I doubt the idea behind WCG isn't compatible with e-sports as you state. I am more than willing to accept that more likely it would conflict with the teams setup as there is actually no reason to keep extra players for just one event (unless extra players are also in the roster as backups in other competitions, see EPS).
I am not sure why you bring up mouz and fnatic as an example of WCG missing teams thus affecting the audience as both teams did not attend for a different reason than that we are discussion here: mouz due to no WCG qualifier and fnatic having their main conflict with WCG due to sponsor stuff.
If there were less viewer, for CS that is, it is more due to the license holder not setting up those qualifier and, if they did, making them worth attending (cash to actually be able to attend the main event).
Of course events and teams have different objectives but the nationality rule is known long enough and we have seen teams attending with stand-ins for quite some time. Sure it would be nice for the teams to be able to attend with their full line-ups but, as said, teams have to comply with the set of rules of the tournaments they attend.
And we have even seen so called attempts to actually build a national team by picking up the best players to form one team (especially Germany).
Finally, last year's event, just as I have pointed out few lines above in the case of mouz, was severly affected by the lack of funds or the absence of a WCG qualifiers.
Thus, as far as I see it, it is more the lack of money of the license holders than the idea itself the main problem WCG had.
2012-04-28 01:11:34
Certainly last year's event had more problems than just the nationality rule. My claim is that, all other things being equal, having fewer top teams lessens the spectator experience (which is what I care about) and reduces viewer numbers (which is what WCG should care about).
Do you agree that the nationality rule has resulted in fewer top teams attending over the years? If not, do you think there's a realistic chance that this might happen in future? If you answered yes to either of those questions, you get the basic point I'm trying to make. If not, please tell me which you would answer no to (and why, if applicable).
One other thing: you seem to be arguing that because the teams know the rules, they should just accept them and move on. Why aren't you willing to criticise the rules themselves?
2012-04-28 01:56:03
But by making your claim you should think if having to use stand-ins in order to attend WCG is what makes the teams to not attend.
In the same way, you have to consider what the impact of those teams not attending is, in terms of CS 1.6 .
We have already seen last year that CS 1.6 wasn't treated as one of the main game at WCG and that even, quoting TaZ, other game were given hardware (120 Hz if I remember correctly) that wasn't actually needed in order to play those games.
Not sure if TaZ thought of this but, as far as I understand it, it was always due to promotional reasons featuring them in more main focus games.
I honestly can not assure that the nationality rule made teams not attend. And just the same as with regard to it happening in the future. I honestly doubt that a team would drop its spot because of this.
I do not mean to say that teams have to just accept it and move on. What I mean to say is that teams are aware of that nationality rule being there due to that Olympic analogy I have refered to previously. Bearing that in mind, just as I do, in which way would I have to critize that rule?
Criticism is more understandable in terms of different criteria regarding crouch walk used in tournaments than this nationality rule, honestly.
2012-04-28 19:26:38
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