Coronavirus Update: WPT Postpones Live FTs, PSPC Barcelona Remains on Track 

WPT postpones 3 final tables, PSPC still on track
  • Profile picture
  • Namita Ghosh March 20, 2020
  • 2 Minutes Read

The impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been devastating and all-pervasive. No one has been spared, and among the numerous businesses that have been affected by the outbreak globally are the casinos in the US, Europe, India, and other parts of the world, bringing a halt to all forms of live poker!

The first reported case of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31 in China. Nearly three months down the line, the virus has become a global threat, infecting over 245,000 people across the world. More than 10,000 affected have lost their lives already, and the death toll continues to climb.

As of March 20, we have 195 confirmed cases in India, with over 5 deaths reported. There’s been a rapid spike in Coronavirus cases in the US, but Europe seems to be worst affected, with Italy reporting 3,405 deaths, officially surpassing China in the fatality count. Both France and Italy have recently extended their country-wide lockdown, even as Spain reels under a shocking 25% rise in infections since yesterday.

Among the many affected live stops because of the outbreak have been the World Poker Tour (WPT) Main Event final tables from the stops at Gardens Pokers Championship, Borgata Winter Poker Open, and WPT LA Poker Classic. The three FT`s were to take place at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas on consecutive days from March 31 to April 2.

With most upcoming stops getting canned due to the outbreak, speculations are now heading towards the few events panned out towards the latter half of the year. Aside from the WSOP, the other most prominent live stop is the PokerStars Players NLHE Championship (PSPC) Barcelona that is coming up from August 20 -25 in Casino Barcelona.

PokerStars has had to cancel numerous Road to PSPC global tours in Spain, France, and Germany. However, despite the setback, there are still five-and-half months to go for the PSPC and a decent chance that the situation would have settled down by then. Moreover, PokerStars has given away 165 Platinum Passes already and continues to award Platinum Passes through its online promotions.

 

WPT Postpones Delayed FTs at HyperX Esports Arena in Vegas

Last month, the World Poker Tour (WPT) had canceled its stop in Vietnam. This was followed by a series of postponements, including its stops in Venetian, Thunder Valley, Jacksonville, and Deauville.

 

WPT had three live FT`s lined up from the Main Events at the WPT Gardens Pokers Championship, WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open, and WPT LA Poker Classic, respectively. All three high-profile FT`s were to be played at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas on consecutive days between March 31 to April 2. With the Nevada Governor placing a blanket order for the closure of casinos in the state, the WPT, too, has indefinitely postponed the FT`s.

In an official statement, WPT President and CEO Adam Pliska said, “Due to the evolving circumstances surrounding the current crisis, the WPT will postpone its televised final tables set to tape between March 31 and April 2 at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas. With public health welfare a priority and in line with government and agency directives, we will tentatively look to hold these tables in May with our second set of televised final tables. Further, we will communicate any other schedule changes to ongoing tournaments and events on WPT.com.”

The WPT has already started moving its focus to the virtual felts by collaborating with partypoker for the launch of the WPT Online Series. Talking about this, Pliska added, “We are cognizant of the impact current conditions have on the industry as a whole, and we commend our casino partners on their deliberate action to protect their guests and employees by temporarily postponing their events and in many cases closing their doors.”

 

PSPC Continues to be On Track

The inaugural PokerStars Players NLHE Championship (PSPC) that took place last year in the Bahamas was a grand success. The second edition is planned to be held in Barcelona from August 20 – 24 that is if the Coronavirus pandemic subsides in time.

The outbreak has already forced PokerStars to call off its Road to PSPC global tours in Germany, France, and Spain, and even though the event remains on schedule, for now, the organizers are keeping a close eye on the developments.

In an official statement on the matter, PokerStars said, “In terms of the PSPC, we are treating all of our events on a case by case basis. At this stage, the PSPC is going forward as planned. We will keep everyone up to speed if anything changes as we progress towards the event.”

PokerStars has already given away close to 165 free Platinum Passes to the PSPC and has plans to award another 155 passes. This sums up a value of $10 Million through the Platinum Passes alone. Around 62 passes were awarded just last month.

Of the 165 passes distributed, 51% of the Platinum Passes have been given away through live promotions in prime markets like Germany (9), Spain (34), and France (41). The remaining 68% of the passes have been won via online promotions.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Top Online Poker Rooms

Top
PokerGuru