Pook's Place

The Yu-Gi-Oh Pro Tour Circuit
Or
If NASCAR Can Be Popular, So Can I

By
Pook

             5.13.04  While watching an episode of Yu-Gi-Oh the other day, something struck me a quite interesting.  During one of the Battle City episodes, a young fan came up to Joey, recognized him, and asked for an autograph, just because he was a famous duelist.  It didn’t seem that odd at the moment, but then I began to realize how awesome that would be if that were to happen to me, although I’m not a famous duelist.  Then it came to me – there are no real “professional” duelists.  But I think that I’ve come up with a solution to this problem – like with most competitive activities, there should be a Yu-Gi-Oh Pro Tour Circuit. 

            Think about it – if people can become professional NASCAR drivers, people should be able to become professional Duelists.  As I said in my last article, I am about to graduate from college and I’m looking for a job in the professional world.  So why shouldn’t I become a pro-duelist?  Sure, my training wasn’t in Dueling, per say, and my school doesn’t offer a BA in Dueling (yet, hehe), but I think that I could take to the streets and make a decent living as a pro-Duelist. 

            Unlike in the anime, the pro tour would not be confined to one city, and would be a nationwide tour, so that fans all over the country could come see their favorite duelists compete.  Large venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York or the Staples Center in Los Angeles would be packed to the gills with duelists, eager to see some world-class competition.  Throw in a good announcer (not annoying ones like at last year’s World Championship or the announcer from the N64 Pokemon Stadium games) and you’d have a sure fire hit. 

            Duelists who were members of the pro-tour would earn a salary, but the real money would come from endorsements.  Players could wear jackets with corporate sponsors, like in NASCAR, to finance their deck-building operations.  Everyone from Pojo to Papa John’s would want in.  Then don’t forget ticket sales, merchandise (because there isn’t enough Yu-Gi-Oh merchandise out there now), etc.  Sure, mall tours do this to an extent, but any fad can host mall tours – it takes real motivation to become a professional. 

            To add some variety to the mix, each city would have a certain field advantage.  For example, when at a coastal city, such as Miami, Water creatures would have a field bonus.  In Massachusetts, Spellcasters would have the edge.  And in New Jersey, the card Wasteland would be in effect (just kidding – Jersey Pride!).  This way, duelists would constantly change their decks in order to adapt to their surroundings, so strategies would vary city-to-city, and it would not just be the same duels over and over again. 

            The tour would have about 18 players – just because any more and the matches would take forever.  They would be all day events, like golf tournaments, using a bracket system – win to continue.  Also, like in golf, your place in each tournament would earn you points, and at the end of the season, the player with the most accumulated points would be that year’s champion.  This could even tie into the big World Tournament event, where the final two face off, and then they hold the international competition.  Online sites would even host fantasy Dueling leagues, where you could customize your own player!

            Until this dream becomes a reality, I guess I’ll have to settle for being an unknown Duelist.  But trust me, I’ll work and I’ll work so that I will become recognizable, and that’s when I’ll form the Pro Tour Circuit.  All I need are some investors, and people who have at least 6 months free.  And if anyone really wants my autograph now, I’ll be more than happy to oblige.  ^_^