Does smash need money to be competitive?

[Watchful_Eye]

Ah I already wanted to make a kinda similar topic about that, but now I think I can post it here:

"Were only in it for the money?

In the Metaknight ban discussion, there are some people who argue that a lot of MK/Top Tier players play mainly for the money. Is that so? I cant believe it..

The time you have to invest in Brawl to win periodicly in priced tournaments is relatively high - and even then you cannot be sure about the win. You probably earn more money with any decent-payed half-time job. The only reason to "play for money" for some people I could think of is that is indicates your status in the smash scene, but the money itself would not be the main reason in that case.

So, is there a mentionable number of smashers for those the money itself is really more than a nice side effect?"

 

[AvaricePanda]

Pops, I don't really know any tournaments anymore that pay 70, 20, 10. I see more often 60, 30, 10 or 50, 25, something, something. In the midwest, a lot of tournaments pay out like 48, 22, and on to the two fifth place placers.

I'm not saying tournaments can't exist without money (I usually thought those were more like organized smashfests than anything else), but in a lot of places there isn't an incentive to drive out somewhere just to play Brawl.

Say I'm hosting a tournament in Indianapolis or something. Indianapolis doesn't really have that many smashers. If I host a tournament without monetary prizes, then it's suddenly less important. There's not much of a point to drive out to it for over an hour, and if other things come up in someone's lives, they probably wouldn't mind missing out on it.

Now say that it has a 5 dollar fee for singles, and for whatever reason there's an added extra $150 to the pot, or a $100 OoS bonus or something. There's more incentive to get to it now. Sure, a lot of people who come know they may not end up winning, but there's always that chance. There's more on the line when you win or lose. There's actually a reason to come down and play, especially if you're from farther distances because of the OoS bonus or whatever.

Again, I'm not saying tournaments without money can't exist, it's just that they aren't nearly as serious. Might as well just be a smashfest. And I've seen weekly tournaments that only have like a 3 dollar fee for singles or something, and it attracts local players. But on the larger scale, tournaments really do need money. It's not the major reason people go to tournaments (as aforementioned, a decent part-time job will pay more), but it is a driving force.

 

[soap]

gambling is fun.

gambling on something u can control is even more fun.

 

[Stratford]

If there was money on the line in the home run contest, maybe the sandbag would stop sandbagging.

 

[Doggalina]

Mango did some commentary once, and he brought up an interesting point about noobs. He said something to the effect that noobs are integral to the Smash scene because they put money in the pot. The money is the incentive for the pros to travel. I'm sure even Mango, who is notorious for "playing for fun," wouldn't be so eager to travel to EC all the time if there wasn't the good chance that the trip would pay for itself.

 

[Noble-]

well i just like paying for my ticket =D

<333 noobs


-mango

 

[Hyro]

I don't do it for the money, it's just fun. I'd pay to travel for this anyday. It's just like paying to go to the movies. I think it's a blast just trying to see how high you can place. Money's just a plus.

 

[GimR]

What makes something competetive?, a prize to fight for or the fame for winning? I think it's both