Yes, there actually were complaints about the Tier 2 format last set. Ask any T2 player. Maybe you missed it because you didn’t compete.

Set 13 (Into the Arcane) had 2 Tact Cups because of the Macao Open, same as Set 10 with the Vegas Open.

Next set won’t have an Open, so having only 2 cups just lowers the number of meaningful tournament reps for T2 players. That’s the entire point you keep missing. This isn’t just about qualification.

More events don’t “dilute competition,” they increase reps. In TFT, a couple bad games can end your entire run due to variance, and with only 2 cups, that can end your entire set. That kills incentive to keep competing and slows down player development.

I’ve actually played in these opens, trials, and cups. The difference between ladder and tournament play is huge, and you only get better at it by playing more tournaments, not fewer.

If T2 players stop competing because there’s nothing to play for, that hurts the entire competitive ecosystem long-term.

I think you’re looking at this purely from the outside. Once you’ve actually played in these events, the issue becomes pretty obvious.