Entry Fee Pokemon Tournaments

[Professor Elm]

^Yeah, it seems impressive, until u realize just how extremely difficult it is to get an invite to the world championships, much less place in the top 4.

And, let's not forget this is the world championships. Yeah, those prizes are great, BUT look at every other world championship. The prize support for our world championships is dwarfed by those of other games/events.

I definitely won't be complaining if I get any of those prizes at worlds, BUT the bottom line is, for what Pokemon is, the prize support is lacking.

 

[ChristianOrtiz]

they should bring back gym challenges =/ thats would be great =]

 

[SD PokeMom]

what other games give prizes x3 age groups?

and is it really 'easier' to get an invite to those other games' 'world championship's?

'mom

 

[Qwachansey]

what other games give prizes x3 age groups?

Exactly - they have to pay 3 times as much.

 

[ryanvergel]

$75 dollars sounds like the price of an Origins pass.

People paid a LOT of money for Nationals in the previous years. The FREE nationals required an Origins pass which, unless you won one, would cost around 50+ USD.

Worlds has some nice prizes, especially with the promo cards and large scholarship count, but it's our Nationals which mainly needs to see prize improvement.

Bringing in 700 masters players and paying out top 8 a small amount is pretty unofrtunate. The 2500 in scholarships from Regionals looks pretty good when there is 100 people, but the 15k or so in nats t4 doesn't look as appealing when there are 7x as many people.

 

[Professor Elm]

what other games give prizes x3 age groups?

and is it really 'easier' to get an invite to those other games' 'world championship's?

'mom

It really depends. YGO, no. But their nationals is really the equivalent to our worlds because it's invite only and worlds is ultra exclusive to where only 1-4 people from each country are invited, I believe. But, yes, it is extremely easy to get an invite to nationals in YGO compared to getting an invite to worlds in Pokemon.

BUT, looking at other card games, I couldn't tell you. Regardless, you have to admit it's extremely difficult to get an invite to Worlds in Pokemon. And I agree, the prize support for 3 age groups thing is pretty neat. BUT, bottom line is, the game lacks prize support. You can't deny that or argue that, it's just simple fact. For the prestige of certain tournaments, the prizes you get just aren't that great. Part of it has to do with the fact that they aren't getting anything for running the tournaments so they can't afford to give out bigger prizes. Part of it could be due to a global economc recession. All these are understandable, but the bottom line is people don't play Pokemon for the prizes you can get.

Now, I play because I love this game. The only prizes I've ever gotten are tons of packs, trophies, and medals. I've never received scholarships or electronics etc. I just love to play this game. So, don't take my comments in a different way.

 

[Chompy]

they should bring back gym challenges =/ thats would be great =]

Im pretty sure they will since GameFreak is on the remake of Heart Gold and Soul Silver. You will probably see more SP pokemon like "Mortys Gengar" or "Bugsys Scizor".

 

[Yoshi-]

Save store credit long enough and buy the store

Awesome xDDD

~~

I usually complain a lot but if there is one thing that I like its the scholarship money idea.
Its essentially a money price but still its so much more, great idea IMO.

I also really like the idea of money tournaments with higher entry fees, heck I won some of those back in the days of YGO. If there will ever be some I'll be there, but its up to TOs not PUI since it mostly is a childrends cardgame and official money tournaments could really ruin PUIs image.

And I dont think store credit is that bad, some stores have video games / manga etc as well.
And you can ask around if anyone needs something from the store and sell it to them.

 

[FunnyBear]

- A $75.00 event wouldn't drive everyone away from Nationals, sure. There'd still be a lot of players, although I maintain there wouldn't be as many as past years. What it would do, though, is stunt the growth of the game. I think that what a lot of people are missing in this conversation is that, although the hardcore players that we all know would probably continue playing even if a tournament fee was implemented, I think that the amount of youth that picked up the game would diminish. I know that, when I started playing way back in '98, if league was pay-to-play, I probably wouldn't have ever picked up a deck. I realize that Nationals is a bigger event than a league or almost any other tournament, but I think the point stands. The game has to be as inclusive as possible, and charging for these types of tournaments isn't the way to go about that, in my mind.
.

I respectfully disagree, though my perspective is coming from organized chess, which is different in some aspects. Charging $200 for the World Open has not stunted the growth of the game among kids as everyone does not have to go to Worlds. There are local events in every city for lots less. $5 for club or scholastic events, $20 for a Saturday Swiss, $40 for a 6 round 2-day weekend swiss, $60 for a State Championship event, etc.

Back to Pokemon, if league events were free, BR cost $5 to enter, States cost $10, Regionals $40, Nationals $50-$75 etc, would it really prevent kids from picking up the game? Do you have any idea how much parents shell out for random crap on a routine basis? $25 for swimming lessons, $250 for a week of basketball camp, not to mention $150- $250 for a new deck every time a set comes out and the meta zigs this way or that. Do you realize what an afternoon of bowling, a movie, or the arcade costs? Even if we paid for tournaments, pokemon would be about the cheapest form of entertainment we have.

 

[Missingno]

I respectfully disagree, though my perspective is coming from organized chess, which is different in some aspects. Charging $200 for the World Open has not stunted the growth of the game among kids as everyone does not have to go to Worlds. There are local events in every city for lots less. $5 for club or scholastic events, $20 for a Saturday Swiss, $40 for a 6 round 2-day weekend swiss, $60 for a State Championship event, etc.

Back to Pokemon, if league events were free, BR cost $5 to enter, States cost $10, Regionals $40, Nationals $50-$75 etc, would it really prevent kids from picking up the game? Do you have any idea how much parents shell out for random crap on a routine basis? $25 for swimming lessons, $250 for a week of basketball camp, not to mention $150- $250 for a new deck every time a set comes out and the meta zigs this way or that. Do you realize what an afternoon of bowling, a movie, or the arcade costs? Even if we paid for tournaments, pokemon would be about the cheapest form of entertainment we have.

Well, yes, but you have to compare it to playing with friends for free. A part of the game being friendly with all age groups is that it is not meant to be as hyper-competitive. Why shell out $40 to watch your kids lose to people who spend large sums of money getting all the best cards?

Just a thought.