FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Harris. said 12/05, 03:29 PM
If ESPN can show Rock, Paper, Scissors and Who's Now?, they can definitely show Poker.

Poker is extremely popular right now. ESPN is trying to capitalize off of it and fill some air time as well. Personally, I don't find it that entertaining, but I have plenty of friends that do turn in and watch poker on TV. It's not fun for me to watch it, but I can understand how for some people that play the game and understand it a lot more than myself would enjoy it.

I disagree that poker is trying to glamorize gambling. If anything, it's just another example of how people can put time and hard work into something, and it can really pay off for them.

But more than likely it's just an entertaining program that poker players like to watch, just like NFL Live is exciting to football fans, but not every audience. The only problem is poker has a much smaller target than other large sports.

Harris. said 12/05, 05:13 PM
I don't think ESPN has turned away from sports as much as MTV has turned away from music, to continue your example. They cannot afford to just show instant replays 24/7 or recaps of games. It can't be all mainstream sports all the time.

ESPN focuses a lot of their shows, or at least some of the main ones, (PTI, ATH, First & 10, etc.) on debates between sports commentators. Personally I can't complain, because they show numerous views on the current topics. I get to see both sides of an argument, and choose which one I support. Which is exactly why we all spend so much time here, on this site.

The fact is, ESPN cannot afford to keep a sport that is dying to attract fans, (hockey) when they could pick one up that is exploding in terms of fan base. (Poker) ESPN is a business like everything else, so of course they're gonna pick up the programs that are more likely to make them money. And I can't blame them, because poker does have a lot of fans. Just because I don't enjoy doesn't mean nobody else does. If I don't like what's on ESPN, I change the channel.

Harris. said 12/05, 05:46 PM
I live in Minnesota, and I attend a big college hockey school. I gaurantee you there are more kids near me who want to become pro hockey players instead of pro poker players, regardless of what ESPN is showing us. And my area is far from the only one like that.

You say showing poker makes kids want to be pro poker players? In that case, Monday Night Football makes kids want to be pro football players too. Same with Baseball Tonight, or any other sport shown. Poker's influence is not higher than these. Kids are not driven to play professional poker by poker shows on ESPN any more than they are driven to play other sports professionally.

Once again, you can't blame ESPN for capitalizing on a video game that regularly sells millions upon millions of games. Especially when that videogame is about sports. Is it replacing any mainstream sport? No, it's actually adding to it.

You say there are fewer sports heroes? I think you're not looking close enough. There will always be a guy like Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, or Josh Beckett. Those are the types of players kids look up to, and that won't change because ESPN shows poker a few hours each week.