Marketplace

MARKETPLACE NEWSLETTER PAGE 4, AUGUST 30, 19/:J This is the Time It is extremely difficult to uproot a practise which has become imbedded in the minds of operators for 30 years. It was 1943 when this publisher first daringly proposed 10¢ play. Urged operators to give up 5¢ ~lay. Urged a change over to 10¢, 3/25¢ pricing for music and straight 10¢ pricing for games. War II was in progress at the time. No new equip't was being produced. All the leading coin machine factories were engaged in war work. Prices of much worn, long used machines, had zoomed to 3 and 4 times their original brand new nrice. - In the very midst of War II, in June, 1942, to be exact, we had created a new type publication based on the fact we believed those who were still engaged in the industry during the war years required a medium of communication. We even argued with OPA (Office of Price Administration) to allow our publication of "Price Lists". We appealed to the late Paul V. McNutt, War Manpower Commissioner, who, rumor had it, wanted juke boxes to be shut off at midnight, to give us a letter this would never happen. We reproduced his letter as our front page in the following issue. The late War Manpower Commissioner agreed juke boxes were doing a terrific morale bolstering job with music and, especially, with such recordings as Kate Smith's "God Bless America". It took almost 10 years, from 1943 to 1953, to see nickel play gradually disappear and dime play take over. In the meantime, we urged operators to put into effect S10 "front money" and cut commission to the 70/30 basis. But with the war over in '45 and the first postwar convention in '46, few operators added "front money" and even fewer changed to the 70/30 commission basis. With the Gis back, with business booming, with competition sharper and tougher than ever and with dimes literally rolling into juke boxes and games, who cared about "front money" and/or paid attention to a 70/30 commission basis? • We cared. When we returned to the industry in '62, after selling out in '58, our opening gun was "2-Plays 2-Bits", "15¢ Vending", a "service charge" and our old war cry for a 70/30 commission basis was revived. So here we are, 1973, that's 30 years since 1943, and 10¢ play is still to be found in operation. As we started out to say it is extremely difficult to uproot old habits, set ideas, hard line conservatism, even tho these men are suffering financially and enduring a rough battle of survival. It will take youth to point the way. The younger men and women as well as the more progressive people who know nothing of 30 years ago, to change the present economic situation in this industry. To revive the profit factor. To point this industry toward a new and better operating structure. To aggressively as well as diplomatically and intelligently bring into being a new kind of progressiveness. The present economic situation of this nation makes this imperative. The time has come to cast aside the antique, outmoded and rediculous 10¢ play and 50/50 split and turn to "1-Play 2-Bits" plus a "service charge" and the more equitable 70/30 commission basis.