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07-05-2001
 Comments on the 2001 New Zealand Nationals
The statements below are my opinions only. They are not intended to harm or
mislead any other person or persons. They are not intended to harm any employee
of, or misrepresent, Wizards of the Coast, Inc or Magic the Gathering(TM) or
the D.C.I. in any way or form. Dates stated are approximations of the date or
time when events occured.
This is just a little note about The 2001 MAGIC The GATHERING NEW ZEALAND NATIONALS.
(1.) With my current financial situation, I do not wish to pay for a one day
grinder and not play in the main event.
(2.) At last year's (2000) Nationals it was said that next year's (2001) Nationals
and thereafter would be held at a Wellington venue. I did not have a problem with
this (even though it was supposed to be a Christchurch year to host) as 2 trips
to Wellington is still a lot cheaper than a trip to Auckland every 3 years. Then
six months later it was stated the Nationals would be in Auckland with no
explanation for the change.
(3.) The last four Nationals that I have attended have been held on the Queen's
Birthday weekend, a three day weekend which is usually the 1st weekend in June.
Then in January 2001 it was made known that the Nationals would in fact be a
month before in May 2001.
(4.) With the above change of date the event would now be a two day event rather
than a three day event, consisting of only 3 rounds of draft and 5 rounds of
swiss constructed then a top eight playoff.
(5.) With the length of the event changed to fit a two day weekend it would be
unable to support a high number of players just turning up to play, So the top
50 D.C.I. ranked players (at this time I ranked 86th) were invited to attend.
Then National qualifers were implemented across the country (of which four were
held, one in Christchurch, one in Wellington and and two in Auckland I believe)
where the top two players (I qualifed 5th) would gain entry. Then grinders were
proposed (which occur the day before Nationals are to start in Auckland) to
allow another eight players entry to the event.
(6.) About 4 weeks ago, the advertised event was changed to a three day event,
due to the fact that players didn't like the current status of the whole thing.
SUMMARY
I feel the players have, this year (2001), been unduly penalised to play in the
main event of the year that I see as just another tournament.
If you don't live in the host city you have to pay more (speaking for Cantabrians
mainly, as it was their year to host) to get to the event. With the old system,
most players had equal cost over three years in travel expenses.
With confusion over what, when, where of the event, I for one didn't know what the
hell was going on, or where or when!! Even though most people knew it was called
"The Nationals", even the local Tournament Organizer and judges didn't know what
was happening.
The implementation of limitations - top 50 invites, Qualifers and grinders. I see
about 30 of the top 50 , 5 of the qualifers and 8 players from the grinders attending
which will give New Zealand the lowest number for a National event at about 43
players, which for a country that usually gets about 90 players is pretty sad.
The 13 or so that gain entry from the qualifiers, grinders then have to face the
best 30 odd players in NZ yeap thats fair :). I really hope one of the 13 wins!!.
The limitations also help restrict new players that would just love to play in the
Nationals. Who cares if they go 0-6 they just want to play, meet other players and have
fun. That's why people play, as most players don't have a chance internationally, so
there's no money in playing.
Everyone knows that the company wants more players because more players equals more
buyers, which equals more money and everyone wants more money!! With the NZ dollar
like it is, the sport is expensive enough (thats why Pokemon kicked it) without extra
days off work (for the third day that's not a holiday) and the added expense of
qualifiers and grinders, but the event itself is free!?! (if you don't take into
account the airfares and accommodation of getting to and staying in Auckland).
I myself will not be giving up Magic the Gathering. I still think its the best CCG
you can get and I have bought or played most (except Dragonball Z just cause it sux).
The game keeps getting better and better with every card set and I still will be
spending about US$500 a year to keep playing. What it comes down to is, if I did not
have a trip to Auckland already planned (I can get cheaper airfares and accommodation),
I did not have to qualify by being in top 50 or qualify to get in I would be there with
my friends getting smashed like the year before and the year before that, because I like
to play, want to play. One of my friends is still going up to play the grinders, I think
he's nuts, but he's one of the ones that wants to play and I hope he gets in and does
some damage. And if I win a million at Lotto I will be right beside him up there (I
will also be quitting my job to play full time MTG). :)
FINAL CONCULISON
With all the stuffing around with dates, formats, quailfiers, invites etc. I feel that
the NZ Nationals has been a very badly organised event which disgraces an otherwise
good organisation. I just hope they get it together for next year (fingers crossed).
Peter John Bailey |
