Getty Image / Christopher Victorio
When poker, specifically Texas Hold’em, exploded in popularity in the 2000s, it was television that was largely responsible for the boon. ESPN started airing the World Series of Poker Main Event in prime time slots, with re-runs all year long. Coupled with great characters like Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker (yes, a guy with the last name Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event) and all of a sudden everyone seemingly was watching and playing poker.
Currently, the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event is getting ready to wrap up. The event, which costs $10,000 to get in and will pay out an extraordinary $12.1 million, is down to the final table with 10 players remaining from over 10,000 entries.
Poker fans everywhere want to watch the final table action, but they won’t be able to unless they pay. Streaming service PokerGO has the rights to the final table, and a subscription is $99.99 yearly, with an option for $14.99 a month or $29.99 for three months.
Chess player-turned-poker player Alexandra Boetz sounded off on Twitter.
“Paywalling the greatest spectacle of any sport will inevitably lead to a decrease in its relevance.
50 years ago, half the human population watched Boxing’s heavyweight title (Ali’s most viewed fight had 2 billion viewers). Now the biggest fights are getting just over 1 million PPV.
While I understand that PokerGo’s decision to paywall the WSOP Main is purely business, I believe it to be shortsighted. The top boxers may get paid more than ever today, but the sport has a fraction of the cultural impact it once had – a trend unlikely to reverse.
In the future I hope when the WSOP assigns streaming rights for the main event that they have the foresight to make sure the final table is accessible to all. Seems important not only for the health of the sport, but just good business as more viewers should surely lead to higher participation and sponsorship as well.”
She makes a good point. Limiting viewership, even for some cash, rarely works out, and it probably won’t work for poker, either.