The Pokémon World Tournament had humble roots.
After Zinzolin of Team Plasma's Seven Sages was arrested in the Cold Storage facility that previously stood south of Driftveil, Clay came to despise having the city's most notable landmark being all over the news due to police activity.
Not all publicity is good publicity according to The Mining King of Driftveil.
He held off on taking a few orders so that the bulk of his company could focus on a more personal project he was financing. The old Cold Storage buildings were razed, with a world-class battling facility rising up in their place.
Outside of accidentally unearthing a passageway to the Castelia Sewers on the western side of the island, construction went off without a hitch.
Within a year the building was complete.
Just three months after that, Clay hosted Unova's first Gym Leader invitational.
Compared to where things would come within the next few years, this first event was rather small. But at the time it was a big deal that all eleven leaders from across the region (including Cilan, Chili and Cress before they disbanded the Striaton City Gym) were willing and able to take time away from their posts so they could participate. The event was a massive success that not only stoked the fiery pride of the Unovan people in their region and Gym Leaders, but also brought the kind of spotlight onto Driftveil City that Clay had hoped for. Before long it would be a household name.
The tournament's legitimacy was bolstered by the fact that its first victor, Iris of Opelucid City, used her growing battle clout as a bargaining chip to become the new Champion of the Unova Pokémon League months later.
Though this first tournament was primarily Unova-based in its battling populace, tourists who were visiting the region at the time flocked to Driftveil in droves so they could see the event. One such visitor was Sinnoh's sitting League Champion Cynthia — still on vacation in her friend Caitlin's beachside villa.
Cynthia was positively enamored by the idea of strengthening bonds between individuals through the art of battling, and felt there could be a great opportunity to do the same thing between nations.
So upon returning to Sinnoh, she talked to that region's Gym Leaders about attending the next event.
Thus the second annual tournament became the first annual International Pokémon World Tournament. The name somehow stuck in spite of the fact that some marketing person's zeal to create an important sounding title resulted the rest of the world's confusion at redundantly referring to a 'world tournament' as being 'International.'
A particularly ferocious match between the Electric-type Gym Leaders Elesa and Volkner from Sunyshore City made headlines thanks to dazzling front-page images captured as sparks danced around the already sleek, modern battle facility. Word of the tournament spread fast, and soon participants were eagerly telling their friends around the world to join in so the battles could get grander.
Jasmine from Olivine City was easily convinced during one of her frequent trips to Sunyshore and spread excitement throughout the Johto region just as Saffron City's Sabrina brought the news to Kanto after a movie shoot in Pokéstar Studios.
Elesa told the story of her tabloid-stealing battle during a photo shoot with Unova superstar Nancy and Hoenn contest idol Lisia, and soon enough Hoenn was abuzz with excitement too.
When the second International PWT was held, five regions participated. It was a truly worldwide sensation that had viewers tuning in by the millions. Nancy and Lisia hosted the event, bringing with them legions of fans who were more into the Pokémon lifestyle and contest scene than strictly battling — and nearly doubling Driftveil's rapidly increasing tourist profit margin in the process.
Advertisers flooded in to be a part of the PWT, and rumors began to spread. Would there be any more tournaments added in the future? What if the Gym Leaders of the world also got to face off with the Elite Four members or Champions of each Pokémon League?
Fanbases for every conceivable major trainer the world over grew, but none more than the first three PWT winners: Iris, Byron of Canalave City and Clair of Blackthorn City.
Everyone wanted a piece of that victory pie, and the tournament became an event that people referred to as a reason to keep getting up in the morning. "Eventually we'll get to see our friends in Driftveil again," they'd say. With that kind of buzz, it was inevitable that more regions would look to take part.
Kalos was the next official member of the PWT. Wattson from Mauville City was eager to talk his friend Clemont from Lumiose City into participating during one of the boy's trips to Hoenn (Wattson did remodel his city after Lumiose after all, it would be silly not to come and visit). Clemont, alongside Professor Sycamore's assistants Sina and Dexio, invited every Gym Leader in Kalos.
The assistants found out about the tournament during their vacation to the island region of Alola, which was somewhat near the coast of Kanto. Alolan Trial Captain Mina heard about the event during a trip to the Kanto port city of Vermilion, but unfortunately they were not able to join the festivities that year.
Alola had yet to establish its own Pokémon League after all. Though you can be sure that joining this now-acclaimed event was another signal to Alola's Professor Kukui that he should be creating their League as soon as possible.
The third annual International PWT went without Alola, but it was not devoid of good battles because of their absence. Six regions were enough to pack the playing field with at least 48 Gym Leaders, and Clay had one more surprise up his sleeve.
During the last day of the now three-day long event, it was unveiled that a new bracket would be added: The Champion's Tournament. Sitting Champions like Cynthia or Lance from the Indigo Plateau between Johto and Kanto would face off alongside figures like Calem from Kalos and Dawn from Sinnoh, who had defeated their region's Leagues but did not personally accept Hall of Fame challenges.
The Champion's Tournament broke broadcast viewership records and dominated social media chatter for days. Steven Stone, sitting Champion of the Pokémon League in Ever Grande City, took home a freshly engraved belt alongside the Leader Tournament's victor, Roxanne from Rustboro City (A "Hoenn Sweep" as people would henceforth refer to the year's proceedings).
Within just four years, Clay's ambitious undertaking paid back in spades. Driftveil City and Unova as a whole became widely known while industries began to perch comfortably on his solid, earthy foundation. Airlines and cruises offered special deals during PWT season, drawing in larger audiences each year. Merchandise and brand synergies were pumped out. Hotels were constructed and expanded in Driftveil, Nimbasa and Castelia to make space for all the attendees.
Plus, Pokémon battling was gaining more of a name for itself as a spectator sport in all Regions. Sure, it didn't draw as much of an all-encompassing audience as the Galar Region's Pokémon League (which had yet to file for entry in the tournament), but it was starting to approach those levels.
As Clay and Elesa put the finishing touches on the lighting across that island just south of Drifveil, they were a week away from the fourth annual International Pokémon World Tournament.
A tournament that, as Clay himself said, promised to be bigger and better than ever before.