[MDBLakers]

Greg, thank you for responding. I look forward to seeing this.

Here's more about Poker Superstars III from Daniel Negreanu's journal.



"Superstars Invitational III is set to film soon and I'm definitely going to do it this year. Last year, I made the mistake of sticking with a pack of 17 poker players trying to negotiate a better deal. We got one, but then the majority still didn't think it was enough and didn’t want to play.

I thought the decision was just so stupid. In my eyes it was a case of over valuing the groups worth to the final production. I voted that we should play, but the majority felt like they deserved more.

That philosophy is in so many ways what makes me different than some of the others. I am willing to "take the worst of it" in the short run, because I try to focus on the bigger picture. I try to be easy to get along with whether it's ESPN, the WPT, or FSN. I look at it as a give and take relationship, or better said, a "use-use" relationship.

I actually had a long talk with Steve Lipscomb of the WPT about this. Some of the higher end players are unhappy with what the WPT has or hasn’t done for the players. What they neglect to understand is that all of the exposure they receive on the show can translate into dollars if they play their cards right.

For example, look at what the WPT did for PartyPoker. Did the WPT make millions off that? No, but PartyPoker sure did! I personally feel like I owe a great deal to the WPT for what they've done. How soon people forget what poker was four years ago. How soon people forget that there were no endorsement opportunities before the WPT.

Many poker players are short sighted in their thinking. I've always tried to think long term and form solid relationships with everyone I come across. What you do for them, could translate into a favor you can get down the road. That’s true not only in business, but in life in general.

Before poker hit it big I did a ton of stuff for free or virtually nothing. I'm not an idiot and realize that I could have asked for a little bit more money, but that's not how I think. If it's something I wanted to do- I did it.

Things have changed for me these days on that end, but that's all a bi-product of the things I've done in the past. For example, the WPT got co-operation from me in helping them promote the game and the WPT, and in turn they gave me opportunities to reach you in your living room. It was a win-win situation where everyone got what they wanted.

I feel like some players out there short themselves of opportunities because they are either A) too difficult to deal with, or B) are asking for too much in return. That's all fine and dandy, but when you start to feel irreplaceable that's when you'll quickly be replaced!

The Superstars Invitational II was a smashing success despite the players boycott. The players were quickly replaced as I suspected and the show is the number one rated show on FSN today. I've watched every episode and found the format really interesting, although not necessarily "poker" in the traditional sense.

I'm slightly bitter about not doing it, but not so much. I stuck with the group and my word to not play as we agreed, but this year I won't be so foolish. My interests, or view of my self worth aren't necessarily inline with some of the others who feel like they deserve more just to show up."