Preface
Summary
Like the previous posts, this will continue as a work in progress. As always, any promotional materials or attendance records from this time period are greatly appreciated.
In these articles I often refer to anything outside of North America as “International,” simply because TPCi was known as Pokemon USA Inc. at this time, and competitive play heavily revolved around the United States’ schedule. I am aware that both Canada and Mexico are indeed international as well!
Due to the overwhelming time it takes and space it requires in the article, from 2007 onward I will only link and/or screenshot event dates & times…for my own sanity.
Pokemon Organized Play (POP) 2006-2007
The fourth official competitive season of Pokemon Organized Play (POP), the 2006-2007 season continued on the path set by the previous season, with a few tweaks. The Provincial Championships title used in Canada in 2006 was renamed “State/Province/Territory Championships Series” to accommodate all international events. The Gym Challenge Series was put to rest after the 2006 season, and a new competitive series titled “Battle Road” was rolled out across the globe (based on the Japanese event series of the same name, which was first introduced 5 years prior.)
Pokemon League, Year 8 (POP Year 4)
“Kanto Region Cycle”
Season 1 “Boulder Badge”
Season 2 “Cascade Badge”
Season 3 “Thunder Badge”
Season 4 “Rainbow Badge”
Season 5 “Soul Badge”
Season 6 “Marsh Badge”
Season 7 “Volcano Badge”
Season 8 “Earth Badge”
Japanese 2006-2007 Competitive Events
Though this article only focuses on North American and International competitive events, several articles already exist covering a majority of events going on at the same time in Japan. (Many of them written by @HumanForScale ) I encourage you to read them, as they are full of great info and graphics.
Battle Road Summer ☆ 2006 (Ended just before Worlds 2006)
Champions League 2006
Gym ☆ Challenge 2006
Gym ☆ Official 2006 Events
Diamond & Pearl Battle Festa 2006
Battle Road Spring ☆ 2007
Gym ☆ Challenge Store Representative Match 2007 Events
Gym ☆ Challenge Store Representative Match 2007 Events (2)
Champions League Spring 2007
Gym ☆ Final District Representative 2007 Events
Gym ☆ Final District Representative 2007 Events
Battle Road Summer ☆ 2007
November 2006
As the new competitive season began, TPCi announced a new Premier Rating system. The entire statement can be found here, which outlines the new “K” values for all Premier events, but for sake of the length of this article I will omit the extra explanations.
Below are the Worlds Invitation outlines for the 2006-2007 season based on region.
Also announced in November, the 2006-2007 Events schedule is pictured below. The announcement can be found here, including one mention of the competitive scene making its way to over 30 countries at this point in time.
City Championships Series 2006-2007 (North America)
To kick off the 2006-2007 competitive season, City Championships took place from November 18, 2006 to January 21, 2007. Participants received a Squirtle 63/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) non-holo promo with a City Championships Series stamp.
List of North American City Championship Winners
All North American City Championships 2006-2007 Event Times & Dates
City Championships Series 2006-2007 (International)
Like the North American Series, all International City Championships took place from November 18, 2006 to January 21, 2007. Participants were given the same Squirtle 63/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo card.
December 2006
Pokemon Professor Program (2006-2007) point rewards roll out for professors across the globe.
These promo cards were distributed in cello packs of Four (4)
State/Province/Territory Championships Series 2007 (North America)
North American S/P/T Championships took place from March 3rd to April 21st, 2007. Participants were given a Wartortle 42/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo card with a State/Province/Territory Championships Series stamp. Select countries awarded invites and travel awards to the National Championships within their country.
State/Province/Territory Championships Series 2007 (International)
Like North America, International S/P/T Championships took place from March 3rd to April 21st, 2007. Participants were given a Wartortle 42/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo card with a State/Province/Territory Championships Series stamp. Select countries awarded invites and travel awards to the National Championships within their country.
Regional Championships Series 2007 (U.S. & Canada Only)
Only taking place in the United States and Canada, the Regional Championships Series took place on April 14th and 21st, 2007. Participants received a Venusaur 28/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo card with a Regional Championships Series stamp. Winners of these events received Travel Awards and invitations to the 2007 National Championships.
Battle Road Spring Series 2006-2007 (International)
The newly-introduced Battle Road Series was unique in that no travel awards, scholarships, or invitations to other Premier Events were awarded. Instead, these events were meant as a slight step up from normal weekly League events, and gave players an opportunity to raise their Premier Ratings to qualify for Nationals and Worlds. For that reason, there were an overwhelming number of these events in 2007. International Battle Road Spring 2006-2007 events took place from April 1st to June 17th, 2007.
Winners of these events were awarded an unnumbered promo card; the Battle Road Spring (2006-2007) Victory Medal. Oddly, all Battle Road Spring 2006-2007 events took place in 2007, but all promotional details and prize cards themselves include the 2006-2007 date(s). The Victory Medal promo card even features a 2007 copyright. Since there was only one Battle Road Series in the 2006-2007 competitive season, this was the only Victory Medal promo awarded. In years following there was a unique Victory Medal for each Series.
Battle Road Spring Series 2006-2007 (North America)
Battle Road Spring began slightly later than the International Series, occurring from May 26th to June 24th, 2007. Winners were awarded the same Battle Road Spring (2006-2007) Victory Medal
National Championships Series 2007 (International)
The International National Championships took place across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions from April 25th to June 17th, 2007. These were the first World Championships qualifiers, and winners of these events received travel awards, scholarships up to $5,000, and obviously an invitation to the 2007 Pokemon World Championships. Participants at National Championships received a Blastoise 14/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo card featuring a National Championships Series stamp. Staff at Nationals also received the same Blastoise 14/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo card with an additional “Staff” embossment.
National Championships Series 2007 (North America)
These three National Championship events took place on May 26-27, June 16, and July 7-8, 2007. Identical Blastoise 14/100 (EX Crystal Guardians) promo cards were handed out to participants and staff members.
Additionally, the United States National Championships took place at Origins International Game Expo (which was customary,) and a Ditto 61/113 (EX Delta Species) promo card with an Origins International Game Expo 2007 stamp on it was handed out to convention attendees.
The 2007 Pokemon World Championships took place in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii, USA from August 10th to 12th, 2007.
The Official website for the 2007 World Championships has actually miraculously survived, although the videos are lost to time due to the death of our best friend, Adobe Flash Player. You can find daily updates on the event, event schedules, photos, etc. on the official website right here!
Like years prior, participants at the 2007 World Championships received a special 9-pocket binder of Worlds promo cards. For 2007, they returned to the “Tropical Wind” name, along with the age-old Kizuki artwork featuring our Gen 1 friend Psyduck. There were 13 different distinct versions of this Tropical Wind, including the base DP05 artwork and “WORLDS 07” stamp in seven languages (English, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, German, French, and Portuguese), and 6 prize/trophy versions. These trophy stamped cards were awarded in these quanitities;
(96x) Tropical Wind DP05 Top 32 Stamp
(48x) Tropical Wind DP05 Top Sixteen Stamp
(24x) Tropical Wind DP05 Quarter Finalist Stamp
(12x) Tropical Wind DP05 Semi-Finalist Stamp
(6x) Tropical Wind DP05 Finalist
Winner at Worlds also received special Trophy Cards with artwork featuring Pikachu holding a World Championship trophy. Each of these cards were awarded to top place finishers in each of the three age groups. A myriad of prizes including merch, Pokemon TCG product, and scholarships were given to top place finishers as well. (info to be added at a later date)
Pokemon Organized Play (POP) Booster Packs
POP Booster packs remained a competitive scene staple, being handed out at local league all the way up to Premier Events across the world. POP Series 4 dropped at the 2006 World Championships, available for purchase at the events as well as on the prize wall. This set was rolled out to sanctioned tournaments in September 2006, and remained a tourney prize staple for a majority of the 2006-2007 competitive season. POP Series 5 is not only the most sought after today, but was a key addition to the English TCG in 2007 because it finally rounded out the Japanese promotional cards that English-speaking players had been missing. The Umbreon and Espeon Gold Star cards were released in this set in English, and continues to drive the price of these packs 15+ years later.
