Not long ago, Seth Manfield perfectly embodied the professional Magic player. He had the stats (four Mythic Championship Top 8 appearances and 18 Grand Prix Top 8s), the trophies (he won the World Championship in 2015 as well as Pro Tour Ixalan), and a well-deserved Hall of Fame induction to show for it.
And he had the airline miles to match.
Even among those most committed to playing in a high-level Magic tournament almost every weekend, Manfield stood out for his extreme dedication, often traveling to inconvenient locations just to chase a few more points or one more Top 8 — his competitive drive always pushing him forward. Manfield estimated he spent more time on the road last year than he did at home, and his tying Luis Salvatto for the Player of the Year title (Salvatto would later win the title in a playoff) demonstrated just how effective Manfield was at converting those trips into success.
These days, Manfield is seeing a lot fewer airports. But he still resides at the top of the game: he's among the early leaders in the Magic Pro League and is consistently in the conversation for best player in the world.
He's also planning birthday parties.
"As embarrassing as it is as parents, we've never been able to throw our daughter a legitimate birthday party," Manfield explained. "When you're traveling so much, it can affect your relationships with everyone, and you can't always do the things you want to do at home."
The MPL changed everything for Manfield, who has happily taken to the new normal — regular streaming, weekly MPL matches and a lot more time at home with his girlfriend Jenny and soon-to-be four-year-old daughter Eve — and is enjoying the benefits that come along with the change in lifestyle.
"I really like streaming because I get to plan my own hours around my family," he explained. "Streaming and playing high-level Magic in the MPL on Arena feels less taxing hour-to-hour than before — I'm playing a few really important matches instead of hundreds of matches that may not mean anything. And that means I get to spend a lot more time with my girlfriend and daughter, which is great."
Manfield isn't the only father in the MPL adjusting to a new normal. One is even marveling at their newfound ability to accomplish something basic that most of us take for granted.
"We actually have a few family vacations planned for this summer, which is something I couldn't ever do before," revealed Mike Sigrist, a former Player of the Year and father to twin three-year-olds Anabella and Sofia. "Before the MPL, if I needed those last few points for a qualification, then I was going on the road for a tournament."
Sigrist has cut his travel in half, replacing with lazy weekends at home and family trips to the zoo. And while the transition has come with its own share of challenges, they're a welcome change of pace from hotel rooms and rushed Facetime calls.
"It's still a delicate balance, because there's so much more at stake now with the MPL and I'm much more serious about testing for it," he admitted. "So there's the balance between 'do I want to go with the girls to the zoo today, or do I want to stay home and test?'
"But it's been great. I'm honestly less stressed now than I was a year ago, and none of it is about money. It's more relaxed and structured, so it's less stressful."
Living and competing as one of the best professional Magic players in the world is an adventure very few will ever experience, and parenting is an entirely different kind of adventure. Striking a balance between the two is a daily clash of mundane and arcane. What's the best sideboard card to beat Esper Control? Rekindling Phoenix or Crackling Drake in Izzet decks? Did the laundry get done yet? Is lunch packed and ready to go? What's the next step to building the stream? Who is going to read a bedtime story?
On top of all that, there's still the matter of competing in the Magic Pro League against the best players from across the world.
For Manfield, there will be plenty of time to stress over sideboard slots and metagame calls later — the weekly MPL structure has given him that flexibility. In the meantime, he's got a much more important question to puzzle out: will the birthday party theme be Paw Patrol or Frozen?