First, let's get the "Is it sports?" debate out of the way. If Wrestlemania can be drafted (which is just a stage play -- it's Cirque du Soleil with more violence and less grace), and Daytona 500 (which is a few dozen people sitting in a car seat for half a day), why can't I pick the WSOP?

Poker generates very good ratings for ESPN, which has expanded its coverage to a live final table in 2011 and 2012 (and hopefully continuing on in 2013 and beyond). It's covered on shows like SportsCenter and PTI, and is only gaining in worldwide appeal despite USA's problems with online poker.

The thing about the WSOP is the absolute mania surrounding it. Hotels are booked for miles around. The Rio is a zoo. Which brings me to a venue -- not sure if I can use the Rio since my hypothetical city is not Las Vegas, but imagine a casino very similar with a mammoth-sized convention center area.

This thing goes on for 6 weeks and doesn't leave the building. But tourism will be a huge boom to the city -- so we have WSOP in the summer and the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day with the parade and everything. For the year in between, we have the world's most popular and valuable soccer team in Manchester United playing semi-weekly.

Also my city will have crazy bookie action with the WSOP here every year along with gamblers betting on the Rose Bowl and Man U games. Holy **** is it going to be balls crazy up in here.