Can the WSOP Save Bluff Magazine?

[gaboonviper]

As most of you know it looks like Bluff Media will be designated the official digital publisher and radio partner of the WSOP, WSOP Circuit, WSOP Europe and other WSOP events.

Do you think this can save Bluff magazine from what looks like an eventual demise? With so many pokersites pulling their magazine ads; with overall interest in poker going down; with the UIGEA causing an implosion of the poker boom....just how many poker magazines will be left?

As I have stated in previous posts I think Cardplayer will be the only poker magazine to survive. Cardplayer is the only QUALITY magazine out there. You can actually learn more and improve your game by reading it. Can the same be said for Bluff or All-In? I think not.

Even with WSOP I cannot see Bluff (or any of the few other remaining poker magazines for that matter) lasting beyond the end of the year. Without the poker boom to support them magazines like Bluff and All-In will probably vanish, leaving only Cardplayer.

[NNNNOOOOONAN]

you are so [censored] retarded on so many levels. go away and never come back ever.

[krazyace5]

[ QUOTE ]
you are so [censored] retarded on so many levels. go away and never come back ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yeah, and who gives a [censored]...

[Taylor Caby]

as someone who has done articles for both magazines i think they are both entertaining. bluff has focused more on internet play (although CP is adding more) and cardplayer has historically had more big name live pro writers.

you just seem to have some sort of agenda, imo.

i think there is room for both but i suspect they both won't be able to collect the huge advertising rates they are currently getting.

tc

[F0rtysxity]

although i've read much more cardplayer than bluff, bluff has tilley and laaks as regular contributers both of whose articles i've always found very enjoyable.

[Texter]

When Card Player let Naked Poker buy the cover; they lost a lot of credibility in my book. That site is total crap.

Naked Poker Article

[Johnny Hughes]

I may have an article in the next Bluff. It sounds as if he original poster does have an ax to grind. I wish all the magazines well.

[GambleAB]

There was a post on another message board a little while ago that was VERY similar to the OP (Bluff sucks, Cardplayer is the only good magazine, ect) and the IP resolved to the Cardplayer offices.

[hollaballa]

yeah, there's really no reason to even make posts like this. As AB pointed out, it looks like one of these companies is more worried than the other.

Oh yeah, and you have no idea how much money people pay to be associated with the WSOP.

A 4 year deal like the one Bluff signed with the WSOP is worth $15,000,000+ (as in over the 4 year term, whoever has this deal with Harrah's will make $15mil +), and I'm positive of that. That's probably why there's been a rash of posts and things in an effort to trash Bluff. This is pretty big business we're talking about.

The OP question should probably be the other way around.

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]

you just seem to have some sort of agenda, imo.

i think there is room for both but i suspect they both won't be able to collect the huge advertising rates they are currently getting.

tc

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Taylor - his agenda is only that he is a bad poster. He is 2+2's yellow journalist, he only starts new threads with alarmist statements. Problem is his statements are often based on truth, but 95% of the time its old news that we have already discussed.

As for the "huge advertising rates" the magazines are both collecting, that is an industry fallacy unfortunately. They primarily operate like an affiliate network, getting paid based on new member acquisition. Since neither magazine has courted national consumer advertisers they have no other major revenue stream besides foreign media (I am 98% positive they are both losing money on newsstand and subscriptions). At this stage its not a profitable solution, and I would expect that unless buyouts occur or reckless cash injections we will start to see one if not both titles fold within the next 2 years at the latest. I don't know about Bluff's investors, but I know Cardplayer had an injection of 3 mil just prior to the UGIA passing so they have small cushion to ride it out, sell to a foreign entity, or rethink their business model. Funny thing is letting BLUFF have the coverage at the WSOP might be a better move for Cardplayer in the long run than most people assume - it seems that it will keep them from wasting money on non-performing assets (unless there is licensing revenue from WSOP coverage that I am not privy to). There has been a few threads in books discussing the state of the poker magazine industry, feel free to search them if your interested.