[bigboydan]

i would have thought for sure that NBC would have aquired these rights too.

Harrah's has signed a deal with broadcaster ESPN to extend coverage of the World Series of Poker through 2010. Part of the deal calls for the final table to be broadcast on a pay-per-view basis and it is expected viewers will be able to see the last nine players play on a real-time basis at a charge of between $25 and $30. Highlights of the final table and the rest of the two month poker extraveganza will be shown on ESPN throughout the Fall.

Harrah's, who bought the World Series of Poker brand from the Binion family two years ago, has also signed a sponsorship deal with Miller Brewing Co to promote Milwaukee's Best Light as the presenting sponsor and official beer of the poker tournament . That deal will last until at least 2008.

The introduction of a title sponsor and pay-per-view for the World Series of Poker is likely to lead to pressure on Harrah's to add additional prize money to the pool that players are competing for. At the moment Harrah's does not contribute anything to the prize pool and takes a cut of between 6% and 10% of the total entry fees. Professional players have already suggested that Harrah's is making a fortune at their expense and there is pressure from some of the players' representative bodies to find a way for players to benefit from the corporatization of the biggest event in the world poker calendar.

One senior professional player told Vegas Insider: "We do not know the exact commercial terms but it looks like Harrah's will make between $5 and $8 million profit from the main event, and that's before you take into account the hotel rooms they will sell and the exhibition space next to the tournament area. Poker is the only event in the world where the players contribute their time and money for absolutely nothing and the organizer of the event takes all the profit. There is a growing feeling that the players' role in this needs to be recognized."

[QuickLearner]

Before too long you'll hear about a player's union. Then collective bargaining. Then the union will stonewall when the organizers want to outlaw performance-enhancing substances. Of course, for poker players that means we're talking about coffee, Red Bull, and sunglasses.

Then a draft. Then trading cards. Then will come a big controversy when Joe Hachem is interviewed and says, "I am not a role model." The only thing we don't have to worry about is a gambling scandal!

[Uncle Joe]

LOL quicklearner. The anonymous player in that article don't realize that Harrahs can find another 1000 players to play if the regulars did make a union.

[Illusion]

Originally Posted by QuickLearner

Before too long you'll hear about a player's union. Then collective bargaining. Then the union will stonewall when the organizers want to outlaw performance-enhancing substances. Of course, for poker players that means we're talking about coffee, Red Bull, and sunglasses.

Then a draft. Then trading cards. Then will come a big controversy when Joe Hachem is interviewed and says, "I am not a role model." The only thing we don't have to worry about is a gambling scandal!

Too funny.

[LVHerbie]

Originally Posted by Uncle Joe

LOL quicklearner. The anonymous player in that article don't realize that Harrahs can find another 1000 players to play if the regulars did make a union.

Yea, but until the big names (Brunson, Hellmouth, Ferguson, etc...) start raising hell about not playing then nothing is going to change... Those are the players who have power right now to make change, obviously not people like you and me...

I bet if about 10 big names and couple of the recent winners said they weren't going to play because the shitty structure things would be changed real fast... Unfortunately the same ones who have to stand up about this are the sames ones who are making the most from endorsements and such... The grinders and the second-tier players are the ones who are really hurt... Joe Blow who wins a seat online for $50 probably wouldn't care if they took 20% from him...

[Uncle Joe]

Originally Posted by LVHerbie

Yea, but until the big names (Brunson, Hellmouth, Ferguson, etc...) start raising hell about not playing then nothing is going to change... Those are the players who have power right now to make change, obviously not people like you and me...

I bet if about 10 big names and couple of the recent winners said they weren't going to play because the shitty structure things would be changed real fast... Unfortunately the same ones who have to stand up about this are the sames ones who are making the most from endorsements and such... The grinders and the second-tier players are the ones who are really hurt... Joe Blow who wins a seat online for $50 probably wouldn't care if they took 20% from him...

May be you are right but it seems to be a new deal to TV and there are alot of new players right now that could step in fast. They can be crybabys like Helmuth and show off there egos just as easy for TV and that is all they care about when they start putting it on TV and all. The big names do not want a union I think you said and I agree. That anonymoud player was probably just some guy who lost some endorsement deal to Helmuth or Brunson and thinks he is scaring them saying that.