Today, Card Kingdom has ended its partnership with Michael David Lynch and I Hate Your Deck, effective immediately. Card Kingdom began its sponsorship of Michael Lynch’s show I Hate Your Deck starting in January 2022.
A Buzzfeed article, published on March 9, 2022, included several accusations against Michael Lynch, host of the YouTube show I Hate Your Deck. These accusations were also reported in 2018 by the Washington Post.
Since the publication of this article, members of the Magic: The Gathering community have expressed deep concern over both Mr. Lynch’s actions in 2013/2014 and his response to these accusations. On March 15, Mr. Lynch released a statement of apology, which was taken in good faith by Card Kingdom leadership.
However, on March 19, 2022, Benita Robledo—the actor involved in the 2013/2014 incident—published a statement with additional context both on the original incident and subsequent actions of Mr. Lynch. We were deeply troubled to hear of the impact Mr. Lynch’s actions had on Ms. Robledo and immediately took steps toward ending our partnership with Michael Lynch.
Card Kingdom is committed to the Magic community—which is why we invest in content creators of all types. However, we know that fostering a welcoming and inclusive community requires accountability, particularly for those who serve as public representatives. All affiliates of Card Kingdom are expected to uphold our values and conduct themselves professionally. We believe Mr. Lynch has not fulfilled this commitment and see no reasonable path forward for our partnership.