[spresso81]

PEPSI'S POKER AD DOOMS FAD link from new story

March 19, 2006 -- It's official: Poker has jumped the shark.
The once white-hot gambling fad sailed right past ubiquity into sellout-infested waters with a Diet Pepsi commercial currently in rotation featuring professional players Daniel Negreanu, Scott Nguyen and Phil Hellmuth losing to a sweating cola can.

"Poker was a real underground trend, but now it has become so commercialized that the game's lost the gritty flavor that made it attractive," said Ryan Berger, Euro RSCG's creative director of buzz.

Not unlike the major record labels' bum rush to sign alternative bands after Nirvana blew up, or department stores glomming onto the latest downtown fashion trends, once underground movements gain mass acceptance, it typically signifies the beginning of the end.

"Poker is incredibly popular, and we're always looking to keep our brands right in the middle of what's hot in pop culture," said a Diet Pepsi spokesperson in a statement.

But in terms of television ratings, poker's downward spiral has already begun.

The audience for Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown" has fallen to an average of 134,000 viewers this year from a high of 364,000 viewers in 2003, according to Nielsen Media Research.



ESPN's "Poker" has lost 193,000 viewers in the two years it been on the air. And the Travel Channel's marquee "World Series of Poker" has seen its average audience drop to 464,000 this year from a peak of 583,000 in 2004.

"When too many people jump on the bandwagon, it reduces the value of the programming and diminishes the game's buzz," said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp Ltd. "Poker does have some life left in it, but at some point it is going to have to be recast in a new light so it doesn't become old news."

And though the growth of online gaming has proven to be a lucrative new way to resuscitate poker, it also represents a major black eye for a game trying to reposition itself as a sport instead of an excuse to gamble.

Just last week, for instance, a committee in the House of Representatives approved a bill that would make it illegal to use credit cards as payment for online gaming if the individual resides in a state where gambling is illegal.

If the bill were passed, it would effectively prevent U.S. residents from online gambling, which could cripple the $3 billion-a-year industry.

[sensei24]

Originally Posted by spresso81

PEPSI'S POKER AD DOOMS FAD link from new story

March 19, 2006 -- It's official: Poker has jumped the shark.
The once white-hot gambling fad sailed right past ubiquity into sellout-infested waters with a Diet Pepsi commercial currently in rotation featuring professional players Daniel Negreanu, Scott Nguyen and Phil Hellmuth losing to a sweating cola can.

"Poker was a real underground trend, but now it has become so commercialized that the game's lost the gritty flavor that made it attractive," said Ryan Berger, Euro RSCG's creative director of buzz.

Not unlike the major record labels' bum rush to sign alternative bands after Nirvana blew up, or department stores glomming onto the latest downtown fashion trends, once underground movements gain mass acceptance, it typically signifies the beginning of the end.

"Poker is incredibly popular, and we're always looking to keep our brands right in the middle of what's hot in pop culture," said a Diet Pepsi spokesperson in a statement.

But in terms of television ratings, poker's downward spiral has already begun.

The audience for Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown" has fallen to an average of 134,000 viewers this year from a high of 364,000 viewers in 2003, according to Nielsen Media Research.



ESPN's "Poker" has lost 193,000 viewers in the two years it been on the air. And the Travel Channel's marquee "World Series of Poker" has seen its average audience drop to 464,000 this year from a peak of 583,000 in 2004.

"When too many people jump on the bandwagon, it reduces the value of the programming and diminishes the game's buzz," said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp Ltd. "Poker does have some life left in it, but at some point it is going to have to be recast in a new light so it doesn't become old news."

And though the growth of online gaming has proven to be a lucrative new way to resuscitate poker, it also represents a major black eye for a game trying to reposition itself as a sport instead of an excuse to gamble.

Just last week, for instance, a committee in the House of Representatives approved a bill that would make it illegal to use credit cards as payment for online gaming if the individual resides in a state where gambling is illegal.

If the bill were passed, it would effectively prevent U.S. residents from online gambling, which could cripple the $3 billion-a-year industry.

Very interesting.
But they gained many players out-side the USA.
In Romania for the example in the last 2 years the number of poker players multiple like 10 times at least.

[BSgutshot]

Originally Posted by spresso81

PEPSI'S POKER AD DOOMS FAD link from new story

March 19, 2006 -- It's official: Poker has jumped the shark.
The once white-hot gambling fad sailed right past ubiquity into sellout-infested waters with a Diet Pepsi commercial currently in rotation featuring professional players Daniel Negreanu, Scott Nguyen and Phil Hellmuth losing to a sweating cola can.

"Poker was a real underground trend, but now it has become so commercialized that the game's lost the gritty flavor that made it attractive," said Ryan Berger, Euro RSCG's creative director of buzz.

Not unlike the major record labels' bum rush to sign alternative bands after Nirvana blew up, or department stores glomming onto the latest downtown fashion trends, once underground movements gain mass acceptance, it typically signifies the beginning of the end.

"Poker is incredibly popular, and we're always looking to keep our brands right in the middle of what's hot in pop culture," said a Diet Pepsi spokesperson in a statement.

But in terms of television ratings, poker's downward spiral has already begun.

The audience for Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown" has fallen to an average of 134,000 viewers this year from a high of 364,000 viewers in 2003, according to Nielsen Media Research.



ESPN's "Poker" has lost 193,000 viewers in the two years it been on the air. And the Travel Channel's marquee "World Series of Poker" has seen its average audience drop to 464,000 this year from a peak of 583,000 in 2004.

"When too many people jump on the bandwagon, it reduces the value of the programming and diminishes the game's buzz," said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp Ltd. "Poker does have some life left in it, but at some point it is going to have to be recast in a new light so it doesn't become old news."

And though the growth of online gaming has proven to be a lucrative new way to resuscitate poker, it also represents a major black eye for a game trying to reposition itself as a sport instead of an excuse to gamble.

Just last week, for instance, a committee in the House of Representatives approved a bill that would make it illegal to use credit cards as payment for online gaming if the individual resides in a state where gambling is illegal.

If the bill were passed, it would effectively prevent U.S. residents from online gambling, which could cripple the $3 billion-a-year industry.

Interesting read. I agree that poker's has gain popularity in America, becasue it obviously has.

I think that poker's popularity in American has become rather annoying. I have been playing poker since before it was cool and I think some of the people playing now really suck at it, but they like to thin that they are good.

It really annoys me because I have lost poker friends who left the game because of the popularity gain.

[AGreen]

The vast majority of new poker players will never make a profit, so even though it's annoying taking beats from them you have to know that they are going to blow it and you'll get it back somehow. Ever since the WSOP was aired, donks everywhere began to believe that they could make a ton of money because poker is a crapshoot. The level of poker has gone down because of these newbies, but there's nothing better than having a green table at a casino. They have no idea what to do, and most of them are absolute calling stations.

[hayden1009]

amen to calling stations....I was in a tounry today and played at the same table with one....have played him many times and I keep good notes and as soon as he a positional play in the right situation I new he was bluffing and true to form he couldnt lay it down ...I had king queen and paired my king on the flop I went all in and he called ....he had a queen duece....he was gone...but as usual he stayed around long enough to cuss and swear .....I know eventually he will hit a 2 outer or something and take me out but the odds are in my favor as he has no idea what he is doing and always plays the same way....I just love it....

[BSgutshot]

Originally Posted by AGreen

The vast majority of new poker players will never make a profit, so even though it's annoying taking beats from them you have to know that they are going to blow it and you'll get it back somehow. Ever since the WSOP was aired, donks everywhere began to believe that they could make a ton of money because poker is a crapshoot. The level of poker has gone down because of these newbies, but there's nothing better than having a green table at a casino. They have no idea what to do, and most of them are absolute calling stations.

Agree, when poker 1st started to get big, I was making about $100 a month in live games because all of the new kids didn't know anything about poker and I would always host a game. It was just so easy at 1st and now it's not much harder because I have been playing for about 5-10 more years than some of the kids I play against and they think they can just come in and catch cards and make a big profit.

A lot of young players are all talk, also. They talk about how much money they rake in and how good they are, but most of them really lose money and are really bad players. I used to be arrogant that I was better than most of my live games, but then I started playing for money online and realized that not everyone was so bad. Now I know better and am getting better.

[iceberg]

I think that the number of "hard core" poker players will keep growing. I agree that the people who just want to try it, lose a few hundred bucks, then quit will diminish. The number of bad poker sites will also hurt the game in the shortrun. I think that it is great to see all the no-namers in the WSOP earn a big payday. It keeps me dreaming.

[hayden1009]

as the internet continues to grow I think the percentage of fish will gorw with it ....but that also means the aont of suckouts and bad beats will gorw with it.....I think to continue to make money you have to tighten up a little when playing in a school of fish....

[iceberg]

I'm thinking that most of the new online players are grown in high schools and universities. Because kids do it as a group thing and many don't have access to Pokerrooms (too young). I'm thinking that Adults are generally not comfortable about setting up a Neteller account and Poker account, then gambling over the internet. Most don't trust it. In my office (about a couple of thousand people), I've only met one other online poker player who plays regularly. My $0.02.

[nfpoker]

Cardplayer.com's The Circuit is a great show. Gavin Smith, Joe Seebok, and Scott Huff are the hosts. Its great strategy and its funny too.