As a bit of a surprise, yesterday Blizzard announced that the 5-vs-5 bracket in the upcoming Arena season will be more than just a competition among teams on your server. There is going to be a worldwide tournament, with stages at the battlegroup, regional, and worldwide levels, with the winner at the worldwide level truly being able to claim "best in the world."

> We’re pleased to announce our plans for the inaugural World of Warcraft Arena Tournament, scheduled to begin on February 16 in Europe and North America and March 3 in Korea. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade players in these regions who consider themselves to be among the best in the game at player-vs.-player (PvP) combat will soon be able to prove it to the rest of the world. Will you and the rest of your team be up to the challenge? If so, gather your cohorts and begin preparing for the largest World of Warcraft competition ever held.

You can read the official Blizzard preview, found here, for more information.