Was it ESPN, which put poker shows on the air to fill space, and the newspaper sports sections just followed mindlessly with the attitude, "It's on ESPN, it must be sports." Those kids in spelling bees work far harder and have more challenges than poker players, but they don't garner the same publicity.
2006-07-07 01:31:58 · 17 answers · asked by Tad Dubious 7 in News & Events ➔ Media & Journalism
Now THAT'S a good question. Who knows, it's like dog-showing and cheerleading - it's for the minority - but it's gets viewers. So I would say the TV moguls decide what is a sport.But poker is the most sedentary sport I know. Even hot-dog eating, uses more energy.
Just had another thought, it could be those people who promote certain diets, because we are all sitting around, getting fat, watching the show. There's money to be made there.
2006-07-07 01:37:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
While I agree that it has a place on ESPN, it also is shown on other channels and seems to fit there to. I don't think that kids in spelling bees should have the same publicity as poker players. The poker players sometimes spend 7 days a week in casinos and poker games. They travel and make appearances all over. They are hounded by sponsors, media, fans and managers. They are at book signings and photo shoots. Let the kids have their playtime and be allowed to stay out of the spotlight and just be kids.
2006-07-07 08:41:02 · answer #2 · answered by dbelyew 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree poker players do not work nearly as hard. I think for most people its mildly exciting or at least enough for a certain to percentage to watch it. I guess it must have been a few years ago when they first started calling it a sport but lately it seems the entire world has been overloaded with poker.
Not only is there "Celebrity Poker", "High stakes Poker", ESPN out the gazoo but the pokerstars.com commercials and partypoker commercials are coming in like crazy.
2006-07-07 08:38:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Poker is a card game, the most popular of a class of games called vying games
Poker’s popularity experienced an unprecedented spike in the first years of the twenty-first century, largely because of the introduction of online poker and the invention of the hole-card camera, which turned the game into a spectator sport. Viewers could now follow the action and drama of the game, and broadcasts of poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour brought in huge audiences for cable and satellite TV distributors. Because of the increasing coverage of poker events, poker pros are becoming more and more like celebrities, with poker fans all over the world entering into expensive tournaments for the chance to play with them. This increased camera exposure also brings about a new dimension to the poker pro's game—the realization that their actions may be aired later on TV.
Major poker tournament fields have grown dramatically because of the growing popularity of online satellite-qualifier tournaments where the prize is an entry into a major tournament. The 2003 and 2004 WSOP champions, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, respectively, won their seats to the main event by winning online satellites.
The history of poker is a matter of some debate. The name of the game likely descended from the French poque, which descended from the German pochen ('to knock'), but it is not clear whether the origins of poker itself lie with the games bearing those names. It closely resembles the Persian game of as nas, and may have been taught to French settlers in New Orleans by Persian sailors. It is commonly regarded as sharing ancestry with the Renaissance game of primero and the French brelan. The English game brag (earlier bragg) clearly descended from brelan and incorporated bluffing (though the concept was known in other games by that time). It is quite possible that all of these earlier games influenced the development of poker as it exists now
2006-07-07 11:14:44 · answer #4 · answered by a13 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kids in the spelling bees at least get a little exercise! And I thought it was strange that curling became an Olympic sport. Next, we'll have Sitting With Your Legs Crossed as a competitive sport.
2006-07-07 08:34:21 · answer #5 · answered by Delora Gloria 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a fad.
Variety Shows were big in the 50's and 60's than went away, and now we have American Idol, SO You Think You Can Dance and America's Got Talent - the variety show is back in fashion.
Poker will fade away, just like Televised Bowling.
2006-07-07 08:35:40 · answer #6 · answered by McB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same guy who decided a hot dog eating contest was a sport.
2006-07-07 11:22:03 · answer #7 · answered by Gary H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Poker is an addict card game, luck is always involved, in sport you have to be in shape if you want to be a good one in your specialty, and luck is, sometimes, a little help to achieve success
2006-07-07 09:06:10 · answer #8 · answered by acuariano1951 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ESPN did because its so cheat to put on the air
2006-07-07 09:19:58 · answer #9 · answered by Hafeman 5000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same people who think bowling and curling are sports.
2006-07-07 08:34:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋