Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep18 - Organizing Pinball Expo with Rob Berk

Rob Berk has been the face behind Pinball Expo since 1985, curating a gathering that’s become the longest-running pinball show on the planet. From hosting early designers who rarely shared stories in public, to shaping the culture of how collectors, vendors, and fans come together, Rob’s influence is unmatched. We dig into what it’s like to create an event of this scale, how the Guinness World Record for largest pinball collection came about, and why Expo still matters decades later. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch – twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube – youtube.com/@DirtyPoolPinball 📷 Instagram – instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook – facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 00:00:00 - Introduction and welcoming Rob Berk to the podcast 00:04:00 - Early Expo vendors and Fun Games arcade connections 00:08:00 - The passion and drive behind running Expo 00:12:00 - Walking through the Pinball Expo website details 00:16:00 - Expo growth with vendor numbers rising past 50 booths 00:20:00 - Touring Rob’s warehouse and sharing collector stories 00:24:00 - Massive support from collectors and community impact 00:28:00 - Researching and inviting special guests for Expo talks 00:32:00 - Audience experiences sitting up front at Expo events 00:36:00 - The growing pinball hobby and new industry participants 00:40:00 - Stories of transporting machines and parts by plane 00:44:00 - Global connections and fans supporting Expo remotely 00:48:00 - The Fireside Chat format and sharing stories on stage 00:52:00 - Highlights on rare games like Twilight Zone and streaming mentions 00:56:00 - Encouragement for attendees to make the trip to Expo 01:00:00 - Final reflections and closing questions for Rob Berk 01:04:00 - Wrapping up plugs and acknowledgments for Expo 01:06:00 - Closing thanks and farewell from the Dirty Pool Podcast #DirtyPoolPodcast #PinballExpo #RobBerk #PinballHistory #PinballCollector #PinballCommunity #ArcadeCulture #PinballEnthusiast #PinballLife #RetroGaming #ClassicPinball #ArcadeHistory #PinballMachines #PinballWizard #PinballAddict #GamingCommunity #PinballEvents #PinballCulture #PinballPodcast #GuinnessWorldRecord