Sexton Sells at the World Poker Tour

Filed in archive Poker on March 15, 2006

There's an interesting dispute going on at the WPT these days - mainly with a bunch of pros that are attached to fulltiltpoker.com - including Chris Ferguson and Andy Bloch.

Apparently, these players have decided not to compete in any World Poker Tour events because they think the release form they have to sign gives up too many rights to the use of their image.

Others believe that just makes way for a new crop of players to make their name on the tour

The question that arises from this is what sells poker on TV - is it the pros or the poker itself.

According to Lynn Ratcliffe, a reader of the Las Vegas Sun and TV poker fan its Sexton himself that sells the tour.

"Tell Andy Bloch that I watch these televised tournaments because of the announcers, not because of the established poker stars or the game itself," Ratcliffe wrote. "A skillful announcer, such as (World Poker's) Mike Sexton, makes the tournament seem exciting.

Sexton, the editing, the camera angles and the sheer excitement all adds to the mix. But she does have a point

Article: Jeff Haney on one viewer of the televised World Poker Tour who sees commentator Sexton as the star of the show and not the players themselves