Harrah's Bans Poker Logos at 2007 WSOP?

Filed in archive Poker on February 21, 2007

If the rumors running along the message boards are true, pictures like this one (taken by FlipChip of LasVegasVegas.com will be nonexistent at this years WSOP. According to unconfirmed reports, Harrah's has issued a ban on all internet poker apparel on their televised broadcasts for this year's World Series of Poker. Interestingly, this ban is reportedly only in effect for sites that accept US players, a number that is steadily shrinking.

Many may remember at last year's WSOP when Harrah's forced players to cover up any ".com" logos on apparel and replace them with ".net" logo wear or stickers. This caused no end of headaches for marketing folks at poker sites who shelled out thousands of dollars for logo hats and shirts for their players, only to have those logos covered up or replaced at the last minute.

If true, this move by Harrah's would also put an end to another revenue stream for WSOP players - the final table bidding war. Several poker sites were very generous in their payouts to players last year for wearing their logo at the final table. Some players have reported being offered upwards of five figures to wear a hat or shirt from a particular site while they played a televised final table.

This could have a vastly chilling effect on poker sites' willingness to offer satellites to the WSOP, as it can no longer be considered a marketing expense to cover players' expenses and lodging for the WSOP if no logo will get airtime at the tournament. This certainly casts doubt on Harrah's ability to draw anywhere near the record crowds last year's tournaments saw, giving credence to Phil Gordon's speculation that the 2007 WSOP Main Event will revert to "Pre-Moneymaker" attendance levels.