PokerStars Sponsorships More About Attracting New Players
February 2, 2018 11:26 amUntil relatively recently pros were recruited to sites on the basis that their successful performances at tournaments would help inspire others to play on their respective sponsored sites. As far as PokerStars is concerned that no longer seems to be the case, as highlighted by a slew of recent departures from the poker room by some of the game’s most accomplished pros, including Jason Mercier, Bertrand Grospellier, and Felipe Ramos.
The shifting trend even inspired Team PokerStars’ main spokesperson Daniel Negreanu to express his views on the subject, and as he subsequently tweeted:
” The landscape has changed drastically since the “golden era. It’s less about winning events, and more about what you can do to bring new players into the game. The Twitch streamers have figured that out.”
In addition to the young players regularly airing their live sessions on platforms such as Twitch, it is celebrity sponsorships that have really taken off at PokerStars in recent times, with sports stars and television celebrities regularly popping up in various capacities promoting the brand. Over the last few years, this has included the likes of Rafael Nadal, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar Jr, whose association with PokerStars would have attracted the attention of a wide stream audience.
More recently, Usain Bolt has been at the head of its advertising campaign since the sprinter retired last year, and can regularly be seen pitting his wits against comedian Kevin Hart as part of their #GameOn challenge. Needless to say, the world’s highest paid comedian has helped brighten up the various tournaments he has attended on behalf of PokerStars over the past year, with his love of the game infectious. As on observer Cliffy Tone noted on twitter after seeing Hart in action:
“Same poker show: Kevin Hart just went all in vs a better hand and caught a STRAIGHT on the turn!!! Took a lil victory lap too! Makes me wanna step my poker game back up!”
Meanwhile, winning players such as Grospellier and Vanesa Selbst may have originally inspired players to take up the game in order to try and eek out a living, but having Hart and other celebrities representing PokerStars is now seen as a more effective way of attracting recreational players to come and have fun on the site.