Harrah's And IMG To Promote WSOP Globally
When Jeffrey Pollack was named the Commissioner of the World Series, it was figured that he would make significant changes to the World Series. From the introduction of the Players' Advisory Committee to the return of the mixed game H.O.R.S.E. event to the World Series of Poker schedule, he has already made a sizeable impact on the fabric of the event. Now, Pollack and the World Series are preparing to make an even greater move into the worldwide consciousness.
One of the things that the World Series of Poker hasn't done in its thirty six years is promote the tournament extensively on the global stage. Through its early history, the World Series of Poker was almost a cult classic shared by a noteworthy few. It showed steady growth which has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon here in the 21st century. Now that the tournament is in the hands of Harrah's Entertainment, they are looking to make the summertime event even greater through an alliance with IMG, the premiere sports marketing group in the world.
IMG and Harrah's will be working together to maximize the impact of the business that the World Series of Poker has become and to do this around the world. Such areas as global product licensing and sponsorship sales, Web site development and international television and event development are the key areas that IMG and Harrah's will be focusing on. Both parties have grand outlooks for the future of their alliance.
Pollack, who also maintains his position as the vice president of sports and entertainment marketing for Harrah's along with his Commissioner position, explained the reasons behind the joining of the two powerful organizations. "Our goal is to enhance our position as the most prestigious poker tournament in the world and as the pre-eminent poker brand in the sports industry," he stated. He was also quick to applaud IMG and their efforts towards reaching for the future of poker. "With our thirty six year tradition and heritage, the World Series of Poker is already the category leader. With IMG's expertise and global reach, we will create a new standard of excellence for our customers and partners."
IMG is ready to step up to the plate and accept the challenge. "IMG has a strong heritage of successfully working with global sports and entertainment properties and we share Harrah's vision for the future of the World Series of Poker," said Andy Pierce, senior corporate vice president, IMG. "We are committed to applying our global marketing, media and licensing resources to continue to build this world-class, five-diamond brand."
This action can only lead to even greater things for the World Series. With the efforts of IMG and the continued work from the Harrah's staff, the World Series can now become an even greater force in the poker world. While other organizations may have moved ahead of the World Series on a global scale, the new alliance between Harrah's Entertainment and IMG indicate that they are ready to make the World Series of Poker the preeminent poker operation on the planet. Time will tell what effect it will have.
Ed note: Win your seat to the 2006 WSOP through PokerNews at Hollywood Poker
