Would this fly?

Trainwreck · #1 10-05-2004, 03:11 AM

A buddy and I had an idea to ask someone to bank both of us through a series of at least 50 higher buy-in live tournaments throughout a year and film our ordeal and sell it to a network or sell it to a network and just DO IT DO IT DO IT!

I figure it would be quite interesting to see if two GOOD, but very much unknown players, if given a dream scenario like this and the pressure, if they could pull out a profit through a series of higher than they are used to buy-in events.

And no we are not quiet bores who get no coverage at the WSOP types, then again we are not Phil H. Jr. clones either.

Maybe call the show: Poker Joes

I am wondering how much longer CPS and WPT will thrive, sometime in 2005 an ALL gambling network is suppose to start, I am sure they will need some filler fodder!

>TW<

Trainwreck · #2 10-05-2004, 03:20 PM

Not one opinion either way?

>bump<

Rasputin · #3 10-05-2004, 04:35 PM

50 higher buyin tourneys? How high? At one thousand, you're asking people to put up a hundred grand plus production costs to make a TV show about card players that nobody has ever heard of.

I say no chance.

snowlarbear · #4 10-05-2004, 04:42 PM

maybe in a few years when there's a network dedicated to gambling games. until then, no.

el_grande · #5 10-05-2004, 04:45 PM

Yes, the idea would probably fly.

However, you would never get to do it. A network would be interested in generating buzz on this and would do their own search for people to use in the show. They'd probably make it some kind of team effort and find a guy like Matt Damon and a guy like Worm from Rounders and have them argue with each other about their play.

Trainwreck · #6 10-05-2004, 07:10 PM

100 grand is a drop in the bucket for a TV show for 1 episode, let alone...
Even on UPN...

>TW<

Lazymeatball · #7 10-05-2004, 07:40 PM

you would have to work out deals with each casino for them to allow filming. most of them don't allow cell phones, nevermind tv cameras.

Rasputin · #8 10-06-2004, 09:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
100 grand is a drop in the bucket for a TV show for 1 episode, let alone...

[/ QUOTE ]

Two points.

1) It would be a hundred grand if they entered 50 $1000 buy in tournaments. I don't think that's what he meant by "higher buy in."

2) It would be cheaper and probably more entertaining to use a satellite structure. Offer a million dollars prize money, have folks buy in for $100 at various sites across the country, Take the top ten or fifteen from each site, have them move to a middle round at two or three sites, take the top 10-15 from each middle round and move to the final round. There's an element of progress being made as players advance, there's a chance to see players over the long haul, and with more people there's more of a chance to find entertaining people.

Trainwreck · #9 10-06-2004, 10:00 AM

That's the next series: Survivor: Poker Room

I thought of another one:

Take someone who is poker clueless and see if they can be transformed into a WCP in a couple months, maybe get Halle Berry or some retired supermodel and give them a boob cam at the tables, the T&A element is always a plus for a TV Show of this nature.

>TW<

Solitare · #10 10-06-2004, 10:24 AM

I see a lot wrong with the idea:

- To some extent it done with the "Bad Boys of Poker" WPT event. An amateur was given a shot at a bunch of pros. I think the concensus of this board was that it was a pretty lame episode.
- I think the "amateur makes good" story already comes out in the existing shows. The WSOP coverage had numerous stories about amateurs taking on the pros. The advantage over your idea is that that ESPN had 2500 amateurs to choose from to find the dozen or so good stories. I like those odds better than taking a shot on two guys whose poker story may or may not turn out to be that interesting. Also, the WPT shows often feature an amateur at the final table. What makes your idea more compelling than the amateur stories these shows already have (and which they essentially get for free)?
- Your idea is to have someone free-roll you in a bunch of tournies. If you have nothing to lose, what is compelling about that? I think the "Poker Joes" would have to have something personally at stake to create any dramatic tension.
- Bravo's Celeberty Poker is also bascially watching amateurs play poker, except the celeberties are theoretically interesting. Why would I want to watch two uknown amateurs play poker badly who may or may not do well?

I don't think your idea is significantly different or better than the amateur vs. pro experiences that are already available on existing shows.