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About Robin Harn

Juggleguy is a Michigan Smasher and national tournament organizer representing Melee It On Me. He is best known for hosting The Big House events, the largest Smash tournament series in the Midwest. You can follow him on Twitter @JuggleRob.
Jul 3, 2014

July 2014 Preview

By |July 3, 2014|Default, Juggleblog|4 Comments

July is the premiere Smash month of the calendar year, featuring an interesting dynamic with respect to turnout: its six 200+ entrant tourneys all-time (MELEE-FC6, OC3, FC-Diamond, Genesis, Genesis 2, EVO 2013) are most of any month, but its ten 100+ entrant tourneys all-time are just fifth-most of any month. This indicates the degree to which attendees congregate around one major tourney in July each year, and 2014 looks to be the same story with EVO on the horizon.

Last month, the Melee community broke all June activity records, thriving on grassroots organization while faltering on the shoulders of corporate backing. Super SWEET, SSS Lock-In, and CEO 2014 all brought in excellent turnouts in part thanks to proven community TOs and the atypical presence of Armada in the States. MLG Anaheim was the biggest disappointment of the month, bringing in 325 entrants and producing poor reviews from both in-person attendees and stream viewers.

 

July 5

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Jun 2, 2014

June 2014 Preview

By |June 2, 2014|Default, Juggleblog|2 Comments

Historically, June has been delegated the appetizer month of the summer season, offering a healthy platform for regionals but never quite cementing itself as the go-to month for nationals and internationals. It has produced just one 200+ entrant tourney all-time (Pound 2), while July boasts a massive six 200+ entrant tourneys all-time (MELEE-FC6, OC3, FC-Diamond, Genesis, Genesis 2, EVO 2013). Furthermore, June has suffered from a post-Brawl-era drought of noteworthy nationals — Zenith 2013 is the only Melee tourney since 2008 to break 100+ entrants during this month. Needless to say, this will all change drastically in 2014.

Last month, regionals across the world shattered records to make it arguably the most active month of Melee in history. Get On My Level broke all Canadian Smash attendance records with a whopping 258 Melee entrants, taking full advantage of a $0 venue fee to draw in huge numbers. SKTAR 3 and Republic of Fighters 3 also featured unprecedented turnouts, producing 223 entrants and 198 entrants respectively. WHOBO MLG was the biggest letdown, producing 60 entrants and garnering poor reception overall from Melee attendees.

 

June 7

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May 1, 2014

May 2014 Preview

By |May 1, 2014|Default, Juggleblog|7 Comments

There has been a total of 91 Melee tourneys with 100+ entrants in the grand history of this game. Can you believe only one of them has occurred in the month of May? MLG Dallas 2006 is the only Melee tourney on record to break 100+ entrants during this month, which should come as a surprise to any tourneygoer. This year looks to crush that precedent, with an unprecedented lineup of five straight MLG qualifiers filling the weekends of May 2014 and possibly providing the community with a historic run of 100+ entrant tourneys.

Last month, Fight Pitt IV was the biggest performer, shattering records in the NEOH/PGH area with a jaw-dropping 174 entrants. Fighters’ Edge UGC was the biggest bomb, producing a reported 17 entrants in what must be a disappointing (but nevertheless unsurprising) addition to the MLG qualifier series. Entrants data from April indicates that grassroots events still rule in 2014, despite a sizable amount of money and sponsorship being thrown at some more mainstream events. Smashers still live by and travel to the proven tournament experience offered by grassroots TOs, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

 

May 3

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Apr 4, 2014

April 2014 Preview

By |April 4, 2014|Default, Juggleblog|1 Comment

April is historically quiet for Melee turnouts. The current record is MLG New York’s 143 entrants in 2006, which is the worst high-mark of any month on the calendar; and just one Melee tourney in the United States has even broken 100+ entrants in the post-Brawl era, Kings of Cali 2’s 114 entrants in 2013. However, with Melee cruising along in its Platinum Age, social media interaction continuing to surge, and media exposure ramping up in anticipation of MLG Anaheim and EVO 2014, this year should be comparatively strong.

 

April 5

Every weekend in 2014 so far has produced a Melee tourney of 75+ entrants, but that streak may end here with no heavily-promoted regionals on the calendar. You know it’s an off-weekend when neither VGBootCamp nor CLASH Tournaments has a tourney lined up to stream. However, the Melee community continues to impress this year by producing massive turnouts seemingly out of nowhere, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see a tourney do so again. The most likely candidate is The Oklahoma Invitational, where Stock Cancel Gaming ambitiously aims to host events for three games (Melee, Brawl, PM) over two days. Melee has been the greatest benefactor of multi-game events in recent months, boasting a ton of spillover attendance from other Smash scenes. And if we’ve learned anything recently, it’s that every state/region’s first significant tournament after the documentary ends up bigger than expected. Prediction: 50 entrants.

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Dec 31, 2013

Melee in 2013: Year in Review

By |December 31, 2013|Juggleblog, yearinreview|12 Comments

Melee in 2013: Year in Review
The sixth annual Smash tournament industry report

Previous Editions
[2007]
[2008] (none)
[2009]
[2010]
[2011]
[2012]

Overview of 2013

2013… where do we begin.

As the year draws to a close, many members of the Melee community can’t help but look back at the past twelve months and ask: What happened this year? How did we get here? How is it that the scene is arguably stronger now than at any other point in history? The answers to these questions outline some of the most exciting, grueling, and heart-stopping moments the Melee community has ever seen. Resilience was tested with the “Spirit Bomb” donation drive, and vindication was achieved with the return of Melee to the Evolution Championship Series. Adversity was conquered through the Nintendo Stream Crisis, and antiquity was celebrated with the release of “The Smash Brothers” documentary. 2013 will likely be remembered as the year of EVO, but it should also go down as a truly remarkable twelve months to be relished by a community that rose to the challenge to make it all happen.

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Dec 21, 2013

Melee in 2012: Year in Review

By |December 21, 2013|Juggleblog, yearinreview|0 Comments

Editor’s Note:

The following article was written by Juggleguy and has been re-published as a mirror copy on the Melee It On Me website. You can find the article in its original entirety here on Smashboards.

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Melee in 2012: Year in Review
The fifth annual Smash tournament industry report

Previous Editions
[2007]
[2008] (none)
[2009]
[2010]
[2011]

Overview of 2012

The Melee community in 2012 generated a collection of powerful storylines and memorable performances as usual, from the explosive American debut of Javi to the surprise return appearance by SephirothKen. There were showdowns both domestically and overseas, with Mango and Hungrybox doing battle in three major U.S. tournament finals and an intercontinental clash between Armada and Dr. PeePee going down to the wire in Norway. There were bright moments, including the development of online Melee through Dolphin Netplay, the meteoric rise of Project M tournaments, and an upgrade in production standards through the streaming of national events by VGBootCamp. And there were dark moments, including the controversial ending to Revival of Melee 5 and disillusion at NEC XIII in the shadows of the FGC. All in all, it’s difficult to argue against the fact that the Melee community took major steps forward during the year, showing once again that the game will be relevant for years to come.

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Dec 15, 2013

Melee in 2011: Year in Review

By |December 15, 2013|Juggleblog, yearinreview|0 Comments

Editor’s Note:

The following article was written by Juggleguy and has been re-published as a mirror copy on the Melee It On Me website. You can find the article in its original entirety here on Smashboards.

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Melee in 2011: Year in Review
The fourth annual Smash tournament industry report

Previous Editions
[2007]
[2008] (none)
[2009]
[2010]

Overview of 2011

It was another memorable year for the Melee community, which again produced a collection of intriguing storylines even in the game’s remarkable 10th year of existence. There were impressive performances, from the resurgence of Mango to the North American first-place breakthrough of Armada. There was a collective upgrade in tournament standards, including a rising trend in professional-style streaming and a never-before-done grassroots Apex qualifier series. Aside from the positive moments, there was controversy. The payout situation at Pound V and the prize pot near-disaster at Genesis 2 rank as some of the darkest moments in Melee tournament history, but they also shed light on some business realities of the community and brought key people closer together in times of adversity. 2011 showed what the Melee community is capable of, both the good and the bad.

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Dec 14, 2013

Melee in 2010: Year in Review

By |December 14, 2013|Juggleblog, yearinreview|1 Comment

Editor’s Note:

The following article was written by Juggleguy and has been re-published as a mirror copy on the Melee It On Me website. You can find the article in its original entirety here on Smashboards.

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Melee in 2010: Year in Review
The third annual Smash tournament industry report

Previous Editions
[2007]
[2008] (none)
[2009]

Overview of 2010

Coming off one of its best years ever, the rejuvenated Melee community looked to take further strides in 2010. Questions surrounding the tournament scene were bold and full of optimism; How far could the game and its tournament scene really expand? What bits and pieces of metagame potential were still yet to be fulfilled? Would anyone dethrone Mango and take over the dominance at the highest levels? Melee in 2010 provided these answers and many more as it re-affirmed the game’s tremendous post-Brawl comeback.

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Dec 8, 2013

Melee in 2009: Year in Review

By |December 8, 2013|Juggleblog, yearinreview|0 Comments

Editor’s Note:

The following article was written by Juggleguy and has been re-published as a mirror copy on the Melee It On Me website. You can find the article in its original entirety here on Smashboards.

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Melee in 2009: Year in Review
The second annual Smash tournament industry report

Previous Editions
[2007]
[2008] (none)

Overview of 2009

After years of being carried by MLG at the national level and following an entire 2008 muddled in the shadows of Brawl, there were many questions regarding the Melee community. Could it make a legitimate strong comeback in the wake of a severe drop-off in tourney attendance? Did the metagame have any more improvement left in it? Was there even any incentive for new players to get better? Looking back at the exciting year that was 2009, it’s safe to say the answer to all three of these questions was a definite and resounding yes.

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Dec 7, 2013

Smash in 2007: Year in Review

By |December 7, 2013|Juggleblog, yearinreview|0 Comments

Editor’s Note:

The following article was written by AlphaZealot and has been re-published as a mirror copy on the Melee It On Me website. You can find the article in its original entirety here on Smashboards.

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Smash in 2007: Year in Review
The first annual Smash tournament industry report

Overview of 2007

Many wondered what 2007 could bring after Major League Gaming announced it would be pulling Smash from its Professional Circuit in March. MLG powered much of the Smash’s success in 2006, including record turnout levels (MLG New York: Playoffs – 204 entrants) and the biggest prize checks ever awarded (MLG Las Vegas: Championship – 1st place $10,000). With the company seemingly out of the picture early, Smash’s future in 2007 seemed bleak. The feelings of despair didn’t last for long though, as an unlikely source decided to finally step into the action.

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