Two years from now, will Party Poker still be dominant?

[Wayne]

[ QUOTE ]

If the numbers are what I anticipate, then I am marking this date on my calendar with a big fat "I told you so" for some people around here who have been arguing with me vehemently about how superior Party is.


[/ QUOTE ]

What difference does it make which poker site is the dominant site 2 years from now? How does it affect my choice in poker sites today?

[mrbaseball]

6 months ago I woulda said no. I have always thought Party would fumble just like Paradise did. But now that seems more and more unlikely. I was always a big Paradise supporter but they totally botched MTT's with mini levels and turbo play and the non-existance of the standard online 15 minute levels in their tourneys.

Stars just doesn't seem to be able to attract ring game players to give us the options that Party does. But Stars still is the best tournament site.

But despite Partys rapid growth they have actually handled it fairly well and have done many things right. Going hand for hand earlier is a godsend and something Stars needs to incorporate. The 3 table sngs are awesome and my new main poker income source. I expect to see these expand to higher and lower limits. Partys satelite system is dreadful though and they need to learn from Stars.

Party just seems like the place to be and I don't see anyone even close to being able to threaten them. Stars is a lot better in most ways but has trouble attracting ring players. Paradise needs to shelve their entire tournament structure and start over with normal level times and add in muti-table sngs. They have better software and with playable tournaments may be able to become a force again but I don't see it happening and Party will reign supreme for quite some time I think.

[Syntax]

You may not remember, heck, I don't know if I do anymore, but this whole frenzy started when I said that I think the way Party does things is nonsense. I don't think they put as much emphasis on player retention as they do on recruitment. I took a beating over this statement. I think the way they operate is the way Paradise did when they were the King. I believe it is going to be their Achilles heel as well.

No, this should not affect what games you choose to play today. If you are an affiliate earning a nice chunk for now, well, make sure you save some for a rainy day.

Like a kegger on campus, this party will eventually break as well.

[cardcounter0]

You are assuming Party Poker is going to remain static.

Just like a good poker player adjusts his game to the players he is facing at the moment, a company can adjust its policies to the changing marketplace.

Right now there is an explosion in new and newbie players. Party Poker spends a lot of money advertising on TV during baseball games, etc. and giving bonus money to new players that bust out, and generous first time sign up bonuses. With so many new players entering the game today, and as proven by the numbers, this is probably the best strategy.

As the market matures, and former newbie players start demanding better support, or better software, and the pool of new players entering the market slows down, Party can always shift gears and instead of spending its massive budget on ads to attract new players, start throwing it at providing better support, bonus programs directed towards retaining players instead of getting new ones, etc.

Doing it the way Syntax would want it done, he would have a site with a couple of well rewarded sharks sitting around a table wondering why no one else is showing up to play. Some one at Party figured out it is better to attract a certain percentage of the 100 new fish that enter the market every day, rather than spend money keeping the 1 old player (who may hang around anyways). Down the road, it may pay to retain players rather than constantly get new ones, when the stream of new players dries up.

They adjust to the changes in the market and retain #1 status, or they don't, and the company that does it best in the new market will then be #1. But I don't think the market has really changed just yet. Wait till ESPN starts airing the new WSOP and see what happens.

[tiltboy]

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I was here two years ago. I was even here two years before that. I'll still be here in two years though, I know that. Where where you, and where will you be is a better question?

[/ QUOTE ]
All that bluster and you still didn't answer my question. You aren't in politics by any chance are you?

[Alobar]

tiltboy............you kick ass [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Turning Stone Pro]

Give it a rest, will ya?

[Dilbert]

Keep it up Syntax. Yours is the only poker stuff worth reading on this forum.

[Mr. Hutz]

Keep it up Syntax. Yours is the only poker stuff worth reading on this forum.

[Dilbert]

[ QUOTE ]
Keep it up Syntax. Yours is the only poker stuff worth reading on this forum.

[/ QUOTE ]

So I have a copy cat. If you're going to copy someone, you can't do better than copying Dilbert.