World Series of Poker Delay Proves Problematic

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

World Series of Poker officials announced May 1 that the tournament’s final table would take place after a hiatus of nearly four months, a first in the event’s 39-year history.

It was a risky move but one that showed creativity, imagination and a sense of fun, opening a spectrum of intriguing possibilities.

The break began July 14 after the field of 6,844 entrants in the $10,000 no-limit Texas hold ’em championship tournament had been whittled to nine players.

The revised format was designed to generate extra publicity around the final table, to increase interest in big-time tournament poker and to boost ratings for ESPN’s television coverage of the event — worthy goals all.

Perhaps the most appealing selling point, though, was the notion that the final nine competitors would become virtual folk heroes during the interim, newly minted poker celebrities with their own fan bases and the concomitant mainstream endorsement opportunities.

The new-look World Series has failed to deliver in this area. The so-called “November Nine” left the Rio in July largely unknown to the general public, and they return the same way for Sunday’s resumption of the tournament, which carries a $9.1 million top prize.

For the complete story, please see Jeff Haney, Planned delay took steam out of WSOP, Las Vegas Sun, November 6, 2008.