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Or is it just business? It's a serious question. No, really it is, or at least it is something that I have contemplated the past week or so since this post showed up on the Team Liquid boards. The MLG basically wants to get more involved with the local community, which is phenomenal, but how? Well, they don't even know XD The initiative was to gather info on LAN centers across the US (possibly Canada) so that they could do something there. What would they like to do? Well apparently, they don't even know.
As some of you guys came to realize, I formed a SC2 league in the New England area and we have our first qualifying tournament next Saturday on Jan. 22. So what does MLG's interest in local events mean for myself and people like myself who have tried to focus on the intimate local scene? What could the MLG do? Having established a relationship with the LAN centers as someone who wants to represent the community, what will that do with that relationship, after all, MLG has a lot deeper pockets than I do. Still basing everything off of theory, I can see the MLG going in one of two directions:
1. I get fucked!
It's blunt, but it can still happen. By giving out the information about LAN centers and contacts for those LAN centers, MLG can set up their own tournaments for SC2 at the LAN centers and offer larger or better prizes, thus, undermining my efforts at the local community. trust me, it can happen. Hell, it's happened in the business world everywhere.
2. We work together!
This sounds like a much better approach. Seeing as I have formed a relationship with the LAN centers, and the community, it will really benefit MLG to utilize that relationship. As long as the MLG is willing to add into the tournaments in some way, or even hire me as a local representative (long shot?), I have no problem with slapping the MLG logo to the events.
In reality, both options are possibilities and it is something that has bothered me as no contact has really been made between MLG and myself yet, though I have been chatting with one of their advertising guys on friendly terms. And this will continue to worry me until they figure out what they want to do. I guess in the long run it really comes down to how the local community reacts. If MLG goes one way, they could get boycotted on the local level, which could hurt their image after reports of it get out, but on the same note, if MLG works with the community, they could be embraced and really take off with followers and help advance e-sports hand-in-hand with the little guys.
Evil? we'll see, but I've got my fingers crossed.
  
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Hmm I host huge LAN's like yourself in the DC area and I think it would be awesome if MLG contacted me or wanted to host regular local events...The more events going on the better in my opinion and MLG is a great organization. Sure they would potentially take over and events would have to be run "their" way which could be negatives but I'd keep an open mind first and see exactly how things would pan out before I go calling them evil.
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In Smash: Melee, MLG partnered with well known and respected tournament organizers when they supported grass root tournaments, so I wouldn't be surprised if they adopted the same model when developing SC2 LANs. I think the most likely outcomes for you are that you work together or you are unaffected and continue hosting successful LANs without MLG.
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I'd like to know where you're getting this basis for MLG fucking local organizers over, or if it's pure speculation. I don't know of them previously doing that and in both SSBM previously and SSBB now the MLG managers and tournament organizers get along well as far as I know. (lots of communication on smashboards)
Still basing everything off of theory
It's barely theory as your "theory" basically states: "well I could either get fucked or not get fucked"
Not exactly ground breaking. I doubt you have anything to worry about, not sure why you even made this post that seems to try and vilify an organization you want to work together with by assuming they would choose an "evil" path cause "it can happen" and "it's happened in the business world everywhere."
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On January 16 2011 01:19 Count9 wrote:I'd like to know where you're getting this basis for MLG fucking local organizers over, or if it's pure speculation. I don't know of them previously doing that and in both SSBM previously and SSBB now the MLG managers and tournament organizers get along well as far as I know. (lots of communication on smashboards) It's barely theory as your "theory" basically states: "well I could either get fucked or not get fucked" Not exactly ground breaking. I doubt you have anything to worry about, not sure why you even made this post that seems to try and vilify an organization you want to work together with by assuming they would choose an "evil" path cause "it can happen" and "it's happened in the business world everywhere."
It's 100% speculation. And the reason for the post, it's a blog. It's just my thoughts written down.
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If you would have looked more into it or checked out the survey you would have seen they are looking to form a partnership with lan centers where they would run MLGs settings and stuff. I'm assuming they would then promote the lan centers through their website and might even get in on the prize pool offered at these locals.
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On January 16 2011 01:23 Drogith wrote:Show nested quote +On January 16 2011 01:19 Count9 wrote:I'd like to know where you're getting this basis for MLG fucking local organizers over, or if it's pure speculation. I don't know of them previously doing that and in both SSBM previously and SSBB now the MLG managers and tournament organizers get along well as far as I know. (lots of communication on smashboards) Still basing everything off of theory It's barely theory as your "theory" basically states: "well I could either get fucked or not get fucked" Not exactly ground breaking. I doubt you have anything to worry about, not sure why you even made this post that seems to try and vilify an organization you want to work together with by assuming they would choose an "evil" path cause "it can happen" and "it's happened in the business world everywhere." It's 100% speculation. And the reason for the post, it's a blog. It's just my thoughts written down.
I'm not questioning why you made a blog, just why you would word it such a manner that could sour the relationship with an organization you want to work with. (not that it really matters, MLG lee sounded pretty cool on sotg)
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On January 16 2011 01:23 eNtitY~ wrote:
If you would have looked more into it or checked out the survey you would have seen they are looking to form a partnership with lan centers where they would run MLGs settings and stuff. I'm assuming they would then promote the lan centers through their website and might even get in on the prize pool offered at these locals.
I did look closer, everything was aimed more with working with the LAN centers directly, nothing about say a local organizer. Since I'm an organizer, not a LAN center, the lack of info on it only leaves me to speculate until they get back to.
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On January 16 2011 01:01 Drogith wrote:
MLG can set up their own tournaments for SC2 at the LAN centers and offer larger or better prizes
The horror!
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United States22883 Posts
On January 16 2011 02:03 butter wrote:Show nested quote +On January 16 2011 01:01 Drogith wrote:
MLG can set up their own tournaments for SC2 at the LAN centers and offer larger or better prizes The horror!
While the title is pretty sensational, I think it's a fair concern. It's always good to have a grassroots scene and MLG is anything but that. While it'd be pretty cool if they did stuff on the local level, they should try to be aware of what's already happening before moving in.
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So you're trying to paint MLG as Walmart?
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Belgium9945 Posts
Wow, are you a conspiracy theorist by profession or something?
Not only is it pure speculation, MLG also has ZERO reasons to do what you fear. If anything, it'll probably help you has a local event organizer when they decide to support your event by providing MLG Event qualification as an additional prize.
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Korea (South)17174 Posts
evil? no
you a small fish in a big pond? yes
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I don't understand the first paragraph. Are you trying to make MLG look like a bunch of idiots that don't know how to run a company? I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing...
As for the evil survey or whatever, they could come to your little LAN center anyway. You didn't give them secret information or anything and they have the same rights as you as far as hosting events there.
There is a difference between purposely shitting on the little guy and just happening to shit on him because you're so giant. If MLG did come to your town and host an event in your local LAN center, i'm sure a lot of people would enjoy it. You probably wouldn't because you feel threatened that they are going to take over when in reality, they are just doing their thing just like you do your thing. They are just on a much larger scale.
Compare the CraftCup to the TSL/TL Open. They are both running today and one is obviously more prestigious than the other, but that doesn't ruin anything. CraftCup isn't complaining about being on the internet first and now TL Open wants players to play in their tournament at the same time.
You may feel like you're going to "Get Fucked" but that's just what happens when you play with the top dogs.
edit: what rekrul said ^^
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I really deeply am confused by this post. You call MLG evil based off no evidence or statements to back that and think they should hire you because you organized a tournament that hasn't even happened yet? But instead of oh I don't know, asking them if they will you decided that they might not so this means that you need to make a blog calling them evil?
Whattt??????
On January 16 2011 03:03 Backpack wrote:
I don't understand the first paragraph. Are you trying to make MLG look like a bunch of idiots that don't know how to run a company? I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing...
As for the evil survey or whatever, they could come to your little LAN center anyway. You didn't give them secret information or anything and they have the same rights as you as far as hosting events there.
There is a difference between purposely shitting on the little guy and just happening to shit on him because you're so giant. If MLG did come to your town and host an event in your local LAN center, i'm sure a lot of people would enjoy it. You probably wouldn't because you feel threatened that they are going to take over when in reality, they are just doing their thing just like you do your thing. They are just on a much larger scale.
Compare the CraftCup to the TSL/TL Open. They are both running today and one is obviously more prestigious than the other, but that doesn't ruin anything. CraftCup isn't complaining about being on the internet first and now TL Open wants players to play in their tournament at the same time.
You may feel like you're going to "Get Fucked" but that's just what happens when you play with the top dogs.
edit: what rekrul said ^^
Well said.
On January 16 2011 02:54 Rekrul wrote:
evil? no
you a small fish in a big pond? yes
Smart man here, pay attention  !
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Shit, hit quote instead of edit, sorry.
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On January 16 2011 02:54 Rekrul wrote:
evil? no
you a small fish in a big pond? yes
You said it better than I did in a bunch of paragraphs.
Let me try to clarify was I was trying to say in this post. I have fears of something that I am doing going away. I'm sure anyone, as stated before, that is potentially contending with an entity larger then themselves has the same fears no matter the situation. However, that doesn't mean that I am not going to look for or try to work with that bigger entity. I'm not yelling RAH RAH REBEL!, I'm just voicing the concerns that I have as best I could. I'm not an English major, nor a renowned author. I'm just that random guy trying to write how I feel the best that I can. But I do appreciate the input positive or not on what I wrote.
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On January 16 2011 03:43 Drogith wrote:Show nested quote +On January 16 2011 02:54 Rekrul wrote:
evil? no
you a small fish in a big pond? yes You said it better than I did in a bunch of paragraphs. Let me try to clarify was I was trying to say in this post. I have fears of something that I am doing going away. I'm sure anyone, as stated before, that is potentially contending with an entity larger then themselves has the same fears no matter the situation. However, that doesn't mean that I am not going to look for or try to work with that bigger entity. I'm not yelling RAH RAH REBEL!, I'm just voicing the concerns that I have as best I could. I'm not an English major, nor a renowned author. I'm just that random guy trying to write how I feel the best that I can. But I do appreciate the input positive or not on what I wrote.
Well you could also just keep doing what you are doing. Obviously MLG would be bigger and get more attention but that's no different then the rest of the world. Is MLG bigger and gets more attention then iCCup TV? Shit yes. Do I curl up in a ball in the corner and type "MLG is EVIL!!!!" posts, no. Notice iCCup TV is still doing just fine, very much like your tournament will.
I know how you feel, I felt this way for about a day also when MLG announced their SC2 tourney, then I realized that companies like MLG doing well will only further push my stuff to better and bigger levels because it brings more overall attention to the scene.
MLG could come to MI, on the corner of my block once a week and I would still make sure and attend the local tourney run at a place several miles away when they run it.
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EPT
