The WSOP Player Advisory Board

  Daniel Negreanu was not happy with the WSOP before it kicked off in 2006. Neither were a lot of pro poker players, such as the game's own Robin Hood, Barry Greenstein. He, Kid Poker, and many others were vocal in their complaints about the schedule for the 2006 series when it was published at the beginning of the year, but if there is one thing Harrah's Entertainment is good at, it is trend watching.  They saw that if the game's big names were unhappy, it would be bad for business, so they took action. They formed the WSOP Player Advisory Board, and welcomed Negreanu to the fold to help make decisions that made sense for the players. Chris Ferguson, Scotty Nguyen, Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer, and Robert Williamson III were among others who were invited and who accepted, each signing on for a one year commitment to meet and discuss potential changes to the WSOP lineup of events.  The meetings had impact, as the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event got added, as did a number of other non Holdem events, the principle complaint from the poker pros. The dominance of Holdem, they said, did not adequately represent the poker industry as a whole, and Harrah's listened. Now, with regular meetings between the Player Advisory Board and WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, as well as other Harrah's executives, players can be assured that at least they have an advocacy and a voice in the process of setting up the most popular and prestigious poker event of every year.