I have seen some threads and posts around here lately regarding Brawl’s exclusion from the 2009 MLG Pro Circuit. A lot of people have stated opinions and claimed to know the reasons, and rather than just leave it all to speculation I want to come right out about it and address the issue.
The reality is that making a decision about whether to include a game on the Pro Circuit is a very complex process. There are an immense amount of factors that go into it, from the space on our shipping trucks, the setups, venue space, prize money/operating cost, sponsorships, the current economy, or a variety of other things. And that’s the truth. This year there was not any one reason Brawl was not on the circuit. It was a combination of factors that simply didn’t line up properly.
MLG has been steadily growing for years, and throughout those years we as a company have always had a great relationship with the Smash community. There were a lot of people in the office pulling for the game to be included on the Circuit this year (I can tell you that first-hand). Obviously with large turn-outs at UCLA, HOBO, COT4, a successful East Coast Circuit and Midwest Circuit and a summer that looks to have some great tournaments (Genesis among others) the community and Brawl has proven to produce large turn-outs and staying power. That was not the issue. The reality is that you really have to sit down and factor in all of the things I mentioned above, and at the end of the day MLG had to make a business decision for this year’s Pro Circuit. And unfortunately, it just did not work out with Brawl this year. That is the honest answer.
That said, with MLG purchasing Smashboards, it’s clear the company has faith in the community and the game. Looking at the $7,500 Time Warner GameBattles Brawl Ladder, the staffing initiatives we have taken here on the SWF, the SBR-B Reformation, the efforts to bring you more Pro Content, the Get Better Fast articles, contests we have tried to involve the community in (Dr. Pepper Smash Bros Brawl Film Festival, Ultimate Gaming House), and a lot of other things both big and small this should be clear. We hope to continue to do these things, look for new and exciting things to bring to the table, and continue to improve things around here on SWF.
Nothing is ever perfect, that’s a reality of life, and I understand none of this is the Pro Circuit (I do have to cry myself to sleep every so often). But that does not change MLG’s commitment to the Smash community, and I still remain optimistic that Brawl could make it onto the Pro Circuit in the future. There is no reason for me to believe that it wouldn’t or couldn’t happen. We’ll try again next year, and in the meantime we will continue to try to do our part to help build the community every day and provide a great foundation for competitive smash and smash on a whole.
This whole thing is a process, but I can tell you wholeheartedly that smash has been a huge part of my life for many years and I will continue to try do right by the community. Its important that everyone continues to support their local scene and really puts effort into making new players feel welcome. Everyone's goal really needs to be to grow the community, to make vets feel welcome and appreciated, and make new players understand how getting involved in the community can be a great life experience and a lot of fun.
The reality is that making a decision about whether to include a game on the Pro Circuit is a very complex process. There are an immense amount of factors that go into it, from the space on our shipping trucks, the setups, venue space, prize money/operating cost, sponsorships, the current economy, or a variety of other things. And that’s the truth. This year there was not any one reason Brawl was not on the circuit. It was a combination of factors that simply didn’t line up properly.
MLG has been steadily growing for years, and throughout those years we as a company have always had a great relationship with the Smash community. There were a lot of people in the office pulling for the game to be included on the Circuit this year (I can tell you that first-hand). Obviously with large turn-outs at UCLA, HOBO, COT4, a successful East Coast Circuit and Midwest Circuit and a summer that looks to have some great tournaments (Genesis among others) the community and Brawl has proven to produce large turn-outs and staying power. That was not the issue. The reality is that you really have to sit down and factor in all of the things I mentioned above, and at the end of the day MLG had to make a business decision for this year’s Pro Circuit. And unfortunately, it just did not work out with Brawl this year. That is the honest answer.
That said, with MLG purchasing Smashboards, it’s clear the company has faith in the community and the game. Looking at the $7,500 Time Warner GameBattles Brawl Ladder, the staffing initiatives we have taken here on the SWF, the SBR-B Reformation, the efforts to bring you more Pro Content, the Get Better Fast articles, contests we have tried to involve the community in (Dr. Pepper Smash Bros Brawl Film Festival, Ultimate Gaming House), and a lot of other things both big and small this should be clear. We hope to continue to do these things, look for new and exciting things to bring to the table, and continue to improve things around here on SWF.
Nothing is ever perfect, that’s a reality of life, and I understand none of this is the Pro Circuit (I do have to cry myself to sleep every so often). But that does not change MLG’s commitment to the Smash community, and I still remain optimistic that Brawl could make it onto the Pro Circuit in the future. There is no reason for me to believe that it wouldn’t or couldn’t happen. We’ll try again next year, and in the meantime we will continue to try to do our part to help build the community every day and provide a great foundation for competitive smash and smash on a whole.
This whole thing is a process, but I can tell you wholeheartedly that smash has been a huge part of my life for many years and I will continue to try do right by the community. Its important that everyone continues to support their local scene and really puts effort into making new players feel welcome. Everyone's goal really needs to be to grow the community, to make vets feel welcome and appreciated, and make new players understand how getting involved in the community can be a great life experience and a lot of fun.
But I'm still pissed that Brawl isn't on the pro circuit. How bout a little variety?
