New plans for WSOP finale

[jetset]

117 DAY DELAY ON WSOP MAIN EVENT RESULTS?

Television requirements may take away the immediacy of a great event

According to reports in the respected US newspaper USA Today this week, poker fans may have to wait almost four months after the championship to see who won the 2008 World Series of Poker main event, and how big the prize was.

Industry observers are currently awaiting the results of a press conference when all will be explained, but the newspaper claims that there are strong and as yet not officially confirmed reports that: "If you make the final table of the World Series of Poker, you will have to wait 117 days to find out exactly what place you finish – and how much money you will win."

According to the USA Today piece, the main event players will play down to nine as originally scheduled in mid July, then begin play at the final table on November 9th – almost 4 months later. The final table broadcast would be on ESPN on November 11th, and the WSOP Champion would be crowned live that night.

USA Today speculates that the move is designed to build drama for poker's biggest event, and also to build interest in and knowledge of the players participating. Both heightened drama and heightened interest should result in better ratings, something that has execs at ESPN excited.

"The champion will be crowned on the day of air. We're very excited about this change," ESPN senior producer Jamie Horowitz told USA Today.

Such a change could produce dynamics that will be completely new to the WSOP, and in fact to the poker world as a whole.

[maxd]

While I can certainly see that there's some good reason to want to avoid the burn-out factor that most of the poker-watching world feels by the time the WSOP finally winds up it's not much of a stretch to see that this 4-month (!) move is largely inspired by the desire to milk the thing for every nickel it is worth.

Why not postpone it until the next WSOP season? Or better yet, save it for the pearly gates: you arrive and the angels are there to greet you with your trainee wings, your fluffy white slippers and the results of the WSOP from years past. What suspense!

What a crock!

[jetset]

Yeah....a four month build-up is ridiculous, but television rules, I guess.

[Mousey]

What a crock. We watch every minute of the WSOP available online. When it makes it to TV we watch every minute of that. Then when they show reruns, hubby watches those again.

Poker fans want to see as much as they can, and will watch it, regardless of knowing who has won.

If the sponsors and TV people are really worried about fans knowing the winner before the show hits the air, then why not show the damn thing LIVE on TV? then show it again later w/ the hole card cameras edited in.

Morons!

[maxd]

... but television rules, I guess.

I guess. Haven't watched TV in about 15 years so I wouldn't know.

[phynqster]

A bigger problem I see with this is that to build the suspense ESPN would have to show all of the rounds leading up to the "live" final to build excitment. This would give a player a chance to watch the other players on tape and try to pick up a tell, espessially if he could get early access to the tapes.

[winbig]

A bigger problem I see with this is that to build the suspense ESPN would have to show all of the rounds leading up to the "live" final to build excitment. This would give a player a chance to watch the other players on tape and try to pick up a tell, espessially if he could get early access to the tapes.

Yes, but with the caliber of players at the final table, I really don't think they'll base their play against other players solely on how they played hands some months ago.

The whole strategy in poker is to mix up your play, so I seriously doubt anyone will be playing hands the same way they did prior to reaching the final table, especially since they know in advance that their play had been televised for the whole world including your other 8 opponents.

I think for the most part if they were to play a hand the same way they did months ago, they'll have the nuts instead of months ago when they were bluffing, and vise versa.

[GaryWatson]

With roughly 8000 entrants and possibly 1 or 2 newbies making the final table, this could be a great idea.

On the other hand with approx $12 million for the winner & 1000 times in that in betting. I can imagine betting scams, player knobbling.

If it gets past that stage, I think all the players would be set up for life, it would be a dramatic conclusion. The newbies will have picked up mega sponsorship deals, be well trained for the event & it would be an awesome finale.

On the balance, I would say bad idea all round but it would be great to watch.

[Snowman]

I've been hearing rumours about this for a few days now and can only assume it's part of an elaborate practical joke.
It's a bit like having the heats of the 100m sprint in the Bejing olympics then holding off the final until next year.
This can't be true......I hope.

[GaryWatson]

I've been hearing rumours about this for a few days now and can only assume it's part of an elaborate practical joke.
It's a bit like having the heats of the 100m sprint in the Bejing olympics then holding off the final until next year.
This can't be true......I hope.

Dont worry, you are in the UK. I can confirm I started that joke but it was

Round 1 China 2008
Round 2 Iraq 2008
semi final Japan 2010
Final - Oxford 2011 to promote the new "chariots of fire" film starring Tom Hanks