Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

California off to a GREAT start for 2007/2008

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Scizor

New Member
10 Battle Roads, yeah looks pretty good for one state, right? Think again. Georgia, a state not even in the same ballpark as California in area size, population or player base, has that many BRs.

Am I that concerned about Battle Roads? No. I'm not going to any because they're 4+ hours away.

What I AM concerned about is the future of the game in this state, which seemingly gets worse every single passing year, despite me warning, expressing concern, criticizing the tournament system, offering ideas, the list goes on.

Here we are again, on the brink of a new season, and on the doorstep of finding out a new tournament structure for the 2007-2008 season, and frankly, I've gotten to the point where the only tournament I look forward to is Regionals. I go to Nationals, and Worlds (well usually, when I don't get geographically deprived of it) to see my friends, but competing isn't exactly the #1 thing.

When you live over here, you have to committ to driving hours for a City Championship or even a Battle Road. With gas prices (yes they have gone down some), the expenses become quite absurd. It literally DISCOURAGES you from playing the game.

There's just so many things wrong with our situation over here that I've described in detail several times.

Sometimes, I am a little harsh on the East Coast, I will admit that. The thing is, some of you just refuse to believe, or don't want to believe how much better you have it. I just don't understand how we can have a legitimate tournament system when the #1 Region in the World for POP registered players has so many constant flaws.

I'm complaining, I'm pleaing, whatever you want to call it, but it doesn't matter what I do or say, past becoming a PTO myself, but hey, I'm a competitive player and I've always been like that. I've given plenty of help when I could here, and I would like to reap the benefits for all the dedication by not only me, but all of the hard working, and heavily traveled California players, judges, and other staff.

And yeah -- I realize one of our problems is the PTO situation, but hey, that can't be the only problem if this has been an ongoing disaster for 4 years, can it?

Give us what we rightfully deserve, or at least half of it, that's all I ask.
 
organize

them

yourself

it's not that difficult. There's probably a League in your area somewhere where the LO is either unwilling or unable to put on a show for the kids and you can step in. If not, there's probably a library or some other public space that's both big enough for 20+ people and relatively cheap to use. Either way, stop complaining and do something about it yourself.
 
Are you old enough to be a TO yourself? If not find someone who is.

Organise some sanctioned tournaments to show both competence and attendance. (This does not need a PTO!)

Once a track record is established approach POP with a request for a Battle Road to be run by the now established TO.

[ There is no quick fix, no magic wand. ]
 
It's really easy to tell someone to organize a tournament themselves... but it takes a lot of work to actually do it. Being a Cali player myself, over the past years I've been stuck driving an hour to get to any sort of tournament at all, BRs, cities, even prereleases. After having my local league set up for almost 2 years, we FINALLY got asked if we wanted to start hosting tournaments.

The first two replies in this thread make act like the thread starter is complaining about having to take out the garbage or something.
 
This may be a stretch, but I think Scizor can mention these things without having to become a TO. We have to keep in mind that the whole point of "Organized Play" is to make it possible for people to _play_, and in the end, it isn't our responsibility to get people playing/getting events organized: it's POP's.

I'm sure all of this is being analyzed thoroughly by POP/PUSA. After all, anyone can guarantee there's a LOT at stake when it comes to California's OP. Just keep in mind that it's their responsibility to provide this type of promotion ("Organized Play") to the players, and not necessarily the players themselves. After all, we do our part simply by buying product.
 
Good for you Scizor, putting it out there again. POP is getting very cheap. They do not want to pay for the tourns in local card shops, that cost more than they are willing to pay. Therefore, a lot of kids get left out. Once again, there is no battle roads in San Diego. Many of the kids 10 and under (in our league) want to play in battle roads, but the parents are not willing to drive 2-3 hours one way. There are so many places to have it w/o the cost, but no one is willing to have one here. Why is that San Diego Prof/ To's?
 
Blame POP if they don't behave in a reasonable and business-like fashion. Don't blame them for the geography and demographics of the USA.

Ultimately POP are responsible for all aspects of OP, but that doesn't mean that it is valid to blame POP for everything that appears to be wrong with OP. For example a lack of local TOs is not down to POP. Anyone 18+ with a pop account can apply to be a TO. POP aren't discriminating against Scizor or any other player who is geographically challenged.

Using the pokegym map it seems that Scizor will always have to travel to States/Regionals/Nationals. No point in complaining about it cos its not going to change. I've read Scizors post several times and I can't work out specifically what Scizor would like to see change. Which makes it really hard to help with anything other than vague and general advice.

I'm not without sympathy for the plight of those whose access to tournament play is challenging. For a long time that was the position that the whole of the UK found itself in. But expecting someone else to fix the problems in the UK was never going to work.
 
Last edited:
Ehhh I don't think too many people are "blaming" POP for anything. However, when the end result is profit, it _is_ POP's job to market to unexploited demographics.

I've never played at a California event outside of Worlds, but I get the impression there's still much to be done to get that state to the height it was at during the days of the STS's. A few 20-man tournies don't do the largest state justice, regardless of how many TO's you have.
 
Mama_Schutte said:
Good for you Scizor, putting it out there again. POP is getting very cheap. They do not want to pay for the tourns in local card shops, that cost more than they are willing to pay. Therefore, a lot of kids get left out. Once again, there is no battle roads in San Diego. Many of the kids 10 and under (in our league) want to play in battle roads, but the parents are not willing to drive 2-3 hours one way. There are so many places to have it w/o the cost, but no one is willing to have one here. Why is that San Diego Prof/ To's?
Click to expand...
would you mind giving me a list of all those places to have an event at no cost here in SD, so i can forward that to karl please? i'm sure both he and POP would like that info...

'mom
 
bullados said:
organize

them

yourself

it's not that difficult. There's probably a League in your area somewhere where the LO is either unwilling or unable to put on a show for the kids and you can step in. If not, there's probably a library or some other public space that's both big enough for 20+ people and relatively cheap to use. Either way, stop complaining and do something about it yourself.
Click to expand...
PokeDaddy Agrees with above. Stop complaining or do something.

Your rants are getting tired.
Click to expand...

It isn't his job to run tournaments 15-16 Hours away.
 
Bullados - I go to college in perhaps the most rural setting in the United States. The closest tournaments are within FOUR hours. The closest league is FOUR hours away. There is ZERO pokemon activity here. That isn't what I'm complaining about, I don't have a problem traveling for events, ask ANYBODY who knows me, I've probably traveled more in one year for events than you have your entire pokemon career.

If you actually knew the situation, or paid any attention to the hundreds of posts I've made, maybe you wouldn't be such a hater about it and spew out the same stuff everytime I make a post.

Pokedaddy - I'd like to see YOU try and do something about the situation here, like I have any control whatsoever.
 
NoPoke said:
Are you old enough to be a TO yourself? If not find someone who is.

Organise some sanctioned tournaments to show both competence and attendance. (This does not need a PTO!)

Once a track record is established approach POP with a request for a Battle Road to be run by the now established TO.

[ There is no quick fix, no magic wand. ]
Click to expand...

I am, but that is not what I am. It is NOT my job to do those things. I am a player first, that's what I will always be. Have I considered becoming a PTO? Of course, but for all the wrong reasons.

I am once again, not complaining about the BR situation as much as I am our OVERALL situation, which includes the fact that we are consistantly given far under the number of tournaments and certainly prizes, considering our attendance is through the roof. I can guarentee you that if someone like Vince (Meganium45) was the PTO in California, our attendance would be so insane that it would have FORCED POP to take action by now by examining our geographical situation.

There is no quick fix, yeah I agree, that's why I've brought this up for THREE YEARS! (I'm not directing this at you, I'm just pointing that out).
 
Scizor...first thanks for the vote of confidence.

It is going to be unpopular...but I feel your pain.

It is amazing to me that a Battle Road is not run at every location that a league is at. That should be the bare minimum, and if a PTO does not want to do it for whatever reason, then a TO or LL should be allowed to step up and run the event.

I will warn you, I am only a PTO because I am in this for my kids. Before I stepped aboard, I went to some of the most HORRIFICALLY run events in history, under the WOTC era, with judges who either were biased for their kids (blatantly), or simply ignorant of the game they were judging. There were some decent events, but, man, there were some STINKERS. I decided that instead of arguing, I would make a stand, and if not allowed to judge and run events, I would simply leave the game.

The key Scizor is to find someone with that type of passion in an area, who is willing to step up and make things run.

All that being said, I have no idea why SD is getting few to no events, or SoCal as a whole.

With the attendance at States and the like, I would be gunning for every event I could find a home for there.

I think PUI has some understanding of the player base and attendance, as there have been 2 regionals for California ever since Regionals started. PUI knows a lot more of what is going on than many people give them credit for.

Talk to you later.

Doreen, this is NOT meant to step on your toes or be a critique in any way. I realize you are not the PTO of this area.

Vince
 
Mama_Schutte said:
Good for you Scizor, putting it out there again. POP is getting very cheap. They do not want to pay for the tourns in local card shops, that cost more than they are willing to pay. Therefore, a lot of kids get left out. Once again, there is no battle roads in San Diego. Many of the kids 10 and under (in our league) want to play in battle roads, but the parents are not willing to drive 2-3 hours one way. There are so many places to have it w/o the cost, but no one is willing to have one here. Why is that San Diego Prof/ To's?
Click to expand...

Someone sticky, HIGHLIGHT, SOMETHING to this post.

Let me tell you guys something:

SAN DIEGO IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN CALIFORNIA. It has a MILLION people. It also, has some of the best and dedicated players the game has seen.

San Diego has had 0 Spring Battle Roads and 0 Fall Battle Roads. It also hosts a limited number of Cities, has NEVER hosted SoCal Regionals (although 2005 was in Camp Pendelton in SD county, maybe?), has NEVER hosted California States (ALL 4 have been in the Los Angeles area) and is continually hosed every year.

You guys just can't sit here and tell me to stop complaining and do something about somewhere that is 15+ hours away from me.
 
Chad, I really feel that after every before every event series this comes up. Posting it here wont do any good imo. I think you need to talk to your TOs/PTO in your area and tell them this. If you still feel that they arent making enough events, just email PUI asking them what you can do. It seems like all you do is want others to run more events. I mean, the reason Georgia has the same is the TOs/PTO are making it so. While PUI might care about how many BRs they run. If a state is allowed X amount and only ask for Y amount then other states may have more since they reached X amount.

That is JMO,
Drew
 
Scizor said:
Bullados - I go to college in perhaps the most rural setting in the United States. The closest tournaments are within FOUR hours. The closest league is FOUR hours away. There is ZERO pokemon activity here. That isn't what I'm complaining about, I don't have a problem traveling for events, ask ANYBODY who knows me, I've probably traveled more in one year for events than you have your entire pokemon career.

If you actually knew the situation, or paid any attention to the hundreds of posts I've made, maybe you wouldn't be such a hater about it and spew out the same stuff everytime I make a post.

Pokedaddy - I'd like to see YOU try and do something about the situation here, like I have any control whatsoever.
Click to expand...

I know the situation. I'm LIVING it. I came to college 2 years ago in Urbana, IL. There was only one store that would even *listen* to me about running a League. In 2 years, I grew my league from a couple of close friends and Pokemaniacs to one of the largest Leagues in the country. Still working on getting the store owner to let me run so much as a BR here, but she'll come around eventually.

Do like me. Go out. Find a card shop. Advertise. Grow the game. If you WANT it, go out there and DO it. Stop your complaining. I have no sympathy for you if you are not willing to go out and WORK for it. I did, still am, and will continue to do so long after I leave this place.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top