Pokémon North American International Championships
For the second time, Pokémon has returned to America's most unique city. And despite its second year venturing below sea level, the Pokémon Company International still hasn't used HM Dive.
Having had the honor of directing promotional artwork for the event with Where Y'at in 2024, it's a thrill to have the world's largest pop culture franchise spending its marquee summer event in New Orleans once more, with the Pokémon North American International Championships being held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center from June 13-15.
The North American International Championships (NAIC) is first and foremost competitive, highlighting Pokémon's many different ways of playing, including professional tournaments and free-play across its competitive video games (VGC), Trading Card Game (TCG), and augmented reality mobile game, Pokémon Go. Registrants are required to go through thorough registration processes, and visitors are specifically billed as either active battlers or spectators on the sidelines. Competitive Pokémon trainers have poured in from across North America, and with the competitions being broadcast live on the official Pokémon VGC Twitch channel all weekend long, this is an epic, international event born from the competitive passion of a thousand schoolyard trading card matches. This event is even being covered by Sports Illustrated, so it seems like the Pokémon fans are having their day in an international event that really lives up to the moniker.
"This year's North American International Championships were our biggest yet, drawing over 13,000 attendees from 49 countries and regions," Pokémon Public Relations Manager Nick Salazar said. "We continue to see tremendous growth across all of our events globally as our fans across the world come together through their love of Pokémon." Walking around the Convention Center, one can casually hear combatants speaking French, see competitive gear representing teams from Spain, and watch live battling from Pokémon's home country of Japan.
The competitive aspect aside, the Championships are much more than just the heat of battle. The event includes stocking of event-exclusive and designer Pokémon merchandise in a specially cordoned area of the Convention Center. Registration-required access allows access to an exclusive Pokémon Center pop-up store selling everything from designer clothing and plushies to battling accessories and realistic Poké Balls (and Great Balls, and Premier Balls, and more.)
Other facets of fandom roared around the Convention Center. Dealers space is given upstairs to sell Pokémon merchandise, resulting in in-depth discussions of game mechanics and a byzantine pricing system where a card listed at $500 rests gingerly beneath another card listed at three bucks. A dedicated room is devoted to trading cards between fans, the wares on display in 3x3 binder portfolios (which you can buy, in multiple versions themed after different Pokémon, in the dealers rooms). Dealers and traders have confirmed that these side events seem to ebb and flow with the competition. While competitors are fighting out on the main floor, fans and family often crowd up to the dealers. It seems to be a good business.
And while battles have been happening all weekend long, the main event is set for Sunday, with the final championships to determine who is the very best (like no one ever was). With thousands in attendance, and countless more watching from around the world, it's going to be a showdown like none other.
One last side-note: As a child, my favorite Pokémon was always Articuno, a legendary ice-type bird that roamed the Kanto region (the first generation of the games) alongside its other elemental birds: Zapdos and Moltres. Between last year's and this year's Championships, I made a point of trying to collect as many Articuno Pokémon cards as possible. As of publishing this article, I have seven. Others can be bought in the room, one being priced at $250. My collection, for the time being, remains incomplete.
