WPT statement

Dodoubled · #1 10-05-06, 05:00 PM

OK, I'll give you that. But I don't think the WPT legitimized online poker, and that's the message they were trying to convey. It may have started a fad, but I think the initial Moneymaker run did more to give it staying power than anything else.
And for those guys to spout off about how the supposed demise of online poker in the U.S. isn't going to harm the market here is absurd. The thing that makes online poker great is that it's convenient, accessible and much, much more affordable than taking a trip to the casino. It was also pretty cool being able to qualify online for a lot of these televised tourneys. And that also helped develop a common-man relationship between poker on the computer and poker on TV.
This bill will eliminate all of that, yet the WPT still thinks it can thrive. Do you really think people are going to continue to give a shit about televised poker (other than the WSOP) when that relationship ceases to exist?

Dodoubled · #2 10-05-06, 05:01 PM

Yeah, what Blibbity said.

Dodoubled · #3 10-05-06, 05:02 PM

And Mayhem, too. GOD DAMN, I need to learn to keep things short and simple.

Talking Poker · #4 10-05-06, 06:13 PM

Again, I'm not disagreeing with any of this. I think the WPT will greatly suffer from this recent legislation.

But I also can't blame them for making the statement they made. Can you imagine what would happen to their stock if they said the sky was falling? OF COURSE they need to be as "positive" as possible.

2Tone · #5 10-05-06, 07:03 PM

Right.

I’m sure the WPT’s actual sentiment is the exact opposite of this statement. Anything that reduces interest/activity in poker obviously hurts them. More specifically, the fields for their events will get smaller as a result of fewer internet qualifiers, and the many large advertisers on their programs are the dot.net sites.

But they are publicly-traded US-based company. It would do them no good to come out strongly against recently passed legislation. That would only highlight negative impact of this legislation on their business to Wall Street.

Unlike, say, Daniel Negreanu, who is free to call Frist a ‘douche bag’

Talking Poker · #6 10-06-06, 12:01 AM

Agreed.

That said - WPTOnline (or whatever it is) hasn't accepted U.S. players from the start, so, the new legislation helps even out the playing field for their online site, at least as far as overseas players are concerned. When a site like Party poker may have been a lot more attractive to Joe Blow from Germany last week, now WPTOnline is going to look (almost) as good.