Only 2 Hands? ESPN Did Poor Job With 2008 WSOP Heads Up Match

Here's the thing. The WSOP and ESPN have this mad plan to "pause" the WSOP and play out the final table 4 months later in November. They think they can build up a "buzz" to attract and increase viewers. So we wait.. and we wait.. and we wait until this past Tuesday when the final 9 play out for the winner. In the meantime (as pokerchick pointed out on acpg's forum) the players all hire coaches, review ESPN footage of their opponents, etc, to prepare for the final table.... that right there pretty much destroys the WSOP tradition. Past winners had to grind out constantly over a week of hard fought poker to gain the crown... now they get a vacation?

But here's the part I'm angry about.... the two finalist end up in a heads up duel lasting 105 hands... lots of flops, lots of decision, lots of drama.... and ESPN choses to air only 2 hands... that's right.. 2 hands out of 105 played. I'm surpised no one in the poker press has written about this. To me (and I think most people) heads up is one of the best part of the WSOP final event. These two players have battled through thousands of opponents. One of them will end up living a dream and one will live the rest of their life knowing they were that close to legendary status. Now that's the height of competition and drama. However, the WSOP and ESPN only game you 10 minutes of that battle. Couldn't they dedicate a 1 hour episode to the heads up match?

They botched it. This was a misstep on their part and will probably lead to further decline in poker on TV.

Fred
http://www.acpokerguide.com