ESPN Enhances WSOP Coverage

[MicroBob]

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Exactly.

Norman Chad uses an "acerbic" style (a la MSNBC's Keith Olbermann), taking "smart a--" shots at players who deserve to be shot at for the way they look (i.e. unshaven players), the way they dress, or the way they conduct themselves (i.e. rule or etiquette violations at the table.)

ESPN is going after 1.0-1.5 million U.S. TV viewers per show, not 350,000 viewers per show (i.e. GSN's High Stakes Poker). Some of you guys who want every show to look and sound like HSP will disagree with the way ESPN does the WSOP and will disagree with me, but I understand your point of view.

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Kaplan is probably more acerbic than Chad albeit more deadpan.

You know perfectly well that the reason WSOP has more viewers than HSP is not because of the difference in the announcing styles.

My hunch is that the WSOP would continue to draw similar viewership if they had Chris Rose or Matt Vasgersian or AJ Benza or Mike Sexton or Conroy teamed up with Konig, Kaplan, VPP or Lederer or Seif.

And that HSN would have similar sized viewership if they had Lon and Norm doing the show.

Total guess on my part and maybe the announcers make a bigger difference to the ratings than I think.

[CincyLady]

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Actually I think Norman Chad is pretty damn popular to the average viewer. I know my friends complained when I watched TV poker a lot because of the boring ass commentary on everything but ESPN coverage. He might not ever say anything really groundbreaking strategy wise, but he is entertaining.

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Personally, I like him, and his self depriecating humor (how he is always saying how bad a player he is, and Lon agreeing with him, and how many times he's been married and so on), as it makes him fun to listen to.

[DonkeyChip]

I like Norm too. For a while there the 'popular' thing to do was to rag on him but many people have finally opened their minds a little (now that they have seen many of the atrocious alternatives) and like him. The NC hating bandwagon is getting lighter and lighter.

[Self Made]

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The NC hating bandwagon is getting lighter and lighter.

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Dream on. I've seen every poker announcer on TV, including many of the European ones, and Norman Chad is the only one I hate. He's positively offensive.

And yes, poker shows' ratings are in great part a function of what network (or syndicate of local channels) they appear on. NBC gets the biggest audience, ESPN second biggest, etc. GSN's HSP may have the most likable format, but it'll never surpass NHUPC or WSOP unless it moves to their networks.

[Dids]

Norm >>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>> x a lot than VVP.

Not that that's really relevant here, but I find the key to enjoying an ESPN broadcast is about 5 minutes of WPT.

[kemystery]

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Not that that's really relevant here, but I find the key to enjoying an ESPN broadcast is the mere thought of Mike Sexton opening his mouth

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[Black winter day]

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Jesus, am I only one who throroughly enjoys the WSOP commentating?

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[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]Youre leveling, right?

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Swear I'm not. I enjoy it for the same reason I enjoy reading Bluff magazine. It's not the most intelligent commentary in the world from a poker perspective, but it's fun and goes well with the broadcast. I don't know, I guess I stand alone here.

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Besides Gabe, Norm&Lon combination are my favorite commentators, don't know why everyone hates them.

[MoBetta]

I love Norman and Lon as announcers. Their chemistry in the booth is unmatched. To me ESPN's WSOP coverage just wouldn't be as good without them.

[FingerEleven]

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Jesus, am I only one who throroughly enjoys the WSOP commentating?

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Of course not. I will never get tired of listening to Norman force one of his lame ex wife jokes into every other sentence of his sorry azz commentary.

[aislephive]

I noticed that before I got serious in poker I like Norman Chad's commentating a lot. But now he just annoys me.