The official Pokémon website has announced that for the 2016 World Championships that take place in San Francisco from August 19th until August 21st, 2016, the general public will be unable to attend due to limited venue space. Fans wishing to see the World Championships are being told to watch the stream of the event.

Also announced were changes to the upcoming Play! Pokémon 2017 Championship Series. More money will be given out to players as well as additional travel certificates to make it easier for players to be able to attend events.

Entry Restrictions at the 2016 World Championships

Please read this important message about new venue entry regulations for the 2016 Pokémon World Championships.

Due to limited venue capacity and overwhelming demand, the 2016 Pokémon World Championships will be closed to the general public in the interest of providing the best possible event experience to our qualified players and their families. While the event has been open to the public in years past, only invited players and their families will be permitted to enter the venue this year, and everyone must have an official event badge.

Each invited player will be given a Player badge. Each invited player under 18 years of age will be guaranteed one Guest badge at check-in, to allow one parent or guardian into the event venue. We will do our best to accommodate additional family members of invited players, but attendees should note that additional Guest badges are not guaranteed. Any additional Guest badges will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and supplies are limited. An email with these details is being sent to invited players.

Fans who want to follow the action from the 2016 Pokémon World Championships can head to Pokemon.com/Live, where we'll be broadcasting Pokémon Trading Card Game, video game, and Pokkén Tournament matches all weekend long. Thank you for understanding the changes to the event's attendance in 2016.

Source: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/entry-restrictions-at-the-2016-world-championships/

Big Play! Pokémon Changes on the Way for 2017

Check out the major revisions coming to the world of competitive Pokémon gaming.

Get ready for an epic year of competitive Pokémon TCG and video game battling at all levels—including the Championship Series—with all-new events in the 2017 Play! Pokémon season. We're making significant changes to the program to improve players' chances to compete and win across the world. Take a look.

This year, we're introducing a new Championship Series event in each of the four core rating zones. The European Championships, North American Championships, Latin American Championships, and Asia Pacific Championships will take place throughout the season and are open to all players worldwide. These amazing events will feature high Championship Point payouts and a total prize pool of nearly $250,000 per event. In addition, Travel Awards and Stipends will be available to players worldwide based on Championship Point performance in their home rating zone. Travel Awards and Stipends available for each of these events may vary by rating zone and by age division. Stay tuned for more details closer to the events.

Pokémon Regional Championships will now be more accessible to players around the world and will feature bigger prizes. Every Regionals will offer more than $50,000 in prize money, scholarships, and Travel Certificates based on attendance. These competitions will be spread more evenly throughout the 2017 Championship Series season instead of clustered over several weekends during the year, making it easier for players to attend multiple Regionals throughout the season. There are no residency restrictions for 2017 Pokémon Regional Championships; players are free to travel to foreign events. Travel Certificates earned at Regionals will be deposited to a travel account that winners may use as they wish.

City Championships will now be known as League Cup events. Participating hobby stores will be eligible to host one League Cup event per quarter, giving Pokémon TCG players more opportunities to play in their local area. The Championship Points structure for top finishers at a League Cup event will be the same as for the former City Championships. Also, Pokémon League Challenges will return as entry-level events, giving Pokémon TCG players a great place to get started and even more opportunities to compete in local events.

The Premier Challenge and Midseason Showdown events will return in the 2017 Championship Series season as local events for Pokémon video game players. Premier Challenges will provide players with frequent opportunities to play at local events and to try out new strategies in smaller events. Midseason Showdowns are larger events that will give players the opportunity to compete for a greater number of Championship Points in their local area.

At every event listed above, players can earn Championship Points to qualify for the most prestigious event in the Championship Series: the Pokémon World Championships. Championship Point totals needed to qualify for the 2017 World Championships will be announced in September.

Play! Pokémon will no longer host Pokémon State or National Championships. The Play! Pokémon team may approve independently operated National Championships on a case-by-case basis. The Championship Points and prizes available at these events will vary.

We look forward to seeing you at Play! Pokémon events during the 2017 season. Good luck throughout the year on your climb toward the title of Pokémon World Champion.

Stay tuned for more information on specific events during the 2017 Championship Series season.

Source: http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/big-play-pokemon-changes-on-the-way-for-2017/