The Invitational

The Invitational – Tournament Overview

To submit an application to run a qualifier event fill out this google form by clicking HERE​

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What is The Invitational?

The Invitational is an exclusive, invite-only Magic: The Gathering tournament designed to celebrate and reward the stores and communities that make Magic great. Hosted by MTG Bazaar, it serves as the capstone of a season of free-to-run qualifier events held at Local Game Stores (LGSs) and major Magic tournaments. It will be played on the Friday of “The Event To End All Events” and will also be an Australian 7 Point Highlander format event.

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The Invitational start time: 10am Friday 14th November

Location: Club Central NSW - 2 Crofts Ave Hurstville

Only qualified players will be able to participate

Entry is $0

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Key Highlights

• Entry Cost for Stores: $0 – completely free for LGS participation.
   

• Entry Cost for Players: $0 for qualified players, Store tournament entry at the discretion of the LGS/Tournament Organiser
   

• When Can you Run a Qualifier: Up to two weeks prior to  “The Event To End All Events” (November 2nd last possible date)
   

• Qualified Event Date: Friday 14th November, during the weekend of The Event to End All Events (Saturday features a Black Lotus as top prize).
   

• Invite-Only: Participation is limited to players who win a qualifier event.

 

Invitational Prizing

Every qualified player receives value simply by participating in The Invitational once they've won a qualifier:
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Top 4 Prizes:

• 🥇 1st Place: Volcanic Island
   

• 🥈 2nd Place: Tropical Island
   

• 🥉 3rd Place: Plateau
   

• 🎖 4th Place: Plateau

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Minimum value per invitee: $40 (Even last place walks away with value)​

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Qualifiers: How do players get an invitation?

• Hosted at WPN-affiliated Local Game Stores and select Major Magic events.
   

• Only way to qualify is by winning a qualification through one of these events.
   

• We anticipate 30–50 qualifier events.
   

• If the number of qualifiers increases, the prize pool will scale accordingly.
   

 

Why We're Doing This

You might be wondering: Why give away this much value for free? What's in it for MTG Bazaar?

The simple answer: We Love Magic!.

We’re not running The Invitational to make money. We’re doing it to celebrate and promote Magic: The Gathering, its incredible community, and the Local Game Stores (LGSs) that form its backbone.

This event is about creating something truly special, something that:

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• Players will talk about.
   

• Stores will be proud to host.
   

• Communities can rally around.
   

LGSs are the lifeblood of Magic — they teach new players, organise events, and keep the spirit of the game alive week after week. So we're partnering with them to deliver a tournament that not only rewards players but also shines a spotlight on the stores that make the game possible.

Yes, there's some benefit to us in terms of exposure. More stores and players involved means more people see what we’re doing — and that means a more connected, exciting, and larger celebration for the entire Magic community. That’s a win for everyone.

 

How to Participate as a Local Game Store

If you're an LGS interested in hosting a qualifier for The Invitational, here's what to do:

Step 1: Let Us Know You're Interested

• Fill out our Google Form to register your interest.
  
   

Step 2: Talk to Us (Optional but Encouraged)

• Book a meeting with either of our community coordinators:
   

  • Isaac –  
     

  • Pat – 

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             Or Email Isaac on isaacjohnlee@gmail.com

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         We’re happy to answer questions, help with planning, and provide one-on-one support.
 

Step 3: Get Support & Resources

We’ll provide:

• Video guides and written resources covering:
   

  • Tournament structures
     

  • Prize strategies
     

  • Judge coordination
     

  • Entry fee recommendations
     

  • What to expect if it’s your first tournament
     

• Advertising assets and copy for promoting your event online and in-store.
   

Our goal is to help you run a smooth, successful, and profitable event — while contributing to something bigger.

 

LGS Expectations & Support

Minimum Requirements

To ensure fairness and prestige, here are the qualification tiers based on attendance:

Players

Invites to The Invitational

4–16 = 1 invite (to 1st place)

17–32 = 2 invites

33–64 = 4 invites

65+ = Top 8 players invited

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Invites pass down to the top finishing player

 

Tournament Expectations

• Must have a minimum of 4 players to count as a qualifier.
   

• Must be a competitive structure – invites are earned by placement, not at random.
   

• Events should be advertised in advance so players can plan to travel.
   

• We ask that you use our shared assets (logos, templates, event info) for promotion.
   

• Tournament results must be submitted to MTG Bazaar.
   

Judging & Rules Support

• We highly encourage having a judge on hand, especially for larger events.
   

• Don’t have access to a judge? We can:
   

  • Connect you with judges in your region.
     

  • Potentially help coordinate an on-call judge support for regional or remote areas.
     

Flexibility on Entry & Prize Structures

• We'll provide template prize structures and suggested entry fees to help you plan.
   

• Want to run things differently? Go for it!
   

  • Higher entry with better prizes?
     

  • Lower entry for more casual play?
    
    You know your players best, and we’re here to support your approach!
     

Store Recognition

• Your event and store will be listed on our official website:
  🔗 MtgBazaarEvents.com
   

• We’ll advertise your event to the community, and
   

• We’ll highlight your store at The Invitational itself to celebrate your contribution.