When did it happen?

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:32 pm

When did poker become a spectator sport? I mean, it didn't used to be broadcast over television and what not. It used to be just a card game to gamble on. Now there are celebrity tournaments reported on and stuff.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:36 pm

Walden wrote:When did poker become a spectator sport? I mean, it didn't used to be broadcast over television and what not. It used to be just a card game to gamble on. Now there are celebrity tournaments reported on and stuff.

I think the movie "Rounders" did a lot to bring that about.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Post by **Nanohedron** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:44 pm

Walden wrote:When did poker become a spectator sport?

Been a few years, now. I don't get it, except maybe for the fascination-with-celebrity thing, the psychological game, and that, as I understand, the winnings go to charity. Changing lightbulbs is about as interesting to me.

I wish they had their own dedicated channel so I could avoid it. You'd think The Travel Channel would be about.......why, travel. Novel concept, eh?

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:57 pm

I don't watch any celebrity poker, but I do occasionally watch the world of poker championship (is that the name??). It's fascinating to me--not that I'm a poker player--the strategy and the mind games. I'd rather watch that than bowling or golf.

Susan

Post by **Nanohedron** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:05 pm

susnfx wrote:I don't watch any celebrity poker, but I do occasionally watch the world of poker championship (is that the name??). It's fascinating to me--not that I'm a poker player--the strategy and the mind games. I'd rather watch that than bowling or golf.

Susan

I suppose that's why I like sumō, too (the REAL thing). Not a lot going on on the face of it - other than all the pomp and circumstance - but the psychologial and strategic side of things in a bout is gripping for me. It's not just portly behemoths in diapers crashing into each other. Wish I could get tournaments on basic cable.

s1m0n · Post by **s1m0n** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:15 pm

I think it's an outgrowth of internet poker, actually.

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:54 pm

Walden wrote:When did poker become a spectator sport? I mean, it didn't used to be broadcast over television and what not. It used to be just a card game to gamble on. Now there are celebrity tournaments reported on and stuff.

Crazy old world.

I did find it bizzare and unbelievable that a bunch of cards became stylish..and fashionable..

Who would have thought..eh?

Slan,
D.

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:58 pm

My understanding is the same as s1m0n's, that it grew out of illegal on-line gambling sites. As soon as the American gov't tried to clamp down on it, millions of people who previously didn't know anything about it became informed, and it just took off from there.

djm

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:13 pm

I wish to apologize for the entire country for doing so and using up bandwidth on our now all most digital air ways.

So Very Sorry

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:25 pm

Walden wrote:When did poker become a spectator sport? I mean, it didn't used to be broadcast over television and what not. It used to be just a card game to gamble on. Now there are celebrity tournaments reported on and stuff.

When someone figured out that folks would watch it and they could sell commercials and make $$.

(my dh likes to watch it if no interesting political stuff is on- I've watched on occasion, if I'm really, really bored or too tired to move)

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:12 am

Makes about as much sense as watching a fishing tournament on TV.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:33 am

djm wrote:My understanding is the same as s1m0n's, that it grew out of illegal on-line gambling sites.

The legality is only an issue in one country. The sites are perfectly legal everywhere else. This has led to the ridiculous cases of the site owners being arrested when they set foot in the states because Americans have been using foreign web sites to gamble.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:50 am

May you live in exciting times.

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:08 am

cowtime wrote:
Walden wrote:When did poker become a spectator sport? I mean, it didn't used to be broadcast over television and what not. It used to be just a card game to gamble on. Now there are celebrity tournaments reported on and stuff.
When someone figured out that folks would watch it and they could sell commercials and make $$.

Considering that the whole thing is product placement that will draw people to casinos (the viewers are a demographic that are have a predisposition to like what they are selling), and that people pay to participate, there seems to be more than one revenue stream that could make this profitable.

wvtinwhistler · Post by **wvtinwhistler** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:41 pm

[quote="Nanohedron"][quote="Walden"]When did poker become a spectator sport?[/quote]

Been a few years, now. I don't get it, except maybe for the fascination-with-celebrity thing, the psychological game, and that, as I understand, the winnings go to charity. Changing lightbulbs is about as interesting to me.

I wish they had their own dedicated channel so I could avoid it. You'd think The Travel Channel would be about.......why, [i]travel[/i]. Novel concept, eh?[/quote]

Yea.. it seems like the Travel Channel is more like a Las Vegas Gambling channel. I remember when it actually was about travel... a long time ago.

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