Remember BillBinLV from NWP? He now runs a company where you can film your own fake televised final table

[ThreeBet]

http://pokergrump.blogspot.com/2012/...l-sort-of.html

I guess this would be kind of cool from the standpoint of a poker fanboy. Any serious poker player who does this should shoot himself.

BTW, I am not bringing this up because Micon was at the table. I actually think this is an interesting business idea, though I am wondering if there will be enough market for it (since each player has to cough up $250 in production fees.)

Oh, and here's a picture of Srsly Sirius on the right, who was also present for the beta testing of it:



None of the people for the beta test had to pay for the experience, BTW.

[chinamaniac]

What exactly does one get from this?

So let me get this straight. 9 guys pony up $250 and fake a final table?

Probably the dumbest thing I have ever heard of but I am sure some people will do it but it won't last.


The idea of filming a home game for shits and giggles may work but the work would never be consistent.

[NaturalBornHustler]

What exactly does one get from this?

So let me get this straight. 9 guys pony up $250 and fake a final table?

Probably the dumbest thing I have ever heard of but I am sure some people will do it but it won't last.

The idea of filming a home game for shits and giggles may work but the work would never be consistent.

My thoughts exactly, still don't get it.

[chinamaniac]

OMG I actually misread this!

They EACH have to pony up $250? LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLZ

This thing is doomed to fail. Hopefully there is no serious money invested in this.

If the price was lower I could see guys fucking around, getting drunk, being obnoxious etc. and playing it up just for fun but when you throw a $250 tag on this per person

[Deal]

Besides teaming up with hotels to try and get groups to hire them there is the potential of getting corporate boondoggles to buy in. I mean, golfing pebble beach, driving a nascar car, pro-am golfing an open, boat tours, helicopter tours, wine tours, sporting events, are all things I have done on vendors dimes. This could easily fit in there.

[Mad Dad]

I think this is a cool idea. I wouldn't travel to Vegas because of this, but while I was there I might just go for it. As everybody has said, the price point is the key. I think it is just a bit high at $250 since I believe this will compete with the dailies for market share. Over $200 will reduce the market drastically. $100-$199 would be in the sweet spot for a wide swath of tourists. I also don't see the need to have 9 people go together. Suppose me and a buddy are there, and a few other duos, trios, even singles are around. Add in a few props when needed and you have a game. If you put say $75 or $125 of the $250 (or $199) into a prize pool, I think you would have a line up. Let's face it, most tourist who play the dailies have no expectation to even cash, so it is all about the experience. This experience seems at least as good as Binion's or Caesar's or the Venetian - all good and different in their own way. Certainly better than the Flamingo turbo donkaments. I give this a thumbs up!

[Mad Dad]

Trailer (h/t Kevmath)

[TheTemplar]

OMG I actually misread this!

They EACH have to pony up $250? LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLZ

This thing is doomed to fail. Hopefully there is no serious money invested in this.

If the price was lower I could see guys fucking around, getting drunk, being obnoxious etc. and playing it up just for fun but when you throw a $250 tag on this per person

[Crowe Diddly]

How is the Iceman not a part of this?

[zealanddonk]

How is the Iceman not a part of this?

He tried to, but no one understood what the "#1 N Final Table Experience" was all about. With all the Ice Girls around, it sounded a bit more like "GFE" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girlfriend_experience

[SetofKs]

I think it probably would have done well back in 2004/2005 back during the poker boom, when the economy wasn't complete dogshit. But I think a product like this that is expensive, and people clearly don't need, in a dying industry and tough economy is destined for failure.

[jsearles22]

I think the term "fake" is a little too harsh in the thread title. There are thousands upon thousands of poker leagues around the world that all eventually come down to a "final table" scenario. Many of these are for high dollar. Taking $2k out of the prize pool and setting it aside to pay for this production would IMO be much more likely then most of the respondants in this thread think.

the one downside I see is the location. This is set up in one building and isnt easily moved. This is great for the west coasters and not so good for the east coasters. Maybe if this goes over well he will consider opening one up in AC?

[ThreeBet]

This is possibly the dumbest idea I've ever heard of.

[JUSTIFIEDhomicide]

Great idea, but the price point needs to be alot lower. 99 dollars would be the perfect selling price. Also you need to get some promotion among the casinos to expand client base.

Gotta agree with my Dwan-loving friend here.

The idea is interesting and has potential, but it needs some fine tuning to be successful.

The biggest problems I see:

1) The price. $249 is just too damn high for nine people to come up with for something like this, especially since you WON'T be getting degenerate poker pros doing it.

2) Getting nine people for this will be tough. Tourists rarely travel in packs of nine. And it will have to become really popular in order to be able to find enough smaller groups to combine for a nine-handed table.

3) Las Vegas locals won't be interested, for the most part, because Vegas locals are burnt out on gimmickry.

The best chance this has of succeeding is partnering with a major hotel and having it be part of a package they sell to tourists. That would send in a constant stream of people. Otherwise I don't see this working.

If they were smart they'd charge 249.99 and put 150 of it toward an actual prizepool. That would eliminate the need for the nine people to actually know eachother, and bring some incentive to actually want to spend money to do this.

[OSA]

Maybe they can get sponsored by the Spearmint Rhino and have the winner take home 5 free lap dances. If a woman wins you can get passes to Thunder from down under or spa services or whatever.

I am a marketing genius.

[Muck Ficon]

What a waste of money.

[JUSTIFIEDhomicide]

Seriously though, why wouldn't you add some incentive to play for real money in this? Are their legal issues in doing so? It's not like you HAVE to have 8 other friends to make a full table with you, but it seems like that's the way they're approaching it. Who the fuck cares about the other 8 people when you're making a video for YOURSELF? It's not like you showed up with 8 friends so you could watch THEM on the DVD. People are so retarded...

[Deal]

Seriously though, why wouldn't you add some incentive to play for real money in this? Are their legal issues in doing so? It's not like you HAVE to have 8 other friends to make a full table with you, but it seems like that's the way they're approaching it. Who the fuck cares about the other 8 people when you're making a video for YOURSELF? It's not like you showed up with 8 friends so you could watch THEM on the DVD. People are so retarded...

There is a subset of society that really get off on being like a pro and they have IQ's low enough that they can get that satisfaction even from a fake setting. These people are the target market, they have dozens of participation medals from their little league tournaments enclosed in trophy cases, they order expensive bottles of wine during group meals then leave early without paying. That sort of douchbag. Jsearles for instance. He would love to be in the game and then post it on youtube and facebook. Now if he was in a job in which he had buying decision power the vendors would love to get him in this 'experience' No payout required for this market.

[JUSTIFIEDhomicide]

Seriously though, why wouldn't you add some incentive to play for real money in this? Are their legal issues in doing so? It's not like you HAVE to have 8 other friends to make a full table with you, but it seems like that's the way they're approaching it. Who the fuck cares about the other 8 people when you're making a video for YOURSELF? It's not like you showed up with 8 friends so you could watch THEM on the DVD. People are so retarded...

There is a subset of society that really get off on being like a pro and they have IQ's low enough that they can get that satisfaction even from a fake setting. These people are the target market, they have dozens of participation medals from their little league tournaments enclosed in trophy cases, they order expensive bottles of wine during group meals then leave early without paying. That sort of douchbag. Jsearles for instance. He would love to be in the game and then post it on youtube and facebook. Now if he was in a job in which he had buying decision power the vendors would love to get him in this 'experience' No payout required for this market.

it really limits your market IMO. I'm not one of those nerds you speak of, but I'd pay 250 to try and win something and get a dvd of myself in the process

[jsearles22]

There is a subset of society that really get off on being like a pro and they have IQ's low enough that they can get that satisfaction even from a fake setting. These people are the target market, they have dozens of participation medals from their little league tournaments enclosed in trophy cases, they order expensive bottles of wine during group meals then leave early without paying. That sort of douchbag. Jsearles for instance. He would love to be in the game and then post it on youtube and facebook. Now if he was in a job in which he had buying decision power the vendors would love to get him in this 'experience' No payout required for this market.

it really limits your market IMO. I'm not one of those nerds you speak of, but I'd pay 250 to try and win something and get a dvd of myself in the process

I still think the target market should be poker leagues. I know of multiple poker leagues just around me that are $40-$50 weekly for 40 guys. The league runs 20 weeks or so and at the end there is a big tournament based on standings in the league. Final table group plays for the most obviously with the winner getting a Main Event seat and a package to Vegas. There is over $40K in the pot at the end of the league. Im sure many of these leagues would pony up the $2000 or whatever it is and have their final table taped in this style.

I agree its not for everyone, but the poker leagues seem like the most obvious option. It would be affordable even for the low limit leagues I mentioned, not even considering higher buy in leagues that could easily pay for this!