Professional player Gerry Thompson sat out of the 2018 Magic: the Gathering World Championship to protest the current state of professional level Magic: the Gathering. We, the community of Magic: the Gathering, stand behind his decision. In his reddit post to r/magictcg, Gerry describes the reasons why he is protesting the current state of the game at the highest level. Among those reasons are concerns including coverage quality, player promotion and wages, poor communication, stagnant Pro Tour participation, bad advertising, and mismanagement of known cheaters. The post currently has over 14,000 upvotes and has been gilded 17 times.

We believe that Gerry's concerns are valid and ought to be addressed for the betterment of the game. We understand that it takes time to make change. We understand that Wizards of the Coast has been working on solutions to many of the problems that Gerry presented. But there is a time for words, and a time for action. The following tweet is the only information made publicly known by WotC that has addressed Gerry's concerns:

"This weekend, we're crowning the 2017-2018 Pro Team Series Champion and 2018 Magic: the Gathering World Champion. Early this morning, Gerry Thompson announced his intention to not participate in the Magic: the Gathering World Championship. We wish this weren't the case, but we respect his decision to make his voice heard. 

Pro Player Consultants are working directly with us to shape and mold the Pro Club, two additional Pro Tours per year raises the overall prize pool, and commentators like Paul Cheon and Simon Goertzen are seasoned pros who provide engaging commentary. There's still room to grow and this is going to be a big year as we continue to improve Pro Magic in 2019 and beyond."

There is no mention of better promoting players. There is no mention of poor advertising regarding the 2018 Magic: The Gathering World Championship. As is often the case, there is not a single word about the issue of cheating in Magic: the Gathering. Pro Tour player Ken Yukuhiro was disqualified in Round 14 of the 2018 Magic: the Gathering World Championship on grounds of cheating. This tweet is the definition of a bandaid statement or, as Gerry so kindly calls it, poor communication. 

No matter your words, if your actions don't back them then change will not occur. 

We love Magic: the Gathering. We love watching it played at the highest level. We absolutely love competing to play at that level. That is why we want the best for the game. So that it will grow, and the amazing game that is Magic will be seen and played by many generations to come. Please, Wizards of the Coast, put your money where your mouth is. If your game is as great as you purport it to be (spoiler alert: it is) then spend the time, money, and care to make its public image worthy of how it is presented. Thank you for hearing us out, and we look forward to the bright future in store for Magic: the Gathering.