The dealers keep saying they won't return, year after year after year. I have seen it. And sure enough, the majority of dealers DO show up again & sure enough they are complaining once the event starts.

The difference this year is that the dealers made substantially less then they expected. A lot of crap can be overlooked when you make $, basically there are three types of dealers there -- Those like me who live here and may have a job here, those who have steady jobs elsewhere and take time off to come out here, and dealers who make a living following the circuit.

The second two groups have no reason to come out here if after expenses they are not making much money. As one veteren dealer (12 WSOPs) said in a meeting. "Every year they have stolen from the delaers, but in the past we still made money so it was OK"

Nothing will change unless the dealers confront management as a group BEFORE the WSOP starts next year & they get something in writing.

This will not, and actually can not happen.he reason is that the dealers are too much of diverse group and have no organization. We are together for way to short a period of time for any actual union orgaization to occur and even though there is a limited pool of experienced dealers Harrah's simply has no problem hiring break in dealers, after all the customers complain, but they keep coming back.

As for the players. I really believe that another gaming company should approach the "celebrity" poker pros and get then them to sign on to play an alternative event run opposite the WSOP. If you get enough of the big names to commit upfront to playing you should be able to shop it to a television station. You promise the players that a portion of the TV revenue (and a portion of other advertising revenue) will go to the prize pools. Then you go to the online sites and you offer them a discount to run satellites for your event. Then run the event in Las Vegas directly opposite the WSOP. This event would crush the WSOP .