The recent Los Angeles Poker Classic Main Event at the Commerce Casino drew only 50 entries. At its peak, the tournament drew 791 entries in 2007, with Eric Hershler taking the trophy and $2.4M.
Going from nearly 800 players to 50 isn’t a small dip. What happened?
The biggest issue is that the LAPC just isn’t the same stop it used to be. There was a time when this series was a must-play for traveling pros. If you were on the tournament circuit, you were coming through Commerce. Not anymore.
Why is Commerce struggling?
I've also been seeing a lot of talk on social media about this event, and there’s a lot of speculation as to why. I clear up the misconceptions and break down the reasons why I think Commerce is struggling in our latest video:
- Declining relationships with major tours
- Scheduling issues
- No Matt Savage?
- Where are the satellite events for the LAPC events?
Smash the play button above for my full breakdown.
Justin Hammer is the Live Events Director for PokerAtlas, online Tournament Director for the Texas-based poker app Hijack, and a Tournament Director for Thunder Valley Casino Resort. He also brings his expertise as a consultant and minority owner of Desert Bluffs Casino in Kennewick, Washington.
For more info visit PokerAtlas.com, HijackPoker.com, and bluffs.poker. Follow Justin on X.
