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Premier Play Updates: No Modern Pro Tours and Changes to Platinum

by mtggoldfish // Apr 24, 2016

Wizards made two big (controversial) announcements regarding Premier Play for 2016 and 2017 at Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad:

Modern Pro Tours Discontinued

We expected this change to be made eventually, but Wizards confirmed on stream that there will be no more Modern Pro Tours. Aaron Forsythe has on article on the mothership explaining the rationale behind the decision and their vision of Modern: Where Modern Goes from Here.

Changes to Hall of Fame and Platinum Appearance Fees

The next set of changes has been very controversial in the community, so much that Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad itself has taken a back seat. Hall of Fame appearance fees have been reduced:

Hall of Famers will only receive an appearance fee of $1,500 for competing at the Pro Tour that features the Hall of Fame induction ceremony (previously $1,500 at all Pro Tours and the World Magic Cup)

In addition, Pro Platinum status had its benefits reconfigured:

The adjustments to the Platinum pro player appearance fees, effective after the conclusion of Pro Tour Eldritch Moon, are as follows:

Platinum pros will receive an appearance fee of $250 for competing at Pro Tours (previously $3,000), an appearance fee of $250 for competing at the World Magic Cup (previously $1,000), and an appearance fee of $250 for competing at a World Magic Cup Qualifier (previously $500).

The rationale behind these cut backs were to increase the World Magic Championship prize pools from $150,000 to $250,000 in 2016, and to $500,000 in 2017.

The twitter-verse exploded after these announcements and the response has been overall pretty negative. Check out tweets from some well-established pros below. The complaints include a violation of trust due to players grinding all year for Platinum status only to have benefits removed without warning, a decrease in pro compensation, an increased in variance and reliance on prize money, and disproportionately affecting international Magic pros who are required to travel more for play.