Poker Forum

Article just like this in the March 2011 Poker Pro Magazine...

In 2007 Bluff and the WSOP broadcast 10 final tables live (1 hour delay) with hole cards. The reception from the poker community was terrible - at one point Mike Matusow tried to barge into one of the broadcasts and disrupt it. Harrah's and the Players Committee insisted that all the players be sequestered. They also streamed one season of the WSOPC with hole cards. After that, the WSOP streamed live final tables without hole cards in 2008, 2009 and a few in 2010.

With all due respect to Gloria (who I consider a top personality in poker media), her reference to "LIVE" web-streaming of WSOP Final tables is a little misleading. Those web-streaming events were more of an overview, or as seen from a by standers point-of-view from the background, rather than what a viewer receives from watching post-produced events on ESPN and the like.

having said that, I do think that web streaming, and same day coverage type of event productions have a lot of potential in the future. But because of their "watching paint dry" nature, much consideration will need to be made toward filling the dead space. This means a greater emphasis on pre-production planning and investment, without which viewers (or listeners) will continue being offered relatively boring and uninteresting programming.

Regarding the legality, unless drastic policy changes are made at local Gaming Control levels (unlikely), we will not be seeing truly, LIVE coverage in the future, where gambling of any kind is involved (Poker included) Gaming commissions just won't allow it for obvious reasons, many of which you mentioned. So, if it's not LIVE, call it what it is. There's nothing cheap about saying, "Same Day Coverage" of the XYZ event, or, "Our LIVE coverage from the bleachers at the XYZ event" - I'd tune in to that, and it's not misleading.

I've always considered Gloria Balding one of the more confident professionals in Poker media, and I was confused about her comments in this article that came across as somewhat self-aggrandizing. More than a fan favorite, Gloria is a proven, hard working fixture in Poker, and I hope to see her play a key role in future, Web-streamed Poker events..

I remember travelling in Euroape a few years ago and learning that the final table of the WSOPE in London was streaming live. I got a glass of wine and sweated the entire final table, watching Daniel Negreanu et all fighting tooth and nail to win the event. Even to this day this experience is substantially better than the pasteurized WSOP final table aired by a well-meaning (but poker-incompetent) ESPN camera crew last year. How many poker players would subscribe to a final table iPod/iPad final table service? More than even the legendary gin-drinking marketing department of Harrahs/Caesars could guess at.

It is not only the future of poker but a direct high-SEO platform for online poker sites. Who will be first to push for it? Probably FullTilt because they are willing to take risks to catch up to the PS juggernaut.

Sorry Percival. this is NOT Gloria.

The Live Streaming events with hole cards shown in 2007 were no "overview". There were 5 cameras, and every hand was shown with hole cards. There was on screen graphics along with hand percentages - In fact, the same graphics package or near-to that 441 was using at the time for the post produced WSOP show. Of note - Phil Hellmuth's 11th bracelet was captured in its entirety - every hand with hole cards.

@PokerJourney Uh oh-- looks like you caught Chad Holloway recycling his own article! Why am I not surprised?

Sorry @CaliGrinder72, not my article in the Poker Pro Magazine, I only do fantasy poker stuff for them. The PPM article @PokerJourney is referring to is by Rachel Kranz, who does a great job in her capacity.

I recently saw a cool live broadcast from the LAPC by WPT. They did this cool 360 live broadcast where I could control my own perspective, I literally only had to click on the video and I made it look anywhere in the room. I was sweating a buddy at the feature table, so it was cool to watch who/what I wanted. I hope they do more stuff like this in the future, it was pretty amazing. Anyone know about this?