Is TV Tournament Poker Dead?
If you’ve read any of the recent Internet forum threads regarding the upcoming broadcast of the WSOP Main Event it’s easy to guess that viewership will be down. The uninspring “November 9” (read: unknowns) combined with the delay of the broadcast of the final table could add up to a lackluster performance (read: ratings) when the final table is finally aired.
So how does the WSOP and the WPT get the attention of the poker “core” audience? The easy answer is to get more professional players to a final table. Outside of fixing a game that’s a tough proposition. Of course you can have pro only events but even those (remember the PPT?) didn’t pan out so well. Raise entry fees? Could work but it’s been tried with varying levels of succcess as well.
There’s a thread running right now at 2P2 that discusses this very subject. The suggestions run the gamut but one of the more interesting posts and one that’s been discussed before is the PGA comparison. In contrast to a poker tournament where the players not only fund the prizepool but also foot the bill for the host casinos operation costs, the PGA requires sponsors to increase the prize pool. This makes it far more appealing to the players and in turn, the fans get a better show.
So what needs to happen? Should the WPT and WSOP accept sponsors contributions to the tournaments? If they choose to do this, is it good for the game or will it further drag televised poker into the dumps?
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