business volume at my friends bar has been really slow these past few months and the though came to my mind about running magic tournaments at the bar on the evening where he gets very little business.
What I can't assess is how interested would magic players be in playing in booster drafts at a venue that can also offer full service kitchen and drinks?
the trade off is, unlike a regular magic shop I cannot stock store credit and have extra to product sell back to players, because this venue won't stock merchandise.
(i'm responsible for transporting and storing booster packs and boxes for game nights)
does this sound like an attractive offer for running booster drafts?
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What I can't assess is how interested would magic players be in playing in booster drafts at a venue that can also offer full service kitchen and drinks?
A significant chunk of the playerbase isn't old enough to drink.
So while they would be interested, it generally isn't a good idea. The demographics just clash.
On the other hand, if the local scene is composed of older players, it shouldn't be a problem.
There's also the matter of lighting. Most bars aren't as well lit as LGSs. In a draft where you have to read unfamiliar cards, this can be a problem.
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"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Yes, I have drafted at a bar before and would draft again. I play a fair amount of constructed as well in a few different bars that typically have space and are reasonably well lit. Playmats and sleeves are extremely useful. (Your friend might make some money on these types of accessories even if he doesn't sell product.)
SF has a weekly draft (I've only been a couple times) at a bar/restaurant. Details are here. I imagine some of the organizers also post here, so maybe they can give some tips. No prize support - just a rare draft, so merchandise doesn't seem to be necessary.
Edit: Your friend should be aware that the tables won't turnover nearly as often when being used for Magic. I think the amount my friends and I spend are higher than an average tab, but we might be there from 5 pm to 1 am. We try to tip well to make up for that somewhat - but if it was sponsored by the restaurant/bar, we wouldn't feel the same compulsion.
business volume at my friends bar has been really slow these past few months and the though came to my mind about running magic tournaments at the bar on the evening where he gets very little business.
How do you figure that is a good idea, though? Is your area chock-a-block with Magic players and no other sorts of customers for a bar and it is without a games store that does booster drafts?
To increase patronage and business, why not focus on attracting other demographics?
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the trade off is, unlike a regular magic shop I cannot stock store credit and have extra to product sell back to players, because this venue won't stock merchandise.
Are you even allowed to organise this sort of thing?
Honestly, this sounds sketchy and I wouldn't trust you. Distil it down a few times, what really is in it for the customer?
Under 18's can still play at a bar. Maybe some parents would not like but if everyone is responsible it should not be a problem. Playing at a place where you can just order a meal after the tournament is actually great.
Yes, and I have done so. As long as you have tables, enough space to organize it, and don't play music too loud it's doable.
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Drinking and drafting IS a lot of fun.
After most FNMs, a bunch of us would head to this dive bar - whenever we did, we were at least half of their business for the night.
After a while, we started holding 8 man drafts on one of their unused pool tables. It worked out very well.
Most of the non-magic folk that were there left us alone, occasionally one of them drunkenly approached us with a story about how they used to play a long time ago and they were surprised it's still going etc.
Prize support isn't important for this kind of thing, especially if everyone's getting the booster packs for cheap. It's all about having fun, getting drunk, and bragging rights - like any other bar games.
Absolutely!
You mean that I get to play some Limited Magic AND drink AND have it exclusive to only those over 21? I'm in...Hell, I'll pay a little more than I'd pay in a LGS.
Many of the game stores in Seattle already do this. Card Kingdom also has an attached bar that is usually full, Green Lake Games has a bar they team up with to handle overflow/stuff, and Gamma Ray games has had 21+ only drafts at the Raygun Lounge (gaming lounge/bar I believe, haven't been there) for a while.
Bars are also a great place for board games in a fun atmosphere as well. I used to go to a board game night Wed nights at a belltown pub and it usually had like 30 people show up to play.
One of my LGSs has a "Drafts and Draughts" event every Thursday, and it's pretty popular. The bar is right around the corner from the LGS, and in order to make it more "worthwhile" to the bar, the draft is $5 more per person, but everyone gets a $5 gift card to the bar. This ensures that the bar gets some amount of return for hosting the event, and I've never heard of anyone complaining about this.
The place has an event room, which is where it's held. This allows the drafters to have some seclusion, which can be a plus for everyone - there's fewer distractions for the drafters, and the bar doesn't have to worry about the drafters being disruptive to their other customers.
Overall, it's a pretty positive experience, and I'd recommend doing it if possible. I know that this LGS brings a laptop with them to keep track of who wins and the prizes are still given in store credit, which is applied to a given player's account afterwards (in this case, since the event is held off-site, players can't access their winnings until the next day), and since it's the day before FNM, there's little issue about players having to wait for their credit since they'll likely be at FNM anyways and can cash out then if they don't plan to save their winnings.
I play pretty much exclusively at Cafe Mox, which is attached to Card Kingdom. It's a gaming pub so they are pretty considerate of cards and stuff and we know everyone and go there every week anyway.
Before that we played at a normal pub, they would facilitate our group more or less but it wasn't really ideal.
As for the business side of things, Cafe Mox is doing so well that they are opening another one, but this is Seattle. I think they do have some issues with people camping tables for hours and not spending all that much, but it sounds like the overall profits are there.
I wouldn't. In my honest opinion, alcohol and this game don't mix so well. This is a logical warfare and everytime my MTG buddies are drinking, the game turns out crap of an experience. Belligerence and the sheer stupor of alcohol don't belong in this game. But I am just saying from my experience..
This is only speaking on a competitive nature.. Now it is fun to make a drinking game out of Magic..
One shot per spell tends to make you wanna slow the game down..
HELL YES! I have played some places in Las Vegas that allowed open containers and it is a blast! Magic and wanton consumption of all things intoxicating are a great pair! It will save me from bringing an ice chest of beer in my car to pre-release! A pre-release is like a celebration which puts me in the mood to party! It also softens the blow of a bad pull!
business volume at my friends bar has been really slow these past few months and the though came to my mind about running magic tournaments at the bar on the evening where he gets very little business.
What I can't assess is how interested would magic players be in playing in booster drafts at a venue that can also offer full service kitchen and drinks?
the trade off is, unlike a regular magic shop I cannot stock store credit and have extra to product sell back to players, because this venue won't stock merchandise.
(i'm responsible for transporting and storing booster packs and boxes for game nights)
does this sound like an attractive offer for running booster drafts?
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[I]Some call it dig through time, when really your digging through CRAP!
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I don't get to paper magic very often, but I'd consider upping my attendance if I could rock a Blue Moon while I pwn.
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A significant chunk of the playerbase isn't old enough to drink.
So while they would be interested, it generally isn't a good idea. The demographics just clash.
On the other hand, if the local scene is composed of older players, it shouldn't be a problem.
There's also the matter of lighting. Most bars aren't as well lit as LGSs. In a draft where you have to read unfamiliar cards, this can be a problem.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
SF has a weekly draft (I've only been a couple times) at a bar/restaurant. Details are here. I imagine some of the organizers also post here, so maybe they can give some tips. No prize support - just a rare draft, so merchandise doesn't seem to be necessary.
Edit: Your friend should be aware that the tables won't turnover nearly as often when being used for Magic. I think the amount my friends and I spend are higher than an average tab, but we might be there from 5 pm to 1 am. We try to tip well to make up for that somewhat - but if it was sponsored by the restaurant/bar, we wouldn't feel the same compulsion.
OK, it's not such a big deal with 1v1 games so long as everyone keeps their stuff together throughout the draft.
But drafts (and multiplayer games) can lose coherency & rhythm/pace once even one player can no longer read the cards (or comprehend the board state).
Drinking and drafting is a dangerous thing...
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If bar means something more like a public house or pub or the establishment in Cheers, why not?
How do you figure that is a good idea, though? Is your area chock-a-block with Magic players and no other sorts of customers for a bar and it is without a games store that does booster drafts?
To increase patronage and business, why not focus on attracting other demographics?
Edit: Why not consider some of these tips?
Are you even allowed to organise this sort of thing?
Honestly, this sounds sketchy and I wouldn't trust you. Distil it down a few times, what really is in it for the customer?
and acts without effort.
Teaching without verbosity,
producing without possessing,
creating without regard to result,
claiming nothing,
the Sage has nothing to lose.
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I will always firmly stand by the belief that Magic is a game first and a collectable second.
After most FNMs, a bunch of us would head to this dive bar - whenever we did, we were at least half of their business for the night.
After a while, we started holding 8 man drafts on one of their unused pool tables. It worked out very well.
Most of the non-magic folk that were there left us alone, occasionally one of them drunkenly approached us with a story about how they used to play a long time ago and they were surprised it's still going etc.
Prize support isn't important for this kind of thing, especially if everyone's getting the booster packs for cheap. It's all about having fun, getting drunk, and bragging rights - like any other bar games.
You mean that I get to play some Limited Magic AND drink AND have it exclusive to only those over 21? I'm in...Hell, I'll pay a little more than I'd pay in a LGS.
― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential
I will always firmly stand by the belief that Magic is a game first and a collectable second.
Bars are also a great place for board games in a fun atmosphere as well. I used to go to a board game night Wed nights at a belltown pub and it usually had like 30 people show up to play.
The place has an event room, which is where it's held. This allows the drafters to have some seclusion, which can be a plus for everyone - there's fewer distractions for the drafters, and the bar doesn't have to worry about the drafters being disruptive to their other customers.
Overall, it's a pretty positive experience, and I'd recommend doing it if possible. I know that this LGS brings a laptop with them to keep track of who wins and the prizes are still given in store credit, which is applied to a given player's account afterwards (in this case, since the event is held off-site, players can't access their winnings until the next day), and since it's the day before FNM, there's little issue about players having to wait for their credit since they'll likely be at FNM anyways and can cash out then if they don't plan to save their winnings.
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Before that we played at a normal pub, they would facilitate our group more or less but it wasn't really ideal.
As for the business side of things, Cafe Mox is doing so well that they are opening another one, but this is Seattle. I think they do have some issues with people camping tables for hours and not spending all that much, but it sounds like the overall profits are there.
This is only speaking on a competitive nature.. Now it is fun to make a drinking game out of Magic..
One shot per spell tends to make you wanna slow the game down..
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