The Asia Pacific Pokémon Go World Championship Qualifiers have ended, and a winner has been crowned, who is ready to duke it out on the global stage of the World Championships later this year. There's just one problem: that winner has to muster up the resources by oneself to go there, unlike for other regions, where the winner gets a travel award for that purpose. It's a slightly - all right, maybe somewhat - disconcerting and depressing story that actually isn't new. In fact, similar stories have been heard for even athletes of common sports. Because of that, I thought I'd take a post to express my thoughts and deliver insights on the situation.
On one hand, the organizers of the qualifiers have been somewhat accommodating, not just for the local qualifiers in my area but also the ones across the region. They've gathered the best of the best and now they've come out with the "cream of the crop". However, and on the other hand, without accommodating that "cream of the crop" for greater success on the global stage, there's a sense that they might find the "cream" a little "sour", so to speak - and yet the "cream" is "fresh" and should taste "sweet". These sentiments are shared by quite a few Trainers, even some who I recognize and even communicate with directly.
As is usual in the Internet culture of the current day, the situation has given rise to at least one meme. That meme likens the fact of the winner above not getting a travel award (while those of other regions do) to the person not being able to get a piece of the "pie", or rather "cake", that represents the travel award that the winners of the other regions do receive. It becomes apparent that to save face, it's imperative that the winner be sent to the World Championships lest the situation become immortalized in jest forever.
Meanwhile, in order to obviate controversy and just get things going, a fundraiser on GoFundMe has been started to help this winner finance the primary transportation to get there - the plane tickets. The most poignant thing about this is that it's not even started by an Asian, but a European as a goodwill gesture. At present, the fundraiser has only reached 5% of its goal, but that can and should change in the days ahead. Anyone who wishes to contribute is suggested to do so, in line with the above.
It is obvious that in order for champs to become all that they can be, they have to be able to compete and see if they can stand to become champs among others of the same caliber. That may be something that the organizers of the qualifiers above should have realized, particularly as other qualifiers do assist with the travel award, the key to realizing true champs. The global stage of the World Championships are still some time away; there might be just enough time to realize the sending of the Asia Pacific champ who is and could be more than that.
One year ago: Remembering Missing PokéStops and Gyms
Two years ago: Pokémon Conventions?
Three years ago: Integration Prospects
Four years ago: More Pokémon Paper Things
Five years ago: Poké-Crafts Made out of Paper
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