Netflix has turned several niche sports into mainstream sensations. Series like Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Full Swing have introduced legions of new fans to F1 and golf, respectively.
That success has many poker players saying this is exactly what poker needs, and Daniel Negreanu is the latest to weigh in on the subject.
Posting on his X account, Negreanu wrote, “Full Swing Golf on Netflix is the model. I’ve learned about the players more personally and intimately, to the point that when I watch on TV, I have lots of rooting interests I didn’t have before. Poker needs this. Lots of talk about it, toes dipped in the water, but it’s a must.”
One player commented that many poker players are “douchers,” to which Negreanu replied, “Douchers are interesting too!”
Does poker's must-watch show already exist?
So, could Negreanu’s tweet hint at an upcoming release of the long-rumored WSOP Paradise series?
Back in April we ran an exclusive interview with Dustin Iannotti, the founder and director of Emmy award-winning video production studio Artisans on Fire. He posted a 'call to arms' on Twitter/X where he claimed that "poker content needs an entirely new narrative."
“You couldn’t pay me to watch The Masters growing up, but now I’m watching and rooting for all the guys in Full Swing,” Iannotti told us. “That’s the power of this type of content and we need that in poker – poker deserves that moment. These people are so uniquely interesting.”
Iannotti’s vision became a reality at the 2024 WSOP Paradise festival last December, where he had unique access to some of the biggest names in the game, including Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Kristen Foxen, Faraz Jaka, Alan Keating, and Jesse Lonis.
He told us he filmed more than 600 hours of footage and had hoped for a major release during this summer’s WSOP. That deadline has passed but Negreanu’s tweet could be a big clue that it’s not dead in the water.
You can read our full interview with Artisans on Fire about the planned WSOP series below.
