This is my first year actually considering attending a Grand Prix, but the format is a huge piece of it for me. Is there a rough time frame to expect when they will announce the format at each of the GPs that have been announced for May - August?? So far the midwest has a Legacy GP and a Modern GP; here is to hoping Minneapolis or Columbus are more approachable formats.
I haven't found format announcements yet. Format announcements are posted when tournament details (exact venue, time, date, entrance fee, etc) are posted, usually a couple of months (so maybe march) before the event. In any case, GPs have events other than the main (if GP is legacy, then quite like side event will be standard or something), and there will be people clamoring for limited even if it isn't officially on the events list, so there will be something to join.
I guess I didn't consider the side events that will assuredly be happening at the GP. We had one in Minneapolis in '08 and I imagine this time around it will be in the same place because the size, availability, and location of the venue being perfect. I just really want to know the format for the main event. I guess I'm just impatient.
Also, what do you mean by Modern being unapproachable? I find it a far more accessible format than Standard, there's a lot of really high tier budget decks and you don't have to churn through cards every few months.
I'll also second Fortis's suggestion of considering Modern. The constant rotation of Standard adds tremendously to its cost. Hopefully the Modern ban list tweaking is almost complete, which also means that most staples in Modern will stay that way. The biggest barrier to entry IMO are the duals (fetchlands/shocklands) but at least they never rotate.
Standard Mono-Green Aggro Modern :symb::0mana: Dark Affinity | :symu::symr: UR Breach | :symb::symr: Dark Burn Casual :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Bruna Reanimator (Standard) My LGS is Asgard Games in Houston, TX.
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=mtgcom/events/protour
Note that GP is not the same as PT (your title is asking for PT schedule, but your post is looking for GP)
GP Schedule is here, for may to august:
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/other/082311a
I haven't found format announcements yet. Format announcements are posted when tournament details (exact venue, time, date, entrance fee, etc) are posted, usually a couple of months (so maybe march) before the event. In any case, GPs have events other than the main (if GP is legacy, then quite like side event will be standard or something), and there will be people clamoring for limited even if it isn't officially on the events list, so there will be something to join.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
I guess I didn't consider the side events that will assuredly be happening at the GP. We had one in Minneapolis in '08 and I imagine this time around it will be in the same place because the size, availability, and location of the venue being perfect. I just really want to know the format for the main event. I guess I'm just impatient.
I think you accidentally posted the early 2012 GP schedule. Just in case the OP can't find it, here's the May-August 2012 GP schedule:
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/172a
There's also this generic page that has all the 2012 scheduled GPs so far:
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=grandprix/welcome
Modern :symb::0mana: Dark Affinity | :symu::symr: UR Breach | :symb::symr: Dark Burn
Casual :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Bruna Reanimator (Standard)
My LGS is Asgard Games in Houston, TX.
Yeah. dang it. I had both windows open and copy pasted the wrong link.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn