PPA should disassociate itself from scandal ridden CEO Poker tour

[KurtSF]

I understand perfectly why it takes a long time to get a board meeting together.

Why does the PPA require a board meeting to "protect poker player's rights"? If there is NO ONE other than the board who can do ANYTHING, the only conclusion is that the PPA is a shell organization and completely ineffectual.

Somebody tell me why a board meeting is needed at all? Aren't there any officers or agents of the PPA who can do something, anything?

[Takedown]

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I understand perfectly why it takes a long time to get a board meeting together.

Why does the PPA require a board meeting to "protect poker player's rights"? If there is NO ONE other than the board who can do ANYTHING, the only conclusion is that the PPA is a shell organization and completely ineffectual.

Somebody tell me why a board meeting is needed at all? Aren't there any officers or agents of the PPA who can do something, anything?

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This doesn't make sense at all.

The reason the PPA needs to go through their board is because that is how the business was setup with a board and bylaws.

I don't see how you draw the conclusion that it is a shell organization.

The officers can't do something as big as potentially filing a law suit on behalf of the players, without approval of the board.

How would you like it if you were part of a company, sat on the board of directors and some other officer in the company took most of the companies resources to take on a lawsuit without approval of the board? You'd be outraged and it would be illegal.

The PPA is treading carefully, give them time!

[Zetack]

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Analogy: I hold the door open for a nice group of men entering a bank with ski masks. They proceed to rob the bank. I decide to wait and see how the situation gets resolved instead of calling the police and disassociating myself from the thieves.

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ban all analogies on 2p2 ever please. thanks!

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Baning analogies on 2p2 would be like trying to drink a gallon of milk through a three foot straw riddled with 1/8 inch holes.

[stephenNUTS]

I have learned some important lessons since this whole CEO fiasco began.When it comes down to the bottom line,if you dont take the bull by the horns yourself no-one will,and most SRO's in general are a waste of time.

I have accomplished more by myself w/counsel in a mere week,than any PPA,WPA,whatever could have innitiated in a year,which is quite embarassing on their part.

Waiting for the "BOARD" to arrive/get together,after approving this CEO Tour to begin with,is now becoming a joke.It very easy for ten "members" of these boards to sit around ,waste time and point fingers at each other,just wasting precious time now.If they were to walk side by side with me WE might just get the desired results from this disaster

As I have stated numerous times before,I am not only doing this for restitution for myself,as well as hopefully helping the many 2+2'ers that have PM'ed me with their info and kind words of encouragment,I am more driven to put these CEO criminals in a 6'x 10' cell.

I wont even get into other "ORG's" that want to get involved,but seem to be all talk,no action

I know things take time in the justice system,but we have heard NOTHING from anyone except Greg Reymer,stating that "someone" else approved this CEO Tour by themselves,and they are working on it?

The more time things like this drag out,the more likely they walk away unscathed.(e.g. look at the 4+ year back-up in civil liability cases in the US)

totally digusted,
~stephen feraca

[Rottersod]

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I have accomplished more by myself w/counsel in a mere week...

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This is the only sentence in your post that is worth reading. Of course you accomplished more by yourself with your attorney, and if you hadn't I'd be shocked. It's time that others here who feel they have been defrauded take the bull by the horns, and do what you did. Waiting for any third party organization to do anything for you is pointless. The PPA didn't defraud you. They didn't take your money. All they did was enter into an agreement with the CPT (I'm tired of writing out the whole name of that tour) to get some brand awareness for themselves. I'm still not sure why their name has been dragged through the mud over this rogue group except I'd expect nothing less from many people on an internet forum who clearly have too much time on their hands and who, unlike you Stephen, are loathe to publicly identify themselves as professional poker players.

[stephenNUTS]

Thank alot Rottersod

[s33w33d]

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The connection the PPA had/has with the CEO PT was done by our President without Board input, and thus happened more quickly. Now that the Board is aware of these concenrns about the CEO PT, we are getting involved, but things are not going to happen overnight."

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One good question here is what happens to the President's powers - letting him attach the PPA name to anything without due diligence got him in a lot of trouble here.

[Bidz]

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Analogy: I hold the door open for a nice group of men entering a bank with ski masks. They proceed to rob the bank. I decide to wait and see how the situation gets resolved instead of calling the police and disassociating myself from the thieves.

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ban all analogies on 2p2 ever please. thanks!

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Baning analogies on 2p2 would be like trying to drink a gallon of milk through a three foot straw riddled with 1/8 inch holes.

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awesome

[doublejoker]

This is what the PPT was promised when they signed on to be a "sponsor" of the CEO Poker Tour.....

May 29, 2007 -- CEO Poker, where executives battle for the Chairman of Poker title, in major casinos across the United States, has announced television and tournament sponsorship opportunities for the exclusive poker tournament.




Sponsorship packages start from $500 to $300,000 for integration and title sponsorship of the CEO POKER Tour and television show.

Sponsorship of the CEO Poker Show is a tremendous opportunity Integrated sponsorship opportunities include but are not limited too: title sponsorship of the event, which includes sponsor name in the title of the tour, gift bag inclusion, logo on t-shirt, logo on hat, poker table top logo insertion, reception sponsorship, commercials, and more. Particular focus is being placed on key industries for sponsors: liquor, automobile, snacks, retail, sunglasses, automobiles, restaurants, fashion, power bars, energy drinks, and retail.

"Sponsorship of the CEO Poker Show is a tremendous opportunity," says William Peraza, Jr., President of CEO Poker. "We have incorporated key marketing initiatives, as well as standard media opportunities for sponsors. Brands will be associated with executives, decision makers/power players, making these sponsorships priceless."

“ Brands will be associated with executives, decision makers/power players, making these sponsorships priceless. ”Sponsors will have the ability to incorporate product placement during the tournament and television programming, enabling sponsors to align products and services with executive tastemakers. There are over 50 marketing opportunities for sponsors during the CEO Poker event.

Sponsors will have the ability to associate their products and services with CEOs that represent all areas of industry: real estate, business, hospitality, investor, Internet, health, advertising, and more.

The CEO POKER TOUR schedule includes: Trump Taj Mahal, in Atlantic City, NJ; Venetian Resort Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada; Caesars Palace, LAs Vegas, Nevada, among a host of exclusive casinos.

[PokeReader]

No, although I am totally on your side I have to make a correction here. CEO Tours infer this type of relationship by the partnership language, (I do not believe the word sponsor is ever used), but if you read the press release you see that what is described is merely the inclusion of materials for the PPA in CEO Tour Gift Bags, and a banner at events. I will allow you that these were some of the benefits of sponorships of various levels being pitched by the company, which lead to the possibility of a misinterpretation of a paid relationship. It was clear to me that the release was written to overstate what was actually ocurring in every possible way to gain credibility for the CEO Tour by associating with the PPA. This is a pattern used over and over by Maria and William.

I would guess that the President of the PPA made the mistake of, at best, approving only his quote and not approving the entire document, let alone allowing a true public relations professional, (or whatever passes for one on the PPA staff), vet the document. While this once again shows a disappointing but expected lact of competence on the PPA's part, I do not think anyone can say they played in a CEO Tour event because of the association with the PPA. I would hope the PPA is much more careful about vetting even simple associations in the future, and are certain that no relationship the PPA has with any company can be construed as an endorsement.

Frankly, while reseaching the CEO Tour issues, I was much more concerned to read that they stated their contributions were not tax-deductible because of the great amount of lobbying the organization did. Lobbying is the primary organizational function for a 401(c)(4), the reason they cannot qualify for tax deductibility for donors is that the PPA is neither a volunteer fire department, nor a veteran's organization consisting of ninety percenty veterans. However, I would urge Greg and the PPA to consider what is standard operating in DC, which is to sandwich a 401(c)(3), charitible organization, that also mainly focuses on lobbying but gains tax deductibility for donors, and a 527 group for political organization, which will allow the PPA to organize to effect elections, on top of the existing 401(c)(4). It requires more filings, and the accounting for the fundraising becomes more complex, but it is entirely legal. They should also note that although PPA donations are not deductible for individuals, they may be deductible as business expenses.