Waterbury Prizes

[iamfishman]

I was thinking today about how SCG is offering a power 9 purse at their next event and wished the price of power/mana drains hadnt gone up so much in the past year, because I was afraid I might have to raise my admisssion just to cover the increase in the cost of prizes.  When I looked(because I might just go) at the SCG info page, it makes sense.  The cost is $30.  This is fair, and makes me understand how SCG could offer such sweet ass sweet prizes.

Which makes me wonder what people think.

Based on the drastic increase in the cost of power and other prizes like mana drains, what should happen:

(OH...and please reply with reasons for your vote in addition to just voting)

[Jacob Orlove]

I voted for the $25 option, because I like winning power. On the other hand, I'm not sure if that would drive people away--I'd rather maximize attendance than top 8 prizes, but if it's just a question of prizes, more is better.

[kl0wn]

I prefer the entry fee be $25 and the Top 16 get hookers.

But barring that, I say the $20 option since $25 might hurt attendance because people suck man ball and could freak out about the five buck. I also expect to scrub out of every Waterbury I attend on account of my curse, so five buck could hook a brother up with some consolation cheeseburgers.

[Grand Inquisitor]

I can see from the results here that I'm in the minority, but I like low tourney entrance fees.  I think there's a lot of people who don't feel they have a good chance at winning, and the extra high entry cost drives them away.

Some people may say this makes for a more competitive field, but I think the bigger the better.  The tournament support as it stands already beats any other regular event.

Waterbury is known as a player-friendly tourney.  Good judges, cool games, amenities, and the rock stars of type 1 usually attend.  While these things give it flavor, people also think with their wallets.  I remember last summer when attendance was down to close to 40.  Keeping it at $15 hits possible attendees on every point, and almost ensures a huge crowd.  This makes it better for everyone.

[ctthespian]

I agree fully with Grand Inquisitor.  Lower entrance fees mean more people.  Nothing would be worse than to raise the entrance fee and have a low turnout.

[doomhed]

I voted for more prizes, as the  more prizes and things going on at tourney, the mopre likely people are gonna show up. worst case you sell some cards to Jef Anand or whoever is doing the event to cover yer entry.

[Kerz]

The $25 entry means that this tournament has larger prize support than SCG's "biggest tournament of the year". I vote for that.

[Machinus]

For anyone upset about the Dulmen payout practices:

It seems that we have our own TO's who "can't who maths." Thirty bucks entry, with 120-150 people means around 4k collected, and they are giving away around half that. Would it really hurt to go a couple hundred bucks more and give away drains or duals to eight more people?

"biggest tournament of the year"

No one else seems irritated since this is going to be gigantic and awesome, and the prize support was guaranteed, but I expect SCG to host another huge tournament before next summer since they are going to be making some good profit from this.

[wuaffiliate]

i voted $25, if im going to drive 8-10 hours i dont care how much it is to get in.

[CrazyCarl]

Who cares if the tournament is "the biggast evar!!1one!"?

Raising the entry fee will drive people away.  Im willing to pay $20 for a tourney, but once you go above that you're hitting PTQ prices.  Granted, Type 1 is infinitely more fun than a PTQ, it's still a lot of money.  I'd prefer to stay at 15, but if need be, a price increase of 5 bucks shouldn't hurt too badly, if at all.

[wuaffiliate]

$25 doesnt bother me at all for a tourney with a full top8 of power.

[Triple_S]

Top8 power is about the only way you will get me making a trip up there for a tournament...and if you are making a trip like that $25 for tournament entry isn't that bad.

Machinus--Since the SCG tournament is being held at the Richmond Convention Center Pete's margin will be cut into heavily so I doubt he will making the bank you presume he will.

[Zherbus]

Despite what anyone else says, the success on the SCG tournament is a good gauge... Waterbury is also in a more favorable location to boot.

[nataz]

Although I agree that a higher cost can drive people away,
I think that can be offset by a larger prize structure.

Just look at the difference in FNM vs Mox tourneys.

Avg. FNM around here, 5 bucks, 30 people, and winner gets a few packs
Avg. Mox tourney 25 bucks, 30 people, and the winner gets a 250 dollar Mox.

It may seem like a "duh" statement, but that is a simplified version of what you are looking at. If you are willing to spend hours upon hours in a car to drive to an event, I would also bet that you would be willing to spend the extra 10 bucks.

Heck, where I'm diving from 10 bucks in gas would still leave me 3 states away. The percentage of my total cost to actually attend the event that the ten dollars would represent is really pretty small.

Therefore price jump from 15-25 dollars is not an insurmountable cost. In truth, Ten dollars is really the cost of a few slices of pizza and a couple of sodas at the tournament site; hardly a deal breaker.

What you get in return is over 2,000 dollars MORE worth of prizes split up among 8 other people, effectively netting everyone a 200% better chance to take home a worthwhile prize.

So screw it, I say bring a lunch, and put that ten dollars towards a better chance of wining something decent.

My vote would be for 25$

See you all at the next Waterbury

-carter

[CrazyCarl]

My suggestion for prizes would be:

1st - Lotus
2nd - Choice of Ancestral or Walk
3rd - Whatever the 2nd place player didn't take
4th - Mox of choice
5th & 6th - Timetwisters/Mox Pearls
7th & 8th - Mana Drains