Is Poker On Its Way To Becoming A Sport?

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Monday, August 17th, 2015 | Written by Lucy Brown

There’s no doubt that poker is competitive, but can you classify the game as a sport? People who don’t play or follow the competitive circuit may balk at the idea since poker isn’t a physical game in the same way as traditional sports. Still, the owner of the Global Poker Index (GPI), Alex Dreyfus, is trying to change perceptions and make poker into an international sport.

The Global Poker Index seeks to rank professional players, using a mathematically calculated score derived from examining a number of verticals during tournaments. By establishing the ranking system, Dreyfus has put poker players in a position to become stars much like the ATP ranking system has helped professional tennis players gain world renown. As Dreyfus explains:

“We need players to be more visible as ambassadors of poker as a sport. We need to find these people and make sure they are legit. Then we need to help them convince the mainstream media to listen to them.”

Building Off Growing Popularity

Live streaming online poker games on sites such as Twitch.tv has doubtlessly already helped Dreyfus on his mission to make poker into a legitimate sport. Before these sites made it possible to engage in real play with people from all over the world, online poker was anonymous and much like any computer game, even when real money was at stake. Now, top players, such as Jason Somerville, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Helmuth, can be seen and heard in real time, and people from every corner of the globe can tune in and watch them compete at the virtual tables.

Mediarex To Launch Live Poker Channel

Seeing the opportunity to use live streaming to make poker a form of entertainment for players and spectators, Dreyfus has acquired nearly $5 million from investors for his company Mediarex Sports & Entertainment (MSE), parent company behind the GPI, to launch a sports entertainment site for streaming live poker and producing poker-related shows. Headquartered in Malta, the company has received funding from sports marketing companies and telecoms, already positioning Mediarex for success in broadcasting and promoting poker as a sport.

On the one hand, the poker industry has taken a hit in the west following Black-Friday when the US Department of Justice shut down the operations of PokerStars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker, stateside. On the other hand, more than 100 million people from all around the world play poker, and the global market has continued to expand, thanks in a large part to the hugely lucrative Asian market. Having reported around 17% growth in 2012 and 2013, poker experienced 9.4% increase in 2014, whilst digital interest in poker also continues to surge. As MSE CEO Alex Dreyfus explains:

“China will likely be the epicenter of the next Poker boom and this time the boom looks to be powered by eSports, the video game, media and sports industries. Thanks to our new investors we’ll be able to reach new strategic partnerships in China to help develop the sport of Poker there, creating a domino effect that has globally positive effects.”

Looking Ahead

It’s too soon to tell whether or not Dreyfus and Mediarex Sports & Entertainment will succeed and take poker from something originally played in a casino to something that draws as much buzz as something played in a stadium, but it is certain that the venture will have an impact upon poker. Some players argue that poker doesn’t need to evolve from its current state. Others counter that without growing, poker may eventually fade into obscurity and be seen as a passing trend from the early new millennium.

Ranking players can only serve to help those who compete in tournaments in the short term. Even if they do not manage to achieve celebrity status enjoyed by pro sports players, those who manage to make it to the top of the rankings will have the opportunity to create their own brands. It’s possible that even if Mediarex Sports & Entertainment fails to bring the vision of poker as a spectator sport to fruition that interest in the personalities involved in the game will succeed.

So is poker a sport? It’s clear that the definition of sport is truly a matter of perception. The answer to the question for now depends on who you ask, but as far as Alex Dreyfus is concerned; “Poker is an old game, but a young industry.. It’s a large audience and the best way to aggregate it is to promote Poker like a sport.”