Card backs

[Kaworu, the Fifth Child]

WOTC: Alpha cards require sleeves for tournament play.

They could absolutely change the card backs.

My thought would be to do it in a core set and if wizards was really smart they would include some kind of discount on sleeves in each pack. :-)

The alpha cards don't have to be used. All of those have been reprinted. That's why that's OK. They would have to reprint every card ever to make it OK.

pretty sure if your playing with alpha cards you can afford sleeves.

But that's not pertaining to my point. You can use the other cards, the sleeves aren't a necessity to play certain cards.