CHRIS MONEYMAKER!!!
Before the rocket rise of PokerStars, PartyPoker and the many other sites that made Online Poker a phenomenon, these sites were quietly doing quite well promoting poker and running great tournaments. (So many parallel’s exist to DraftKings, FanDuel, DraftStreet, etc). What brought the meteoric rise in Online Poker? Many say MONEYMAKER…an accountant that turned a $33 entry on PokerStars into a World Series of Poker Championship and forever it changed the landscape of online poker. Thousands and thousands of players flocked to the internet for their chance. Some played casually, some got serious, the entire industry was prospering and continued to prosper until the Fed’s Black Friday shutdown several years ago (which is another story that I’m very passionate about…but that is for another time). Moneymaker became a media sensation, went on promotion tours for PokerStars and the industry grew, and grew, and grew. Later many knew the names of Negreanu, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, “Bad Boy” Jean Robert Bellande, Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, Annie Duke and so many others that all helped promote the industry in their own way.
How does this relate? Counting this weekend, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) will have crowned 3 million dollar winners in a matter of a few weeks. Compared to last year, the industry has had tremendous growth but is still tiny compared to “traditional” fantasy sports leagues. However, there is a chance we can change it. It takes a site willing to do the promotion and someone willing to help be the face(s) of the industry I think FanDuel has a great story with Tspiedo and how he won. Get him on some talk shows, some primetime commercials, let’s get this story out there FanDuel, and hopefully he is a willing participant!
DraftStreet has a challenge because one of the grinders Rick Militar won the contest and didn’t even show up at the party (When Poker does this, it’s a requirement to be at the event and help with promotion for a fee). DraftStreet can still do a lot of promotion but they won’t have a face to go with it. It is our hope at DailyOverlay (just as DanBach’s hope in his podcast), that Rick Militar will help the industry in some way — even if it turns out he’s the “bad boy” of the industry, there might be a story there too. :-). The DraftStreet party where the media was in attendance and didn’t have a winner to celebrate was definitely not the way anyone wanted this to go. I just hope some promotion is salvageable here. Click here for the announcement by Rick Militar’s local news about the DraftStreet winner.
Hopefully DraftKings takes note as well and does some promotion of their winner. I have 2 entries, so I’m willing if I win. Dan is shooting for 2 (hope you get it this week Dan!). I’m sure many others are willing as well. The industry is ready for the next big leap from cottage industry to explosive growth. Let’s hope the great work of people in the industry, the players (especially the grinders) as well as the great sites and great promotions (and promoting they do) will take the industry over the top. Maybe next year we will have a contest where the top 5 all become millionaires.
Off the soap box…
