Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

[Jeff Jones]

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

This would give WSOP and ESPN some time to market the contestants and build up to an anticipated flourish of a Final. Uh, wrong.

Problem is, the people who keep making the Final are unknown. Just nine guys with their baseball caps on backwards. Nobody is going to buy a WSOP T-shirt extolling these guys. They ain't getting WWE pay-per-view hits.

The annual Scripps Spelling Bee showcasing pre-pubescent Indian girls draws more public interest then this WSOP four month build-up to Final Table November oblivion.

Put the Final back to the end of the Tournament in July.

 

[KingRevolver]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Yes, I agree. End this madness. It's the slow season, goddammit.

 

[High Times]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Makes no sense as this is the slow time for sports.

What other game gets delayed 2 months to get finished?

Weird

 

[High Times]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

But what do you expect out of Harrahs

Greedy ruthless corporation!

Don't see how anyone with a brain patronizes them.

 

[ajaysdreamplays]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

I have not been a regular viewer, and my demographic basically says to the network bigwigs, "we don't give a flying fuck what you think."

With that said, I can see the advantage (for TV & said network bigwigs) of the delay. As you say, the time to market and play it up. Fact is, although I haven't watched it regularly this season, and after watching the last elimination table, I set my Tivo to record the November finale. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Squarepants]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Agree with you 100%, JJ.

At the very least, they could cut it down to 30 days or less, before Labor Day at the latest. I ain't watching nothing broadcast during football season, even Two and a Half Men.

But, like ajay, I'm probably not in the demographic they're looking for.

I am completely done with all the human interest angle reporting in sports competition.

I . . . just . . . want . . . to . . . watch . . . the . . . game.

Now they have the game squeezed down into a barely visible window down in the corner while they're yacking about whatever politically correct human interest story that they're fixated on regardless of what's going on in the competition. It was OK, I guess, when Jim McKay and ABC first started getting into that sort of thing back in the day with the Olympics, with Nadia Comaneci, Olga Korbut, and Mary Lou Retton. But now it's all that they do, incessantly. Enough already.

So, for me, yeah, at least cut the gap down to, at best, only a couple of weeks. Do your freakin' human interest angle workups, sign your endorsement deals, and let the players catch their breath. Then go back at it here during the dead part of the sports calendar.

 

[EasyGoer45]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Maybe a couple weeks delay but 4 months is ridiculous, it would be a great idea to have it over before football season starts as it kinda gets lost in the shuffle then.

 

[BrickShitHouse]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Also having to wait to get your payout, that is a long time to have that much money tied up.

 

[John Kelly]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

"The November Nine" was a clever line, but I agree with JJ's sentiments.

But don't tune in November 9.

Final Table play begins November 5.

Then again, ESPN will air replays of the Final Table on November 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, ...

 

[WVU]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Also having to wait to get your payout, that is a long time to have that much money tied up.

They all got paid 9th place money as soon as they made the final table. The rest gets paid out in November so not that bad

 

[Jeff Jones]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

And what happens if a player dies between July and November?

Do his heirs automatically get 9th place money for his not participating, or is it just absorbed back into the prize pool?

I scratch my head at this. The whole Final Table November marketing thang is a bust. Maybe Harrah's wants to stick the money in money markets for fours months at little interest.

Come November, who (outside of the immediate families) is interested in watching other people play poker without the hole card camera gimmick? It would have to be such a niche hardcore market, that there might be three of them ready to get enthused about November.

The WSOP is July. Get it over with.

By November, it's the Finals of college regular season football! I don't want to hear about poker. I want to hear touts yelling at me, IT'S A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER!11!.

Then I will know all is right with the world.

 

[winkyduck]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Also having to wait to get your payout, that is a long time to have that much money tied up.

All players are paid for 9th Place money right now so at least they get something and I think I read they get the added interest added to the payments. I do wonder what happens if someone dies - how unfair that is because rules say they just "Blind Off" his chips until he is eliminated. I say each player designates a person to take his place at the Final Table BEFORE things begin - in case the player dies. The person must be a family member and someone who didn't play in the WSOP ME! I realize this gives the new player a huge advantage because he knows the other 8 and they might not know him - but so what

Gary Loveman is a fucking asshole and while this might not have been all his idea the fact he has any say in this thing at all is bad enough

 

[bomzee]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

The concept completely stinks. Unfortunately whoever pays the bills disagrees.

 

[Doug]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

I see no good reason for any delay of more than a few days. Death seems unlikely but a player could more realistically be hospitalized or something along those lines.

It kind of breaks up the flow of the game. I doubt many people know the players. Anyone that would watch it in Nov. would likely watch in July.

 

[BrickShitHouse]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

They all got paid 9th place money as soon as they made the final table. The rest gets paid out in November so not that bad

Oh ok, i kindof wondered if they gave them something like that. good to know.

 

[O'Royken]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Its obvious to see why they do it.

It's done to accomodate TV.

Notice how ESPN's taped coverage somehow concludes right in time for the final table?

What the "Sports Leader" wants the "Sports Leader" gets.....

 

[Doug]

Re: Could We End This WSOP Delay Of The Final Table Until November?

Who actually watches poker on TV ? It's boring enough to play it in a casino. You should be folding at least 80% of the time.

I watched a few hands years ago.

It might be a nice sleep aid ?