Subject: The Rise and Fall of Magic
Date: Mon, 01 Jun 1998 17:11:15 -0500
From: "Price M. Rials" <gilign2b@ebicom.net>
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

    Nearly 2 years ago I began to play Magic and it was a happy time in
the Magic world.  At the local card store at that time up to 15 people
would come and play at the same time which was a miracle seeing the size
of the store.  So much buisness was generated one Saturday we helped the
owner of the store move to a bigger store.  Things were good and
buisness was booming, we had several people who had been playing for a
long time coming and they crushed our "fun" decks.  Soon everyone began
to try and play "serious" decks as our store began the move towards a
tournament scene.  We had a few tourneys with the locals all
non-sanctioned of course.  Then our delusions of grandeur began with a
PTQ coming to a near by city.  Gone were the fun decks and now everyone
played serious and I began my training to become a judge so we could
have sanctuioned tournaments at our store.  Now the end has arrived I
have quit playing, a major player at our store quit, then another, and
them more smaller fish.  My theory as to what happened to a thriving
tourney scene.  Too many expansions too fast.  At the most there should
be two a year.  The price of cards.  A pack of cards does not cost 3.95
to make.  Then the final factor will is the Pro Tour which destroyed
casual players and "fun" decks at our store.

I obviously don't have the writing skills of most posters to this site
but I do ask you read this and ask yourself if this is going on your
area.  It proably is.

Price Rials
Level 1 Judge