>>56276774I dislike having the gyms explicitly tied to competition. I don't understand why they would limit themselves to types and themes when they are ranked compfags. Who would buy a ticket and sit a stadium to watch a professional get swept by hard counters?
I prefer the gyms to be like clubs and institutes. Clubs where like minded trainers gather about their favorite type. Institutes where pokemon of a certain type are developed and trained for applications outside of combat. Could even be a public good solely to teach new trainers how to counter a type. Plenty of reasons for people dedicated to a type to gather and work on their favorite pokemon.
My headcannon is that every gym has plenty of pokemon they are training, and they pick pokemon of similar level when a trainer comes seeking a badge. Makes more sense than everyone needing to start their journey in bumfuck town.
