Reinventing ESPN Coverage of Main Event

[csquard]

Having covered the WSOP for the last two years, I'm struck by the problems with the ESPN coverage. IMO, the ESPN format is stale and needs some reinvention. Some thoughts:

1. Expand coverage for the poker fanatics. Triple the hours shown and push it to a channel like ESPN Classic.
2. Reduce the coverage of tired acts. I couldn't stomach watching Brenes live, and players like him deserve less time, albeit even though he puts up solid results. It's turned into getting TV time and diminishes the etiquette of the game.
3. Make a more pointed decision to capture the winner. You can't find Jerry Yang or Jamie Gold on Day 1 or 2. But down to six-ten tables, the ESPN cameras spent a ton of time just running to all-in's, halting play. Spend more deliberate time filming everyone left with 100 players down so that you have some interesting coverage to show the FT participants earlier.
4. Look at commentators I know there is a mixed opinion of Norm and Lon. At the least, add some analysts types for a third voice during these episodes. If you want to get rid of them as well, then I can see that as well.

[jojobinks]

[ QUOTE ]
Having covered the WSOP for the last two years, I'm struck by the problems with the ESPN coverage. IMO, the ESPN format is stale and needs some reinvention. Some thoughts:

1. Expand coverage for the poker fanatics. Triple the hours shown and push it to a channel like ESPN Classic.
2. Reduce the coverage of tired acts. I couldn't stomach watching Brenes live, and players like him deserve less time, albeit even though he puts up solid results. It's turned into getting TV time and diminishes the etiquette of the game.
3. Make a more pointed decision to capture the winner. You can't find Jerry Yang or Jamie Gold on Day 1 or 2. But down to six-ten tables, the ESPN cameras spent a ton of time just running to all-in's, halting play. Spend more deliberate time filming everyone left with 100 players down so that you have some interesting coverage to show the FT participants earlier.
4. Look at commentators I know there is a mixed opinion of Norm and Lon. At the least, add some analysts types for a third voice during these episodes. If you want to get rid of them as well, then I can see that as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

great ideas. i'd like to highlight moving away from brenes types more and covering the field better.

the problem: it seems to me that they're after rerun value and a general audience. the format as is is obviously very light on poker, and that's by choice, no? why would they want to give up the general viewership so that the poker nerds will be happy?

[Rottersod]

Good points. I agree that the ESPN coverage has gotten stale. The Lon/Norm shtick is just boring now and the focus on the "name" players is almost absurd. Someone decided a few years ago that these players were going to be the big time pros and it seems like they have taken over the coverage. Do we really need to see Gus Hanson at the main table nitting it up with his dour personality? And we all love Scotty baby but honestly, his act is tiresome and borderline taunting.

I'd like to see a lot less coverage of the first few days and more on the last few. Do we really need 4 episodes of day 1a, b, c and d? Or 2 for day 2? I want to see the bubble and then the deep coverage, especially the final 36 when it really gets exciting and with just 4 tables ESPN should be able to show everyone.

[JDesab]

when the play gets down to 4 or 5 tables.. how expensive would it be to have all 4 or 5 tables equipped with hole cameras? it seems that the only hands that get shown from the "non-featured" tables are the all in hands.. why? because they are the only hands that will result in the cards being shown. how can espn show a hand where both of the players muck unknown cards.

[jogsxyz]

How well are the TV ratings holding up? Does ESPN feel any need to reinvent?

Do we viewers need cards and chips? If not, switch to electron tables for the final five tables.

[gregorio]

Agree with all you said. I don't need to see a bunch of all-in races; much rather see some hands with poker decisions. Ban any idiots like Brenes and RainKahn from getting any screen time. Change the commentators. I want to thrown stuff at the screen everytime I hear yet another wife/ex-wife joke or comment/insult about non-American players. The commentary has to be by far the worst I have ever heard for any televised event.

[Will The Thrill]

i think chips and cards are needed for us the viewer and for the players. I'm suprised at this point that ESPN didn't take the opportunity the last 3 or 4 years to take advantage of the popularity and give us a live view, or real time view on ESPN CLassic or ESPN 2 etc... I think you can tell by the popularity of HSP and PAD that todays poker fan likes seeing 30 hands in a row rather than seeing 30 hands out of 14 hours of play. I like the player interviews and bio type ascpects of their coverage, but they need more time to show poker, even if it's 2am-7am, this is the Tivo era, we'll all still "watch"

[ibluffoldladies]

I don't think they need to completely reinvent the coverage, but please, for the love of GOD, stop showing boring hands. The hands they've been showing haven't been very interesting, and when they do show a good one, it's usually ruined by Rain's gorilla dance or Humberto's chark. I feel like I'm watching an awkward high school social gathering.

[jogsxyz]

All-in preflop gets old pretty quick. There needs to be more small ball shown. The banter by most players is also boring. Get knowledgeable announcers capable of intelligent commentary.

[ripridah]

Quit giving us short updates on C list celebs and David williams' mother. That is an extra 5 minutes per hour show right there.