Venus and Mercury League
The Venus and Mercury League (VML) was a community of Magic: The Gathering players of marginalized genders, sponsored by Wizards of the Coast. The League was disbanded on January 21, 2025.[1]
Description
The League aims to break down gender-based barriers in the MTG gaming and community spaces. They use the language of "marginalized genders" to recognize the historical and current hurdles that their players face. By calling out these problems for what they are, they hope to tackle both the symptoms and their root causes. With a Safe Playspace at MagicCons, they hope to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all MagicCon attendees while promoting diversity in the game.
The Top 2 players of the VML Championship receive invitations to an upcoming Pro Tour.[2]
History
In February of 2020, the first season of the fledgling Venus and Mercury League brought together 24 women and non-binary Magic players for a few weeks of competitive play on MTG Arena.[3] It quickly evolved in a full-fledged league that was part of the Premier Series. After the demise of the Premier Series, it kept being relevant in the world of Premier Play.
Towards the end of 2024, Wizards of the Coast notified the league that they would be withdrawing both financial support for the organization and their Organized Play invites.[1] Without the invites, the executives concluded that the League would no longer be viable and made the decision to close it down.[4]
References
- ↑ a b Venus and Mercury League (January 21, 2025). "vmlmtg.bsky.social". Bluesky.
- ↑ Frank Karsten (January 2, 2025). "Metagame Mentor: How to Qualify for the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour". Magic.gg.
- ↑ Meghan Wolff (November 29, 2021). "Sanctum of All Takes on the Innistrad Championship". Magic.gg.
- ↑ Mishamigo (January 21, 2025). "magicmishamigo.bsky.social". Bluesky.