Gambling/General : Jeffrey Pollack's statements regarding the 2007 European WSOP

In January, 2006, Harrah's hired Jeffrey Pollack, the previous NASCAR executive, to supervise the explosive and spectacular develop of the WSOP.

Pollack told Casino City in a recent meeting that he had many thoughts about how to broaden the WSOP globally, how to rationalize advertising guiding principle and how to make the timetable, lodging and organization embrace the demands of all gamblers.

Unfortunately, until now, only a small portion of those ideas were putted into practice. For example, the addition of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament and the plenteous restrooms and food stands that made life easier for thousands of poker gamblers.

In general, the 2006 WSOP was a deep success. Records were busted, the audience was astonishing and Pollack was front and center at every bracelet ceremony to detail the poker's most impressive prize. He adored the success, but confesses that he wanted more. This year, the poker community will truly begin to feel his existence.

European Bracelet

Recently, Pollack declared the foundation of the WSOP Europe. This three-tournament series in London will honor the gamblers with the equivalent bracelets offered at the Las Vegas event. Pollack stated that the idea for this tournament series started on in 2006, but it took time to outline the strategy and to establish the details of the concept.

The three WSOP Europe tournaments will go on at the London Clubs International this September, counting a 10,000 pound ($19,600) Main Event anticipated to attract many, many poker fans from all around Europe.

Pollack also mentioned that WSOP Europe is only the opening step. He doesn't want the WSOP to turn into a tour, stating that other brands already do the tournament circuit pretty well. Pollack said that their object is to embrace ultra-prestigious poker events. They already have the world's major event in Las Vegas. Now, they plan to include other geographic locations, like Europe, to continue building their global brand.

Pure advertising strategy

The advertising issue was a delicate matter back in the 2006 WSOP. With the Department of Justice warning media corporations about admitting online gambling commercials, the WSOP prohibited all ads and clothing promoting dot com Webs.

WSOP representatives forced the new rule while gamblers were sitting down to play at the first event. Across Rio, players turned their t-shirts inside out and rolls of duct tape surrounded the tables as challengers helped each other block out the dot com addresses.

Considering the fact that this ruling regarding advertising policy was introduced in the last minute, enforcement was wick. However, Pollack said that creating a specific advertising policy is a priority in 2007. Clearly, stringent enforcement will take place.

But, different from Harrah's, which won't permit dot net ads from sites connected with real-money rooms that accept U.S. players, like Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, at European WSOP, players can show off as many dot net ads on their bodies an clothes as they want, as long as they don't go over 12-square inches.

When asked if he thinks that poker gamblers would look like NASCAR drivers, wearing uniforms covered with commercials from all over the Internet, Pollack laughed quietly. His pervious profession was the Director of Broadcasting and Digital Media for NASCAR Digital.

Pollack replied that it could be possible, but as long as they respect the advertising guidelines, everything will be just fine.

Briefing the timetable

Scheduling the events was a high concern for Pollack. Protests about the tournament structure, like too much Texas Hold'em tournaments, were ordinary at the 2006 series.

Therefore Pollack launched a sequence of controls to guarantee that the 2007 timetable was player friendly.

He initiated a player's consultative council, which include the world's top expert and amateur players, to offer support. He surveyed the gamblers, dealers, and sponsors to spot what worked and what didn't. All three groups offered precious information that guide to the 55-event 2007 timetable.

Pollack said that by a 3 to 1 margin, the study pointed out that the game of choice was No-Limit Hold'em. They added the heads-up event and kept the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E event because of popular demand. Anyway, the timetable clearly reflects the major interests of everyone involved.

He thinks that 2007 has the correct number of events. However that doesn't mean that things won't change again in 2008. In addition Pollack stated that it's not really a matter of quantity, it's all about discovering the perfect mix that will provide gamblers with a quality World Series of Poker.

Great lodging

There will be approximately 300 tables at the Rio, sufficient to house the tournaments, the side-games, the satellites and the second chance tournaments.

Pollack sustained that he anticipates hosting at least one tournament where he will require 235-245 tables. If that's not enough, Pollack said that they will have alternates. He also said that one of their main concerns is to accommodate. They intend to be able to offer a seat to everyone who wants one.