PokerStars – the biggest online poker website in the world spent more than a year in promoting and marketing its first ever PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship (PSPC). The 2019 PSPC is scheduled to take place in the Bahamas from January 6-10 and will attract poker players from all over the world.
PokerStars came out with a unique marketing campaign that promoted this event as the biggest poker tournament in the history of the game with the winner guaranteed to walk away with more than $1 million in prize money and get their 2019 off to a great start. This is high stakes poker event has a $25,000 buy-in and is expected to draw in a strong field despite the massive buy-in because PokerStars has thrown in over $9 million in cash most of which came via its Platinum Pass promotion.
There are a number of reasons why the 2019 PSPC is a unique poker event. We take a look at some of the main reasons below:
Lifetime Chance For the Average Joes
PokerStars drew a lot of attention to the 2019 PSPC because of its Platinum Pass marketing campaign. Each Platinum Pass package had a value of $30,000 which included the $25,000 buy-in. The online poker giant gave away as many as 320 Platinum Passes via innovative promotions that allowed average and amateur poker players from all over the world an opportunity to win a Platinum Pass package and book a seat for themselves at the PSPC.
James Rattigan who is the producer of the PokerStars European Poker Tour knows that a unique tournament like PSPC could transform an ordinary person’s dream into reality – much like how the Chris Moneymaker story took the poker world by storm after he took down the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event and turned into a multi-millionaire overnight.
The PSPC had a clear goal and that was to give average Joe’s the opportunity to take part in a major high stakes poker tournament where they get to enjoy a lifetime experience of competing with some of the world’s most prominent poker pros and see if they can create history and walk away with a life changing sum of money. PokerStars remained true to that commitment by giving away 320 free seats to the tournament through Platinum Passes which also include free accommodation and travel expenses.
The Platinum Passes will add a huge $8 million to the prize pool, while an extra $1 million will also be given to the top winner.
Full Tournament Coverage
While all this is fabulous for the players in attendance, PokerStars is also doing its best to make things special for poker fans who are unable to make it to the Bahamas. The company will treat viewers to a complete coverage of the PSPC, from Day 1 till the final action.
Rattigan said PSPC marks the first time that a PokerStars tournament will be live-streamed on the first day, considering that live coverage usually starts on Day 2. The full live stream is a great opportunity for each of the Platinum Pass winners to showcase their skills and make a name for themselves in front of millions of viewers worldwide. PokerStars will spend time covering each of the qualifier’s journeys from start to finish.
Stiff Competition Over 5 Days
Rattigan is confident the PSPC will attract a large field of around 750-800 entries although those numbers could be considerably higher. There is no doubt that the competition at the poker tables will be really competitive as players who make the final table will be sure to walk away with a significant amount of money.
The Bahamas has been home to a number of premier poker events such as partypoker’s Caribbean Poker Party. PokerStars should be able to outshine all of its competitors with its 2019 PSPC and based on its success it could very well become a regular event on the calendar. The PSPC will take place at the Atlantis, Bahamas.
Rattigan is optimistic that a handful of Platinum Pass qualifiers will have a good run at the PSPC and says that expects a minimum of 2 Platinum Pass players to make it to the final table and give some of the high stake poker pros a real run for their money!