So who thinks Party was on the ball?

[AJackson]

The fundamental flaw in your argument is the false dichotomy you offer: Party continues to serve American customers or focuses on other markets.

Why is it necessary to drop American customers in order to focus on other markets? It isn't. In fact, the huge amount of dollars Americans produce could fund all the advertising and man power needed for those other markets.

Party wasn't smart. They clearly reacted too quickly. Leaving the American market so quickly offered them zero benefit and I challenge you to show any benefit.

It may be case that on line poker in America will soon be at risk, but the smart companies are waiting until that outcome is clear before they act.

[Phil153]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a 0% chance you are correct.

Party has a terrible reputation in Europe. And Mike Sexton is a nobody over here.

Pokerstars sponsor the most popular series of live tournaments in Europe, the EPT, and are renowned for their excellent customer service.

Stars will stay on top, although Ladbrokes will probably do very well too.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is hilarious. As soon as Stars pulls out of the US, they will sink to the bottom. Party is maintaining 2/3 of Stars numbers on non US players alone...think about that for a second. And that's WITH all the regular Euros chasing the Americans at Stars.

Stars have shown themselves to be incompetent when it comes to marketing. The lack of a percentage based affiliate program is mind boggling. Over the past 4 years online poker has been fairly stable (no big shakeups) and they've managed to leech a lot of regular players from other sites by focusing on service and PR on forums like this one. But they don't stand a chance competing in the new markets vs Party's crack marketing team and large budget.

--------

OP - you are wrong about this being a "strategic" decision. The UIGEA made it risky for Party to continue servicing US players. As directors of a public company they made the only decision they could make IMO.

[Wekwekwek]

[ QUOTE ]
Lets face it, Online poker for Americans is pretty much done with. All the pro's and semi-pro's will want to keep playing and have every reason to want to but what will they do without the influx of new fish?

[/ QUOTE ]

You're a fool if you think poker is done in the United States. You think the world is going to let hundreds of thousands, if not a million + people sit around twidling their thumbs and just playing house games with friends rather than online? Think again! What "intelligent" corporation wouldn't want to capitalize on this multi-billion dollar American poker player market. They'll find a way, it just takes time. Let all this BS and dust settle down a bit, and you'll see. Honestly I think this was a pretty decent post with a lot of thought, but very wrong in this one respect.

[iSTRONG]

[ QUOTE ]
The fundamental flaw in your argument is the false dichotomy you offer: Party continues to serve American customers or focuses on other markets.

Why is it necessary to drop American customers in order to focus on other markets? It isn't. In fact, the huge amount of dollars Americans produce could fund all the advertising and man power needed for those other markets.

Party wasn't smart. They clearly reacted too quickly. Leaving the American market so quickly offered them zero benefit and I challenge you to show any benefit.

It may be case that on line poker in America will soon be at risk, but the smart companies are waiting until that outcome is clear before they act.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a benefit; Party is a fishpond right now, very much unlike Stars & FTP. What happened 3 months ago is that a lot of American fish stopped playing (probably just because they had heard that poker was now "illegal"). Sites like party thought that if they weren't gonna have american fish, they might as well have no americans at all and save the quality of their games for the european and emerging markets. If they knew they'd lose the U.S. after a few months regardless of their actions, the path they took was a smart one.


Edit: now watch the flux of non-US players from Stars to Party. It's gonna be fast and furious.

Edit 2: Now is a good time to buy party stocks.

[gonebroke2]

Even though I can't play on Party, I will be happy to see them regain the #1 spot within the next few months. PokerStars became #1 by default, not cause they earned it. I miss PartyPoker and I wish I could play there. Best site, best affiliate program, and best action. Their savvy marketing team is unmatched and they deserve what is coming to them.

[NL__Fool]

[ QUOTE ]
OP - you are wrong about this being a "strategic" decision

[/ QUOTE ]

I freely admit that this being a strategic decsion could be completely off base. It was just a thought that was mulling around in my head.

It is probbaly the only thing that I am wrong about.

I believe I am 100% correct when I say that Party will be #1 again in a fairly short period of time and they will remain #1 because they know how to advertise to pull the players in. No other site has been able to market themselves as well as Party has

I believe I am 100% correct when I say online poker for Americans is prety much done. Yes there will always be places to play poker for Americans Howver the days of 8-12 tabling with any sort of decent winrate by all except for the very few excellent players are over because pretty soon all that will be left is a lot of sharks with very few fish to feed upon

Party currently holds the #2 spot without a single US player.


Give them a few more months of heavy advertising in the Non US markets and they will be #1 again.
Stars is ahead and not by much.

[AJackson]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The fundamental flaw in your argument is the false dichotomy you offer: Party continues to serve American customers or focuses on other markets.

Why is it necessary to drop American customers in order to focus on other markets? It isn't. In fact, the huge amount of dollars Americans produce could fund all the advertising and man power needed for those other markets.

Party wasn't smart. They clearly reacted too quickly. Leaving the American market so quickly offered them zero benefit and I challenge you to show any benefit.

It may be case that on line poker in America will soon be at risk, but the smart companies are waiting until that outcome is clear before they act.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a benefit; Party is a fishpond right now, very much unlike Stars & FTP. What happened 3 months ago is that a lot of American fish stopped playing (probably just because they had heard that poker was now "illegal"). Sites like party thought that if they weren't gonna have american fish, they might as well have no americans at all and save the quality of their games for the european and emerging markets. If they knew they'd lose the U.S. after a few months regardless of their actions, the path they took was a smart one.


Edit: now watch the flux of non-US players from Stars to Party. It's gonna be fast and furious.

Edit 2: Now is a good time to buy party stocks.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're leveling me right?

Just on the small chance that you're not, I have to ask how it's possible that a site so poorly run could be thinking at this level? The list of valid complaints is long and many of them would have been easy to fix, but Party just didn't care.

[MikeRice]

As a Canadian all I can say is Party is the new Party and probaly better than the pre Oct Party.

[[Phill]]

Party pulled out of the US market to stop the dept of justice mugging them - which likely would have happened much sooner than the neteller BS went down.

Stop whining, its your [censored] up country that banned online poker.

[Wekwekwek]

[ QUOTE ]
Party pulled out of the US market to stop the dept of justice mugging them - which likely would have happened much sooner than the neteller BS went down.

Stop whining, its your [censored] up country that banned online poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

They didn't ban online poker, and no one ever will. And it's not like we agree with all the BS that's going on.