The new WSOP Countdown show isn't just another run-of-the-mill poker broadcast. Oh no, siree.
Your average poker broadcast doesn't have Norman Chad yelling in the background – and that's a feature, not a bug.
The show's four regulars – Chad, Joe Stapleton, David Williams and Jeff Platt – bring vastly different backgrounds and perspectives. Their job is to blend analysis, personalities, breaking news, drama, spontaneous rants, and the kind of banter normally reserved for sports television pregame panels.
High expectations
The WSOP Countdown Show is a daily sneak peek inside the longest running poker series in the game.
Host Jeff Platt immediately sensed something special as the show's cast recorded their first two weeks together.
"I'm pretty excited,” says Platt. "It went well. We want the show to feel natural and spontaneous. I know all these guys pretty well, but it still is nice to have the four of us coexist in the space."
Raise the bar
Stapleton believes poker has lacked the daily in-depth discussions that other sports fans expect.
"What I expect from the show is to raise the entertainment value of watching poker," says Stapleton. "If we want to treat poker like a legitimate sport, adding some of the things that legitimate sports broadcasts do is a really good idea."
That means discussing not only the bracelet winners, big hands, and dramas, but also the topics poker players are debating in real time during the series and on social media.
"What do we think of the payout structure? What do we think about this penalty being issued? And so much more,” says Stapleton.
David Williams sees the WSOP Countdown as poker's answer to Inside the NBA or The NFL Today.
"We'll give a recap of what's been happening, such as who's winning, who's hot, who's leading the Player of the Year race, and more,” shared Williams.
Instead of just analyzing how certain big hands played out or discussing solver scenarios, WSOP Countdown plans to cover much more.
"If there's some controversy happening here, we'll talk about that,” says Williams. “If Hellmuth has a crazy blow-up, we'll show you some video and recap that."
The perfect mix of personalities
Williams credits the cast as the show's biggest strength, including Chad with his extensive commentating and sports experience.
"Jeff's very professional. He knows broadcasting and can lead us. I bring a sort of technical poker player-analyst side to it. We've got Stapes with his wit and humor. And then Norman brings just his expertise. He's a legend. He's been there forever. And his dry humor is really unmatched."
Norman Chad wasted little time downplaying his role in the show's summer run.
"Jeff Platt, David Williams, Joe Stapleton are all smart people,” says Chad. “They all know what they're doing. I'm on a short contract, like an NBA 10-day contract. Still, it’s very enjoyable to sit down and just have fun with it.”
A bright signal for poker's future
Beyond the show itself, the Countdown desk and the new mothership set for the broadcast represent something bigger to look forward to for years to come.
"When I look at this set, what I see is that the WSOP is investing in the game of poker," says Stapleton. "They are shelling out big, big bucks to try to bring poker back to the mainstream."
David Williams agrees. He played his exciting Main Event final table heads-up battle versus Greg Raymer at WSOP’s original home, Binion’s, and now believes poker is entering a pivotal stage of growth. "It just brings legitimacy to it that was missing these past five years."
Come hell or high water, a Main Event champion will be crowned on August 5.
Jeff Platt and the WSOP's vision looks ahead and their mission remains on point – let’s give the fans a front-row seat to everything happening during poker's most iconic series.
"I really want to take the viewer inside the world of poker and hit hot storylines,” says Platt. “If there's drama, news, or controversy, we'll cover it all from start to finish."
And if that doesn't whet your whistle for WSOP Countdown, tune in to watch Platt place a curse on last year's WSOP Player of the Year, Shaun Deeb.
The quest for bracelet gold has only just begun, and somehow Platt has already found a way to make it up close and far too personal.
Catch The WSOP Countdown Show each day on the WSOP YouTube channel.
