Pokerstars have ignited controversy with their latest marketing ploy after offering popular podcaster and long-time critic Joe Ingram a $30,000 Platinum Pass to the PCA.
Okay, @PokerStars has offered me a $30k platinum pass for the PCA. @ArlieShaban @KevinRobMartin called me to help Arlie complete his 12th challenge. If he completes it, he wins a platinum pass for the Bahamas. His challenge is to convince me to accept this offer. What do I do?? pic.twitter.com/RuJTGPZduS
— Joey “Dr. Exotic” Ingram (@Joeingram1) 22 December 2018
Controversial why? Well, for starters, PokerStars pro streamer Arlie Shaban only gets HIS Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure if Ingram accepts his, making the offer much more difficult to turn down.
One poker Twitter commentator explained it in some detail…
I’m going to try and explain how bad this whole @ArlieShaban @PokerStars @Joeingram1 situation is. People seem to be missing the point in many ways.
1. @PokerStars makes a gimmick out of all the good work @ArlieShaban has done by making this his final challenge.— giraf ganger (@Girafganger7) 23 December 2018
Ingram, a PokerStars SuperNovaElite player himself twice over, has been outspoken about the changes PokerStars made to the program back in 2015.
The site removed the rewards for SN and SNE players mid-term, resulting in huge protests, highstakes legend Ike Haxton one of those angered by the move.
I have resigned from PokerStars in protest of the changes to the Supernova and Supernova Elite programs: https://t.co/I7c49fB00D
— Isaac Haxton (@ikepoker) January 1, 2016
Why is this connected? Because some feel that Ingram accepting the $30k offer to play the PSPC Main Event would tie his hands if or when future problems arise with the site – his ‘independence’ would be compromised.
Ingram himself refutes this, and Phil Galfond added some weight to the debate by stating: “Assuming there are no strings attached that involve you doing something you don’t believe in, I’d definitely go play. I don’t even see how someone could argue that you’d be doing anything wrong.
There were certainly those who disagreed…
https://twitter.com/sagedonkey/status/1076336731983630336
…though it’s fair to say that the majority of the poker community think Ingram should just take the $30k trip to the Bahamas if he wants to.
Ingram’s old friend Doug Polk was among them, although he had a seriously harsh message for PokerStars at the end…
Joey, You should do what’s in your best interest here. I wouldn’t do it but Ive also been fortunate to be have the opportunities ive have. Pokerstars is a total piece of shit but I think taking 30k of free value is totally acceptable (fuck them tho btw)https://t.co/G5Cdkp05Wv
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkPoker) 23 December 2018
Arlie Shaban, the man whose trip to the Caribbean depends on Ingram’s answer, was naturally on the ‘snapcall the $30k Platinum Pass’ side…
so they offered him a 30,000 platinum pass, obviously Joey is a very opinionated person, and no one thinks this is going to “buy his silence”, all pokerstars wants (in my opinion) is for Joey to give an honest account of his experience, and they are giving him a Plat Pass for it
— ArlieShaban.sol (@ArlieShaban) December 22, 2018
…but the problem many have with the PokerStars plan is that it’s putting good people in difficult situations. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t!
Pokerstars themselves have been silent on the Twitter furore that has erupted, despite being tagged in to most of the comments.
David Lappin, the Irish poker pro and host of the popular TheChipRace podcast even went as far as to call the whole thing a plan hatched between PokerStars and Ingram…
Zero chance @PokerStarsLIVE and ‘independent’ @Joeingram1 didn’t hatch this together. PokerStars are way too careful. See this stunt for what it is. Nothing wrong with taking the Pass but if Joey does, he can’t have his cake and eat it. No way @ArlieShaban loses out either way. https://t.co/OviNLlVG4c
— David K Lappin (@dklappin) 22 December 2018
…a move which sparked a whole new line of discussion, despite it being a conspiracy theory too far.
It is highly likely Ingram will accept the offer from PokerStars, but only time will tell if it affects how he views the poker giants in the future.
Given his past record, it’s unlikely Ingram will tone down his approach to sites who step out of line, but therein lies the problem. If he does at some point ‘go easy’ on PokerStars, it is likely people will point to this very moment.
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