My first reaction (for some reason, not sure where this came from, honestly) was a big hope that the pro tour could foster a big pro event in Des Moines. From what I hear of the Worlds there, it would be great to have a notable (i.e. YouTube coverage multiple rounds) event there.
Otherwise, I think this will be a good complement to the other tours for now. Moving forward, I'm interested to see who plays in these events, and whether the role of this tour diverges or supersedes the other organized tours in terms of participation numbers, prize money, and media visibility. Sounds like the organizers have aimed to address some of the frustrations others have mentioned about the NT schedule (McCabe on DGAM). I like the idea of points being used to encourage players to play in all events, and to play in less-populated events. And if this effort is successful, it seems like some bigger sponsorships might be more likely because a company could sponsor multiple events and have a wider presence more efficiently.