PDA

View Full Version : Pokerstars announces Asia-Pacific Poker Tour


MrTimCaum
06-29-2007, 12:30 AM
this is pretty sweet

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2007/6/pokerstars-launches-appt.htm

[ QUOTE ]

Andrew Bognar & Gareth Edwards
PokerStars today announced the launch of the Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APPT). Beginning in late August, the APPT will tour the Asia-Pacific region, stretching from Korea to Australia, visiting some of the best casinos in some of the most exotic locations the world has to offer. Following on the heels of the European Poker Tour's incredible success, Asia-Pacific will now take its place on the world stage as a top-tier poker destination.

Beginning in the Philippines, the opening PokerStars APPT event will run from August 23-26 at the luxurious Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila. The APPT then heads to The Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel and Casino in Seoul, South Korea where, from
Win seats to Poker Dome!
September 27-30, the second tour event will take place. These will be the first major televised tournaments of their kind for both these countries. There are expected to be at least three more events scheduled before the end of 2007 and they will be announced later this year.

PokerStars are one of the leading online poker rooms today and are also the driving force behind the APPT. Applying knowledge and experience gained from the recent unprecedented success of the European Poker Tour (EPT), PokerStars is poised to deliver another top class poker tour. PokerStars is also very pleased and eager to grow the poker market by harnessing interest in one of the most populated regions in the world.

Sarne Lightman, Co-Founder of the APPT wants to extend the global presence of poker, "Every year PokerStars sends thousands of players to compete in events across Europe, the US and the Caribbean," explains Mr. Lightman, "the launch of the APPT brings a whole new dimension to poker in Asia and marks the game's emergence as a truly global sport."

The APPT culminates in December, with the Grand Final to be held in Sydney, Australia. The Sydney skyline, including the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge will provide the backdrop to the $5000 Main Event from a special room within the Casino.

PokerStars also announced the appointment of Danny McDonagh as Tournament Director for the APPT. McDonagh, a leading and respected tournament director and member of the Tournament Directors Association, is best known for guiding the Aussie Millions to become one of the world's most recognized and professionally-run poker tournaments. Danny is excited at the prospect of leading the APPT, "The PokerStars APPT is a great opportunity to enable me to continue my work developing poker in the Asia-Pacific region".

Not only will PokerStars and the APPT provide leading televised coverage from some of Asia's most exotic and beautiful locations, but the APPT is set to also generate a fantastic boost for each country's tourism and economy. Working closely with each tourism board, the APPT is set to showcase both the great game of poker and also showcase the richness and diversity that awaits players and their partners in Asia. President and Co-Founder of the APPT Jeffrey Haas is understanably excited about the new venture, "Poker is still at an early stage in many of the countries we hope to visit with the APPT, but for those that embrace the opportunities it offers, the APPT also promises to kick start a whole new type of tourism in the region".

PokerNews.com expects to bring you live coverage from each of the APPT events during the season, using its innovative tournament reporting interface as used for this year's World Series of Poker.

From July 1, PokerStars is offering a multitude of APPT Satellites, starting from as low as $22. APPT Freerolls will also take place, providing opportunities for players of all types and backrolls to play poker in some of Asia-Pacific's hottest and most beautiful destinations.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fly V
06-29-2007, 01:16 AM
They have to crack the Hong Kong / Macau / China TV thing to really make it work though. Will be good if this means we can finally get some Poker coverage on ESPN here in HK.

ipp147
06-29-2007, 03:13 AM
cue olivert head asplode

Matt Savage
06-29-2007, 04:49 AM
[ QUOTE ]
They have to crack the Hong Kong / Macau / China TV thing to really make it work though. Will be good if this means we can finally get some Poker coverage on ESPN here in HK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look for the first Macau Tournament later this year. More news to come

Matt Savage

shaniac
06-29-2007, 04:53 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They have to crack the Hong Kong / Macau / China TV thing to really make it work though. Will be good if this means we can finally get some Poker coverage on ESPN here in HK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look for the first Macau Tournament later this year. More news to come

Matt Savage

[/ QUOTE ]

Unrelated to APPT?

TylerD
06-29-2007, 04:55 AM
What's the buy-in for these events?

SEABEAST
06-29-2007, 05:02 AM
awesome

Valhalla1
06-29-2007, 05:02 AM
[ QUOTE ]
What's the buy-in for these events?

[/ QUOTE ]
no idea but for reference 10k usd=
76,167.26 Chinese yuan
1.22699 million Japanese yen
80,066.00 Macau Pataca's
or standard 500 bales of rice

Fly V
06-29-2007, 05:36 AM
Matt
Let me know about the Macua thing - sounds great.

Matt Savage
06-29-2007, 05:40 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They have to crack the Hong Kong / Macau / China TV thing to really make it work though. Will be good if this means we can finally get some Poker coverage on ESPN here in HK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Look for the first Macau Tournament later this year. More news to come

Matt Savage

[/ QUOTE ]

Unrelated to APPT?

[/ QUOTE ]

As of now yes.....unrelated.

Sarne
06-29-2007, 07:47 AM
[ QUOTE ]
What's the buy-in for these events?

[/ QUOTE ]

The buy in for Manila and Seoul will be $2,500usd. The buy in for the Sydney event will be $5,000usd aprox.

We will release dates/venues/buyins for other events in due course,

Sarne Lightman

ryanghall
06-29-2007, 08:09 AM
I hope Stars gives at least $2K for airfare for these events or it won't be worth it to try and qualify.

Ryan

coxquinn
06-29-2007, 11:26 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's the buy-in for these events?

[/ QUOTE ]
no idea but for reference 10k usd=
76,167.26 Chinese yuan
1.22699 million Japanese yen
80,066.00 Macau Pataca's
or standard 500 bales of rice

[/ QUOTE ]

500 bale rice fight yo?

dcviperboy
06-29-2007, 11:50 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I hope Stars gives at least $2K for airfare for these events or it won't be worth it to try and qualify.

Ryan

[/ QUOTE ]

Unless they give you cash just like the did for the WSOP this yr. But other than that, your right. I'm paying 3k to travel, to gambol at 2.5k????

toutatis70
06-29-2007, 03:38 PM
I hope this expands the Asian market because I don't think they even spread regular cash games in the Philippines. Does anyone know of any games being spread in the Philippines?

olivert
06-29-2007, 03:41 PM
[ QUOTE ]
They have to crack the Hong Kong / Macau / China TV thing to really make it work though. Will be good if this means we can finally get some Poker coverage on ESPN here in HK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Despite being headquartered in Hong Kong, I understand that the PokerStars.net APPT is primarily an Australian-run outfit.

The APPT, like all other Asia-based poker ventures, is running into political turf-guarding by government gambling monopolies across Asia.

As long as the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has a 100% monopoly on land-based and televised gambling competitions in Hong Kong, the APPT may never air on any form of TV in Hong Kong.

The HKJC now holds all the Aces at the negotiation table because the likes of PokerStars/APPT, 888, World Poker Tour Enterprises, FullTilt, PartyPoker, etc. etc. etc. all want to be the preferred online poker partner of the HKJC.

What that means: the HKJC can demand as big a share of the rake from its preferred partner as it wants. What is that share? 50% is probably too small for the HKJC's taste. I would guess on the order of 70-75% would be HKJC's fair share, with the preferred partner getting 25-30% of the profit for doing all the dirty work (i.e. marketing, technology implementation, customer service, etc.)

Ditto with Mainland China (China Welfare Lottery Authority, China State General Administration for Sport, China Ministry of Finance, etc.), where the government again holds all the Aces and can demand a big chunk of the rake in exchange for a partnership/joint venture license.

Bottom line: I still believe that the largest online and televised poker company in the world 10 years from now to be controlled by the government of China simply because the government of China knows that it is the ONLY entity in the world that is capable of displacing every existing competitor by issuing a government decree.

I now expect the world's largest televised poker tournament in the world to take place in Shanghai instead of Macau, Hong Kong, London, Monte Carlo, or Las Vegas within 10 years. Why? Because the Chinese government wants to do business this way and the Chinese government is the only entity in the world that can get away with the "shotgun negotiation" style of doing business.

The Chinese government has already put the likes of Rupert Murdoch and Bill Gates in their place for not playing by China's rules, which are: 1. The Chinese government is ALWAYS correct, and 2. Everyone in the world, including Murdoch and Gates, exists at the pleasure of the Chinese government. One would expect anyone in the poker industry who dares not to play by China's rules to be crushed by the Chinese government.

adanthar
06-29-2007, 04:11 PM
I just made my Korean wife very happy when I sent her this article /images/graemlins/smile.gif Sweet.