Standing by for FT Greg Raymer avatar.

Thats for sure the main reason sites sign players.... There are a couple other elements as well. Some people will also deposit and even play against them, its not all about signing guys who people will watch 24 table.

One problem with that comment. Poker is indeed a sport. Just one that uses intellect instead of physical skill.

As you were.

Just like football games that are played by people using their minds instead of their bodies. I love watching those.

I dont understand how this is a good move by ft.... So debatable, he's unmarketable isn't he?

(he's a great representative of the game, but by a business standpoint I don't get it

This post has like 27 double negatives in it. He is one of the best promoters of the game and does what he can to bring attention to the game of poker. How is that a bad business move? Letting him go is a terrible move, not FT scooping him. Easy call IMO. Former WSOP ME Champion is marketable enough.

TRAITOR!!!!!!!!!!!!

He can always go back to lawyering.

The guys a class act

Great signing

Interview with Pokernews:

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2011/0...tars-10186.htm

"What is the story behind your split with Pokerstars? Was it an amicable split?

Well, it was amicable, but we just failed to agree on a contract. They decided when my last contract expired, and when we were negotiating my contract, they were offering less money. They seemed to be focused right now on their members of Team Pro mostly being non-American players and mostly very young players. So they want twenty-somethings, preferably early twenty-somethings, and people who are from countries where they feel they have a current opportunity to gain lots of new customers. They’re losing customers in the American market right now, I think everyone is, so they’re just not that interested in American pros."

how can any site defend getting rid of the 'fossilman'?

best nickname in poker, he should have stayed with stars

Why would they sign him? he hasn't won anything in ages. He never goes on TV games and supposedly he isn't online that much. Plus he's morbidly obese.

I wouldn't sign him if I was stars when there are far more young and entertaining players who would jump at the chance to go on shows like "the big game."

That's a pretty good explanation by the Fossilman himself. Still, how low was the contract that he turned down? Had to be pretty low since these sponsorship deals are like free money, right?

i don't think it necessarily would have to be that low. he might feel that he has enough money and that its not worth all the traveling and hassle with interviews and such unless he gets paid x amount. 100k+ might be a lot of money to us( sure it is to greg as well), but for him it might be more of a situation of what he is giving up vs. what he is getting in return. he obviously feels what they offered is either not worth it for him, or that he can get a better deal somewhere else.

Think Raymer is part of Stars brand identification and more important to them than they realize, even if he doesn't attract nuby European kids who haven't heard of him. He is also probably a better player than most Stars pros.

I figure if Raymer didn't want to go on those televised cash games, it was because he didn't think it was EV+ to gamble with durrr, Ivey, PA, Doyle, and so on.

Have to think Raymer has more value to Stars than anyone else. I would probably happy to get some free WCOOP, PCA, and EPT entries or whatever they get.

Moneymaker and Raymer probably thought they would get $1M/year for life or atleast didn't realize how fast the endorsement money would decrease.

What? Negreanu has a million times more value for Stars than Raymer does; so do Barry, Elky, even Mercier, etc...

Lol, I meant Raymer has more value to Stars then he has to anyone else, not that he has more value to Stars than anyone else has. The latter may have been true right after his big score.

Ok I see, that makes more sense; it's just the way you wrote it.

Either way, not sure it's a great move by FTP. I like Raymer, but at this point you have to think that he's close to have fully outlived his marketing value.

FTP just paid him to wear their logo at the HU championship. They'll pay anyone who is on TV to wear their logo.

Really? Are we sure that's it? Seems weird that he'd drop Stars because of a less profitable sponsorship deal just to get a one shot paycheck to wear FT's logo for the HU championship.

The way I understand it was that he and Stars couldn't agree to a contract. Maybe were still negotiating when the agreement ran out. Then he agreed to the one-shot deal with FTP. Don't think he left Stars for any other deal.

Interesting, thanks for confirming. Hope he stays involved at least in the legislative aspect of poker, he's definitely a great spokesperson for the sport.

Does Greg still play on his Stars account or does he now play on Tilt? If he plays on Tilt, what is his screename?

Just wondering.

+1

And don't underestimate what Isildur has done for stars, he's probably the one dragging in the most new customers right now.

Raymer got greedy. Should have taken what PS was going to give him.

Now, he regrets it.