Magic: New FNM Draft Prize Structure
by Jon Acton. 3/12/2014
In response to player feedback, we will change the way we award prizes for FNM drafts starting in April, 2014. Players will receive packs or store credit based on their final record instead of their standing.The primary outcome of this new payout system is that any player with a 2-2 record for FNM Draft will be guaranteed to receive one pack. Under the old, standings-based system, some players with 2-2 records would receive packs, while others, with poorer tie-breakers, would not.
The current rankings-based payout system will remain in effect for FNM Constructed Tournaments.
Here's an example of the payout for a 35-person tournament (record, pack reward, # of players with that record after four rounds):
4-0: 5 packs (1)
3-0-1: 4 packs (2)
3-1-0: 3 packs (5)
2-1-1: 2 packs (3)
2-0-2: 2 packs (3)
2-2-0: 1 pack (8)
Under the standing prize system we previously used for drafts, only half of the players with a 2-2 record would receive a pack. We hope that the new prize structure will increase satisfaction by removing tie-breakers from the determination of prize-support distribution.