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.

[lighterjobs]

taxes are so overrated.

no one wants to pay those, man.

[sketchy1]

David Plastik told me the structures were changed. They added the 25-25 level and a few others I believe. He said Max Pescatori told him that the play at the final tables was great.

These circuit events are brand new events. The Borgata is slightly established and draws real well. I think the players are just going to where the money is, and the WPT events are drawing well right now.

I think it has less to do with the circuit and more to do with who is running the events, and also how they are drawing. I think the 10k events will always draw 10 tables and a lot of professionals, no matter where they are, but you're going to see a lot more of this type of thing.

The WPT has an event at the Bellagio coming up in October that runs right around the same time of the WSOPC in Indiana. I wouldn't be too surprised if that event draws even less than this one.

I think the main factor though, is the fact that these are NON-televised events. I don't know exactly what happened but apparently ESPN doesn't have a contract for the new WSOPC events or osmething, and they are just doing very very light coverage of these events. No TV coverage = no field.

[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...

[sketchy1]

I guarantee you if it was purely a choice of which circuit to play, most would rather go to the WSOP than the WPT.

Up until this event, the WPT wasn't even allowing logo wear. That's one reason their events in Reno and Paris suffered such a bad turnout.

[Jedster]

[ QUOTE ]
I guarantee you if it was purely a choice of which circuit to play, most would rather go to the WSOP than the WPT.

Up until this event, the WPT wasn't even allowing logo wear. That's one reason their events in Reno and Paris suffered such a bad turnout.

[/ QUOTE ]

It don't matter how big the logo is if the event isn't on TV.

[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.