Daniel Negreanu Talks About the Epic Poker LeaguePoker Pro Has Some Concerns with New Organization |
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In a recent blog on CardPlayer.com, poker pro Daniel Negreanu voiced his opinions on the new Epic Poker League, and why he believes that the organization will have a hard time maintaining steam in the current state of poker in the United States.
Negreanu chose not to play because “I don’t believe this product will resonate with the public and based on my intimate knowledge of how these types of things work, I don’t think it’s possible to bring in enough revenue to survive. The only legitimate chance the league has to survive is if regulation happened in the U.S. and they were able to create an online poker site.”
He also dives into why he thinks league buy ins are not a good investment for the players, despite there being $400,000 in added money and no rake. Negreanu mentions the current state of sponsorship for poker players and how with online poker gone, the benefits from making a televised final table are not like they once were.
The first $20,000 EPL main event, which drew a field of 137 players, was won by Chino Rheem this past Saturday. Rheem defeated two of the hottest players on the tournament circuit three handed in Jason Mercier and Erik Seidel and was rewarded with a cool $1 million for his efforts. The final table was a good one, as those three were joined by Huck Seed, Gavin Smith, and Hasan Habib.
“We had an incredible pro turnout,” Annie Duke, league commissioner said during the first day of action last Tuesday. Duke said she was thrilled with the early success of the EPL.
“I’ve long believed that the top professional poker players create enormous value for the industry and are skilled in a way that is worthy of star treatment,” said Jeffrey Pollack, who is working with Duke. “Our new league will celebrate poker professionals like never before."
The EPL is open to the top 253 players in the world, determined by a “ranking system based on an eligibility formula that is driven by mathematics and proven historic achievement.” Eligible players will compete in three more televised tournaments with overlays running from August to December. The championship even will take place in January of 2012.
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