Re: so is WPEX down?
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I think that the real issue is that you will be forced to change your style of play, and you're worried that you won't be able to adapt to playing with a double-digit VPIP.
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Yeah, that's nice. There's maybe only one person full ring that has a single digit vpip. But, let's take your example at face value. What you're saying is, people won't be able to adjust and thus won't profit from the games. Okay. So, some regulars (nits/weak-tights, whatever) have been dropping a little bit off the site. More will drop in the coming weeks. Then, contributed rakeback, you say won't make any regulars leave, but in the same breath you say "you're worried that you won't be able to adapt" Since there's a lot of people that don't want the rake structure to change, there must be a lot of people that "won't be able to adapt" therefore, the numbers will drop even more.
All that you will have left are the best of the best players- solid aggressive players. But that's okay because now 10,000 fish will join the site because a 25% cut in rakeback and a site with solid aggressive winning players is what they were waiting for the whole time this past year.
It's going to take a while before the numbers level off. The first 5k added tourney had over 400 players, and the following week, (since the 25% cut), there were only 100 players. Expect to see maybe 80 tonight. This is a direct result of people making less in rakeback since there's a $75 minimum rakeback to play.
Again, I say make the changes more slowly. Get a player base first. Use some of the 25% to promote the site and get the name out there better. Right now they have the best deal on the net: 75% rakeback; 5k added micro buyin tourneys 3 times a week; aces cracked promo 4 times a week; guaranteed tourneys and freerolls as well. That should be enough to elicit a big player base but some how contributed rakeback, which most of the player base is against, is going to grow the site?
Really, many players won't know where to loosen up to make contributed rake a better proposition; they will loosen up incorrectly and wind up losing more/winning less than had they continued to play their normal game thus resulting in more people leaving.
Remember when Party used to advertize on TV with dot COM ads before the gov stepped in and banned .com ads? Imagine the player base at wsex if .com ads were still available now. With what they have going on, they would have all the players on the net with little advertizing if the advertizing climate were the same as 5 years ago.
Things are tougher now, but it still comes down to advertizing, not little things like contributed/dealt rakeback. One thing you can count on though, is on top of the 25% cut, the player base they have now thinks contributed rake is a big change and will most likely leave.
Also, I would say, what's the harm in opening the flood gates and allowing huds, names, and 8 tables? Banning it certainly didn't work over the year. They are now making 25% of the rake and there are a lot of people here that would switch sites if they did, so why not try it for a while? They could always change it back if they don't like doubling their player base and doubling the amount of tables in play.
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