[Trick]

Word spread but this was announced at the Gama Conference. This is the first real information we've gotten about their new push for acquisition and grass roots level of support.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/announce/dci20080421a

Tuesday and Wednesday at the Gama Trade Show in Las Vegas, NV, Wizards Organized Play representatives will be discussing initial details of the Wizards Play Network – the new global organized play initiative devoted to enhancing grass roots play. Wizards of the Coast has created this initiative to support a wider variety of play formats and broader reaching local events that go beyond current Organized Play programs such as Friday Night Magic  and the Pro Tour.

"We are rededicating ourselves to local level play. This multi-layered program is about putting choices and direction in the hands of those who know it best, the retailers and event organizers. The Wizards Play Network will have something for everyone," said Jesse Decker, Director of Organized Play for Wizards of the Coast.

Benefits of the program include regular feedback from retailers, making Wizards Organized Play staff more easily accessible, and deploying significant new online resources. The network will allow local organizers much greater freedom to choose play formats appropriate for their communities. This means, for example, that casual formats such as multiplayer or league play will receive expanded prize support and recognition from Wizards of the Coast.

Sign ups for the Wizards Play Network begin on May 1, 2008, and we will be revealing even more detailed information about the network mid-May.

Wizards representatives will be presenting a seminar at GTS on Tuesday and Wednesday from 1-2 in the Bronze Room of the convention hall. Jesse Decker, Andy Heckt and Chris Galvin will also be available at the Wizards of the Coast booth for any questions.

Wizards Play Network FAQ

What is the Wizards Play Network initiative?
The Wizards Play Network initiative is a renewed dedication towards providing additional support for grass roots play on a global level. We have created this initiative to support a wider variety of play formats and broader reaching local events that go beyond current OP events such as FNM and the Pro Tour. This will be about putting choices and direction in the hands of those who know it best, the retailers and game organizers.

What is the timing for the introduction of the Wizards Play Network?
•Wizards will be rolling out their new initiative throughout the year, beginning with our announcement at GTS this Monday, April 21. Sign ups begin May 1, 2008.

Why the changes and introduction of the Wizards Play Network?
There are three main points to highlight in regards to the introduction of this initiative:

      1. We are doing this in response to feedback we have collected from retailers and players. They've been asking for something like this for some time, and we are now at a point in which we can successfully provide them with what they've been requesting. We will continue to look for feedback from everyone involved.
      2. The changes we're making will make WotC staff more accessible. The primary vehicle for this is dci@wizards.com. This will be a single point of contact, making communication with Wizards' organized play department streamlined and efficient. We will roll out more tools as the year progresses.
      3. We will deploy significant new online resources, all geared towards supporting this initiative. These resources include: new store and game locator as well as easy-to-use reporting tools for local organizers.

Can you give more detail about the online resources that will support the network?
There are several parts to the online resources that will be deployed throughout 2008. The first will be enhanced store and game locator functionality on the Wizards website that will be deployed this summer. The second piece will be simplified web-based reporting features that aid the expanded range of play formats offered through the Wizards Play Network. The final piece, to be deployed later will rely on Gleemax's social networking and group building functionality. These functions will give players and organizers unprecedented ability to connect with one another, identify favored play formats, and exchange comments.

How will this affect current sanctioned play programs?
Current sanctioned play programs such as Friday Night Magic and the Pro Tour will remain in place. The Wizards Play Network introduces additional, broader reaching, local events for players and retailers.

Will Tournament Organizer levels change?
We're working hard to make the next version of our organizer levels as clear as possible and to codify how an organizer progresses from one level to the next. These details will be included in the mid-May update of the Wizards Play Network.

Where does FNM fit into this initiative?
FNM is an integral part of the Wizards Play Network initiative. FNM will be the anchor of the initiative. However, this plan is designed to encourage other formats of play as well. The initiative includes various levels of "league" play, designed to appease the more casual and multiplayer players. It is these types of activities that will be encouraged for retailers/event organizers looking to build a more casual gaming environment.

Who do you feel will participate in the Wizards Play Network?
We imagine the vast majority of organizers to be retailers. They have already asked for clearer information about participation levels, and that will be delivered to them early this summer.

What if we already run Organized Play for Wizards games, what should we do?
If you're already running Wizards organized play programs, a Wizards staff member will contact you directly about the new play options available to your location.

What is the timeline for this year's rollouts?
We are looking to launch this initiative early this summer with continual rollouts of additional supporting programs and information throughout the year.

What will happen to the current kits and resources?
New assets and resources for retailers will be made available to help support non-tournament formats. These will include tools such as format guidelines for organizing play groups and rewards. The DCI intro kit and DCI tournament support kit will be incorporate into prizes and support within the Wizards Play Network participation kit.

Is there a cost?
Wizards Play Network kits will be free of charge.

[gleemax]

You know what really got me?  It was that last sentence "Wizards Play Network kits will be free of charge".  I always thought organizers had to pay for stuff like FNM, so getting something for nothing should be a big push.  I know my local organizer is opening up a physical store soon, so maybe I'll start to get some local sanctioned play soon.

[Lythand]

I just read the article on the Wizards Play Network. I really like the idea of support for more formats. I have always been a fan of Multiplayer games and would love to see prize support for such games.

[imachampion]

I seem to be ignorant here because I don't see how this is supposed to be any different than FNM or how this is supposed to take the place of States.

[BassmanARW]

I'm not sure I follow...so this is basically an additional event free of charge that will involve more formats and attempt to bring more people into the game by having more formats and being free?

[Trick]

It's an umbrella setup for organized play, if FNM falls under it then if I understand it correctly, stores no longer have to pay for FNM material (something they have to do currently.) In addition it may feature stuff like Arena play or dueling events.

It's simply their first announcement concerning their grass roots play since cutting the Pro tour and other events back.

-- Trick

[gleemax]

Yeah, I think if I read it right it gives the organizers the power to decide on the formats.  So while Arizona might love limited and use this to replace states with a big limited event, Florida might be ga-ga over Two-headed giant and proceed with a Two-headed giant event to replace their states at the same time.

It think this might of come about from complaints and unbalanced numbers from diffrent areas.  For example (and I'm just showing a point I have no data) Arizona might pack in hundreds of people when states is limited or constructed, but when it's a multiplayer format like THG, their number dwindle to like 50.  So of course Arizona organizers would be upset when WOTC says THG is the format this year. 

This just gives the power to players and lets demand fuel what the events will be.  Heck this might even mean a sanctioned EDH event could be seen (but the logistics of that are mind boggling).

[imachampion]

This just gives the power to players and lets demand fuel what the events will be.  Heck this might even mean a sanctioned EDH event could be seen (but the logistics of that are mind boggling).

Ugh...can you imagine the arguments? So many people would want to play Sliver Queen and wouldn't be able to. That would be a massive headache.

[Lythand]

I doubt these will be sanctioned, just supported with prizes

[gleemax]

I doubt these will be sanctioned, just supported with prizes

Why do you doubt this?  The EDH was a joke on my part.  I fully think these are meant to be sanctioned tournaments with just a low level rules enforcement.  They said FNM will be the back bone of these and FNM are sanctioned events. 

[Lythand]

Only because there are no sanctioned rules for other formats. PRimarily Multiplayer formats. Other then 2HG.

I could be wrong, but I believe we are looking at a whole new section to be added to the comprehensive rules for Multiplayer then.

[gleemax]

didn't they do a sanctioned multiplayer game at worlds last year? it just wasn't chaos, it was the AL/DR method.

[MN Nick]

I actually ran tournaments for a local shop last summer, and I can say that this is a good idea. Every once in a while we would have a kid show up that was trying to keep his rating up and bitch about every rule that the local guys wanted to play with. Most of the time, we would simply not report the tourney if there was enough grumbling, that way everyone was happy. However, it gets old when half the field drops after a first round loss.

I took some liberties, but it was always in the name of fun.

My point I guess, is that i talked to the owner of the shop a lot and she said dealing with WOTC and some of their stipulations was a real hassle. In a smaller tourney environment like ours too, it made it difficult to hand out prizes that were fair to winners. I remember the old days when we used to get boxes for winning. Now prize support can be as little as a couple packs to someone in the top 4. It's all about the bottom line, and the bottom line dictates that MTG prices have gone up, but people still dont want to pay more for tournaments.

So free support makes me happy. This is the way Wizards should have been doing it all along instead of making the organizers take hits just to help get their product out there. After all, no tournaments = no sales. Sure the casual player might make an effort to buy cards every once in a while, but it wont sustain the market.