SURFS UP - TIME TO CALL PARTY POKER!

(193) (30-jul-06)

Promotional site for online poker company gets into all-action sports

Smart marketers associate the product with glamorous high profile sports favoured by their target audience, and this week the US promotional vehicle for Party Poker, the Party Poker.net initiative, was right up there with the best of them.
 
The company is making non-industry headlines with its involvement in five thrilling "PartyPoker.net Big ThrowDown" qualifying rounds featuring snowboard, skateboard, wakeboard, FMX and BMX stars, competing in a Texas Hold 'em poker tournament at the Bank of the West Beach Games in Huntington Beach. 
 
World-class surfers Benji Weatherley, Pat O'Connell, Fred Patacchia, Bobby Martinez, Shaun Ward and Timmy Reyes will battle in a "Poker School" for the final chair at the Grand Finale. 
 
Three of five qualifying rounds have already been held with wakeboarder Josh Sanders, snowboarder Danny Kass and BMXer Dennis McCoy overcoming their peers and hoisting the "PartyPoker.net Big Throwdown Champion's Belt" over their heads in triumph!  Skate and FMX star events will take place this weekend.
 
The tournament's first qualifier was held along the water on Lake Okanogan where spectators had a front row seat to watch and cheer on the athletes.  Strategy took a backseat to luck as Josh Sanders claimed victory.  At Mt. Hood, the players were a lot more talkative with each other and poked fun at the wake boarders. 
 
The battle for the BMX poker title in the Partypoker.net Big Throwdown came down to the two most seasoned poker players, the Grandfather of BMX Dennis McCoy and one of the sports stand-out stars Van Homan.  After fifteen minutes of back and forth play, with the blinds at 600 / 1200, Homan picked up king/three of diamonds in the small blind and decided to take a stand. 
 
Unfortunately for Van, McCoy had picked up a pair of sixes and with a sizeable chip lead made the call instantly.  The pocket sixes held up for Dennis and he added another title to his collection, the BMX Champion of the Partypoker.net Big Throwdown.
   
The championship will include the six winning action sport stars from their respective qualifying events to play for bragging rights and fun at the first annual Big ThrowDown.
 
PartyPoker.net spokesman Warren Lush said: "We're very pleased to be involved with this brand new concept.  These guys and girls are used to taking it to the limit but we'll soon find out if they are any good at no limit."
 
The PartyPoker.net bank provides $2,500 in chips for the qualifying events and $5,000 for the championship rounds.  Seating is random draw. 
 
Each of the six qualifying events will be featured in 12-minute vignettes on "FUSION TV" airing in Q3 (July - September) and Q4 (October - December) 2006 on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN).  Each show will focus on one qualifying event and will include highlights of that event along with footage/interviews of each of the six competitors. 
 
The championship round/finale will be made into a one-hour special to air preceding the airing of the six features during the 4th quarter of 2006 on FUSION TV.   Full detail is at Party Poker Big Throwdown.net