Brad Nelson · @fffreakmtg
24th May 2022 from TwitLonger
A (positive) life update:
12 years ago yesterday I won Grand Prix D.C., the tournament that catapulted my professional career in Magic: The Gathering. Last weekend marked the end of that career. Later this week I’ll be cashing my last appearance fee check with no Pro Tour qualifications, no aspirations to achieve them, and no regrets. I got to see the World, meet amazing people, and challenge myself in ways no other path in life could have. For all of that I’ll be forever grateful.
My journey with Magic isn’t over just yet though. As many of you know, I co-founded MTG Melee in early 2020. At the time we were just three people working on a side project to help provide a service we thought the community was in need of. Never in our wildest dreams did we think it would turn into what it currently is, and with that demand more and more of our time.
On that note, I’d like to announce that starting soon I’ll officially be an employed Product Manager for MTG Melee. This opportunity will allow me to spend dedicated hours on the website, and not just try to get in as much work as I can in my “free time”. It’s such a freeing feeling as these past two years have been extremely difficult while trying to juggle Pro Magic, content creation, any paid gigs I could get my hands on, and trying to provide Melee users with the best experience possible. For too long I’ve been doing too much causing me to constantly feel like I’ve been failing at everything and letting everyone down.
Speaking of letting people down, anyone who is a supporter of my Patreon will know that I’ve let things slide, and for that I’m truly sorry. I appreciate each and every one of you for helping keep my lights on, and wish I had the time lately to produce the content you deserve. I started the Patreon when I was uncertain of my financial future, and your support helped ease my mind a bit so thank you. I will be shutting down the Patreon by the end of May so that no more charges go out.
Now I’m not going to completely “ride off into the sunset” when it comes to content creation. I plan to still stream when I have the time, visit y’all at SCG/NRG’s, Regionals, Pro Tours, and other events, and continue doing ManaTraders coverage with my baby bro. Magic will continue to be a very important part of my life, I just won’t be trying to monetize the casting of its spells.
In the short-term you’ll find me doing coverage of this weekend’s Mana Traders tournament, at SCG CommandFest Richmond where I’ll be playing my first games of Commander, and as a guest panelist at the Too Many Games convention in Philadelphia at the end of June. I’ll even be at Gen Con this year as a representative of Melee, which I’m super excited about. Oh, and I can’t forget about going to Story Book Brawl’s World Championships in the Bahamas in December!
My journey from a sheltered kid from North Dakota to jet-setting Magic celebrity was checkered with a myriad of good and bad experiences. I celebrated many wins and grieved many losses. I laughed with countless friends, and cried with many others. Professional Magic had its ups and downs, but in the end I know I’d do it all over again. It helped shape me into the person I am today. While I may not have always liked that person, I do like me today and I’m once again excited about my future.