The Day the Pro-Tour Died

[TeamRegime.com]

I was wondering what if Hasbro/WOTC decided NOT to have anymore "Pro-Tours" and no Nationals/Regionals/World Championships? ONLY Pre-Releases.

Would you still play Magic?

Would your local magic scene slowly dissipate?

Would alot of "Pro Wanan Be's" stop playing Magic?

Would the current Pro Player circuit people quit playing since theres no MONEY involved??

I think after maybe 2 years..WOTC would stop producing Magic cards...I think the "idea" of getting paid to play cards,which is a pipe dream to nearly all Magic players would shift to something else.

Of course your always going to have players who play for the love of the game..but if theres NO pot of gold at the end of the PT Rainbow I beleive most people would simply quit.

I would continue to play but with not as much fervor or time spent playtesting...what would be the point? I KNOW quite a few players that only play for the recognition and money...while it's sad...people NEED motiviation like money and quasi-fame.

I dont see this happening in the near future since WOTC generates so much money and theyre worldwide...but WHAT IF is a valid question.

If I remember correctly - back in 1995- Magic was popular...but REALLY took off when the PTour was introduced...then a whole new genre of players entered the field...Pros....cut throats..etc...blah blah blah...

Anyway..just wondering.

Nicholas Knight
www.teamregime.com

 

[Apollo]

Magic got off to its huge start without a Pro Tour. Back in the days of yore, when you couldn't find anything on the shelves (unless it was a $15 starter), there was no pro tour.

I think very few people play for the idea of money. It's virtually impossible to break even playing this game, so you'd be an idiot if you were playing for cash. Frankly, I think it would lose very few players. Even pro players would be playing anyway. Most of them are smart enough that they could be making a lot more money if they dumped Magic and worked for a living. But they are all playing because they love the game. And they would still be playing if there was no Tour.

 

[Salacious Crumb]

I never have and never will play in tourneys.. so i wouldn't care

Hoipa

 

[maraud234]

I think Magic would suffer a decrease, but WOTC wouldn't be stupid enough to stop making cards. Alot of the people I know, in fact most of them, who play magic are basically casual players who play in tournaments once in a while.

 

[ErinPuff]

Basically what ol' Crumb said.. I've never played in a tournament, so I don't think it would affect me directly, as I also don't think it would cause WOTC to stop making cards.

 

[Hetemti]

Would you still play Magic?
[b[Of course.[/b]

Would your local magic scene slowly dissipate?
What local Magic scene? Noöne told me...

Would alot of "Pro Wanan Be's" stop playing Magic?
Don't know any, can't say.

Would the current Pro Player circuit people quit playing since theres no MONEY involved??
Some might, but I don't think so. They play to win Magic, not to win money.
Prizes Won At Tournament-Price of Singles-Travel Expense << $5.25*(Total Playtesting Time+Time At Tournament)

And that's minimum wage.

 

[Salacious Crumb]

nice explanation on money you have there, Hetemti

Hoipa

 

[Cateran Emperor]

Perhaps slightly, but I wouldn't care in the least. It may even make more people start to play for fun again, and there won't be any Holier Than Thou 'pro' players to scare new players away.

Either or, it wouldn't make me stop playing.

 

[Salacious Crumb]

i don't understand why anyone would stop playing just because the tourneys are gone. If you are obscessed with playing in tourneys, and would protest to this, then you have some serious problems
Just my opinion, not to offend anyone

Hoipa

 

[Spiderman]

I'd have to agree with Apollo; Magic was big before the Pro Tour, even accounting for the "newness" of it back then. I don't think it's gonna shrivel up and die. I would venture to guess most people got their start playing Magic by being introduced by friends, not because the Pro Tour came along and now you can win Cash Prizes. Plus, of the people who might have started because of the Pro Tour, I would venture to guess a good many quit since then because of the effort and time needed to make it (maybe not the first couple, but more certainly now).

Plus, I think there will always be a World Champion tourney, if not by WOTC then by someone 'cause people are gonna wanna know "who's the best". So there will still be some sort of tourney scene.

Personally, I think it would be nice for the Pro Tour to go away, or at least fade in prominence. I'd rather have WOTC support "local" scenes that help the grassroots rather than a limited number of worldwide events.

 

[Gizmo]

I`d say almost everything TeamRegime suggested was wrong.

The Pros would probably quit, or more likely an independent league system would probably develop sponsored by the big manufacturers. Money would be much more scarce than at the Tour, but even over here last year the Northern Grand Prix series of events was held, amassing a total prize fund of $1500 for the winners of the 'Grand Prix Final' (I came 3rd).

Also the Nationals system would presumably survive - so that would still be a big driving goal.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

Originally posted by Cateran Emperor
...and there won't be any Holier Than Thou 'pro' players to scare new players away.

That would leave only the frequent visitors to the New Members forum to scare new players away. (That includes me, so just kidding...)

The only effect it might have that I might care about is that it might change card design to suit better the interests of strange furry Thallids like me.

 

[TeamRegime.com]

Originally posted by Gizmo
I`d say almost everything TeamRegime suggested was wrong.

Thank you GIZMO. Ill mention that to my therapist next week. Everything I suggest is almost wrong. I can live with that.

The Thread was a "WHAT IF"...thats all. I was'nt going to get into detail such as Nationals, independent leagues, etc..

I still feel the whole genre of Magic would change dramatically. At least here in the midwest (Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas). I personally KNOW half a dozen Pro Tour players and play with them on a weekly basis. I also know MORE players who have Q'd for Pro Tours..so I know their motivation. To be the best, get paid, get recognition. Theres NOTHING wrong with that sorta motivation but IF..IF...IF the Pro Tour ceased to exsist things WOULD change, maybe for the better, or worse...who knows..I dont..I was, again, making a suggestion/thread that was interesting.

If this thread seems a little defensive...well it is. GIZMOs comment about me being "wrong" on everything seems more on an personal attack...I reviewed his responses to all my threads and it just so happens they are all condescending and attempts at sarcasm are tiring. If theres something you wanna say PM me. Or if you prefer I can fly over the pond and we can have some fish'n chips and chat face to face. I had a cat named "Gizmo" once...she was a beautiful Persian silver tipped...who was ran over and died as the tire rolled over her head and was crushed.


nicholas knight
www.teamregime.com

 

[Almindhra]

Well I'll disagree with Team Regime also...I mean if you think about it, think of sports, there are people who practice everyday and make a living with what they do...What if the NBA ceased to exist?...I don't think those players would throw their talent away and stop playing basketball...

There might be a slight decline in Pro Tour diehard's spending on cards, but they won't give up the game...There are many people who have talent at playing Magic...And its such an enjoyable hobby, if you quit playing because of the Pro Tour dying, then you don't deserve to play Magic in the first place...I personally can't see someone stop playing the game for this, I'm thinking of the people who go to the Pro Tour in my area, and I don't see them quitting...They're good at it, they know it, and why give up something that you've worked so hard at and had fun doing just because theres no money incentive...

Side note, I don't think they should get rid of the Pro Tour because its good for a little competition out there in your game...And Wizard's gets some money from it...And plus, dude, its been on ESPN!!...That's neat...*grin*...

 

[Spiderman]

If the Pro wannabe's are in it for the money and the Pro Tour ends and they decide to get out, good riddance. As Almindhra said, they shouldn't be playing Magic to begin with.

If they're in for the fame and recognition, they'll just go to or continue to go to Nationals and whatnot. No player loss there.

So if the Pro Tour ends, I'd think it'd be a good thing overall. But I don't think WOTC will stop printing cards and I don't think the overall player base will drop dramatically.

 

[fuzzy510]

Originally posted by Salacious Crumb
I never have and never will play in tourneys.. so i wouldn't care

Ditto. I take the "casual" theme to heart.

 

[Salacious Crumb]

WEll, if someone makes a living by winning tourneys, then they gotta get a life

Hoipa

 

[Gizmo]

Team Regime: I`ve no idea if I have been consistently negative about your comments - I simply say that I think somebody is wrong when I think they they are wrong. If people stopped making statements that are poorly thought out then I`d stop disagreeing with them.
Don`t lok for anything more than you see from me.
WYSIWYG.
Spades are spades. Idiotic comments are idiotic comments.

 

[Spiderman]

By correlation, if you don't say something, does that mean you agree with it?

 

[Gizmo]

Often, yes it does. I`ll agree with the common gist of the thread and not feel able to add anything else worth noting. I read almost all threads, and contribute to most of them at some point.