“Sports don’t build character; they reveal it.”
Whether the quote came from John Wooden or Heywood Hayle Broun is bye the bye, it’s a quote that cuts right to the core of humanity because ever since Homosapien’s held Mammoth bone hurling contests, sports has been an essential ingredient in a fulfilling life.
Yeah, some people don’t care much for sports, but far more see it as a religion, so when the organisers of some of the most emotionally charged events in the world amputate them from the schedule, you know that there’s a reason we’re all folding that one sheet to wipe our arse.
Ever since COVID-19 stopped being a Chinese problem, and became an everyone except the two cosmonauts and one astronaut living on the MIR Space Station problem, sporting events worldwide had been falling like Amazonian trees, with one exception.
The World Series of Poker (WSOP).
The Mystery Ends
It’s the most hotly anticipated event in the poker calendar, and as the weekend ended, officials still kept their powder dry on the future of the 2020 fixture.
The mystery ended on Monday afternoon.
PokerNews and other media outlets began reporting that Caesars Entertainment Corp., had postponed the 2020 series, with a Fall renewal the latest earmark.
Here is the word from the chief.
“We are committed to running the World Series of Poker this year but need additional time to proceed on our traditional scale while prioritising guest and staff well-being,” said Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the World Series of Poker. “In the interim, official WSOP competitions are expected to be played online this summer, and we will soon announce details of an expanded series of tournaments to be played on WSOP.com and through partnership with international operators, which will allow players to chase WSOP glory from their homes.”
The WSOP Moves Online
The WSOP planned to handout more than 100 bracelets this summer, and while their goldsmith will be kept busy, he or she won’t be that busy. It’s not startling to learn that the 14 online bracelet events go head on WSOP.com for players residing in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, but it is interesting to note that WSOP plan to bed down with global online partners.
While the reporting doesn’t directly stipulate that the poker community will have the opportunity to win a WSOP bracelet playing online at one of WSOP.com’s competitors, you can now start to believe it’s more probable than possible.
Who will be WSOP.com‘s partners?
Two immediate choices stand out.
888Poker is a longtime sponsor of the WSOP, and the only viable way to win a bracelet via the online satellite route outside of the USA – so maturing that marriage makes sense.
The WSOP also entered into a relationship with GGPoker recently with a WSOP Circuit event going ahead on the burgeoning platform in May with 18 gold rings up for grabs – so that also seems like a logical choice.
Outside of those two, partypoker has a relationship with WSOP.com and given the teams’ drive to do the right thing for the game; you could see those two agreeing on an interim arrangement to provide value for the community.
PokerStars remains the outside bet.
It Had to Happen
With the number of COVID-19 cases approaching 2.5m, worldwide, with close to 165,000 deaths, and close to 760,000 cases and over 47,000 deaths in the USA alone – this decision had to happen.
The Olympics.
The European Championships.
Wimbledon.
None of the titans of the world of sport has stood up to this beast.
None of them.
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
If you look on Eric Idle’s ‘bright side of life,’ at least when live poker does return to our itineraries we can bank on a spick and span set of chips and tables. It won’t last though. It’s not in our nature to be so thorough. If it were, we wouldn’t be hiding in our homes, praying for a vaccine.
The ‘bright side of life,’ is that poker players are returning to the online game in their droves, and that must feel like eating James’ giant peach for those plying their trade in the online realm.
Online poker is supposed to be dead, and yet, because of Mother Nature’s dart throw into the bullseye, live tour operators are forced to connect to their online competitors to make things happen. If these alliances remain, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t if online poker keeps putting on a show, and the community keeps showing up, then poker will come out the other end a lot stronger than before it went in.