Subject: Magic: The Sport
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 10:40:00 GMT
From: jimtyrrell@eagle1st.com (Jimtyrrell)
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

 Magic: The Gathering is a game.
 The current tournament structure does not allow it to elevate to the
status of Sport for one reason:
 The tournaments are organized and judged by Wizards of the Coast.
 I don't mean to imply that they are not knowledgeable or capable, but
they are definitely not the unbiased third-party referee that any Sport
requires.
 They make money whether or not the tournament is ethically sound. They
can afford to carry a slight blemish on their reputation by making a
lenient ruling here, looking the other way there, etc..
 In fact, it's probably a calculated expense. Or maybe, as others have
suggested, it actually improves business. They say there's no such thing
as bad press...
 Anyway, the system that now exists presents a lot of opportunity for a
player to excel, but not all of those opportunities are what you would
call ethical. That's not for me. If I wanted to spend my time playing
with exceptions to the law and loopholes, I'd sell my cards and become
an accountant or something. What I would like is to be able to compete
in the Sport of M:TG.
 But until an unaffiliated third party is put in charge of sanctioned
tournaments, I will not. Wizards seems to be content with the current
tourney structure, twisted as it is. And while I think I can hold my own
against the best of players, every time I sit down to play, I'm playing
against the whole corrupt system. Thanks, but I'll keep my money.

Jim Tyrrell
DCI # 1227057 (INACTIVE)
jimtyrrell@eagle1st.com