TruePokerCEO, if you really want innovation, how about this deal?

[Zoltri]

Just like any other business its your hard core regulars that keep the register going and not the fly by night fishies that come and go.

I commend you TPC for realizing that. Unfortunetely, many other sites do not share your same view. I trust with your efforts True Poker can benefit from the slighting many have recently felt.

[TruePoker CEO]

This is a fascinating time in our industry's development.

The larger sites have perhaps turned from working their former "market", selling services to poker players, as effectively as they have in the past, to instead restructure in pursuit of the public capital markets.

The tradeoff for Party, et cetera is a LOT of money NOW. Their risk is minimal, the capital markets are laying off their present risk by buying the perceived future revenue stream now.... that is what those markets do. Capitalism at work involves eliminating inefficiencies in the market for capital .... Do not read anything more into it. It has very little to do directly with providing services.

In order to embrace the public capital markets, some sites may actually HAVE TO adopt structures or practices which increase inefficiency in the very different market of providing services to players .... Why ? Because the capital markets are regulated differently and have certain inefficencies they will impose upon gaming operators.

Perhaps the trade-off is unavoidable for sites going public, but those folks did not get that big by making bad choices or choices not in their own interest ... The issue for people who do NOT own such sites is, are operating/marketing opportunities created by the choices these Major Actors are apparently making ?

..... and how can we, as an operator, and you all, as a self-selected group of entrepeneurs, who may or may not actually play poker, pick up those opportunties.

Truepoker CEO

[TruePoker CEO]

We put the True Points system in LONG ago. The sort of adjustment you propose is something to look at in deciding what High Volume incentive structure would work best.

LOL, I KNOW I cannot figure it out over-night, hence one of our interests in how ODoyle does in his quest and what we learn from it.

David

[tomdemaine]

[ QUOTE ]
I think it would be fine if you offered it to everyone and called it a Frequent Player Comp or something. Then just tier the rakeback percentages by number of hands played, so that you are only paying a really good percentage back to the very high volume customers. Thus, it would still be appealing even to casual players (hey if I just play 1000 more hands this month I can get that 5% rakeback). Of course, it might be best from a marketing standpoint to keep the word "rake" out of it entirely and hence the "Frequent Player Comp" or some other equally positive name.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pokerchamps already doe this and has rakeback of up to 50% for the most frequent players but it doesn't seem to be taking off big time. Fish don't care about rake Pro's only realy care about fish. Harsh but true.

[TruePoker CEO]

"I guess in a year or so, we will see which was the right direction to move in from a business point of view."

I think that each could be entirely right, in its own self interest .... Keep in mind that the current owners of Party would be looking at a haul of over $2 billion collectively, laying off future risk as to their perceived future revenue stream.

As for our "position" on rakeback, Truepoker will honor any rakeback deal we make with a third party, we provide for direct payment to players. What we have not done is devise a direct rakeback program with our players, aside from the CashBack aspect of our long-standing TruePoints program. Should we do so, it would not undercut our third-party deals on the basis of price.

We will look at the other sites' offerings of course and our own third-parties' new deals.

David

[Stu Pidasso]

[ QUOTE ]
Truepoker already offers CASH BACK to any player who plays 6,000 raked hands over a 4 month period .... That is 1500 raked hands per month ..... You qualify if you hit 6,000 raked hands and maintain that level of play.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hi David,

To capture the high volume players consider opening a skin to Truepoker that uses different client software. The interface of that new client needs to be geared specifically to the multi-tabler. As is stands now, there isn't an online card room that has a really good interface for the grinder.

With that skin(i.e. different brand), you can offer an aggressive Frequent player program, along the lines of GridGames VFP. That will bring in the grinders who will fill the tables at TruePoker.

Skins, especially ones with different user interfaces, allow you to create different brands so you can market to different segments of the online poker community. The grinder skin brings in volume, the Truepoker skin brings in margin. Together both skins achieve synergy.

Stu

[CountDuckula]

[ QUOTE ]
Pokerchamps already doe this and has rakeback of up to 50% for the most frequent players but it doesn't seem to be taking off big time. Fish don't care about rake Pro's only realy care about fish. Harsh but true.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fish don't care about rake, but they do care about bonuses and cash back. These are different issues in their minds. I think if TruePoker spins this as a rewards deal, similar to frequent flyer miles, it would catch their attention. The pros would see it in the same light as rakeback, while the fish would likely think, "Hey, wow, they give me cash back for playing more hands! I'll play more hands!" I think a multi-tier program, where the more you play, the better your reward, could be a big winner here.

-Mike

P.S. - David, I'm going to be in Vegas again May 22-31, and I'll try to make the Wed. group at Binions again (May 25). And this time, I have TruePoker gear to wear! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[jasonHoldEm]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi David,

To capture the high volume players consider opening a skin to Truepoker that uses different client software. The interface of that new client needs to be geared specifically to the multi-tabler. As is stands now, there isn't an online card room that has a really good interface for the grinder.

With that skin(i.e. different brand), you can offer an aggressive Frequent player program, along the lines of GridGames VFP. That will bring in the grinders who will fill the tables at TruePoker.

Skins, especially ones with different user interfaces, allow you to create different brands so you can market to different segments of the online poker community. The grinder skin brings in volume, the Truepoker skin brings in margin. Together both skins achieve synergy.


[/ QUOTE ]

Ding. The main reason I don't play at true is because of the 3d graphics (which look great but as ODR has already said it makes it difficult to see the action on the far end of the table, etc).

If you guys started a skin that had "flat" graphics (at least something like everyone else, but preferablly better of course) I'd definitely consider playing, especially if there was a solid player rewards program involved.

J

[TruePoker CEO]

Yes, but do you have a Truepoker Condom yet ? (That is our innovative promotional giveaway item for the WSOP.)

[CountDuckula]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, but do you have a Truepoker Condom yet ? (That is our innovative promotional giveaway item for the WSOP.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Even if I had one, I wouldn't wear it in public. Not even in Vegas. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

-Mike