The Return of World Championship Trek!

by Kris Sonsteby, Director of Organized Play

19th October 2021

Much like in previous years, this year's WCT season will run approximately six (6) months, from October 2021 through March 2022. A local WCT league is a great way to supplement your play group, assuming you are now able to gather in person and feel safe doing so. With many of the high-level tournaments for the year concluded, local league events held between now and the start of Regionals season next year can really fill the gap nicely!

If you've never hosted or played in a league, WCT events are conducted exactly like a normal in-person tournament; the only addition is that players are awarded League Points based on their placement. Your WCT League events can consist of any combination of First Edition, Second Edition, or Tribbles tournaments. Additional points will also be available to players based on each league's decisions. For example, here are some ways that leagues can choose to award bonus points during the league season:

• Playing a deck/affiliation/headquarters you haven't played before.

• Playing in a tournament format you haven't played in before.

• Playing a deck based around an achievement you haven't earned (yet).

• Playing a deck to meet a challenge set by the league director.

But that is just a sample, league bonuses are only limited by your imagination! The bonus points are there to provide incentive to try out a new affiliation, that tantalizingly good combo never played, those pages of binder fodder that are just crying out to be put into a new deck. Who knows, your League might uncover the next World Championship deck! Try something different and get rewarded! That's a pretty good deal, and a fantastic way to keep your local play group energized and excited about STCCG.

Normally, the half-year WCT League season is divided into three two-month sprints, comprising of four League events per sprint:

Sprint 1 - October - November

Sprint 2 - December - January

Sprint 3 (Playoffs) - February - March

For this structure, we recommend scheduling two tournaments a month to ensure an even spread of events, however the final scheduling of events within the sprints is at the discretion of the League Director. The top finishing players in the first half join the top finishing players in the second half to participate in the Playoffs, where the champion of the league is determined. NOTE: all players may still play in the playoff events. Further, to accommodate play groups that just can't get together every other week or would feel safer playing in person less due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we also have a shorter league option:

Sprint 1 - October - January

Sprint 2 (Playoffs) - February - March

For this structure, groups schedule a single league event per month, again with final scheduling of events at the discretion of the League Director. For the playoffs, the winner of each event plus the next four highest ranking overall players compete in the Playoffs, where the champion is determined. NOTE: all players may still play in the playoff events.

Apply to Run a WCT League in Your Area!

Is the WCT League happening in your area again this season? Pester your local Ambassador or League Director to get your team signed up for another year! Or, are you new to Leagues and want to get something happening in your area? Get your players together and decide on a Cool Team Name™ for your League and get started! The next step is to send your application via forum PM directly to the Director of Organized Play (LORE) as follows:

Your Full Name

Your League's Name *

Your League's Location (Town/City, State/Province/Territory, and Country)

Sprint Type (2-sprint 1/month or 3-sprint 2/month)

* For Renewing Leagues, include your previous League name within your application

For more details on previous WCT League teams, as well as a comprehensive list of all WCT League players and lifetime League points scored, check out the Leagues page. As always, if you have any questions regarding the WCT League that are not answered in the Organized Play Guide, please send me a message and I will go over any details that are unclear. Good luck with your League, and stay safe at all your league gigs this season.

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