Pro Player's Club

[Spiderman]

Pro Player's Club

I just thought this was interesting in that it showed what a long way Magic and the Pro Tour has come since the early days of the mid-90's... perhaps the benefits are overdue, but all expenses paid is a pretty big step up from a company that began in a garage (admittedly WOTC is part of a bigger company Hasbro, but still...)

 

[Killer Joe]

Yeah, that's pretty cool.

 

[Spiderman]

oops, will correct...

 

[Ferret]

So, once again WotC is saying how much they love their pro players. I mean sure it's nice that people that dedicate their entire lives to the game, but I still think that every time I see an article like that it's a slap in the face to everyone that doesn't have hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to spend on cards not to mention the hundreds of hours to dedicate to the game.

It's just so typical that they also give out all those byes to the higher tier players which will almost guarantee that they stay up there sitting on their oversized thrones looking down on us "casual losers"...

-Ferret

"Does anyone know if they're still doing 'Friday Night Magic'?"

 

[Spiderman]

I don't see it as any different from any other "pro" organization, except for the anomaly perhaps that one company is "in charge" of ALL the aspects of the game, pro or not; for example, I don't believe one company makes all tennis balls and rackets and other tennis equipment and all tennis players have to buy from them, and I don't think the producer of said equipment is in charge of the tennis pro circuit, and I don't think the organization that IS in charge is also in charge of the college or high school or "amateur" part of tennis.

And yes, they're still doing FNM; Crackdown has posted pretty heavily his experiences in the past month or so in the Deck forums.

 

[Mooseman]

It's about the same as any other Pro Tour, to be on top of the heap in say, Poker, you have to spend thousands of $'s and hundreds of hours.....
Or the PGA, the pro's have to spend thousands on clubs, then travel, then greens fees and some of them get apperance fees..........
You have to win to get paid, well at some point (the start of your Pro Magic career). At least they didn't follow the MLB or NBA model of paying players just for showing up and not for their performance.
Us casual players have too much fun to throw it all away in the attempt to "Win it all"......

 

[Spiderman]

At least they didn't follow the MLB or NBA model of paying players just for showing up and not for their performance.

Actually, I think they did... players get "appearance fees" at the upper tiers, so I think that means they get paid if they just show up, not for their performance...

 

[Mooseman]

Yeah they get apperence fees, but they have to get the points to be on the gravey train for the next season...... no long term contracts.
Kind of like the PGA, you get a free ride for winning this year, but if you lose next year, you're paying your own way........
Actually, I don't care one way or another, since I'll not be trying for the pro tour...... or even a regionals for........... well ever?
Judging ain't easy....... haha

 

[orgg]

Appearance fees basically are "You're Here! Here's half your travel expense!" until they get to the Level Three or Four.

That Said... this makes going pro look VERY tempting...