I've been calling around to stores in my area asking about store championships and one store said that they are only allowing people that play at their store regularly to participate in the event. This seemed odd to me since it is a Fantasy Flight sanctioned tournament and not just a store tournament. Just wondering if anybody knows if this is allowed or not.

Wow, I doubt FFG Corporate would be happy about that.

Other than banning cheaters and violent or disruptive players. I doubt they can keep people away.

I'd show up and get a manager to tell you that in person and record him doing it. Send that to FFG and I bet they'll not get another official event.

Come to Maine. We obey the rules and do not discriminate against non-local or non-regular players! ALL are welcome. Maine; "The way life should be."

Come over to Seattle. We like everyone.

Come to Chicago. We'll either get you amazing Hot Dogs or we'll shoot you. (Offer applies to certain neighborhoods only)

Come to Sunny Southern California!! Lots of places to play X-wing, did I mention it was sunny.

I'd show up and get a manager to tell you that in person and record him doing it. Send that to FFG and I bet they'll not get another official event.

I agree with this, show up recording and then see if they will let you play. That is just not cool man.

Fort Wayne allows everyone to come play at ours. Often to our detriment. Those **** Indianapolis, Chicago, South Bend, etc players love to come club the baby seals.

Fort Wayne allows everyone to come play at ours. Often to our detriment. Those **** Indianapolis, Chicago, South Bend, etc players love to come club the baby seals.

We'll allow the Fort Wayne players here in Toledo next weekend (any anyone else who wants to come).

I am on the fence with this one.

I run 99% of the xwing at my LGS. Space is limited due to the building (about 20 spots if we lock the place down). I have thought about this a couple times, with the explosion in new players (which is great), its harder to serve everyone that would want to play.

Reasons I am for at least some form of loyalty to your weekly players:

Why not support the people that support you?

Its a "Store" championship, so somewhat says that it should be the best of the "store", and I would say that is the best of those that are at the store most of the time.

Reasons I am against locking it down to just the everyday player

Gets more people in the building buying food, products.

new players have a chance to get in to the store.

So I guess what I am saying is I get it, but as long as there is some sort of balance (say local sign up for a night, then open to all if you have to worry on space) I don't know, as I said, on the fence, and as I am not the owner of the game store, I don't have much of a horse in the race.

At my LGS and a couple others, space is limited. So they are having a cap on who can get in. One of them had sold out in like a day, my local sold out in an hour. I am working to see if we can't get more tables in to help get our total up.

I can see some sort of suggested prelims or something to cut down the rush for this ever growing game.

I am on the fence with this one.

I run 99% of the xwing at my LGS. Space is limited due to the building (about 20 spots if we lock the place down). I have thought about this a couple times, with the explosion in new players (which is great), its harder to serve everyone that would want to play.

Reasons I am for at least some form of loyalty to your weekly players:

Why not support the people that support you?

Its a "Store" championship, so somewhat says that it should be the best of the "store", and I would say that is the best of those that are at the store most of the time.

Reasons I am against locking it down to just the everyday player

Gets more people in the building buying food, products.

new players have a chance to get in to the store.

So I guess what I am saying is I get it, but as long as there is some sort of balance (say local sign up for a night, then open to all if you have to worry on space) I don't know, as I said, on the fence, and as I am not the owner of the game store, I don't have much of a horse in the race.

At my LGS and a couple others, space is limited. So they are having a cap on who can get in. One of them had sold out in like a day, my local sold out in an hour. I am working to see if we can't get more tables in to help get our total up.

I can see some sort of suggested prelims or something to cut down the rush for this ever growing game.

In theory, I completely agree. I think the store championships should be limited to the store. People who go around to as many store championships as possible gobbling up the prizes kinda bothers me, but I'll admit much of that is jealousy that I'm not that good and I don't have the time to do it myself.

Beyond that, I like to keep an openness to our groups and like to be welcoming to outsiders. I'd never turn away someone coming to play, though I may sigh with defeat as soon as Andrew Harding and his gang walk in. I just remind myself, the only way I get better is to play those who are better. Better the grindstone, sharper the axe.

With all that said, I have seen some stores get around this one way. They set a limit on the number of players that can come. This is based on store size typically just like you are saying. If you can only hold 20, then limit it to 20. Then make preregistration a thing. "Since spots are limited, we need people to preregister." Then auto preregister all of your local players before you start taking anyone else. Boom, got 'em. Once it fills up, people can show up hoping someone couldn't make it.

I'm not sure what the Store Championship rules state under how you are supposed to run it. I suggest following that first, then working with what the store can handle.

I agree with the top two posters.

I think all LGS's should:

1) post size cap on social media and the forums along with the date and contact info and notice that in-person signups can happen 1 week early.

2) post an in-store notice of the advance sign ups.

3) at the 72 hour mark, post an update saying "X many spots remaining"

4) On day of event, don't feel bad about turning away out of town carpetbaggers.

I find that people are less likely to be upset if you properly set expectations and they know that there is a chance they will get shut out.