Could High Stakes Poker be in jeopardy?

[Kevin Prather]

Somebody must care since as I stated in the OP, it's a major revenue source for some of these players (and if it's someone like Barry Greenstein, you root for).  What season is this again -- fifth or sixth, maybe?

Seventh.

[Matt Ottinger]

It strikes me that the appeal of poker on television is similar to the appeal of golf on television.  The numbers might not be large, but it is a loyal audience made up largely of people who play the game they're watching.  That kind of audience can be marketed to easily, making the show more attractive to certain businesses and therefore attractive to the people who put those shows on the sir.

[Mr. Armadillo]

The difference is, unlike golf, the poker audience tends to be savvy enough to find episodes of HSP online, making them less likely to tune in to the original broadcast.  Also, golf is (generally) a live event, making it much less likely to be DVR'd than a pre-taped show like HSP.

[irwinsjournal.com]

It strikes me that the appeal of poker on television is similar to the appeal of golf on television.  The numbers might not be large, but it is a loyal audience made up largely of people who play the game they're watching.  That kind of audience can be marketed to easily, making the show more attractive to certain businesses and therefore attractive to the people who put those shows on the air.

So to me the follow-on question is: if it becomes more and more difficult to get into online games, does the interest in watching the game on TV decline (because, for example, people lose interest in poker in general) or increase (because people can't play online but still enjoy the game)?

I'm well past my peak interest in poker in general (probably a good move on my part since I'm not very good at it!), so I don't know how what proportion of the total online business just got shut down.  Certainly as a casual fan I was aware of PokerStars and Full Tilt.

[parliboy]

So to me the follow-on question is: if it becomes more and more difficult to get into online games, does the interest in watching the game on TV decline (because, for example, people lose interest in poker in general) or increase (because people can't play online but still enjoy the game)?

Option (a) is possible.  Option (b), I don't think.  People who can't play poker online through these sites will either demonstrate that they're casuals and fall off altogether, or demonstrate that they're hardcore by finding other poker sites.  But the big winner will be physical casinos.  People don't realize that over half of the states in the country have legal poker rooms (by Native American casinos, if nothing else).

The larger problem facing online gaming will be trustworthiness.  While the busted sites were by  no means perfect, they were reputable.  If their place in the hierarchy is taken by sites that are dishonest and corrupt, that could have real long-term implications on poker's growth.

[Joe Mello]

It strikes me that the appeal of poker on television is similar to the appeal of golf on television.  The numbers might not be large, but it is a loyal audience made up largely of people who play the game they're watching.

I think another parallel is that you have a section of the viewership (part of which will overlap with the loyal followers) who watches less because of what's being played and more because of who's playing.  That's what makes stuff like HSP, Poker After Dark, and the Heads-Up Invitational stick.

[colonial]

It appears that the shoes are beginning to fall in the TV realm following the U.S. crackdown on online poker sites.

ESPN has dropped all poker advertising and most poker programming from its schedule and website, although the World Series of Poker will still air later this year (possibly with reduced hours and little to no advertising)...
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[size="2"]http://www.bloomberg...es-charged.html

Fox/Fox Sports Net has canned two of its poker TV shows, both of which were funded by PokerStars.  World Poker Tour will continue, but PokerStars advertising will be removed...

http://news.bluffmag...-updates-20210/

JD
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[Jimmy Owen]

Wow, this is a little more serious than just the shows being bad.  I wonder if the contestants will get their money back and/or paid, or do time.

[J.R.]

Wow, this is a little more serious than just the shows being bad.

Your opinion. I happen to think it's a decent show.

[xavier45]

GSN will now cut High Stakes Poker back. It will be removed from Sundays, and will now air from 10pm-3am on Saturday Nights.

http://buzzerblog.flashgameshows.com/gsn-cuts-back-on-poker-in-wake-of-government-crackdown/