Just today Bushiroad has opened up about the Cardfight!! Vanguard Team League 2013, an international team tournament that drew much attention from what was seen on posters but that up until today very little of which was concretely known about.
Bushiroad's press release paints a clear picture of how the tournament is being structured, as the first international team tournament of its kind. Spread out over three months from April through July, the Team League will be held in North America, Europe and Asia-Oceania; each team will consist of three members in a three-on-three format unique to Bushiroad properties. As with the 2013 National Championship, tournaments begin at the shop qualifier level in April to May, progressing to regional qualifiers in select stores from May to June, and then go on to continental finals for each region in June to July. For North America, the continental finals will be in Los Angeles. Listings will open up in March 2013, and as with NC2013 there will be a last-minute qualifier the day before the continental finals.
Most surprisingly however, in something of a Steve Jobs "one more thing" moment, the very last line of the press release confirms what many have been speculating on for some time now, that there will be a World Championship 2013 in the latter half of the year. The original press release is presented below, unmodified.
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bushiroad Announces Cardfight!! Vanguard Team League 2013
Singapore, February 15, 2013 – Bushiroad South East Asia Pte Ltd and Bushiroad USA Inc announced a new Cardfight!! Vanguard tournament series: the Team League 2013. This will be the first ever Bushiroad-sanctioned international team tournaments in Cardfight!! Vanguard.
The Cardfight!! Vanguard Team League 2013 is a three-stage, team tournament campaign running from April through July across the North American, Europe and Asia-Oceania regions.
Players of all ages may form teams, consisting of three members, to face against rival teams in a continental level championship utilizing Bushiroad’s unique three-on-three team tournament format. Participating teams will receive promotional goods unique to Team League 2013.
The tournament structure is split across three phases; open shop qualifiers from April to May, regional qualifiers in selected tournament stores from May to June, and continental finals for each region in end June to July.
Tournament shops currently registered with Bushiroad will be eligible to hold open shop qualifiers.
The open shop qualifiers will be open to all teams across all three regions. These qualifiers will be listed on the Cardfight!! Vanguard website in March 2013. The top placing teams in each shop qualifier will receive an invitation to regional qualifiers in selected tournament stores in their specific regions. Regional qualifier team champions will be awarded with invitations and travel/lodging fees to the continental finals in their region. Second placing teams will only be awarded invitations to the continental finals in each region.
The finals for the North American region will be held in Los Angeles, CA, in July, with a venue to be confirmed. An open qualifier for the Team League will take place the day before the Team League finals (venue and date TBD), for players who have missed their chance on participating in the open shop qualifiers.
The finals for the European region will be held in the United Kingdom in July, with a venue and specific date to be confirmed.
The finals for the Asia-Oceania region will be held in Singapore in end June/early July, with a venue and specific date to be announced. Similar to the North American Team League qualifiers, an open qualifier will take place the day before at the same venue.
More details will be revealed on the Cardfight!! Vanguard website and Facebook pages as the dates draws near.
Bushiroad concluded their first international tournament series: World Championship 2012, in December 2012. The World Championship 2012 focused on individual players. The World Championship 2013 will be held in the latter half of 2013."