TWD : French championship - 39 players

Ankha wrote:

It was a very cool tournament with very good players. However, I'm a little disappointed no foreigners showed up despite the early announcement. If you have any feedback about why and what we could do to improve this next year, speak up loud and clear!

As for Germany, we currently do not have players visiting VTES tournaments all over Europe (or even the US), except for ECs.
Currently, we "only" have players travelling to Belgium or the Netherlands from the Ruhr area (Bochum etc.).

Before the EC 2019 in Paris, I guess I was the last German player visiting a French tournament: 2015 in Vitrolles.

Maybe it would help to attract German players with an event very close to the German border (e. g. Strasbourg), but I have my doubts.

Hakuron wrote:

Maybe it would help to attract German players with an event very close to the German border (e. g. Strasbourg), but I have my doubts.

Your doubts seems legitimate. Last year French Championship was in Metz (about the same kind of distance from Germany than Strasbourg depending where you live in Germany) and if I am correct, we didn't see any German players.

As I look at the map, Metz is about the same distance from Bochum than Bruxelles is.

So if the concerned players could give us any insight about why Bruxelles and not Metz we would really appreciate the intel.

Timo wrote:

Hakuron wrote:

Maybe it would help to attract German players with an event very close to the German border (e. g. Strasbourg), but I have my doubts.

Your doubts seems legitimate. Last year French Championship was in Metz (about the same kind of distance from Germany than Strasbourg depending where you live in Germany) and if I am correct, we didn't see any German players.

As I look at the map, Metz is about the same distance from Bochum than Bruxelles is.

So if the concerned players could give us any insight about why Bruxelles and not Metz we would really appreciate the intel.

Easy answer:
- in Belgium you have Belgian players
- in France you have French players

Also in Belgium you have Belgian beer, more apealing for Germans than wine, I guess.

As I look at the map, Metz is about the same distance from Bochum than Bruxelles is.

Bochum - Metz - 4h10
Bochum - Bruxells 3h05 (according to google maps)
Bochum - Utrecht 2h15

I suppose for a day trip 3h is kind of a max limit.
For me (3 more hours east of Bochum) and being far past my thirties most stuff is no longer a day trip. So it's mostly luck if a weekend is doable and in addition family free. Also accommodations must be considered to make the trip worthwhile. So crash space helps a lot or availability of a camp site.

Easy answer:
- in Belgium you have Belgian players
- in France you have French players

While this is technically correct, it shouldn't make a big difference.
Historically there might be some residues from the "great austrian-french controversy" (for those that remeber this) or legend has it that french players are more competitive/talkative/dealing?
I always enjoyed playing with the Paris crew, so wouldn't hinder me. Mostly distance it is.

Also in Belgium you have Belgian beer, more appealing for Germans than wine, I guess.

Also technically correct, but individually false.

Timo wrote:

Hakuron wrote:

Maybe it would help to attract German players with an event very close to the German border (e. g. Strasbourg), but I have my doubts.

Your doubts seems legitimate. Last year French Championship was in Metz (about the same kind of distance from Germany than Strasbourg depending where you live in Germany) and if I am correct, we didn't see any German players.

As I look at the map, Metz is about the same distance from Bochum than Bruxelles is.

So if the concerned players could give us any insight about why Bruxelles and not Metz we would really appreciate the intel.

Well, Freiburg-players would certainly attend a tournament in Strasbourg when the date is doable. Alf's point is valid: it really helps, if it is possible to attend without the need to stay overnight. Unfortunately Alsace doesn't seem to be the most active region in France either.

In addition, I guess all players are victims of their habits to some extend.
As far as I know, players from Bochum visiting tournaments in the Netherlands and Belgium and Dutch and Belgian players participating in events in Bochum has a long tradition.