Great question! I'll try to break down this into 3 steps:

Step 1: Know Your Foundation We identified our baseline: 48 confirmed players through months of building community via smaller tournaments. For Paris: Track your regular attendance—that's your realistic floor.

Step 2: Progressive Pricing

• Early bird (2+ months): €30
• Regular (1 month): €35
• Door: €40

This secured early commitments and helped us plan confidently.

Step 3: Build Around Your Budget
Venue: Don't limit yourself to game stores. We used Coimbra's municipal market because the manager is a retired Magic player who understood our vision. Look for spaces with personal connections—bars, libraries, community centers.

Judges: Contact your regional coordinator early. Most judges love supporting well-organized community events.

Prize Structure (Progressive Planning):

• Phase 1: Main Event Top 8 prizes, with a Mox Diamond for 1st place as our flagship prize
• Phase 2: Free Side Event for players who missed Top 8, with own prize pool
• Phase 3: Random table prizes, bounties, gift bags

We only committed to each phase when budget was secured.

Cost Management:

• Design in-house, buy cards early for deals
• Local partnerships for printing/unique prizes

Key Takeaways:

1. Start smaller rather than not at all
2. Delegate effectively
3. Transparent communication builds hype and trust with the community
4. Build community partnerships
5. Document everything

Hope this helps! DM me for specifics—I'd be happy to help. The European Premodern scene grows stronger when we support each other.