Is the WSOP Watered Down?

  What happens when the brain-trust of a major pro sport makes the decision to expand their league by adding teams? The short term result is that it is a financial boon to the league in terms of merchandising, marketing, and ticket sales. There is a price to be paid for this cash grab though. Often the talent pool gets watered down, as there are a finite number of really good athletes out there, and more teams to spread them across. This is pretty much how you get teams like the Detroit Lions, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. While some teams are lousy all on their own, watering down the talent pool helps to keep them bad.  In poker the dynamic is a little different. Watering down the talent pool has made it tough for the good players to shine. A world class player who has to face down 6500 opponents in a big tournament like the World Series of Poker Main Event is still a heavy underdog to make it to the final table. This is evidenced by the fact that it has been over five years since a big name pro has won the WSOP Main Event, and this year the November final table is basically a who's who of the poker unknowns.  Is this good for the sport? While there are some people who argue that new stars are born at the WSOP Main Event, let's face it, a lot of fans still want to see the sport's biggest names on its biggest stage. Unless ESPN spends the next few months building up the remaining 9 players and creating a buzz around them, this will probably be a ratings flop. If the WSOP Main Event continues to be a battle of internet players and amateurs, it will eventually lose its prestige.  The World Poker Tour has gotten around this problem by making the buy in for their season championship so high that the average player cannot afford to play. The twenty-five thousand dollars that it costs to play their event will continue to ensure that the sport's most recognizable players will always be a factor when it comes to the top prize. This may eventually make the WPT Season Championship a more prestigious trophy than the WSOP Main Event bracelet.