I guess they need a lead in for San Fran and Ar?

Even though ESPN Monday Night Football on Monday November 10 will feature what one would expect to be an average team (Arizona) and a "garbage" team (San Francisco), it is still Monday Night Football and it will still be the #1 cable/satellite TV program in the U.S. each week, with well over 10 million viewers (and over 2.5 million viewers in the extremely-important-to-ESPN 18-34 age demographic).

The hype of the 2008 WSOP Main Event final table during ESPN Monday Night Football will be the best possible "push" ESPN can give to the November 11 WSOP Main Event Final Table telecast on ESPN.

There will be no excuses for either Caesars/WSOP or ESPN regardless of what the viewership for those 2 hours on November 11.

In politics the candidates have learned that currently it's about the eight second sound bite. ESPN keeps showing all ins with the other player taking 3 to 5 minutes to decide whether or not to call. That's longer than eight seconds. The 18-34 demographic doesn't have that long an attention span. Why would ESPN boardcast style of poker ever attract large numbers of young people? This is the internet age. STOP showing poker in slow motion.

OMG I figured out how to use the multi quote feature....woo hoo!

If I recall MNF viewership declined last year, mostly to do with the horrible matchups that ESPN was saddled with thanks to the NFL schedule idiots.

I'd agree that on 11/10, there'll be a heavy push during commercial breaks but I doubt we'll see/hear any in-game promos knowing how the NFL has an issue with gambling even though we're discussing a legit/legal poker tourney. We know who wins that discussion!

But I come back to some of your previous statements in regards to the actual length of promotional push for the FT.

If this FT move is about ESPN wanting to increase drama, viewers, etc. to the ME (according to you)...then I strongly believe we'll see a much more lengthy promotion of the FT show instead of just 10 days. We're talking Nov. sweeps! If ESPN is gambling on this move to make or break their continued "support" of the WSOP and want to succeed...it's all about 30 days or more of promotion for this. Why would they risk it all on only 10 days?

It's about branding the "new style" of the ME FT...branding the never before seen drama of a ME like this. What could really help is the fact that a pro or 2 makes the FT, which will in turn lend credibility to the final 2, having them beat the big name(s) on their way to glory.

Could lightning strike and we see a Hellmuth, or DN, or Doyle, or Ivey, etc. make the FT to help boost the story? Time will tell!

Tell me who you are referring to then?

Aren't there more than that in the 18-34 demographic with online poker accounts? They can't even get poker players to watch. Is poker even watchable?


ESPN should have the FT members at the game in the crowd watching the game. Be sure to show the FT at the game and mention them.

That'd be hard since 2 of them will be waiting to play headsup as the other 7 would've already been eliminated.

lol heads up lasted like 3 hands over the last several MEs.

wat if somebody dies in the 4 months

liz lieu did a nice little blog on this situation and makes a couple interesting points.

Nothing especially new but cool to see her perspective on potential collusion, coaching, and how perhaps 'testing' out this idea on the largest stage isnt the wisest move.

I agree, she did a good job ... quotes from her blog:

The thing that I find the most laughable about all of this is that the people in charge, and many other typically rational people, actually believe that the players at the final table will all become worldwide superstars with all the publicity they will receive.

Those who believe that the final 9 will go on Oprah, Letterman, Leno, Larry King, etc. are all fooling themselves. Nobody cares about this outside of the poker world.

Doesn't the winner usually go on Leno?

I believe the last main event winner to be a guest on a late night talk show was Chris Moneymaker. Greg Raymer, possibly, but I don't think so.

I think if i remember correctly that Joe Hachem went on Leno as did Raymer and moneymaker when they won

Correct.

Jamie Gold was NOT invited to Leno, nor was Xao "Jerry" Yang.

Gold was invited by FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period, but he declined to appear.

Anni Duke went on the Letterman show after her win in the Tournament of Champions ... have not seen a poker player on his show since

On the other hand, Barry Greenstein feels that any coaching might be a hindrance to those who take up the offer. I didn't hear this myself, so I'll quote second hand what was posted from another forum........

I think when and if a woman wins the WSOP ME, that person will be on most if not all the talk shows possible that are out there.

That said, I still feel that the powers that be have ruined the WSOP ME by doing this.

Even worse, say if a woman does indeed win it this year, and it makes more women come into poker. Then IMO, the powers that be will use that as an excuse to continue doing this travasty next year and there after as well, when in fact it wasn't the format change that brought more ppl into poker, but rather the fact a woman won it.

As such, I'm hoping that this whole stunt, falls flat on it's face, so next year and there after it can go back to the way it was.