[aaron313]

It's been a good event thus far, primarily because there are so many top pros remaining in the field. Who wouldn't want to see Hellmuth, Matusow, and Cunningham battling at the final table? Only problem I have with the event is that, for selfish, money-related sponsor reasons, the final table is being postponed until November. This is just idiotic, as it ruins the flow of the event. Yes, it will tilt in favor of Pro's, but I'm against that. If a Pro can take this event without knowing his opponents well, that is even more impressive.

 

[oicdn]

They're making Poker mainstream. There's going to be a "reality" show following what the people who made it to the final table are doing, until the final table arrives, when it finally starts to air on TV. Kinda like a way for the mainstream to see how and what a final table player does. Kinda like those short snippit interviews they have intermittently, but a SHOW. I dunno if it's gonna be a good or bad thing, but it's exposing poker more, which is a good thing.

Everybody is getting 9th place money, and upon getting knocked out, getting the rest of their cut.

Well, atleast that's what they told us dealers.....but with the way they tell us things, crap changes daily. But that was the last I heard.

Also, you have to realize, next year, is the 40th anniversary of the WSOP, so it's a ramp up event to NEXT years huge event.

 

[aaron313]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif They're making Poker mainstream. There's going to be a "reality" show following what the people who made it to the final table are doing, until the final table arrives, when it finally starts to air on TV. Kinda like a way for the mainstream to see how and what a final table player does. Kinda like those short snippit interviews they have intermittently, but a SHOW. I dunno if it's gonna be a good or bad thing, but it's exposing poker more, which is a good thing. Everybody is getting 9th place money, and upon getting knocked out, getting the rest of their cut. Well, atleast that's what they told us dealers.....but with the way they tell us things, crap changes daily. But that was the last I heard. Also, you have to realize, next year, is the 40th anniversary of the WSOP, so it's a ramp up event to NEXT years huge event.

Well, I'd be a huge fan of a poker reality show. They're like audiophiles, but much crazier... good stuff, right? But poker is already mainstreamed in my eyes. Honestly, 7000 entrants.... that's mainstream. It's just that they're tinkering with the subtly intricate machinery that led to the field's being whittled down to nine players. Would Jamie Gold have won two years ago with a long break? Heh, I doubt it. But he was good for the game. If a player catches fire, I say let that momentum carry through the final table.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

A little poker can be amusing now and again. Especially if it involves that nut Matusow. However, I just wish they would stop kidding themselves by considering it a sport and playing poker on sports channels, when they could be showing any number of actual athletic contests. As much as I am irritated to turn on ESPN and find freakin' bowling on TV, even that is more of a sport than is poker. Perhaps what we need is ESPNg (or EGPN more properly), and it can show all the poker, chess, spelling bees, and whatnot to the heart's content.

 

[oicdn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I'd be a huge fan of a poker reality show. They're like audiophiles, but much crazier... good stuff, right? But poker is already mainstreamed in my eyes. Honestly, 7000 entrants.... that's mainstream. It's just that they're tinkering with the subtly intricate machinery that led to the field's being whittled down to nine players. Would Jamie Gold have won two years ago with a long break? Heh, I doubt it. But he was good for the game. If a player catches fire, I say let that momentum carry through the final table.

Nah...that's not mainstream...that's the effect the internet has on something. Most of those players are internet gamers who won big, or won seats on satellites. Saying that would be like saying there are xxx amount of members on head-fi. High end headphones are "mainstream". Not quite....but it's getting there.

Before internet poker, the playing field was MUCH MUCH MUCH smaller.

 

[aaron313]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nah...that's not mainstream...that's the effect the internet has on something. Most of those players are internet gamers who won big, or won seats on satellites. Saying that would be like saying there are xxx amount of members on head-fi. High end headphones are "mainstream". Not quite....but it's getting there. Before internet poker, the playing field was MUCH MUCH MUCH smaller.

So just because something was popularized by the internet, that does not make it mainstream? Plus, poker has been all over ESPN since 2003, which further increased attendance. Poker has been mainstream for quite some time now.

 

[oicdn]

^ No...nothing like it is now.

I didn't say because it was popularized by the internet it isn't mainstream, but mainstream = the pros are recognizable by your non-poker player. Or most everybody knows who's who, even if not recognizable on the street. Those pros can still walk around without tons of people harassing them. Hell, non-poker players in the casinos don't even know what most of the pros look like.

An example? Skating OR surfing didn't go mainstream until a couple years ago. They were still huge sports worldwide, but nowhere like it is now. People who don't skate or surf, know who the top pros are like Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Tony Hawk, Bam Margera, etc.

Poker is popular, but nowhere near as popular as you think. Heck, the hotel I was at in Vegas, didn't even know why there were so many people staying in their hotel rooms during that certain period of time, and all of them leaving at around the same time. If the city your in doesn't have EVERYBODY aware that an event is going on for 6 WEEKS, especially the hotel industry where people are staying FOR THAT EVENT...it's not that mainstream. We play poker, and see it growing...so we're going to think more of it than it really is.

 

[mr_baseball_08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ No...nothing like it is now. I didn't say because it was popularized by the internet it isn't mainstream, but mainstream = the pros are recognizable by your non-poker player. Or most everybody knows who's who, even if not recognizable on the street. Those pros can still walk around without tons of people harassing them. Hell, non-poker players in the casinos don't even know what most of the pros look like. An example? Skating OR surfing didn't go mainstream until a couple years ago. They were still huge sports worldwide, but nowhere like it is now. People who don't skate or surf, know who the top pros are like Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Tony Hawk, Bam Margera, etc.

Honestly I don't think that's an accurate definition of mainstream. Honestly I wouldn't know Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, or Bam Margera from the next guy. I could probably pick Tony Hawk out, but the guy has his own video games. I know lots of guys and girls who wouldn't recognize Alex Rodriguez or Peyton Manning.

According to your definition of mainstream, mainstream is limited to very few people who have gigantic advertising payrolls (Shaq, Kobe, Tiger, Bonds, Jordan, etc..)

But I do agree poker is mainstream yet. I think it will be very soon because it has been getting lots of coverage over the past couple of years.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer /img/forum/go_quote.gif A little poker can be amusing now and again. Especially if it involves that nut Matusow. However, I just wish they would stop kidding themselves by considering it a sport and playing poker on sports channels, when they could be showing any number of actual athletic contests. As much as I am irritated to turn on ESPN and find freakin' bowling on TV, even that is more of a sport than is poker. Perhaps what we need is ESPNg (or EGPN more properly), and it can show all the poker, chess, spelling bees, and whatnot to the heart's content.

I remember getting on a flight that had cable TV a few years ago. I was flipping around and ESPN had a Scrabble tournament.

 

[mr_baseball_08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif I remember getting on a flight that had cable TV a few years ago. I was flipping around and ESPN had a Scrabble tournament.

Sometimes you can catch Domino's and Rock, Paper, Scissors, or even the Hotdog Eating Championship (which was actually held 2 Saturdays ago).

 

[oicdn]

^ exactly....TV coverage, even lots of it, doesn't mean it's mainstream. But it was a point I was making of truly how small the WSOP (not poker in general, as poker has been around for ever) is. I couldn't spot out anybody in football other than Brett Farve, does that mean football isn't mainstream? Being able to recognize a superstar in a sport is just a piece of the pie, but an example none the less.

But it will be soon when it does pop. I have a feeling next year will be it because of it being the 40th anniversary, and the increased ESPN coverage. Poker is blooming, and making it's way....but it's not quite there yet.