QA- Brian asks about the massive increase in number of players at the WSOP

Annie:
With almost 9000 entries into the WSOP, the event now spans almost 2 weeks (if you last that long).  What do you see as the biggest change that has happened to the event?  With several off-days, proliferation of amateurs’ pressing their luck’, and the like, would you support increasing the entrance fee to trim down the field? Thanks!  Brian.

Brian – All the changes at the WSOP main event were done to accommodate the huge field and limited space at the Rio, where there simply wasn’t enough room to start more than a quarter of the field at once. We had four day ones and two day twos. The field wasn’t even consolidated until day three – when we made the money! I’m not sure I like increasing the buy-in. The $10,000 “Main Event” isn’t what it once was, but it is becoming something else, something like a giant marathon, where anyone can enter, as opposed to an elite race, invitation only. I would love to see the field grow and grow and grow – it’s good for poker! But we need a bigger place to play. Maybe a sports arena?! I’m also in favor of other, big buy-in, invitation only events, like a pro circuit. But the world of poker is big enough to accommodate all of these delicious variations.

xo annie