It looks like D&D is trying to use hobby shops to do free advertising for them via Adventurer League. Not a bad idea, its a start, they are least trying to do something for hobby shops.
One has to ask themselves a question, Adventurers League was shut down on the event searcher and had no events listed while MTG events were all over the place for at least a year, I didn't start seeing local Adventurer League events until last quarter. It appears D&D didn't feel the need to support adventurers league at the hobby shops compared to MTG.
Now, we do have an event for Adventurers league from WotC itself and when I look at three States for the event, I see 2 hobby shops per state having any events. It doesn't help that the hobby shops are selling an inferior product now compared to https://dndstore.wizards.com/us where you can get the physical + code for D&D Beyond. Once the consumer figures that one out, they won't buy books from hobby shops.
I really hope Wotc starts attending conventions again and becomes a lot more active in getting adventurers league going again. I was running two groups pre-Covid, but that momentum has been gutted. There were at least 4 adventurer league hobby shops within 50 miles of me, now only the state capital has one going. I think WotC might want to start working the hobby shops again.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1468-adventurers-wanted-d-d-weekend-at-your-local-store#learn-to-play
It looks like D&D is trying to use hobby shops to do free advertising for them via Adventurer League. Not a bad idea, its a start, they are least trying to do something for hobby shops.
One has to ask themselves a question, Adventurers League was shut down on the event searcher and had no events listed while MTG events were all over the place for at least a year, I didn't start seeing local Adventurer League events until last quarter. It appears D&D didn't feel the need to support adventurers league at the hobby shops compared to MTG.
Now, we do have an event for Adventurers league from WotC itself and when I look at three States for the event, I see 2 hobby shops per state having any events. It doesn't help that the hobby shops are selling an inferior product now compared to https://dndstore.wizards.com/us where you can get the physical + code for D&D Beyond. Once the consumer figures that one out, they won't buy books from hobby shops.
I really hope Wotc starts attending conventions again and becomes a lot more active in getting adventurers league going again. I was running two groups pre-Covid, but that momentum has been gutted. There were at least 4 adventurer league hobby shops within 50 miles of me, now only the state capital has one going. I think WotC might want to start working the hobby shops again.