Subject: Re: Resignation from Level III Date: Sun, 03 May 1998 11:57:41 PDT From: "Chris Trembleton" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com I was just reading the Dojo the other day and came across this startling post by Paul Barclay and wondered how the @#$@! something like this can be allowed to happen in the first place. Do you judges out there really get boned by WotC like this? And you guys *PAY* to help them bone you? I remember WotC's advertisement campaign with the hand holding the badge and all, and I'm stunned to find out that certified judges PAY for WotC's ad campaign and they get crap for it? Sounds like not only you judges got ripped off for $25+ but you should all stop judging until they give you your $25+ back. What do you get that you didn't get before they started this ripoff? A badge? Oracle (haha)! I hate to say this but it also sound like you all helped get treated like crap for paying the $25+ to be certified. It probably told WotC that you're willing to be stomped on for helping them! BTW...I agree with Paul Barclay. Further, I hope all of you judges out there demand refunds for paying for the Judge Certification Program which sounds like not only a ripoff, since you get nothing of value but also *STOP JUDGING* as well. And even if they start paying you guys (and I still am amazed they don't) seriously, why pay the $25+ to be certified anyways - you're the ones doing WOTC a favor! Get your money back! To summarize I really feel everyone needs to talk about the following: 1. Judges should be *PAID* for their services and by *PAID* I mean a fair price for their services, not full retail price crap or worse. 2. Judges should not have to *PAY* for WotC's Judge Certification ad campaign. They're helping WotC, to charge judges ($25+) to help promote *their* game is a real ripoff plain and simple. (I think all Judges who did pay deserve their money back). What do you think? 3. Judges are getting boned, it's a fact and they're getting boned by WotC (unexcusable). Did Judges set themselves up for this poor treatment by stupidly *PAYING* to help promote Magic? Paul's post follows from the Dojo: >Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 16:45:26 +0100 (BST) >From: Paul Barclay >To: Tara McDermott >Cc: Carl Crook, > The DCI, > Andrew Finch, > WotC Judge List >Subject: Resignation from Level III > >Tara (and others), > >I'm writing to hand in my resignation from the DCI's judge >certification programme. The reason for my resignation is the >continuing poor treatment of myself as a judge, and of judges in >general, at the Pro Tour. >As a judge, I was expected at all times to behave in a professional >manner, and I expected in return to be treated in a professional >manner. Sadly, I was disappointed to find that Wizards of the Coast, >Inc. considers the vast majority of its judges to be completely >valueless. >Pro Tour judges receive no help with travel or hotel costs - they are >expected to cover all their costs themselves. In return for around >30-40 hours of work, they used to receive around a box of product for >their troubles. However, at Pro Tour New York, reimbursement in >product was stopped, and was replaced by the following: >"We have chosen to display our gratitude to judges working the Pro >Tour by inviting them to a special dinner each night of the Pro Tour, >hosted by Jeff Donais and myself [Andrew Finch]." >This wouldn't be so bad if I, and many other judges had not been >asking WotC to _significantly_ increase the amount of reimbursement >that they give to their judges. As it stands, it feels like a >deliberate attempt to insult the Pro Tour judges, without whom the >ProTour could never be run. I don't think that the aim of the change >was to insult the judges, but such a badly thought out policy shows >how WotC are out of touch with their judges. >On the Pro Tour itself, there is over $150,000 given out in prizes >(and the Pro Tour itself costs a _lot_ more than this to run). To >provide a full judging staff would cost less than 15% of the prize >money. Is this really too much money to spend on ensuring that the >event runs smoothly? >At a _minimum_, all the judges for the Pro Tour should have all >travel, accommodation and living expenses paid for while working at >the Pro Tour. Also, as highly skilled workers (there are more rocket >scientists in the world than Level III judges), judges should be well >paid for their services, even if the payment is booster packs. >If WotC decides to continue its policy of having volunteer judges, >there are other ways for Pro Tour judges to cover their expenses. >For example, they could simply accept bribes from the players for >rulings/intervention in their favour. Luckily, this hasn't happened. >Yet. >I don't intend to be a judge at a tournament run by Wizards of the >Coast or the DCI ever again. I may reconsider this position if the >current state of affairs changes significantly. I will continue in >my duties as a NetRep, and the NetRep Replies will keep flowing >(although they will have to be posted to the judges' mailing list by >someone else in future). > Paul. >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > Paul Barclay -- (Tel. 0958-980-180) -- MTG-L >NetRep -- >- Manufacturing Engineering Group: Mill Lane, Cambridge, England >B21RX -- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com