States/Champs Another Event Taken Away?

[gleemax]

Read: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=events/magic/champs
What is with all of these changes? It says this is only a temporary change, but it also doesn't gurantee that we will get States/Champs back either. They could end up cuting this and giving us yet another GP or two. This is an event that's more popular with lower level players even if you higher pro's don't always attend. Since they're restructoring this anyway, I think this would be a good chance for the Union to get they're foot in the door and have a voice in how events are run. What does everyone else think?

[GavinV]

This decision just makes no sense to me. This is an event that's always been popular and sets the metagame. While I agree that it badly needed to be changed to that the tournament led into something instead of being a weird stand alone event, cutting it is not the solution.

It's not like this is an event that takes significant financial costs either. What is there? Printing up promos? Making banners for the tournament organizers to put up? Advertising in a handful of magazines? For the amount of packs the tournament organizers buy, it seems like this is generally a good event for Wizards.

I may not be Wizards accountant or leader of Organized Play, so maybe I can't see all sides of this issue, but from what I can see it seems like it's just bad for Magic to cut this. Revamp it, definitely. Cut it entirely? No.

[rkho]

Champs never really sets any metagame, especially the Standard Champs that happens in October. It was metagame-less (at least for this year). However, I was actually looking forward to some 2HG play for Champs =/

[mercenarybdu]

This is absurd. These programs were working perfectly fine, now they are going to kill this program as well for the USA.

There better be something better in their place or else you are going to get a lot of angry masses.

[Luke]

Ok,

I DAMN WELL HOPE! there will be something similar to this.

Sussex, England love Champs! One of the best times of year for the players. Players literally call it the highlight of the magic year.

thanks for pointing this out Gleemax but I sure hope Champs stays put!

[MagicRage]

What in the blue hell??? At least when they were shifting around PTs and GPs and sprucing up Nats it seemed to suggest they were trying to make the "pro scene" more accessible to the PTAs and the non-gravytrainers. But to cancel States?

I wish they would share some of their thoughts with us where the hell this is all going because just canceling stuff with the explanation "we're reorganizing" makes us all uncomfortable. Would be nice if they would tell us more about where things are being redistributed. Reorganization I can deal with if I know where things are being shifted to but the take take take with only a little give back is bad juju.

[Luke]

Making us feel uncomfortable

This is how I feel after hearing about the loss of Champs!

I very much hope Wizards HQ are going to consider how much of an impact Champs actually have. Especially in the UK!

[benbw1]

I'm pretty sure UK still has champs, but this is still ridiculous. I'm just starting to get into the competitive side of Magic, and was planning on going to States already. I might just end up quitting magic if they cut another event.

[Falkor]

It's getting very hard to be patient with WoTC when announcements like this continue to be made.

This is exactly why I am all for a Players Union.

If you are going to announce an end to States, then please announce the replacement for this event at the same time. I simply don't think you can announce the end of a major tournament without at least discussing a replacement.

It just makes no sense, creates unnecessary panic (if there is a replacement, which I assume, but you know what they say about people who assume), and generates negative publicity about the game as a whole.

I sincerely hope that BDM clarifies this absurd announcement tomorrow, in his weekly article. If BDM does not address this issue tomorrow, then I will be furious.

For now, I will wait until tomorrow...

[iceage4life]

Sigh, did Wizards learn nothing? Cutting events is not popular. Unclear communication is not popular. If Wizards needed to do this there are MUCH better ways then a short, vague statement on their website. The message ends with:

We are excited about the changes in our programs this year, and hope that you will check out www.magicthegathering.com for news about the new programs and outlets through 2008 and beyond.

If they have something to replace this they should have had that announcement ready at the same time as this one.

Aside from the communication it is annoying they cut these. As someone else pointed out these events can't cost much. My local store owner recently said that her business was bad recently and events were the only thing keeping them afloat. 2hg Champs must be a huge money-maker for store due to the shear number of packs needed by players. Argh this announcement pisses me off. Hope there is something to replace them or at least more info soon.

[bsushort]

I loved States for the first few years I competed, mainly because it always came right after set rotation when the metagame was in a total state of flux. It was a fun tournament with all of the experimentation of the new block. However, the fact that it led nowhere always irked me. States (in my area, at least) always had more competitors that any PTQ or GPT and yet the reward was just a plaque. It really wish it gave byes at regionals, or something to reward the players who succeeded.

Despite that, this is one that will really be missed. For a lot of people, States served as the "gateway tournament" giving them their first taste of large-scale tournament Magic and often leading them to try more competitive events like GPTs and PTQ. Although 2HG States had been a bit of a flop (we have larger turnout for the 2HG flight at our prereleases than at States), the Standard States was a great event. I hope they finish "revamping their program" in time for the Fall event to still take place.

[rkho]

At this rate, FNM will probably be held like once per two months in order to save money from printing promos

After that, the promos will be cut to any remaining Homelands/Fallen Empires/Coldsnap/Saviors boosters they have left, with a big sharpie "FNM" on them. Any shortage will be replaced with an extravagant amount of printed Chimney Imps, Mountain Goats, and Wood Elementals. Probably enough to payout an entire Pro Tour if sold to StarCityGames.

And after that, MaRo's gonna be digging in his garage.

I'm kidding, by the way.

[warwizard87]

this is a real odd thing to do to the simi casual players, you know the players who actually buy a lot of stuff. I know a lot of players who for states buy large amounts of product both packs and singles to play and have a shot at winning states, and honestly some of my fondest memories of magic are form states. Its a simi casual event that seems to be more for fun then profit. I feel wizards are shooting themselves in the foot unless they can compensate for the event.

am i the only one who is noticing that wizards are cutting costs at every corner now? increasing the amounts of "chase rares" and basically trying to pinch while pulling in every penny. Lets face it cutting your costs from running events will not increase your bottom line, with out the events there will not be the demand for the product your selling. As such you sell less product.

I mean they made the set legal the day it was released , this is meant to shot preorders up and increase the amount spent early. They cut the armature prize from GPs + a pro tour. Then added a few more dollars to the GP pay out in the long run this saves money. Then they cut the promotion of states/champs....how does this factor into this equation of making the bottom line bigger? players spend lots of money before a event especially armature players. If you don't have that end of year glut for the new set, what showcases it? FNM? This whole situation just does not make good business sense.

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