User blog comment:Staw-Hat Luffy/Too Many Participants/@comment-3563898-20130403132035

Blackbeard and his crew are collecting devil fruit abilities. Of course BB would want the Mera Mera no mi, one of the strongest DF's. It makes total sense. Also, the amount of the named characters is to show the ability of the competition and the sheer desire of Ace's former DF.