I just competed in a 112 person regional in SoCal where i belive we had 130 prepaid players. It cost $25 to participate so a total of $3250 was paid by players. The event was held in a store that was clean and had products from all sorts of gaming. I was surprised after the tourney that the only prize support given was what came in the regionals kit, some EA cards from old kits, some regionals 2016 rubber things, and 6 people got $20 store credit. There was no food or drink offered.

I am used to stores not trying to make huge profits from running these events and giving back to the gaming community. Obviously the store should recoup added labor costs paying for people to run the business and judges. Even that added in the store easily pocketed $2500 running this event.

My questions to you guys/gals are is the typical in your area and how do you think prize support should be done in these major events?

I would not go to that store. X-Wing Regional are limited in number to focus competition, not to allow stores to gogue participants.

I think $25 is way too much. Also, I think with that many players there should have been way more store credit prizes or pizza and drinks.

I really dislike posts like this. It always seems like a witch hunt against stores that are willing and able to run large events.

What do you propose the above store should have done? Charged less, given larger prizes, etc.?

I played in that event as well. I don't know the exact numbers (aside from what I received), but I believe the entire top 16 received a goodly amount of store credit afterward.

I think $25 is way too much. Also, I think with that many players there should have been way more store credit prizes or pizza and drinks.

$25 is fine if you have corresponding prize support based on the number of people.

I would happily pay $25 for a day of X-Wing not expecting to get any prize support. Yes, the store made some profit, and it makes them more likely to have large events in the future. I guess the question I would ask is did they make enough from the event to keep it in rotation versus other events that have faster games and can support more people (like card games)? It is a stepping stone event and not something as fancy as the Maarek Steele Open where it was all about the prize support... so in the end, looking at the Big Picture, I would call it a win. Some people got some prizes and notoriety. Everyone got to play a lot of matches.

I talked to someone who made top 16, he just said he got the Cluster Mines.

Coming from Warhammer events, I'm used to stores turning 100% of the entrance around as store credit for the winners (which essentially means guaranteed purchases the store makes the standard profit on). For an event that size, there's usually 15 or so winners for various categories walking away with $50-300 in store credit. I'm fine with money going to compensate TO's, pay staff, or pay for venue (if required), but I do raise an eyebrow when X-wing events simply pocket everything beyond the cost of the kit. I do find the level of value that seems to be ascribed to the tournament kit acrylics rather odd too.

I am used to stores not trying to make huge profits from running these events and giving back to the gaming community. Obviously the store should recoup added labor costs paying for people to run the business and judges. Even that added in the store easily pocketed $2500 running this event.

Depends on what else the store had to buy to support the event.

For example, for the regionals at Portland, the store had to buy a dozen more game mats for the event, to make sure there would be enough for all tables. As I'm sure everyone is aware, those aren't cheap

I really dislike posts like this. It always seems like a witch hunt against stores that are willing and able to run large events.

I completely agree.

It's always cool and fun to see what prize support a store offers in addition to the kit. But they're not at obliged to offer any! If people don't like it, they're free not to attend tournaments at that location in the future.

If the event was held at a locale other than the store, perhaps some of the proceeds went towards table rentals and rent for the outside venue?

Most large tourneys I have been to the entry is $10. To me that is the baseline. $25 to me should have better prize support than just the kit. Now hearing how late some of these tourneys have gone I can see upping the entry to pay the employees and keep the doors open. IMO adding some door prizes would have gone along way to help those who wondered about the money side.

I am used to stores not trying to make huge profits from running these events and giving back to the gaming community. Obviously the store should recoup added labor costs paying for people to run the business and judges. Even that added in the store easily pocketed $2500 running this event.

Depends on what else the store had to buy to support the event.

For example, for the regionals at Portland, the store had to buy a dozen more game mats for the event, to make sure there would be enough for all tables. As I'm sure everyone is aware, those aren't cheap

That's an investment. I doubt the store factored in the initial costs of chairs when it ran its first event.

I really dislike posts like this. It always seems like a witch hunt against stores that are willing and able to run large events.

I completely agree.

It's always cool and fun to see what prize support a store offers in addition to the kit. But they're not at obliged to offer any! If people don't like it, they're free not to attend tournaments at that location in the future.

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

No one said anything about forcing you or anyone to attend any tournament.

I really dislike posts like this. It always seems like a witch hunt against stores that are willing and able to run large events.

I completely agree.

It's always cool and fun to see what prize support a store offers in addition to the kit. But they're not at obliged to offer any! If people don't like it, they're free not to attend tournaments at that location in the future.

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

Isn't that almost exactly what I said?

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

No one said anything about forcing you or anyone to attend any tournament.

I know. I'm explaining my reason as to why or why not I would enter a tourney. $25 with minimal prize support motivates me to find something better to do with my time and money.

I really dislike posts like this. It always seems like a witch hunt against stores that are willing and able to run large events.

I completely agree.

It's always cool and fun to see what prize support a store offers in addition to the kit. But they're not at obliged to offer any! If people don't like it, they're free not to attend tournaments at that location in the future.

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

Isn't that almost exactly what I said?

Yes.......yes it is. Lol

How many people did the store have working? At 8 for 8 hours at $15, you're talking right at $1000. Then assume they had to buy mats, arrange for chairs and tables. Assume they got 50 mats for $20, which is another $1000, and then pay a couple hundred for renting tables and chairs. Pretty quick, the owner has about $1000 or $10 a player for profit- assuming you dont count the overhead costs. Yeah, he gets the investment of the mats for future events, but he's still got to spend time the nexy day cleaning up and breaking everything down. It's easy to think he's making a ton of money, but he could end up making around $500 after he pays himself.

Without all the details of location and his normal business, I would not be hard on the guy, especially if he's doing this for the first time.

I am used to stores not trying to make huge profits from running these events and giving back to the gaming community. Obviously the store should recoup added labor costs paying for people to run the business and judges. Even that added in the store easily pocketed $2500 running this event.

Depends on what else the store had to buy to support the event.

For example, for the regionals at Portland, the store had to buy a dozen more game mats for the event, to make sure there would be enough for all tables. As I'm sure everyone is aware, those aren't cheap

That's an investment. I doubt the store factored in the initial costs of chairs when it ran its first event.

You expect the store to regularly get 24+ players for X-Wing? Because otherwise, those mats are going to be sitting around unused until the next regional a few years later.

Not much of an "investment".

You also need to keep in mind that 100+ X-Wing players means you're able to run a lot less CCG gaming that day (Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc) which are almost guaranteed to make a lot more money for the store than running the X-Wing event. You can easily fit 4 card players in the space it takes to run a single X-Wing game, and those players are likely to spend more money in store on product (or will spend less time in the store and free up space for other players) than X-Wing players who probably already have everything they need and will be sticking around ALL day long.

In the grand scheme of things, I doubt the store made much more money than it would have just running typical Magic events for the day. It's even likely they ended up ultimately making LESS money.

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

No one said anything about forcing you or anyone to attend any tournament.

I know. I'm explaining my reason as to why or why not I would enter a tourney. $25 with minimal prize support motivates me to find something better to do with my time and money.

OK fair enough. So where is the tipping point? What percentage of the entry fee has to go to prize support for you to enter and feel like you got your money's worth? Do you have to have a reasonable chance to make back your money? What is a reasonable profit for the organizer?

I am also not obliged to enter those tourneys.

No one said anything about forcing you or anyone to attend any tournament.

I know. I'm explaining my reason as to why or why not I would enter a tourney. $25 with minimal prize support motivates me to find something better to do with my time and money.

OK fair enough. So where is the tipping point? What percentage of the entry fee has to go to prize support for you to enter and feel like you got your money's worth? Do you have to have a reasonable chance to make back your money? What is a reasonable profit for the organizer?

There is no percentage that has to go to prize support for me to enter and feel like I got my money's worth. Spending the day playing X-Wing is getting my money's worth. Paying the entry fee to enter a tournament is not an investment, it's supporting the store and persons that took the time to organise it and provide a place big enough to host it. The organiser can make all the profit he wants. Hosting a 100+ players tournament is no small task.

112 people attended, there was 2 judges and the TO. There was no additional people in the store except for the cashier who they would normally have. They asked us to bring mats and during registration said they had enough given to them and didnt need more. The event was held in the store so no additional costs there. No food or drinks were offered so no additional costs there. They did the bare minimum. It was a 2 day event. Did i mention 1 bathroom for 112 entrees. If you had to go you had to leave and go into a neighboring store and use theirs. I am all about the store taking a rake of the entry fees to pay the overhead and to improve future events, but to pretty much take the entire rake and pretend passing out old Gunner and Push the Limit promos is a good thing is pathetic. Is this sort of money grab a normal thing at other regionals or is this an isolated instance and i just need to travel to other regionals next time?