I loved ESPN's live television coverage this year. The commentators did an excellent job, particularly Antonio. Even Hellmuth was palatable. This is "real poker" -- not just the highlights. You could see the anguish on the player's face real time, and experience the ups and downs of each card dealt.
There was some concern early on that those that were televised would be giving up too much during the middle of the tournament. I don't believe that was the case. Rarely were hole cards shown, and when they were, it was usually an obvious spot.
I hope that ESPN got excellent ratings for this endeavor -- this type of coverage can take poker to the next level.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the players that wore the 1% patch and made a pledge for the Bad Beat on Cancer. The green patch showed up great on the coverage, and our website was bombarded by fans. We raised more than $100,000 this year at the WSOP and we're still working to get a few of the guys from the final table to make their pledge.
There was some concern early on that those that were televised would be giving up too much during the middle of the tournament. I don't believe that was the case. Rarely were hole cards shown, and when they were, it was usually an obvious spot.
I hope that ESPN got excellent ratings for this endeavor -- this type of coverage can take poker to the next level.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the players that wore the 1% patch and made a pledge for the Bad Beat on Cancer. The green patch showed up great on the coverage, and our website was bombarded by fans. We raised more than $100,000 this year at the WSOP and we're still working to get a few of the guys from the final table to make their pledge.
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