Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Sandstorm Prerelease: +$5 (less prizes)

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GymLeaderPhil

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As posted by our friends at PES: http://www.professional-events.com/Pokemon-Nintendo/Prerelease - Sandstorm/SandstormDet090603.htm

Entry Fee: $20

1st Place
1 Box of Pokémon-e TCG: Ex Sandstorm Booster Packs
2nd Place
16 Pokémon-e TCG: Ex Sandstorm Booster Packs
3rd Place
8 Pokémon-e TCG: Ex Sandstorm Booster Packs
4th Place
8 Pokémon-e TCG: Ex Sandstorm Booster Packs
5-8th Place
4 Pokémon-e TCG: Ex Sandstorm Booster Packs
Everybody
Prerelease Card

Question: Why is it that players pay five bucks more for less prizes? What is going on here? Product IS NOT that expensive, its coming from the source, why the extra? There are no extra little things like link cables. Why? If its towards TO's checks, I understand, but otherwise, why the extra five bucks?
-Phil
 
I guess my question would be, how does this compare in price to, say, a Magic pre-release? Is it in the same price range?


'mom
 
As I understand it, it's NOT the same format, as the GBA portions are not included (except perhaps as side events?).

I don't really see what the problem is, myself...especially if any other TCG's prerelease tourney is in this price range. Perhaps the R/S Challenge was put on by BOTH the TCG and GBA 'arms' of Nintendo/PUI (ie: pulling from both divisions' budgets)...which would make sense, looking at the prize list. This one looks like it's TCG only; fine. From what I can remember seeing prereleases go for, entry-fee/prizes-wise...this looks in the ballpark, IMHO..

'mom
 
I just think twenty bucks is a bit hefty for any 14-under (which means parental guardian) to purchase... what is the purpose of this increase???

From a customer standpoint, I dont need to enter a Sandstorm Pre Release to get cards early. There is no reason, I dont sell them early and dont need them for any sanctioned event because there are none other than the Prerleases around the country.

In addition, the prizes compaired with both previous events (R/S Challange and the Skyridge SBZ) are terrible! Although the SBZ didnt award prizes to each age group, it was intended to be a SMALLER local event compaired with the Qualifiers and Pre Releases. The Skyridge SBZ gave each participant 1 set of 3 Pokemon Promo cards compaired with one Prerelease card. The top 16 finishers recieved 1 Oversized Electabuzz Promo card. That and plus the trophies awarded to each age group. Let's look at how steep the sealed booster prizes were cut:

1st
36-36
2nd
24-16
3rd-4th
12-8
5th-8th
6-4
Promos
3-1

The R/S Challange had medals, cartridges, and gift certificates. While this funding for those items might have come from other departments as PokeMom pointed out, there is still a drop in boosters...

1st
36-36
2nd
36-16
3rd
16-8
4th
16-8
5th-8th
10-4
Promos
2-1
-Phil
 
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Hmm...my only guess could be that it probably costs more to speed production up like that...not to mention that you're basically buying you're 6 boosters at 'full price' as compared to a discounted price
 
Like previously said, it comes to no surprise if you've ever competed in one of MtG's prereleases. This is a little weird though, because you are getting $16.45's worth of product at (SRP-wise) for paying the $20.

I can assume the following:

A: That they're trying to balance the prize offset with the turnout ratio. Companies suck blood.

B: That they're charging you an "appropriate" price for the prerelease card :rolleyes:

EDIT: Oh, prereleases are indeed SIX packs, not FIVE. hehe...^^""
 
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OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!! YOU'RE RIGHT!!!!

26 cents extra- this is pomposterous!

How dare they charge us full price for the cards and then give us an event to play with them- and give us the opportunity to win more :O


....besides, knowing the tax rates in some states I'd say 20 bucks for 6 boosters is more than a deal...
 
There really isnt a reason for this price increase, IMO. Boxes are sold at wholesale prices to the Organizers and the rest of the left over money goes towards prize support. Nintendo/PUSA should put some of their own profit into the event itself (to pay for venue and TO's salary) instead of having the event pay for itself, which results in a hefty fee for players with very little incentive. See where I'm coming from? This sort of fee for this event WILL turn away more players than the Ruby and Sapphire Challange.

OP is the only way this game can support it's current sales. The other half is from non-players.
-Phil
 
I don't really think 5 dollars extra is gonna turn that many people away. Its cards before the release- I like it
 
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it was my impression that one of the problems some players had with Wizards of the Coast's handling of the Pokémon TCG was that it wasn't 'serious' enough...with prereleases, for example...like M:TG. But now that it looks like PUI _IS_ treating the TCG players like 'serious' players...by holding the aformentioned prerelease tourney, in the same way and at the same price that M:TG ones are...people want to have their cake and eat it too!

Am I wrong in assuming a 'prerelease' tourney is for the CURRENT players of the game, rather than for rookies...like the R/S challenges were targeted to? Good lord, I'd hate to be with PUI's OP and have to come here and read all this; it seems like NOTHING can please the players anymore!

JMHO,
'mom
 
Yes...mom hit the nail on the head there. We've been longing for Prereleases for a while (I've even been longing for the Prerelease stamped cards to return) and this is what happens =\
 
There is one thing you must realize for these events, Nintendo requires event insurance to hold these events. This is the single most expensive part of the pre-release I will be having in Sturgis Michigan. For the one day of the tournament the cost of insurance for the event is almost $175. Plus you have to figure in the fact that we have to purchase the cards off of Nintendo for the event. I can see why they are charging the $20 for the event. You have to cover costs, and these events are not cheap to run. Also don't forget we have to pay for staff, location, food, travel, ect. It isn't just the cards we have to pay for, there are a lot of other cost going into figuring the price to enter the event.
 
The Ruby and Sapphire Challenge is supposed to be the big kick off. That is the reason that they are giving away more money and product than they take in. It's just like a sale a store would have when they just open. Now that the business is underway, the prices go back up.
 
R&S Challenge was weak in terms of number of locations, etc.

$20 for a pre-release tourney? Fine.

I'll be there. Put one in L.A.
 
GymLeaderPhil said:
There really isnt a reason for this price increase, IMO. Boxes are sold at wholesale prices to the Organizers and the rest of the left over money goes towards prize support. Nintendo/PUSA should put some of their own profit into the event itself (to pay for venue and TO's salary) instead of having the event pay for itself, which results in a hefty fee for players with very little incentive. See where I'm coming from? This sort of fee for this event WILL turn away more players than the Ruby and Sapphire Challange.

OP is the only way this game can support it's current sales. The other half is from non-players.
-Phil
Click to expand...

We have it on good authority that the prices TO's are paying are above wholesale (we have a local retailer who is getting his stock for ~$55/box from a wholesaler). So far under Nintendo, TO's are taking losses. Six boosters retail for roughly $23 after tax. You're getting these ahead of the general public as well. You're playing for a chance to get MORE product ahead of the general public. You're getting to enjoy your day with folks whose company you enjoy. Factor in insurance, venue rental, and all the logistics that go into making a tournament happen, you're getting a bargain.

Yes, we had it good under WotC. However, we didn't get many sealed events at low cost (most ran between $12-$25). The ones that did run at low cost were later in the license's lifespan, when WotC could afford to take a loss at the cost of customer satisfaction. Nintendo isn't a fledgling company. However, the TCG Division is a fledgling division that needs to prove itself in order to survive. You can't do that at a loss initially. Consider your extra $5 seed money for later.
 
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