WSOP Circuit Las Vegas--where the frig is everyone?

[Quicksilvre]

Anyone else surprised that this tournament only drew 100 entries? All of the other WSOPC events seem to get 150-250, and since this tournament is in the backyard of many of the big gamblers, I'd figure the Vegas leg would draw a fairly big field. All of the prelims had tiny fields, too (less than 50 for one of the $2K NLHE tourneys).

Is there something going on, or is the tournament calendar just too saturated?

[sammysusar]

Borgata has a pretty good crowd on east coast. It just seams like people go to the WPT because they are always at the same time. I would have thought WSOP circuit would draw better crowds but i guess not.

[Kevmath]

From what I read on Jon Eaton's blog, Harrah's decided to do a really fast blind structure, because Johnny Grooms wasn't going to be TD for this series of events. Maybe running back to back 2k events on the weekend wasn't a great idea either.

As an example of blind structures, for the ME, the original idea was to go from 300/600, 500/1000, 1000/2000 in 3 levels. They did decide to add in 400/800, 600/1200, and 800/1600 sometime after the event started.

Another point, Harrah's was really cracking down on those players who don't have a treaty with the US regarding taxes. On Steve Hall's blog on pokerpages.com, he mentioned how they were hounding Gavin Smith and Evelyn Ng for unpaid taxes, and kicking them out of events until they paid up.

[Army Eye]

[ QUOTE ]

Is there something going on, or is the tournament calendar just too saturated?

[/ QUOTE ]

Head-to-head with the Borgata event..

The tourney schedule was already getting bloated before this extended WSOP Circuit schedule. So yeah I'd say there's a saturation happening.

[Jedster]

Maybe people didn't feel like getting roasted by Norman Chad if you make the final table? Seriously, if you could choose to make the final 6 of the WPT or a WSOP Circuit event, which would you pick, purely based on the type of TV exposure you were going to get?

On the other hand, I would think that a sponsor would encourage their sponsored pro to go to the event with a smaller field (ergo a higher chance of getting their logo on TV). That of course assumes that both shows get similar ratings and I have no idea whether or not that is the case...

[Jedster]

Ah -- I just saw on Negreanu's blog that the tournament was not televised. So there's proof that people WANT to be made fun of by Norman Chad.

[lighterjobs]

taxes are so overrated.

no one wants to pay those, man.

[lighterjobs]

from steve hall's blog:

[ QUOTE ]
The winner of todays final table was Robert Bright , the man who bought himself and his friends into

the $50k Plaza tournament as a birthday treat , earlier in the year . Robert did not receive a ring as

Harrahs staff had lost the key to the draw where the rings are stored . Not too Bright .


[/ QUOTE ]

harrah's is doing everything right.

[Kevmath]

Borgata's WPT ME starts on Monday, the Harrah's event ends on Friday. Plenty of time for him to get to AC.

[tpir90036]

[ QUOTE ]
Is there something going on, or is the tournament calendar just too saturated?

[/ QUOTE ]
It absolutely is. With the WSOPC expanding to 13 events, the WPT, and some other odds and ends like the US Poker Championships at the Taj.....it adds up to almost 30 5K+ (most being 10K) in 12 months!!

Take a look at the schedule for the Atlantic City area for the next six months or so:

Borgata Open - This Week
Taj Mahal US Poker Championship - Sept. 19th - Oct. 8th
Showboat Atlantic City - Nov. 28 - Dec. 9
Harrah’s Atlantic City - Feb. 7 - 17, 2006
Caesars Atlantic City - March 21 - 31, 2006

Yikes!! There is no way they can satellite enough people for those events to make them big enough that they are interesting for the tourney players. Especailly when you consider that there are WPT events going on during those months.

I think Harrah's is trying too hard. Sucks if poker dies out from people spreading themselves too thin. Too many tournaments. Too little time.