I realize that this topic may frustrate some but it certainly is something worthy of discussion within the poker community. We all realize that our beloved game of poker has created a buzz heard around the globe. Online poker continues to thrive and TV formats also have spawned show after show almost on a weekly basis. Sure, some of the shows are mediocre at best and others have gone on to do quite well. Yes, we have benefited greatly from all of the exposure TV has given to the game of poker. However, with all of the accolades that have come our way there is a growing amount of criticism outside of the poker community that we need to be extremely aware of. So my question is this: Can poker survive TV?

The Good

The good part about the sport of poker is that with the advent of the hole-cam it became portable. You can see and feel how the players are going about attacking their opponents. That in-and-of-itself is extremely exciting and is also a great way to learn various poker strategies and how to implement it. The people and the personalities in the game are so varied that anyone that tunes in to watch a poker tournament will see someone that looks like them most of the time. Why does that matter? It matters because by nature humans are attracted to those that are like minded and shared experiences. This applies to non-poker players just as well as it does society at large.

Being able to identify with the players creates a market and brings in viewers in addition to advertisers which will contribute to the prize pools. This is significant because it is us, the poker players, that benefit from this exposure. TV also provides another potential income stream for players that win big poker tournaments and win them consistently through sponsorship. True, it also has a lot to do with whom you know too. However, you can know all of the poker pros in the world but if you are not winning, with very few exceptions, the sponsors are not likely to sign you to any kind of lucrative deal. Would you sign a player that rarely if ever makes the final table? Probably not because if that player isn’t making final tables your logo and brand are not being exposed which would defeat the purpose of sponsoring a poker player to begin with.

There are players like Howard Lederer, Annie Duke, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey and many others who represent themselves and the game extremely well and are media savvy. We need more poker players with this kind of attitude.

The Bad

The downside to TV is the manufactured fame that it brings. This is particularly true with many of the younger poker players that come into the game. For some reason trash talking, jumping up and down or just acting foolish somehow qualifies as being OK. Having said that I do not believe that ALL of the younger players react this way but there is a growing trend that needs stopped before we do any more damage to our game. So what’s wrong with celebrating and having some fun? Nothing at all. However, from a corporate point of view and for those that do not play the game but enjoy watching it the celebrations and braggadocio comes off as extremely unappealing and ignorant.

Watching the pre-reformed Hevad Khan still makes me cringe despite the fact that he is an exceptionally good poker player that continues to do well. Fame can do some strange things to otherwise normal people who are not used to the spotlight and even some who are. How about the Scotty Nguyen debacle a couple of years ago in the WSOP H.O.R.S.E. event? How can you promote the game of poker to a potential advertiser or corporate sponsor when one if it’s most high profile players makes a fool of himself despite winning the event? The fact of the matter is that these scenarios hurt the game as well as the players involved. Even the 2009 November Nine has one player that has claimed he doesn’t care about the bracelet and is only in it for the money. To us poker players that may be OK. However, to a fan of the game it comes off as unsportsmanlike and arrogant.

The Bottom Line
I think we all know about the new rules of conduct put in place to reel in those players that tend to push the boundaries of acceptable behavior. That is good for the game and its players. We also need more players who, when they win a tournament, are savvier doing interviews and understand the importance of promoting the game. If we can do that the game and all of its players will continue to see the game of poker grow as well as the prize pools.
Curtis Mayfield III

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