Magic Pro Tour Hall of Fame Rules

Magic Pro Tour Hall of Fame

The Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame will enshrine the most significant and influential competitors of the game. It will consist of a permanent online museum dedicated to the Hall of Fame members, as well as the Pro Tour Hall of Fame Exhibit, which will be at the World Championships and other events. Members will be voted into the Pro Tour Hall of Fame on an annual basis by select committees.

Eligibility

In order to appear on the Hall of Fame selection ballot, a player must meet the following three requirements:

    1. The player must have 100 lifetime Pro Points
    2. The player must have participated in his first Magic: the Gathering Pro Tour at least 10 seasons prior to the current voting year.
    3. The player must not be currently suspended by the DCI.

Selection

Selection of players for the Pro Tour Hall of Fame will be conducted via the Hall of Fame vote. The Hall of Fame vote will be comprised of votes from two committees: The Selection Committee and the Players Committee. Voting for both committees will be conducted simultaneously.

Each member of the Selection Committee and the Players Committee will receive a ballot of eligible players. From that ballot, each member will select a maximum of 5 players.

Votes from the Selection Committee will comprise 67% of the total vote. Votes from the Players Committee will comprise 33% of the total vote.

All players that appear on at least 40% of the weighted ballots will become members of the Pro Tour Hall of Fame. In the event that no player appears on at least 40% of the weighted ballots, the player receiving the most votes will become a member of the Pro Tour Hall of Fame.

Selection Criteria

When voting, members of both committees are asked to use the following as the basis for their selections:

"Voting shall be based upon the player's performances, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, and contributions to the game in general."

Removal from the Ballot

If a player receives less than 10% of the returned, un-weighted ballots for three consecutive years of voting, that player shall be removed from the Hall of Fame selection ballot in future years.

A player will be reinstated to the Hall of Fame selection ballot if that player received 4 Pro Points during the period from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Future ballots will examine a similar span of time for reinstatement on the ballot.

Note: This is a change from previous years. The new rule is being applied retroactively to reinstate names which would have been removed under the old rules.

Example:

  • In 2005, there were 69 Selection Committee ballots. Player A appeared on 5 (7.2%)
  • In 2006, there were 156 combined Selection and Players committee ballots. Player A appeared on 12 (7.6%).
  • In 2007, there were 197 combined Selection and Players committee ballots. Player A appeared on 15 (7.6%).

Because Player A failed to appear on at least 10% of the ballots in any of the three years, his name will now be removed from the Hall of Fame ballot.

Committee Memberships

The Pro Tour Hall of Fame Selection Committee is made up of approximately 135 members. Members are hand-picked by Wizards of the Coast on an annual basis and consist of:

  • Luminaries of the history of Magic
  • Longtime reporters and commentators of the Pro Tour
  • High-level judges, scorekeepers, and similar tournament officials
  • Certain administrative officials from the DCI, who have been responsible for the establishment of policy directly pertaining to the Pro Tour
  • Other people from inside and outside Wizards of the Coast who have had occasion to directly observe and influence the Pro Tour
  • Members of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame
  • Key Wizards employees with first-hand experience playing on the Pro Tour

The Players Committee is composed of all players with at least 100 lifetime Pro Points (as of June 30, 2010). If a player with at least 100 lifetime Pro Points is on the Selection Committee, he will not be able to vote as part of the Players Committee.

Currently suspended DCI Members are not eligible for membership in the Selection Committee or the Players Committee.

The members of both committees will be made public. While the results of the voting will be made public, the votes of individual members of the committee will not be made public by Wizards of the Coast. Committee member may chose (and are encouraged) to make their votes public.

The following rules apply to members of both committees:

  • Players who appear on the ballot and are also committee members are not permitted to vote for themselves. Members are permitted to abstain from voting for the maximum number of players.
  • Committee members are required to avoid politics, unseemly behavior, or any other action that could harm the integrity of the voting process, as determined by Wizards of the Coast in its sole discretion. When in doubt, think of your ballot as if it were the only one that counted.
  • Committee members are forbidden from selling their votes.

Benefits

Members of the Hall of Fame will receive the following benefits:

  • Each Hall of Fame member will be enshrined in the Pro Tour Hall of Fame Exhibit and the Pro Tour Hall of Fame portion of the wizards.com website.
  • In 2010, newly inducted Hall of Fame members will receive the official Pro Tour Hall of Fame ring.
  • In 2010, newly inducted Hall of Fame members will receive paid airfare and hotel (see limitations below) to participate in the 2010 World Championships and Pro Tour Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
  • Each Pro Tour Season, a Hall of Fame member will receive at least Level 5 benefits in the Pro Tour Players Club.
  • Each Pro Tour Season, each Hall of Fame member will receive a $250 appearance fee whenever he or she competes in his country’s National Championship.

Wizards of the Coast reserves the right, at its discretion, to change this document at anytime without notice.

Travel and Hotel Limitations:

Travel: All eligible Hall of Fame members eligible to receive a travel award will receive instructions from Wizards of the Coast or its designate on whom they must contact and arrange their travel. Wizards of the Coast will not refund travel made outside this service.

The itinerary must be to the host city of the World Championship and must include the dates of the World Championship. No prize will be substituted if unable to participate. All other expenses involved with this prize are the responsibility of the member. These include but are not limited to accommodations, ground transportation, taxes, passport and visa fees, etc.

This award is offered only until 30 days before departure. There is no substitute award if member does not arrange travel as arranged by Wizards of the Coast, by this cut-off.

Every eligible Hall of Fame member will be required to have a prize travel waiver, the appropriate US taxation form (W9 or W8), current contact information (http://webapp.wizards.com/dcimember/), proof of ID and passport (when required by international destination). In all cases, the appropriate forms must be on file before the 30 days before departure or the award is forfeit.

Members must participate in all mandatory aspects of the Hall of Fame at the World Championship event or forfeit their award.

Members who have already won or qualified for a travel award to the World Championships are ineligible to receive the Hall of Fame member travel award.

All taxes are the responsibility of the member, and members acknowledge Wizards’ recommendation that they consult a tax advisor in their jurisdiction for questions regarding their tax liabilities.

Hotel: Eligible Hall of Fame members will be advised as to the hotel’s name, contact information, and location in the weeks preceding the tournament directly by Wizards of the Coast along with any available confirmation number, group number, etc… to assist check-in. The hotel room award shall consist of one (1) single-occupancy standard hotel room at a hotel chosen by Wizards of the Coast or its designate for the dates of the applicable tournament, generally with check-in the day of mandatory registration and check out the day following the last day of competition for the tournament. Booking will include paid room and room tax only. Additional days can be requested, but all expenses, including room and tax, are the responsibility of the member. Meals, gratuities, ground transportation, and fees caused by changes to hotel reservations are the member’s responsibility. The listed Hall of Fame member must occupy room on dates designated by Wizards or award will be forfeited. Specific dates and arrangements are subject to availability.

All taxes are the responsibility of the member, and members acknowledge Wizards’ recommendation that they consult a tax advisor in their jurisdiction for questions regarding their tax liabilities.