Without question, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the greatest poker event in the world. It’s got everything: tradition, scale, glory, ESPN and the opportunity for an unknown to become instantly rich and famous.
During my first trip to the WSOP in 2004, I asked the producers from ESPN their opinion on player logos and the response was as quick as it was refreshing: “We are just here to film a poker tournament; we don’t care what the players wear. We don’t want them to even know we are here filming.”
As the event has grown and changed over the past seven years, so have the corporate motives behind the WSOP. Without question, Caesar’s has been a good steward of the game, often striking the right balance between what’s best for players and what’s best for the company.
However, Caesar’s has severely crossed that line with Rule 53(c) of the 2011 World Series of Poker® Official Tournament Rules which states:
“Hats may be worn at tables intended for television taping but may not display any logo or promotional language, except for those logoed items sold to the general public through traditional commercial retail outlets.”
You see, according to Caesar’s, the WSOP broadcast has become too commercialized, so they need to remove these player sponsorship opportunities for the betterment of the game. Apparently, players wearing logos on their hats hurt distribution, ratings, etc.
This rule hurts every sponsored poker player and every player who has ever dreamed of being sponsored. The most lucrative sponsorship “inventory” a poker player has to sell is the front of his/her hat, and Caesar’s just arbitrarily took it away. It will diminish the value of the “A” list poker superstars who are currently sponsored. This rule will eliminate sponsorship dollars for the regular Joe’s who are lucky enough to make it to an ESPN TV table.
When my client Phil Hellmuth plunked down the $50,000 buy-in and made the final table of this year’s Poker Players Championship, the folks at Caesar’s and ESPN were ecstatic because they know the 11 time WSOP champ brings ratings. That didn’t stop them, however, from telling him he couldn’t wear a hat from his sponsor Aria Resort & Casino. Somehow, inexplicably, an Aria logo on his shirt is allowed, but the logo on his hat would tarnish and diminish the television product.
Since my first WSOP in 2004, Caesar’s has methodically, year by year, inch by inch encroached on player likeness rights. This year they finally crossed the line. I only hope they revisit this policy and restore a player’s ability to wear a logo on the front of their hat.
