A Comprehensive Look at the WSOP Final Table Delay

[drunkguy]

A Comprehensive Look at the WSOP Final Table Delay – Part One | Poker News

May 06, 2008
BJ Nemeth

By now, everyone in poker has heard about the new format for this year's WSOP Main Event. The final table will be delayed several months to be shown "nearly live" on ESPN. It's a bold and controversial proposal, surrounded by rumors and wild theories. This article aims to separate the facts from the fiction.

The primary reason for the new change? In a word, ratings.

The demographics for televised poker have been dropping in recent years, and that affects everyone in the poker world, from Harrah's and ESPN to PokerStars and Full Tilt to the grinders in the cash games who have fewer fresh fish to feed on. This change is designed to increase the buzz around the final table of the WSOP Main Event in an attempt to put it on par with other major "sports" championships. (While poker isn't actually a sport, the fans watch it in much the same way.) If the TV ratings for poker continue to fall, we face the possibility of losing poker on TV, except for late-night paid-for specials.

The proponents of this plan claim that it will reinvigorate televised poker, draw new fans to the game, and potentially create another Moneymaker-style poker boom that would boost the entire industry. (Is there anyone in poker who didn't benefit from the post-Moneymaker boom?) The detractors of this plan claim that this delay could kill the WSOP — or worse, kill some of the final nine players.

THE NEW SCHEDULE

Event #1 of the World Series of Poker starts at the end of this month, and the first 46 days of the WSOP will proceed on the original schedule. The only change is on the last day of the last event, and it will only directly affect the final nine players. (In last year's field of 6,358, they represented 0.0014% of the total.) When the biggest bubble boy in poker history is eliminated in tenth place on July 14, the remaining nine players will take a 117-day break before returning to play the final table. That's nearly 17 weeks, or about four months.

Okay, so ratings are important. But why is the delay so long? Why four months? Why not two days, two weeks, or two months?

For the answer, let's take a look at the full schedule for the Main Event and ESPN's coverage (all of ESPN's WSOP episodes are two hours each, except for the one-hour Final Table Preview on Nov. 4):

July 3-6: Days 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d of WSOP Main Event
July 7: *Off Day*
July 8-9: Days 2a, 2b
July 10-14: Days 3-7 (down to final nine players)
July 22 - Aug. 26: ESPN airs WSOP prelim events for six weeks
Sep 2 - Oct 28: ESPN airs WSOP Main Event for nine weeks
Nov. 4: ESPN airs a one-hour final table preview show
Nov. 9: Final Table is played, nine players down to final two
Nov. 10: Heads-up play for the WSOP Championship
Nov. 11: ESPN broadcasts the final table at 9:00 pm ET

Why is the delay is so long? ESPN needs that time to show the prelims and the early days of the Main Event to build the viewing audience for the final table. To maximize the ratings (which, after all, is the primary goal), the early days of the Main Event have to air before the final table to build the storyline and introduce the players. So even if ESPN dropped covering prelims entirely, the delay would still be two and a half months.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE 'NOVEMBER NINE?'

A source at Harrah's referred to the nine final tablists as the "November Nine," and I'm going to use that label to describe these nine final tablists going forward. It's catchy, clear, and concise, and it's much easier than saying the "nine final tablists in the WSOP Main Event." As a bonus, it not only refers to the players, but the day they'll be returning to play the final table (Nov. 9th).

As soon as the final table is set, the November Nine will immediately be paid ninth-place money. (Last year, ninth place paid $525,934; the average over the past four years was $890,798.) The remaining prizepool will be placed in an interest-bearing account, and the interest will be added to the prizepool.

The November Nine will be encouraged to stick around the next day (July 15) for a photo shoot, but according to WSOP Communications Director Seth Palansky, "Nothing is mandatory." The Player Release Form for all Main Event entrants is the same form used in prior years, and the November Nine will have no additional responsibilities forced upon them. There are no "reality TV" scenarios, and if the players don't want any ESPN cameras following them home, that is their choice.

While the final nine are the ones most inconvenienced by the new schedule, they also have the potential to gain the most. WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack said, "We think the effect on those [final nine] players will be overwhelmingly positive, and we think it's going to do a lot to further mainstream this game." They'll likely pick up at least 15 minutes of fame in their hometowns/home states/home countries, and receive some broad attention from the mainstream media as a group.

Because anyone can win (a chip and a chair), even the player with the fewest chips will likely receive more media exposure than last year's third-place finisher. The potential to win poker's biggest prize, even as the underdog, is a compelling story that the mainstream media can run with. Finishing third in something that has already happened is not.

The delay also gives the November Nine an advantage in sponsor negotiations. Rather than signing a sponsor agreement late at night while exhausted and euphoric, players can negotiate contracts that are examined by a lawyer, and pursue additional sponsors outside of the usual online poker sites — WSOP rules allow players to wear multiple logos. (Last year, Robert Williamson III sported at least five different sponsor logos.) Also, if the ratings increase as expected, the November Nine should be able to earn more from their sponsorships.

Some of the non-professional players are expected to hire poker coaches to help them improve their game during the delay, and all nine will undoubtedly be watching ESPN's coverage to get a feel for their opponents. Most people see this as a negative, saying that it disrupts the natural flow of the tournament, allowing players to dramatically improve their skills and potentially change the outcome. Others hope that it will improve the overall play at the final table, making it more entertaining and skill-based than years past. Regardless, 117 days is not enough time to turn Richie Cunningham into Allen Cunningham.

When it's time to resume play in November, each player will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two back to the Rio in Las Vegas for the final table.

Check back tomorrow for part two, as we explore how the final table will differ this year, and what some of the issues are that are fueling some of the criticism toward this big change in the World Series of Poker.

[drunkguy]

A Comprehensive Look at the WSOP Final Table Delay – Part Two | Poker News

THE FINAL TABLE

While the delay gives ESPN and the rest of the media time to learn about the players, there will not be 117 days of hype. Expect an initial wave of publicity when the "November Nine" reach the final table, particularly within the poker community. The attention of the mainstream media, however, won't really gain momentum until the final table draws near. The week between ESPN's final-table preview show and the actual broadcast will likely be the most intense.

Unlike past final tables, which featured mostly unknown players, poker fans will have had a chance to see these players in action, judge their play, and learn the differences between them. At least enough to root for some players, and root against others. It's a much more compelling experience when fans have a rooting interest.

When the November Nine take their seats on November 9 (yes, I said it twice), Pollack compares the evening to a major sports championship, saying, "We think this will be poker's biggest night. Ever." He went on to say, "There will be ample seating for the public. We expect poker's biggest names to come out, whether or not they're playing at the final table." Pollack also expects "a very healthy contingent of stars from film and television and music, just as you see courtside at an NBA game with celebrities and fans and family members."

The full schedule for that night hasn't been finalized, but they may schedule the WSOP Player of the Year presentation and the WSOP Hall of Fame induction to coincide with the high-profile final table. Once the pre-game ceremonies are complete, the players will resume play right where they left off a few months earlier, playing down to the final two. Then they'll stop again, and ESPN will begin editing their two-hour episode.

The final two will return "late in the evening" the next night (Nov. 10) to play to a winner. They expect the champion to be determined sometime after midnight, and ESPN's two-hour final table episode will air about 18 hours later at 9:00 pm ET on November 11.

WHY ISN'T THE FINAL TABLE BEING SHOWN LIVE?
The final table will not be broadcast live, but a day later. ESPN will quickly edit together a two-hour episode, and air it the next night (November 11th) at 9:00 pm.

So why isn't it being shown live?

There are basically two choices for a live final table: (1) Schedule a 10-hour block and let fans watch hours of blind steals; or (2) accelerate the blind structure to ensure they reach a winner within three hours. Casual fans won't watch option #1, which would kill the ratings. Players and serious fans would revolt at the mere mention of option #2.

For the record, the blind structure hasn't been altered at all; that was a dealbreaker throughout the brainstorming sessions and negotiations.

While there will be no live television coverage like last year's pay-per-view, there will still be the usual live updates over the internet. (PokerNews.com will be providing the official live updates.) There will be no media lockdown, and none of the players will be sequestered at any point in the tournament. Fans with internet access who want to know the results will find them easily, while it should also be relatively easy to stay spoiler-free if that's your preference. (Just avoid poker websites for a day or two.)

If everything works out, the end result will be one of the most compelling — and hopefully, most watched — televised poker tournaments in history. Pollack says, "Now, poker fans will be anticipating who will win, instead of just talking about who won." The anticipation from the hard-core fans (who already knew the winner in past years) will trickle down to the more casual fans, and that will in turn trickle down to attract new fans who are curious what the buzz is about.

WORST-CASE SCENARIOS: COLLUSION / FOUL PLAY / DEATH

A lot of players have voiced concern over worst-case scenarios. They generally fall in the categories of foul play (collusion, death threats) or the possibility of missing the final table, due to incarceration, illness, or death.

The rules have always covered the last three scenarios, and they remain the same this year. Item 52 in the WSOP Tournament Rules states, "A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play and no refund will be provided to that disqualified player. Any player who forfeits play for health or other personal reasons after the start of a tournament will have his or her chips blinded off accordingly."

If a player can't make the final table for whatever reason, they (or their heirs) would be paid according to the place their stack finished when it was finally blinded to the felt. Pollack admits that they can't plan for every contingency, but his team is prepared to address whatever issues might come up, and do what they can to help all nine players return safely to Las Vegas.

Some critics claim that the extended delay greatly increases the interaction between the November Nine, and therefore increases the potential for collusion. But this is no anonymous online sit-n-go; it's probably the single most difficult situation in the world in which to collude. The players are surrounded by multiple TV cameras, and holecam cards record all the action. If collusion were discovered, those players would be disqualified, forfeiting their prize money and receiving a lifetime ban from all future WSOP events. I consider that to be a pretty strong deterrent, but some are more cynical than I am.

The worst-case scenarios that critics have mentioned is death threats, or hiring a hitman to take out the chipleader or the most skilled opponent. Again, the high media profile of the November Nine makes this more difficult (a suspicious death would certainly raise questions with law enforcement). Of course, millions and millions of dollars are hanging in the balance for most major sports championships, and the star players on those teams don't fear hit men. Why hasn't Ernie Els taken out Tiger Woods? Aside from the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan fiasco from the early 1990s, this take-your-opponent-out scenario is more likely in movies than reality.

While there are some clear downsides, Pollack and his team are confident that the negatives are outweighed by the positives. Pollack expected there to be a backlash, and he was braced for it. "It wouldn't be the first time that we're criticized — or I'm criticized — for doing something that some may feel is too big, or too bold. But progress comes with its detractors. … Our track record over the last three years has shown that we're able to respect the history, tradition, and heritage of the World Series of Poker, while simultaneously innovating for the benefit of the people who participate in the World Series of Poker, and the game globally."

THE MAIN EVENT IS NOT WHAT IT ONCE WAS

Regardless of your feelings on the issue, this new format is the reality for 2008. If you pre-registered, and absolutely refuse to accept this new format, Harrah's is willing to fully refund your entry fee.

As you consider these changes, I think you have to ask yourself a fundamental question: "What is the nature of the WSOP Main Event?" Many people still see it as it once was — an elite championship, with respected winners like Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, Johnny Chan, and yes, even Phil Hellmuth. But those days died with Chris Moneymaker and the holecam.

Before Moneymaker's victory, this was a different event. There were a few fish in the field, but not many. The last few years, the fish have outnumbered the sharks by about 10-to-1. With thousands and thousands of satellite entrants outnumbering the pros each year, it's unlikely that the winner of the Main Event will ever again be respected as the best player in the world.

Back then, it was a once-a-year event to have the top pros in the world show up to play a $10,000 buy-in poker tournament. Nowadays, there are several tournaments like that each month.

The WSOP Main Event had to change, or lose relevance and become "just another poker tournament." Market forces showed a huge demand for the Main Event (for many players, it's their only major tournament of the year), so Harrah's kept the buy-in low and expanded the capacity to guarantee that everyone who could raise $10,000 would get a seat. It's the most democratic "sporting event" in history, and I sum it up with this phrase:

The WSOP Main Event. Everybody can play; Anybody can win.

No longer a true championship, the WSOP Main Event has evolved into a different kind of tournament. It's about grand size (Biggest field! Biggest prizepool!) and a celebration/exhibition of our game to the non-poker world; many people think it's the only poker tournament each year.

If you look at the Main Event from that angle, this change is a natural fit. Increase the TV exposure, and draw more people and sponsors to the game. This isn't about the best of the best; it's about the biggest of the biggest.

For those of you who miss the days of the true championship, you should turn your attention to Event #45: $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. It is everything that the Main Event used to be: an elite championship featuring the best players in the world. Every table is a mini-All Star Game.

I expect some critics will boycott these changes to the Main Event by sitting out, but I'm guessing they will eventually be outnumbered by the masses who enter because of these changes. Those of you who long for a true championship should polish your non-hold'em repertoire and pony up the fifty grand to take your seat against Barry Greenstein, Phil Ivey, and Daniel Negreanu in the toughest tournament of the year. Victory brings a seven-figure payday, the respect of your peers, and the David "Chip" Reese memorial award.

[analyzer]

What if the player dies in between?

[analyzer]

Short stack pays to have the other 8, assassinated

[drunkguy]

lol good strategy