Everyone Has a Price

It was no secret going into the World Series of Poker this year that thousands of players were either avid online poker players, had actually qualified for their WSOP events via online satellite, or both. Even the newest poker fans new this. So it wasn’t a surprise to see scores of competitors wearing logo gear for their favorite online poker room.

But even with the ubiquitous dot com (well, because of WSOP rule, dot net) t-shirt or baseball cap, one thing might strike television views this fall as slightly odd. Almost every player at the final tables is wearing online gear. Did they all qualify online? Were they all spokespeople for the sites? Of course not. And they didn’t just think the clothing looked great, either. Then why the online poker room fashion fetish?

Money.

If it was not initially apparent to most people who attended the WSOP, it quickly became common knowledge that as the competitors were determined for a final table that was to be televised, the online poker rooms scrambled to get them to wear their gear. In exchange for being a billboard, the players were paid, and paid well.

According to professional poker player and PokerStars VIP Host, Chris Bigler, each online poker room was allowed to have no more than two players per final table, unless the additional players were official representatives or qualifiers from the site (for example, three PokerStars players made the Main Event final table, but they all qualified via Stars, so that was fine).

Online poker rooms 888.com and Full Tilt Poker were by far the most aggressive at inking deals with players, as they routinely filled their allotments. Paradise Poker and PokerRoom were almost non-existant. Party Poker had no need to pay players, as its name was plastered all over every table and on the gargantuan banners hanging from the rafters. PokerStars had so many players there that statistically it should have two people at every final table.

Just a few days before the Main Event final table, I was on hand when WSOP Media Director, Nolan Dalla, confirmed some of the rules governing player sponsorship with an executive from Poker Royalty, a poker player marketing and representation firm. Agents from Poker Royalty were scuttling about during the tournament, looking to broker deals between players and poker rooms, so rules updates were very important to them. Dalla reminded the executive that each online poker room submitted a list of players that they reserve the right to sponsor. No additions can be made to that list once the field narrowed to twenty-seven at the end of the day on August 8. If a site wanted to sponsor a player after that, but that player was not on their list, then the site would be forbidden from approaching that player with an offer.

The executive was noticeably perturbed with this rule, as, in his words it was “…taking money out of the players’ pockets.” He felt that every player had the right to sign whatever deal they wanted and to make as much money as they possibly could. For most, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and to say that they could not reap the benefits of their situation when someone next to them could was wrong. Those who would be hurt most by this were the anonymous players, particularly the ones who paid their way in and were unknown by the online poker rooms. On top of that, Poker Royalty obvious had reason to want these deals made, as they could get a cut if they helped arrange them. Self interest notwithstanding, the point is still valid.

The reasons for the rule were not ultimately clear, as one would think the WSOP would want to do everything it could to make the online poker rooms happy. After all, if it wasn’t for online poker, the field would not have been nearly as large as it was. Harrah’s (which owns the WSOP) made approximately $5 million from the Main Event alone. And that was just from tournament entry fees.

But, according to Bigler, WSOP officials lifted the “list” rule at the eleventh hour and the online sites were able to scramble to try to lock up the final three tables of competitors. It was interesting on that second-to-last day, as a few players came back from breaks having changed shirts, from whatever they came in that day to something with an online poker logo on it.

One big question is still begging to be asked. How much did these players get paid?

Fortunately, I was privy to part of a negotiation between a representative from an online poker room and one of the players who made the final two tables. Both parties shall remain nameless.

The poker room representative told the player during a break that his company was willing to pay him $30 thousand just for displaying its logo at the final two tables. If he was to go on to place third in the Main Event, he would receive an additional $100 thousand. For second place, $250 thousand. And if he were to win the championship, he would be awarded an extra $1 million.

The player balked at the initial offer, expressing concern that he did not actually play very frequently on the site, and did not want to have to say things like, “I play on poker room XYZ every day,” or “I constantly tweak my game at XYZ.” He did not feel that would be honest. The representative told him that they would not make him do anything that would make him uncomfortable. Even so, the player requested at least $50 thousand dollars to wear the company’s gear.

One question he asked was, “How am I going to be paid? And how can I be sure that you guys are going to pay me?”

“You are just going to have to trust us,” the rep responded. “Just like players trust that we will pay them when they win a big tournament, you’ll have to take our word for it. If we’re going to get this done now, it’s going to have to be a verbal agreement. We will deposit the funds into your poker account online.”

At this, the player once again said he wanted no less than $50 thousand and then asked for the terms in writing. The poker room representative whipped out his cell phone and called the big boss, who was elsewhere in the Rio. While the offer still stood at $30 thousand, it sounded like the boss was willing to discuss it quickly (as play would be resuming shortly) and put it in writing. The player and the representative went to meet with the boss to negotiate further.

Assuming other deals were on par with this one, it is a good thing that Harrah’s lifted the “list” restriction, so as not to deprive players a lucrative financial opportunity. Unfortunately, it was another example of haphazard rules changes at the WSOP, which added confusion to what was already a hectic atmosphere.

Then again, if the rules stayed in place, what could Harrah’s do to a player, a poker room, or agent if a deal was struck after the deadline? Probably nothing.

There was one conspicuous holdout in the online poker wheeling and dealing, sixth place finisher, Richard Lee. Decked out only in jeans and a red San Antonio sweatshirt at the final table, he was asked at a press conference why he did not wear any online poker clothing. In addition to not needing the money (he is very well off), he said, “I only want to advertise three things: God, my family, and San Antonio.”

Well said.

Originally published August 15, 2006