Romanian Poker Championship – the failure of poker stars in Romania?
PokerStars.com - the number 1 European poker room
I didn’t planned to write about the recent Romanian Poker Championship, although I had some strong opinions against it, or to be more clear, against the fact that the leading European poker room – PokerStars.com – made an alliance with a shady new llc (limited liability company) that called itself “Romanian Poker Federation”, just a few days after the startup.
I was against the propaganda that was made around the arrival of Daniel Negreanu – and telling everyone this is a PR stunt, which came through unfortunately, instead of Daniel came to Bucharest Chris Moneymaker who’s only notable poker event was the winning of WSOP 2003 ME, since than he went dry as the water in Sahara.
Although there is no legal Romanian poker federation registered with the Romanian authorities, although the people that founded the federation are still unknown or undisclosed to the public, although there is no NGO or any association that affiliated with the LLC – PokerStars went backup up 100% the shady deal and started promoting the event – Romanian Poker Championship on their online poker room.
The legal representant of PokerStars Romania acted in many discussions like the legal spokesman of the Romanian Poker Federation (limited liability company, remember), giving the impression that PokerStars founded and controlled the new llc, or just the their legal Romanian manager is acting hectic, representing 2 companies and placing the PokerStars brand under a negative light in Romania, instead of promoting it careful with the image associated. In many occasions, over the leading romanian poker talk forum – holdem.ro – the PokerStars spokesman – DelaPokerStar.
When the news that PokerStar’s Daniel Negreanu won’t be at the RPC – the federation and the legal PokerStar manager for Romania – keept the story hidden from the public for almost a week – that’s less then 3 weeks before the event start. Also, a big setback was that Casino Marriott one of the biggest Romanian casinos, although was announced as the RPC holding place, wasn’t at all, the event ending up in some hallway at Casino Pullman – miles away, but i guess that Negreanu and Casino Marriott where just the baits for people to signup to the tournament.
The event went quietly during last week, Nov 11-15, and another bad point for the PokerStars was the fact that the tournament was delayed with a week – delay was announced less than a month prior to the event, turning competitors schedule upside down – some of the ticket winners from online tournament rennounced at tournament participation because of the delay.
So, here is, imho the negative image that the Poker Stars manager for Romania must deal with:
1. The tournament was organized by a new formed llc, called itself “Romanian Poker Federation”. There is no legal acredited Poker Federation in Romania, they backed up a shadow company!
2. The main guest and no.1 Romanian/World poker player, Daniel Negreanu – a presence that was announced as 100% there, wasn’t there. After the fact was known, PStars kept it secret for almost a week – lack of transparency and lies are often an impediment when an event is organized in casino/poker industry.
3. After almost a week and less than 3 weeks before the tournament the news or Daniel’s lack from the tournaments events was broke to the participants. No compensation was offered and no redraws where possible for the players although maybe more than 90% of the players signed up because of Daniel’s presence at the event.
4. PokerStars Romanian manager acted like a representant of the newly formed llc – this is a double role, that I don’t think the PokerStars leaders will agree with having their own employee represent someone else instead of them, and bringing damage to PokerStars image by representing/defending the other company.
5. Event was moved from a 5 star location, Casino Marriott – to an almost unknown location – hotel Pullman, just weeks before the event start. No transparency or legal/official notices, just that event was moved.
6. The replacement of Daniel Negreanu, Chris Moneymaker failed tot fill the gap created by Daniel’s lack from event. He was a shadowly presence and didn’t even made it to the last day of the event.
7. Event wasn’t covered by media, there where no creatives for the event what-so-ever. Also, there was no promotion for the event in online medium, just negative rumors and discussions and no transparency online from the PokerStars representants in Romania. There where only a few websites that look like they where created in 2005-2006 from the design, look and feel – and i’m reffering here at federatiaromanadepoker.ro and romanianpokerchampionship.com. Hiring some designers would benefit the future events made by both PStars and the Romanian llc.
8. There is still uncertain who made what. One thing is clear – there’s no Romanian Poker Federation, but there’s a LLC called that way, misleading people. PokerStars Romania backed up the llc 120%, hurting their images just to protect the llc’s image. That sux, from many points of view.
9. There’s no reaction from London’s main office regarding the event or the PokerStars failure.
10. After the event passed we can’t say was a success – most of the people that had an argument about the event where unhappy – either by accusing the lack of transparency and hidding the sensitive informations like Daniel’s lack from the event or the tax on prize that was applied.
So, the questions that must be asked now are:
1. Is PokerStars casting aside Romania’s poker players and their contribution to the European poker community ? (remember, we made no.2 last year on country poker championship)
2. Is this a singular event failure, or will be more failures in the near future for PokerStars in Romanian market, maybe due to inexperience of working with Romanian casino market?
3. What is the gain of the Romanian poker over this? Was PokerStars aware of their misrepresentation ? Or of the misleading of the Romanian poker players ? Will PokerStars support illegal companies/llc’s in the future ?
I know, the last one is a bit harsh, but, c’mon – a federation that is a limited liability company. That’s just lmao in PokerStars and Romanian poker players faces. And the fact that the whole event is a big PR & marketing failure - from outside looks like amateur jobs – the marketing of the event, the side taking public talks, the back up of the llc, the secret of Daniel’s lack from the tournament, replacement with a player that can’t even …. no point in going on anymore, i think you can get the point.
Good luck in the future PokerStars, maybe you should hire new people to represent you better here, in Romania ? Just a thought !
To quote Paul’s original “Writing a weblog today isn’t the bright idea it was four years ago. The blogosphere, once a freshwater oasis of folksy self-expression and clever thought, has been flooded by a tsunami of paid bilge. Cut-rate journalists and underground marketing campaigns now drown out the authentic voices of amateur wordsmiths. It’s almost impossible to get noticed, except by hecklers. And why bother? The time it takes to craft sharp, witty blog prose is better spent expressing yourself on Flickr, Facebook, or Twitter.“(read entire article 
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