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Pollack's career with the NBA began when he was hired as a communications consultant for the NBA during its collective bargaining arrangement. Pollack consulted with NBA commissioner [[David Stern]] and helped design the relaunch strategy after the NBA [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]] in the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]].<ref name= "NYTimes"/> As a result of these activities, Pollack was hired as the Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Communications for the NBA.<ref name = "player">{{cite web|url=http://www.cardozaplayer.com/article_details.php?cid=95&aid=95&ctr=3|title= ENVY: Jeffrey Pollack: The Making of a Full House|accessdate=2009-05-24|publisher= ''Player Magazine''}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/25039|title=Jeffrey Pollack, Founder of the Daily, Named NBA VP|work=The Sports Business Daily|publisher=Street and Smith|date=1999-06-02|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref> He remained with the league until 2000.<ref name=Friess2011 />
Pollack's career with the NBA began when he was hired as a communications consultant for the NBA during its collective bargaining arrangement. Pollack consulted with NBA commissioner [[David Stern]] and helped design the relaunch strategy after the NBA [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]] in the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]].<ref name= "NYTimes"/> As a result of these activities, Pollack was hired as the Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Communications for the NBA.<ref name = "player">{{cite web|url=http://www.cardozaplayer.com/article_details.php?cid=95&aid=95&ctr=3|title= ENVY: Jeffrey Pollack: The Making of a Full House|accessdate=2009-05-24|publisher= ''Player Magazine''}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/25039|title=Jeffrey Pollack, Founder of the Daily, Named NBA VP|work=The Sports Business Daily|publisher=Street and Smith|date=1999-06-02|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref> He remained with the league until 2000.<ref name=Friess2011 />


After a brief stint with a sports website, which Pollack once termed his “reverse MBA,” he was hired as the Managing Director of Broadcasting and New Media for NASCAR Digital Entertainment.<ref name= "NYTimes" /><ref name=Friess2011 /> NASCAR had recently consolidated it’s media rights and the brand reoriented the way it presented itself to consumer product and global media companies.<ref name=Caldwell2006Pt.I>{{cite web|last1=Caldwell|first1=John|title=The Business of Poker: Interview With Jeffrey Pollack of the WSOP, Part One|url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/06/business-poker-jeffrey-pollack-wsop-one.htm|website=Poker News|accessdate=27 June 2015|ref=Caldwell2006Pt.I}}</ref> Pollack helped develop NASCAR's television partnerships with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], [[NBC]] and [[Turner Network Television|TNT]] and It was under his guidance that NASCAR grew into a major sporting event. At the time, it rose to the “second-most-watched sprots franchcise on cable TV, behind football."<ref name=Friess2011 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article17511Jeffrey_Pollack_Joins_Harrah_s_as_Vice_President_of_Sports_and_Entertainment_Marketing.html|title=Jeffrey Pollack Joins Harrah's as Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Marketing|publisher= [[Harrah's]]|date=2005-07-14|accessdate=2011-03-20}}</ref> While with NASCAR, he encouraged NASCAR to use advanced media and technologies. Pollack was responsible for NASCAR adopting the use of in-car cameras.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2006-06-25-poker-pollack_x.htm|title=New commissioner expands market, coverage of poker World Series|last=DelMiglio|first=Steve|date=2006-06-26|publisher=''USA Today''|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref> Pollack won two [[Emmy Awards]]: Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television Programming and a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Innovative Technical Achievement.<ref name = "2007WSOP" />
After a brief stint with a sports website, which Pollack once termed his “reverse MBA,” he was hired as the Managing Director of Broadcasting and New Media for NASCAR Digital Entertainment.<ref name= "NYTimes" /><ref name=Friess2011 /> NASCAR had recently consolidated it’s media rights and the brand reoriented the way it presented itself to consumer product and global media companies.<ref name=Caldwell2006Pt.I>{{cite web|last1=Caldwell|first1=John|title=The Business of Poker: Interview With Jeffrey Pollack of the WSOP, Part One|url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/06/business-poker-jeffrey-pollack-wsop-one.htm|website=Poker News|accessdate=27 June 2015|ref=Caldwell2006Pt.I}}</ref> Pollack helped develop NASCAR's television partnerships with [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[FX (TV channel)|FX]], [[NBC]] and [[Turner Network Television|TNT]] and it was under his guidance that NASCAR grew into a major sporting event. At the time, it rose to the “second-most-watched sprots franchcise on cable TV, behind football."<ref name=Friess2011 /><ref name=Harrahs2005>{{cite web|title=Jeffrey Pollack Joins Harrah's as Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Marketing|url=http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article17511.html|website=Hotel News Resource|accessdate=27 June 2015|ref=Harrahs2005}}</ref> Pollack also encouraged NASCAR to use advanced media and technologies. One of his central innovations was to create an immersive experience for viewers at home. He helped developed the cable TV program, NASCAR iN Car, which involved mounting cameras that could capture the race from inside the cars.[15]<ref name=Friess2011 /> Pollack won two [[Emmy Awards]], as a result: the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television Programming and a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Innovative Technical Achievement.<ref name = "2007WSOP" /> He was also the first to receive the Billboard Digital Entertainment Award for the best interactive television programming.


==World Series of Poker==
==World Series of Poker==

Revision as of 01:11, 27 June 2015

For the film director and television producer, see Jeff Pollack.
For the music and media consultant, see Jeff Pollack.
Jeffrey Pollack
Commissioner Pollack speaking at a press conference at the 2006 World Series of Poker
Bornc. 1965
Fort Lee, NJ
EducationNorthwestern University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Harvard University

Jeffrey Pollack (born circa 1965) is a sports business consultant and former Commissioner of the World Series of Poker. He was educated at Northwestern University, The Graduate School of Political Management and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Pollack later completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University. After a brief career in politics, Pollack moved into the industry of sports business where he’s held executive roles with the NBA, NASCAR, and the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Pollack was listed on the first of Sports Business Journal's "40 Under 40" and twice to The Sporting News 100.[1] He has also won two Emmy Awards.[2] Pollack is married, and resides in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas.[3] His half-brother is Gary Bettman, the Commissioner of the National Hockey League.[4][5]

In 2011, Pollack launched Federated Sports+Gaming (FS+G) and the Epic Poker League, where he served as Executive Chairman. Within a year, FS+G had filed bankruptcy.[6]

In early 2015, Pollack was hired as special advisor to the San Diego Chargers.

Education and Early career

Pollack received his undergraduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University, in addition to two master's degrees. The first master's was from The Graduate School of Political Management and his second was in sports management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Pollack subsequently completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.[7]

Initially, Pollack’s career led into politics. A summer internship with the American Jewish Congress prompted a one-year role with the AJC. He worked as a lobbyist on legislation that would permit religious headwear for active military personal in noncombat settings. Pollack then relocated to Los Angeles to work for Winner & Associates, a leading political public relations firm. He was assigned to consult the Major Baseball League during the labor strife in the early-1990s.[8] The inception of Pollack’s career in sports business occurred in 1992 when he realized—while flying from LA to New York—that there was a niche to fill in the industry.[9]

In February 1994, at the age of 29, Pollack founded The Sports Business Daily. It was the first daily trade publication for the sports industry. Pollack modelled the concept for the Sports Business Daily on the political daily The Hotline. It’s primary goal was to “cover the coverage,” or aggregate and organize daily news that was related to business of sports[10] [9] Doug Bailey, The Hotline's founder, was Jeffrey Pollack's partner in this venture. Pollack later noted that Bailey’s influence was “absolutely critical” to the initial success of The Daily.[10] The Sports Business Daily originally occupied 3 rooms in the same building and initially hired The Hotline's Stephen Bilafer as the Editor-in-Chief.[11] Fellow editor Chuck Todd followed Bilafer in the move from The Hotline to The Daily. Bilafer would go on to note that it would have been a “deal breaker” had Todd not been permitted to join him at the SBD. After assembling a small editorial, marketing and sales team, The Sports Business Daily launched on September 12, 1994 amidst the “perfect storm of business and sports stories.”[10] With Pollack as its president and publisher, The Sports Business Daily garnered a strong reputation among to decision-makers in the industry.[12] When the time The Sports Business Daily was sold in 1996, it was a "recognized leader in sports industry news and is relied upon by top sports, entertainment, financial, and media executives worldwide."[13] At the time of the sale, The Sports Business Daily provided the content for ESPN's SportsZone "Industry Insider."[13]

Pollack's career with the NBA began when he was hired as a communications consultant for the NBA during its collective bargaining arrangement. Pollack consulted with NBA commissioner David Stern and helped design the relaunch strategy after the NBA lockout in the 1998–99 season.[14] As a result of these activities, Pollack was hired as the Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Communications for the NBA.[15][16] He remained with the league until 2000.[8]

After a brief stint with a sports website, which Pollack once termed his “reverse MBA,” he was hired as the Managing Director of Broadcasting and New Media for NASCAR Digital Entertainment.[14][8] NASCAR had recently consolidated it’s media rights and the brand reoriented the way it presented itself to consumer product and global media companies.[17] Pollack helped develop NASCAR's television partnerships with Fox, FX, NBC and TNT and it was under his guidance that NASCAR grew into a major sporting event. At the time, it rose to the “second-most-watched sprots franchcise on cable TV, behind football."[8][18] Pollack also encouraged NASCAR to use advanced media and technologies. One of his central innovations was to create an immersive experience for viewers at home. He helped developed the cable TV program, NASCAR iN Car, which involved mounting cameras that could capture the race from inside the cars.[15][8] Pollack won two Emmy Awards, as a result: the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television Programming and a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Innovative Technical Achievement.[12] He was also the first to receive the Billboard Digital Entertainment Award for the best interactive television programming.

World Series of Poker

The World Series of Poker is the number one poker event in terms of participants, prize money and history.[19] Poker is now the most-played leisure game in America, with upwards of 65 million people who play. The number of poker players exceeds practitioners of golf, tennis, and billiards combined.[19]

In 2005, Harrah's Casino hired Pollack as its Vice President of Marketing. When he was hired, some people speculated that Pollack "was passing through poker on his way from NASCAR to Bud Selig's seat in Major League Baseball".[20] His first responsibility with Harrah's was the 2005 World Series of Poker. Poker players' first impression of him centered on the 2005 Tournament of Champions (ToC). The ToC was hyped as a $2.5 million freeroll for which players had to qualify. In 2005, the ToC was sponsored by Pepsi, who was about to start an advertising campaign involving Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth. Pepsi insisted that its three spokesmen take part in the ToC and the WSOP consented. The other players objected that three corporate exemptions were granted at the last moment. Pollack was heavily criticized, but addressed the criticism head on.[4]

On January 13, 2006 he was promoted to Commissioner of the WSOP. One of his first actions as the commissioner was to work towards avoiding the criticism of the ToC. Pollack started meeting with a group of professional poker players in a monthly council.[21] Daniel Negreanu was impressed with his first meeting with Pollack, noting that professional poker is "a unique situation, as with the NBA players are being paid, while the poker players actually put up their own money."[4] However, by 2012, Negreanu had changed his opinion of Pollack, crediting WSOP Vice President Ty Stewart and others for the event's growth and popularity.[22]

Marketing

Pollack is known for his aggressive marketing. After becoming the Commissioner of the WSOP, he negotiated partnerships with ESPN, Sirius radio, Glu Mobile, Bluff Media, AOL, and Betfair. He also arranged sponsorships with Miller Brewing Company, Planters and Hershey’s.[15] Once Pollack was asked if professional poker players would start wearing uniforms covered with ads, similar to NASCAR. He responded, "That is not out of the realm of possibility. As long as they stick to the guidelines, players will be allowed to seek endorsement deals and advertise as they wish."[23]

Pollack believed that the strength in the WSOP lies in its tradition and legacy. He wanted to do more to honor the WSOP's past champions, "I want to bring our past, our history, and our DNA along for the ride."[24] He wanted to "grow the popularity of the World Series of Poker." "It is already the No. 1 brand in poker, but we're going to make it even stronger through world-class media partnerships, strategic marketing alliances and superior customer service."[25]

WSOP changes

Pollack believed that the success of the WSOP was not determined based upon the number of participants every year, but rather upon the players' experiences.[26]

For example, in 2007 the WSOP flattened its award structure. The cash awards were distributed more evenly so that people who went out earlier earned more money, while those who made it to the final table won less.[15]

In an effort to reduce complaints about marked cards, the WSOP entered into a partnership with United States Playing Card Company (USPC). USPC introduced a new "Poker Peek" cards as the official card of the WSOP. New decks were introduced every day at every table.[26] In 2006, Copag provided playing cards that became creased as the events endured, resulting in cards that were essentially marked.[27]

The training of WSOP dealers was also heavily criticized in past tournaments. In an effort to forestall this criticism, the WSOP began intensive training for dealers as early as March 2007 for over 300 dealers.[26] The training included staff and supervisory training. Part of the reason for this additional training was to prevent a repeat of the "extra chips" that materialized during 2006's main event. During the 2006 main event, the tournament finished with more chips than normal chip upgrading would have led to. Another effort to reduce that risk was the introduction of special chips exclusively for the main event.[27] These new chips, however, caused another controversy as they were designed in such a manner that players could not easily differentiate between the values.[28]

Resignation

On November 13, 2009, Pollack announced on his Twitter feed that he was resigning as Commissioner.[citation needed]

Epic Poker League

In January 2011, Pollack announced the launch of Federated Sports+Gaming (FS+G), the parent company for the Epic Poker League.[29] From early on, industry insiders questioned the company's business model.[30] By February 2012, after only holding three events, FS+G had filed bankruptcy, generating just over $38,000 in revenue and accumulating up to $7 million in debt.[31]

References

  1. ^ "Jeffrey N. Pollack". Sports Business Institute Biographies. USC Marshall. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Liftin Poker to a Higher Level". Card Player Online. Retrieved 2006-06-27.
  3. ^ Lewis, Michelle (2007-07-31). "Interview: Jeffrey Pollack". Bluff Magazine. Retrieved 2009-05-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ a b c Negreanu, Daniel (2005-11-10). "Poker Superstars III and Dinner with Jeffrey Pollack". Fullcontactpoker.com. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  5. ^ "Latest addition to our Advisory Committee, Mr. Jeffrey Pollack". California State University, Long Beach. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  6. ^ "Epic Poker Bankruptcy Leaves Mountain of Debt". Card Player Online. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
  7. ^ "Jeffrey N. Pollack". Sports Business Institute Biographies. USC Marshall. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d e Friess, Steve. "Outside Bet". Tablet. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  9. ^ a b "From The Founder: Pollack Talks About The Early Days Of The Daily". Sports Business Daily. Street and Smiths. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  10. ^ a b c "The Daily: How It Started and Why It Worked". Sports Business Daily. Smith and Street. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  11. ^ "From The Founder: Pollack Talks About The Early Days Of The Daily". Interview with Jeffrey Pollack. The Sports Business Daily. 2004-09-13. Retrieved 2009-05-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ a b "Jeffrey Pollack The Commissioner of the World Series of Poker 2007". Pokerpages. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  13. ^ a b "InterZine Productions acquires The Sports Business Daily". InterZine Productions. 1996-09-26. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NYTimes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b c "ENVY: Jeffrey Pollack: The Making of a Full House". Player Magazine. Retrieved 2009-05-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ "Jeffrey Pollack, Founder of the Daily, Named NBA VP". The Sports Business Daily. Street and Smith. 1999-06-02. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  17. ^ Caldwell, John. "The Business of Poker: Interview With Jeffrey Pollack of the WSOP, Part One". Poker News. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Jeffrey Pollack Joins Harrah's as Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Marketing". Hotel News Resource. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  19. ^ a b M. Beirne, Brandweek, May 24, 2006
  20. ^ West, Justin. "World Series of Poker Europe: Foreshadowing". Pokerpages. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  21. ^ Caldwell, John (2006-06-13). "The Business of Poker: Interview With Jeffrey Pollack of the WSOP, Part One". Pokernews. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  22. ^ Negreanu, Daniel (2012-07-10). "Daniel Negreanu Slams Jeffrey Pollack". PokerListings. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  23. ^ West, Justin. "World Series of Poker Europe: Foreshadowing". Pokerpages. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference caldwell was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ "Jeffrey Pollack Joins Harrah's As Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Marketing". Back Channel Media. 2005-07-15. Archived from the original on June 7, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  26. ^ a b c "WSOP Officials Hold Teleconference About 2007 Event". Pokernews. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  27. ^ a b West, Justin. "Harrah's Hosts World Series of Poker Conference". Pokerpages. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  28. ^ "The Trouble With Chip Colors at the 2007 WSOP Main Event". Bodog. 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  29. ^ "Federated Sports+Gaming Launches". WickedChopsPoker. 2011-01-18. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  30. ^ "Will Jeffrey Pollack's Epic Poker League Work". WickedChopsPoker. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  31. ^ "Epic Poker Bankruptcy". WickedChopsPoker. 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2012-03-25.

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