
GRAND PRIX DETROIT 2015
August 14-16, 2015
Cobo Center
Wayne Hall
1 Washington Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226
Official hashtag: #gpdetroit
GENERAL INFORMATION
Professional Event Services is proud to present Grand Prix Detroit 2015! The Grand Prix circuit is returning to the Motor City in 2015 for three full days of Magic! You are going to want to tell your friends, because you are going to need them by your side as the main event is 3-player Team Sealed featuring the Origins set! Get your team together and join us Friday for some Team Sealed Practice events to get your tech ready for the GP!
Even in the diverse land of Magic GPs, team events are a rarity. This is the LAST team event in North America for 2015 and one of only TWO for the remainder of the year! Need more? Ok, how about FREE Friday Mini Master events and a full range of Side Events including the Super Sunday Series events. Not enough? How about the opportunity to walk away with four (!) unique playmats from the event, a fantastic Prize Wall, vendors galore and a host of very talented artists! Whatever you want from a Magic event, we're sure you'll find it at Grand Prix Detroit!
Main Event Registration Fee: $150/team
Main Event Maximum Capacity is 2250 players (750 teams).
Registration online until August 14
Registration will be held on-site Friday, August 14 from 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
There will be no on-site registration on Saturday.
The cut-off to adjust your team order is 10:00 PM Friday, August 14. After that time, your team order is frozen.
You may replace missing team members up until 8:30 AM, Saturday, August 15.
Many Grand Prix offer additional services to participants, such as Sleep-In Specials and VIP packages. Sleep-In Specials allow players with byes to skip the player meeting on Saturday and arrive shortly before their first round begins. VIP packages provide various perks such as complimentary bottled water, special seating, and exclusive artist signings. Details of these services vary from event to event; please check the organizer's web site for specifics.
The format for Grand Prix Detroit is Magic: Origins Team Limited. For more information on the format and schedule, click here.
There are no byes for Team Limited events.
Along with the main event, there are additional side-event tournaments to play in at a Grand Prix. Side events are offered at all Grand Prix on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For details on side events that you can find at every Grand Prix, click here.
A list of additional events and a full schedule for when side events take place can be found on the Grand Prix Detroit website. All side events (except casual events) will have a Planeswalker Points multiplier of 3x.
Team Sealed Practice
Friday, August 14 from 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Trios Sealed: Starts when 8 teams register - Single Elimination
Entry Fee: $75/team
Participation Prize: Each team will receive one set of the three GP Detroit playmats.
- 1st: 36 prize tickets/team
- 2nd: 18 prize tickets/team
- 3rd-4th: 9 prize tickets/team
Some of the hottest and most famous artists in Magic will be joining us at Grand Prix Detroit. All artists will be available to sign cards, playmats, and more. In addition, all will be selling prints, artist proofs, original art/sketches, and doing custom alterations of mats and cards!
Artists scheduled to appear at Grand Prix Detroit include Jeff Miracola, Steve Prescott, Chris Rahn and Randy Asplund. For more information on these artists, click here.
The airport for Grand Prix Detroit is Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).
Driving Directions
• From North
Southbound on the Lodge US-10, exit Larned St. (on left); right on Washington Blvd.
Southbound on I-75 take I-375 to Jefferson Ave. west to Washington Blvd.
• From South
Northbound on I-75, exit Lodge US-10 to Larned St. (on left); right on
Washington Blvd.
• From East
Westbound on I-94 to I-75 south; take I-375 to Jefferson Ave. west to
Washington Blvd.
• From West
Eastbound on I-96 or I-94, take the Lodge US-10 south; exit Larned St. (on left);
right on Washington Blvd.
• From Canada
Tunnel crossing: left on Jefferson Ave. west to Washington Blvd.
Ambassador Bridge crossing: take I-75 northbound to the Lodge US-10 south;
exit Larned St. (left side); right on Washington Blvd.
Public Transportation Info
Detroit People Mover - A Detroit People Mover station is located inside COBO Center on the third floor near Congress St.
Detroit Smart Bus - https://www.smartbus.org/
Hotel Block Information
We have chosen the historic DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Detroit Downtown - Fort Shelby for our hotel room block. The hotel is a short walk from the venue. This is an all-suites hotel and offers 3 beds per room! All for the low price of $135 USD/night!
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
Get your promo card by playing in the Grand Prix (while supplies last).
All teams registering for Grand Prix Detroit will receive a set of event-exclusive UltraPRO playmats featuring the art from the Magic Origins cards Managorger Hydra by Lucas Graciano, Evolutionary Leap by Chris Rahn, and Abbot of Keral Keep by Deruchenko Alexander.

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO
Follow live streaming video coverage of Grand Prix Detroit on DailyMTG and Twitch, featuring Marshall Sutcliffe, Kenji Egashira, Jacob Van Lunen, Rashad Miller, Rich Castle, and Matt Mendoza. Coverage begins Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. local time (ET)/7:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. UTC.
FORMAT AND SCHEDULE
Format: Team Limited
Main Event Registration Fee: $150 per team
Maximum Main Event Capacity is 2250 players (750 teams).
- Online registration until August 14.
- On-site registration on Friday, August 14 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, August 15: Grand Prix Detroit begins at 9:00 a.m.
- Sunday, August 16: Day Two begins at 9:00 a.m.
Registration for the Grand Prix main event closes Friday night. There will be no Saturday registration.
The cut-off to adjust your team order is 10:00 PM Friday, August 14. After that time, your team order is frozen.
You may replace missing team members up until 8:30 AM, Saturday, August 15."
The main tournament at Grand Prix Detroit is open to Magic players of all ages.
Players must have a signed waiver and consent form to compete at Grand Prix Detroit. Forms can be downloaded here and will be available on-site. Minors must have a parent of guardian’s signature on these forms. Minors will not be able to register or play unless we receive a waiver signed by a parent or guardian. No exceptions.
Players should review the Magic Tournament Rules for the rules specific to Team Tournaments, paying particular attention to the following sections:
- Section 7.7 – Booster Draft Procedure
- Section 8.2 – Team Composition and Identification
- Section 8.3 – Team Communication
Day One: Team Sealed Deck (12 Magic: Origins boosters)
- 20 minutes for sealed deck pool registration and deck swap
- 60 minutes for deck building
- Decklists are required
- Deck registration and deck swap will be performed for the Swiss Sealed Deck.
Day Two: Team Sealed Deck (12 Magic: Origins boosters)
- 60 minutes for deck building
- Decklists are required
Top 4: Team Booster Draft (3 Magic: Origins boosters)
- Team members draft at the same draft table with one opposing team (6 total players per draft table). Team members will be seated at the draft table in exactly the following order:
- Team 1, Player A
- Team 2, Player C
- Team 1, Player B
- Team 2, Player A
- Team 1, Player C
- Team 2, Player B
- No communication (verbal or non-verbal) is permitted between team members during the draft.
- After the draft, team members will be located to separate tables to record their draft pools (15 minutes for draft pool registration and verification). After draft pool registration, team members will sit together for deck building (30 minutes for deck building).
- Each team member will play the opposing team member with the same player designation (A, B, or C).
- After the semifinals, the Top 2 teams will draft again using the procedure described above.
- Decklists are required
- Modified Swiss-style (50-minute rounds).
- Day One will consist of 9 Swiss rounds. Day Two will consist of 5 Swiss rounds and the Top 4 single-elimination playoff.
- All teams with an X-2-0 record (or better) or the top 40 teams – whichever is greater – advance to the second day of competition for prizes and invitations.
- The Top 4 teams after the final Swiss round on Day Two will advance to the Top 8 single-elimination playoff.
- Top 4 playoff matches will be best 2 of 3 per individual match, with no time limit. (Players are still expected to play at a normal pace and complete playoff matches in a reasonable amount of time.)
- Each team member will be randomly paired against an opposing team member. Only 1 round will be played in the semi-finals and finals.
- Standings after the Swiss rounds will be used to determine final order in the standings for losing players in the quarterfinal and semifinal playoff rounds.
- For the first game of each match in the playoff, the players on the team that finished higher in the Swiss rounds chooses either to play first or to play second. For subsequent games in each Top 4 playoff match, the usual Play/Draw rule applies (loser of the previous game decides whether to play first in the next game).
Judges interested in applying for the event should do so using the Judge Center.
Notes
- Planeswalker Points multiplier 8x, Rules Enforcement Level (REL) is Competitive on Day One and Professional on Day Two.
- The Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules and the Magic: The Gathering Infraction Procedure Guide are in effect for this event unless specifically overruled by information in this Format Document. Rules documents can be found in the Magic Document Center.
- Players are responsible for bringing their own method of tracking life totals, card sleeves, and appropriate counters or tokens.
- In the event that a player who wins an invitation to a Pro Tour stop at a Grand Prix has already qualified for an invitation, the invitation does not pass down under any circumstances. Previous qualification may be through a Qualifier tournament, through performance at a professional tournament, or by being an invited DCI player (valid upon the date of the official rank announcement for the appropriate professional tournament).
PRIZE STRUCTURE
Place | Prize Money | |
---|---|---|
1 | $8,100 | |
2 | $5,400 | |
3-4 | $3,000 | |
5-8 | $2,025 | |
9-12 | $1,275 | |
13-16 | $1,125 | |
17-20 | $1,050 | |
21-24 | $900 | |
25-36 | $750* | |
37-51 | $600* | |
52-76 | $600* | |
*If Grand Prix attendance is 400-799 teams, prize money will be paid out to 36th place. If attendance is 800 or more teams, prize money will be paid out to 51st place. If attendance is 1200 or more teams, prize money will be paid out to 76th place. Attendance at a Grand Prix is calculated on participation not preregistration. The Tournament Organizer will announce GP attendance as soon as this is confirmed. Tournament attendance and standing are subject to review by Wizards of the Coast before being finalized. Top 4 teams also earn invitations and airfare to Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar October 16-18, 2105. In addition, all team members from a team with 36 match points or greater at the end of the event will receive an invitation to Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar October 16-18, 2015. Prize money is awarded per team. All prizes displayed in U.S. dollars. Prizes subject to change. For every event held in the U.S., a 30% withholding tax will automatically be deducted from the prize payments to all international players, unless the player has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) that has been filed with the withholding agent. (For information on applying for an ITIN, please visit www.irs.gov) In some cases, players may be eligible to reclaim the 30% withheld; please consult with a tax professional in your area. Tax forms for prizes paid within a calendar year will be mailed by March of the following year. These tax forms are very important, and it is recommended that they be retained for five years. If you do not receive a form, you must contact us within one year to request a copy. |
Place | Pro Point |
---|---|
1st | 6 |
2nd | 5 |
3rd-4th | 4 |
5-8 | 4 |
Top 4 Teams receive Pro Points based on rank. All other players receive Pro Points based on their match point total at the end of the event. | |
Match Points | Pro Points |
34+ | 4 |
33 | 3 |
31-32 | 2 |
30 | 1 |
0-29 | 0 |
SIDE EVENTS
Along with the main event, there are additional side-event tournaments to play in at a Grand Prix. The Side Events listed in this section are on the schedule of every Grand Prix.
"Foiled Again"
A straight Swiss tournament lasting three or four rounds. Participants get one past promo card for playing, then one additional promo card per match win. Format varies by event.
Value Drafts
Enjoy a special discount on pick-up drafts on Saturday. Actual times and prices vary by event.
"Rebound" Event
Format at organizer's discretion. The winner(s) earn free entry into the "Super Sunday Series" (see Sunday Side Events). Players who also played in the main Grand Prix tournament will get a discount for entry.
Super Sunday Series
Qualifier tournaments for the Super Sunday Series will be held at each Grand Prix. The Top 8 players in the Super Sunday Series qualifier will each be awarded a commemorative Grand Prix water bottle. The winner of the Super Sunday Series qualifier will earn an invitation and travel award for the Super Sunday Series Championship 2016, expected to be held in January 2016 in Seattle. The Super Sunday Series Championship experience also includes a tour of Wizards of the Coast, dinner with Wizards employees, and more.
ARTIST INFORMATION

JEFF MIRACOLA
Jeff Miracola is a freelance artist from Milwaukee who works with several companies in the game industry. His notable Magic works include Equilibrium and Firestorm.

STEVE PRESCOTT
Steve Prescott has been freelancing in the gaming industry since the mid 90’s. Steve’s work on Magic includes conceptual design work on Lorwyn/Shadowmoor, Innistrad, and Theros and his card art has spanned every set since the Time Spiral block. Some of his most famous cards include Rampaging Baloths and Zealous Conscripts.

CHRIS RAHN
Chris was born in San Francisco and spent his first seven years in the Bay area until his family moved to a small town in rural Washington state. The one thing that always drew his interest though was creating creatures and places that just couldn’t exist; monsters, mutants, aliens, etc. He has created the art for iconic Magic cards such as Ajani Steadfast and Blightsteel Colossus.

RANDY ASPLUND
Randy Asplund painted Magic cards for Antiquities, Legends, The Dark, Fallen Empires, and Alliances. Paintings like Clockwork Avian, Lost Soul, and Thunder Spirit were some of his classics. As an early Magic artist, Randy was involved in the 20-year reunion of Magic artists in the book "The Gathering," and he has copies on hand, as well as many original paintings and prints. His work has also been featured in many games from the '90s, Star Trek products, book and magazine covers & interiors.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tournament Organizer: Professional Event Services
Email: questions@professional-events.com
Phone: 1-877-913-8881