Comments on: 2010 WSOP Schedule now online

By: BJ Nemeth

BJ Nemeth — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:10:39 +0000

I actually think Negreanu has been fairly consistent on this. His complaints about the 2006 schedule was that Harrah’s was going with mostly hold’em events because they attracted the biggest crowds, not the biggest ratings. (Obviously, most of those events weren’t televised, so ratings weren’t a factor.)

There were complaints about the NLHE final table, and Harrah’s listened, so they tried it for two years — and that experiment failed, as seen by the lack of TV coverage and seriously declining turnout.

I have never had a problem with the final table being no-limit hold’em, because I think any player that claims to be the best in the modern era has to prove themselves at the defining game of the modern era — no-limit hold’em.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:22:22 +0000

I don’t know which events, if any, will be televised besides those two. I would think that the $25K is a definite possibility and that if it isn’t on TV, I hope it will be on ESPN360.com (along with some other events).

By: Mean Gene

Mean Gene — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:44:52 +0000

Say this for Negreanu–he is consistently inconsistent. A few years ago he was whining that the World Series of Poker was turning into the World Series of Hold-Em, that the Harrah’s suits were kowtowing to what the proles wanted to see on TV. Harrah’s duly added other games to the schedule (including the $50 HORSE) and, after much criticism, removed the NLHE-only final table. Flash forward to 2009 and Negreanu whined that the $50K H.O.R.S.E. wasn’t televised and that the final table should be TV-friendly NLHE. Just you wait–come 2011 Negreanu will be arguing that the winner of the Players Championship should pick a door and play the celebrity poker player who emerges heads-up for the bracelet. By 2013 he’ll be arguing that a four-man scramble on a TPC course should be part of the Players Championship.

By: Kevin Mathers

Kevin Mathers — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:46:36 +0000

Andrew Feldman's article over at ESPN.com says it'll start late July, which would make it likely to be the 27th. The final table of the $25k 6-max event is July 3, and would figure to be a better event to cover than Ante Up for Africa, but I've got a feeling that's not going to be the case.

By: Fifth Street Journal

Fifth Street Journal — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:34:48 +0000

So the “poker is for TV” crowd (Negreanu, etc.) won the battle over the $50K HORSE event. At least I’m glad they converted it into an 8 game event. I think that was necessary to really call it the Players’ Championship: it now includes most of the important poker games, though I think they play some single-draw games in the big mixed games as well.

Think they’ll televise anything other than the Players’ Championship and Main Event? It would likely be events at the beginning or end of the Series. The new $25K shorthanded event is a candidate. Let’s pray they don’t televise the Ante Up For Africa again.