A lot of people are confused over how to run a team meeting. My suggestion is to analyze the needs of the team for the given moment, and deal directly with the problem at hand.
When a set is about to come out, each team member should be prepared by having read the spoiler for the new set, and also by bringing their spoiler, earmarked with all the interesting cards they’ve found. If the spoiler is complete, the meeting should center around two primary concerns: Card valuing, new Standard deck ideas, and Limited tutoring. This will put you in the best position for going into a Prerelease ready to win and get a lot of new cards in the process. These are often the longest meetings, and can be tedious, but are the most necessary for building successful foundations from which to work.
After a major Pro Tour, and especially as soon as the season starts, meetings should center on designing decks and any new ideas the team has for the format. Brainstorming is key here, because you need to figure out different ways to combat the decks that other players are going to bring to the table. Netdeckers and Rogues should be prepared with sample decks to playtest, and after a period of discussion and branstorming, the team should sit and discuss the different designs and potential changes. These playtesting meetings will be the most common, and the most fun, and should be held at least once before every major event. The more playtesting time you get in, the better off you’ll be for the tournament. Traders and Netdeckers can be working throughout this period on their own for revaluing cards, while Rogues are always responsible for thinking up new ideas (remember that even if you are not a Rogue, you can still contribute good ideas).
Right before big limited tournaments, you can have discussions with a limited expert, and if possible, hold a mock draft or two using cards you already have, prearranged into what a typical “pack” may look like. This saves money, and helps you get a better feel for the way drafting will play out during the format. The same goes for examples of Sealed Deck construction. Understand which cards are “first picks,” meaning the commons and uncommons which are considered to be the best.
If there is no big tournament coming up, playtest for whichever season you’re in, and if nothing else, play Standard. FNMs are always going on, and it takes more than a little skill to win those.
Don’t run these meetings like business meetings. If they’re not fun, people will stop coming. Try to maintain a little bit of structure, keeping in mind that things need to be accomplished, but always make sure that everyone is actively participating. Team-wide emails are a great idea, and consider also posting a team message board on the internet where everyone can post decklists, deck ideas, and keep in touch with away team members (though keep in mind the Secrecy principle discussed in this section when doing so). This is also a great place for the Netdeckers to post links to the online articles which are required for the whole team to read. Many boards like this can be created online for free at various websites on the internet.
Another tip is that these meetings should be used to plan a travel schedule for the season, or for coming months. Take into consideration that the entire team may not want to all go to the same tournament sites together. The fewer members of a team at a given location, the better. If more members of a team go to the same tournament, there’s a better chance that you’ll end up playing against each other. For major tournaments this is not a concern, but for FNMs or other minor weekly tournaments, this is a major problem. Manage your resources to ensure that the team is getting the maximum return from a given site, ensuring that there are enough players and traders at each site. Rotate where you visit as well, because that will also ensure better trading.
Meetings with food can be a big plus, ensuring that team members will be interested in coming and happy about being there, but it can also be expensive. To save money, you can make each player bring something homemade or from a store, or make sure that they know there won’t be food at meetings, forcing them to find their own food. Cutting costs is important, because those tournament entry fees can pile up quickly during a busy season.
Team meetings are the backbone of a good team, and without them, there’s no reason to even call yourselves a team. Make sure that you meet often enough to get everything covered that you need to cover, but remember that not everyone is available at the same times. If certain members cannot make a meeting, it’s okay, but meetings where the whole team is present are best. Long meetings can be broken up over the course of multiple days if necessary.
