numbers (take a look at the Northern results and see how many people gave up after meet 1 or 2)
The last two times I hosted I got 28 players both times, and that was stretching the limits of my house. I could not even consider hosting in the current time with 40+ players (+ guests)
That was and still is my biggest anxiety about hosting. This year was my first time opening the house up.
I have a modestly small bungalow with 9 pins playable in a cramped garage.
Had it of rained we’d have been ****ed. I can’t have 20 plus people in my living room.
I will have to cap mine at 25 I think. Which is unfair to people who want to attend every meet. But I don’t have the space if the weather is ****e.
This year I think I had about 22 round but i fear it will be more next time as it was the first year this time round.
I have a modestly small bungalow with 9 pins playable in a cramped garage.
Had it of rained we’d have been ****ed. I can’t have 20 plus people in my living room.
I will have to cap mine at 25 I think. Which is unfair to people who want to attend every meet. But I don’t have the space if the weather is ****e.
This year I think I had about 22 round but i fear it will be more next time as it was the first year this time round.
Last edited:
I'm taking no credit for this. The legend that is Nick H saw the thread and generated this map of unique hosts over the last 11 years or so. Hopefully the colour coding makes sense. Light blue is the new South Wales region which has some historical crossover with Peter's massive South West region.
Going forward I think we'll try to make a more dynamic page to show this information (and possibly more besides), so consider this an early preview of the map data for now
Pinging @Mooseman back in too.
Going forward I think we'll try to make a more dynamic page to show this information (and possibly more besides), so consider this an early preview of the map data for now
Pinging @Mooseman back in too.
Brilliant, it's actually considerably more clustered than I'd imagined, rather like this -I'm taking no credit for this. The legend that is Nick H saw the thread and generated this map of unique hosts over the last 11 years or so. Hopefully the colour coding makes sense. Light blue is the new South Wales region which has some historical crossover with Peter's massive South West region.
Going forward I think we'll try to make a more dynamic page to show this information (and possibly more besides), so consider this an early preview of the map data for now
Pinging @Mooseman back in too.
Really interesting and clearly shows “Hadrian’s Dearth” between the M62 and the Central Belt!I'm taking no credit for this. The legend that is Nick H saw the thread and generated this map of unique hosts over the last 11 years or so. Hopefully the colour coding makes sense. Light blue is the new South Wales region which has some historical crossover with Peter's massive South West region.
Going forward I think we'll try to make a more dynamic page to show this information (and possibly more besides), so consider this an early preview of the map data for now
Pinging @Mooseman back in too.