[shaniac]

I don't have a problem with this really.

When players make a deal at the end of the tournament, I believe the trophy is one of the things they are entitled to negotiate for.

When I chopped up the 300 rebuy at commerce, I was the clear chip leader, and in fact we never disputed where the trophy was going, but now that I think about it I didn't "win" the tournament either.

As for this sort of practice corrupting the spirit of the game, it's way less of a corruption than what the WPT does, outlawing dealmaking. Most tournaments are not won outright, yet the poker media presents each one as it if it were.

As for Cardplayer POTY points, who gives a [censored].

FWIW, I don't think Ben Affleck actually won the the CSPC a few years back either--that a deal was made which including giving Affleck the crown.