I disagree with a few of the things said above.
Re RoundTower's comment ("nothing Harrah's have done has devalued the WSOP brand"): I just believe that Harrah's isn't maximizing the brand's potential. Growth in the WSOP doesn't provide evidence either way: the growth isn't due to Harrah's. It's present in the entire industry. It was under way before Harrah's bought the WSOP. ESPN, the WPT, and seemingly everyone else want to claim credit for the growth of poker. But the only thing that is actually responsible is
Patent 5,451,054 (and to a lesser extent online poker). I'm just arguing my opinion here, that Harrah's isn't making the best of the WSOP, and that my proposal for it would increase both the popularity of poker and the value of the tournament to Harrah's.
Re JuntMonkey's comment "We want more tournaments with more players because we want more $$. Who cares about Harrah's and the "brand"?" The growth of poker as a whole is what creates a big school of fish. Do you see that Harrah's might create huge events with schools of fish at the WSOP while, at the same time, not maximizing poker's potential? We need for poker to be as popular as possible so that all of our games are juicy (not just the ones once a year at the WSOP). And Harrah's needs marketing for their brands and television/sponsorship revenue from the WSOP, not just an increase in their rake from a huge poker festival once a year.
DVaut1, the WSOP was the Superbowl of poker long before Harrah's took over. Even if that weren't true, I'd still argue that my proposal is the right way to maximize poker's popularity.
The fact is, in poker, golf, and every other sport ratings are higher when people can watch their heroes. Tiger in golf. Notre Dame in college football. But I saw the WSOP awarding 46 bracelets mostly to unknowns this year. We all have an interest in the best possible presentation of our sport to the public, the best possible poker broadcasts, and in maximizing poker's popularity. That's what brings in the fish for us. Fortunately, Harrah's and us have the same interest here.