Possible Changes to 2008 WSOP ME
Read the following today on Wicked Chops Poker:
“Rumors are circulating on the so-called “Internet” and from various well-placed sources that Harrahs is mulling the idea of making final table of the 2008 WSOP Main Event a live television event on ESPN, airing possibly in October. Play would be halted this July once the field was whittled down to its final nine players, and then delayed until three months later. The idea is to make the final table a big television event with plenty of lead time to hype the finalists and so no one knows who the winner is until the show airs.
What we’re actually hearing from our particular sources is that the final table would not actually broadcast live but would be filmed on a closed set at a later date, then edited and broadcast about two days later.
A decision hasn’t been made yet, according to our sources, but officials are leaning towards making this happen.”
While I champion the notion of making the final table live and on ESPN instead of PPV, waiting til October or any amount of time after the final table is established is ridiculous.
Here is my solution:
My solution is to have a day off after the final table is reached and move the final table to the Thomas and Mack center or a Harrahs owned arena such as Caesar’s Coliseum, get large screens so tons of people can watch in person and broadcast the final table live on ESPN2 (No way ESPN blocks off 8-10 hours of programming for this). Make the final table area sound proof like they did on the Poker Dome on Fox sports (which had a live studio audience watching). Have say an hour delay to eliminate possible outside interference and sequester players from friends/family during breaks to also eliminate information being spread and most important, don’t have Phil Gordon announce it!
Just a thought, what do you all think?
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I like your solution.
Waiting months to play a final table in seclusion for the sake of TV goes against the nature of the tournament.
Definitely an ESPN2 or pay-per-view type broadcast.
I think my favorite set up has got to be the Stu Ungar 1997 WSOP final table outside on Fremont St.