March is a decent month for Melee on the calendar: coming into 2015, it has produced 12 tourneys of 100+ entrants all-time, tied for 5th-best of all months. The current March record is NSA 2 at 227 entrants, and it doesn’t look like anything this year will topple that mark.

Last month, regionals ruled the Melee world. McSmashter 4 was the highest-attended tourney with 255 Melee Singles entrants, making waves with its surprise confirmation of Armada’s attendance from Sweden.

March 7

Smash @ LanETS takes place this weekend. On a relatively light weekend for Melee in the region, this Montreal tourney has the potential to attract players from Ontario and the Northeast USA. However, marketing and online registration numbers haven’t been up to par, and years of historical data suggest a modest turnout for a tourney that isn’t Smash-dedicated. Prediction: 80 entrants.

Golden Bair 2 also takes place this weekend. The second installment of this Berkley Melee series features prize giveaways and takes place in a sports bar, hoping to conjure up the SSS vibe into NorCal. While over 150 are confirmed on the Facebook event, supposedly the tourney will be capped at 96 entrants. Safe to say the turnout will reach that number. Prediction: 96 entrants.

March 14

Bad Moon Rising takes place this weekend. North Carolina has been starving for a super regional, with no Melee tourneys of 100+ entrants in its history. That drought will end here; interest has exploded with over 200 confirmed on Facebook including PPMD and Hungrybox, prompting the TOs to secure a new warehouse venue next to the original comic book store venue. No repeats of Apex 2015 here. Prediction: 200 entrants.

SWEET XIX also takes place this weekend. Kage and Vwins will be in attendance, coming down to Michigan for a double tourney weekend in conjunction with No Man’s LAN. This tourney will feature the debut of the smash.gg bracketing software, a web platform which promises to help TOs everywhere run more efficient tourneys. The last two SWEETs have produced 180 and 160 entrants each with at-the-door reg; how will turnout change with online registration? Prediction: 160 entrants.

No Man’s LAN 10 also takes place this weekend in Windsor, Ontario, just minutes from the USA border across the Detroit river. This tourney goes down the Sunday after SWEET XIX and will represent a great clash of regions. Ontario players KirbyKaze, RaynEX, Weon-X, and n0ne are confirmed, in addition to Duck and KJH from Michigan as well as Kage and Vwins from Quebec. It’ll be a busy weekend of Melee in the southeast Michigan and Windsor area. Prediction: 90 entrants.

March 21

Toasted Ravs 7 takes place this weekend. The last installment of this St. Louis-based tourney got 90+ entrants for Melee Singles. Can the Missouri scene break triple digits for the first time? The new church venue, apparently equipped with a sound system and main stage, should help production value and in-person numbers moving forward for the series. Prediction: 80 entrants.

March 28

Aftershock takes place this weekend in Dallas, TX, concluding the Winter Aftershock circuit in grand fashion by bringing in several top out-of-region players such as Zero, Sethlon, Dabuz, and more. TourneyLocator has been making waves in the Smash scene lately, bringing the much-needed streaming muscle to the Southwest area. With the focus mainly on PM and an uncertain Smash 4 turnout due to customs on, the Melee attendance will be tough to tell at this. Prediction: 110 entrants.

Mass Madness 17a also takes place this weekend. There are whispers of Leffen possibly attending, since he will be visiting family in New York between March 24-29th. If he does, expect an epic rematch with MattDotzeb, the jank master himself who defeated the Swede in tourney at a Long Island tourney a few years ago. Prediction: 80 entrants.

JAB 3 also takes place this weekend in Lafayette, IN, hosted by Lanceinthepants. MIOM’s very own SFAT will be in town thanks to the Indiana scene’s good player fund in recent weeks. Purdue specifically has been sorely lacking in regionals, not having hosted a 100+ entrant tourney. With strong interest from Chicago-Land and a top-20 out-of-region player in attendance, this could be the breakthrough. Prediction: 100 entrants.

Fight or Flight 2 takes place this weekend as well. The first installment this past January was Oregon’s first tournament to hit 100+ entrants, coming in at 117 Melee entrants and over 170 uniques. Fight or Flight 2 hopes to hit even greater numbers by attracting top players from Oregon, Washington, Norcal, Idaho, and BC. Hosted by the University of Oregon Smash Brothers club and sponsored by CACAW! Gaming, and with a room that can hold 400+, this one should be on your radar. Prediction: 130 entrants.

See you next month.

MIOM | Juggleguy