Well.... it's actually pretty simple.....
When one looks back throughout the months...it's fairly obvious that the upper tiers can't even fill out a single page of participants...... for example, in September the entry fees (Champion Tier) raised what...... 9,000 credits and paid out over 50,000 credits......lmao, that's gotta sting. One can also review the Tour Legend and Legend as well..... it's almost the same..... a handful of additional participants..... but pretty much the same. Now....go look at the lower tiers....multi pages of participants....
Obviously, the higher tiers are much more competitive, as they should be........ the odd's of winning or placing should be equally as difficult.....but with rock bottom participation the odd's flip back to the limited elite players........ and this is where you are...
This being said...... the "elite's" should have no inclination to change a thing..... why should they? They are certainly deserving, have honed their skills, put in the time and dedication.... can hardly blame them..... But, it is what it is.... it's little more than a cheap entry for a high dollar prize....
On the other side of the token you have the lower tiers..... same entry fee, still a pretty damn good prize....... and the participation level is 5-6 times of the upper tiers.....
You ask yourselves, why the massive drop off in participation? Sure, the "TOP THREE" payout is hardly an incentive to a typical player...... and, with all due respect to the "elite's" who prefer the tournament be untouched, expanding the payout is probably warranted..... but it won't add much to the participation..... you may get another dozen or so players.........but it still won't cover your nut.... it's still a loser dressed in a new suit.....
The issue is the lower tiers..... You set these folks up for failure. These folks plop down their 200 cred's and hit the course......only to be beaten by a multi, re-start, degenerate. People learn..... after being scorched a few times by the scammers...they lose interest. They simply click right past those tournaments and move along......as they should. By the time they reach a higher level, really competitive tier.....they have ZERO interest in getting ripped any longer..... as your participation level clearly shows.....
This being said....you can cut the prize amounts...... this get's you nothing but the same people (no additional participation) fighting for a lesser prize... Trust me, they'll still fight for it.... whether it's a 500 credit pay out of a 20,000 credit payout....they'll fight for it like dogs fighting for the last piece of gristle on a bone..... This is not a "slam" toward the "elite's' ; rather a statement regarding their competitive drive and nature......
Or..... you can turn the "monthly's" into a "Clash Scab". Change the payouts to "Clash Passes" instead of credits........ The "elite's" won't be playing any longer....but those Clash Rats will come out in numbers.......... after all, they'd testify in court against their mother for a super pass.....
Or..... change the payout's, make them progressive based on participation; and expand the number of payout's from three.....
Or.... perhaps, WGT could actually crack down on the cheating, multi's, degenerate's and allow for a fair game....... this would certainly create incentive for play. I can see nothing better for increased participation (in all tiers) than fair play. As I mentioned earlier...... these future "high tier" players have no incentive to play in the tournaments as long as they fear the usual "chapping" from the WGT Bottom Feeders....
Sorry for the bluntness Champ, I do appreciate your interest and dedication ....... but, I'm a realist, and this is about as real as it gets..... In closing.... "Why raise and hoist the main sail......when you have a hole in the boat?" Fix the hole.............
--Danny