Poker News Daily: Tell us about the plans for PokerRoad at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Sebok: The thing that PokerRoad has tried to do is push the envelope. We’re still building and crafting our coverage this year. We want to take fans around the world into these events and their favorite players’ heads. We want to give them an idea of what it’s like to be a fan and what it’s like to be at the tables. I’m definitely excited about it.
PND: Explain the creative process you go through in designing a show.
Sebok: I’m lucky. A lot of people are involved and all of them are important to the process. We have people who have been around creative poker coverage. One person comes up with an idea and another person crafts it a little more. It’s like a band and everyone puts their own touch on each idea. I’ve been lucky in the people I’ve had involved.
PND: You’re in a very competitive marketplace. What kind of niche have you been able to carve?
Sebok: You have to be innovative and push the boundaries, which is why so many of us are hoping that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act will be dealt with. One of the unique things about PokerRoad is that I’ve been a player. I can sit down with CardPlayer and Bluff and they know me. It puts us in a good spot and we can work out deals that benefit them and us. Last year, we were able to film exclusive videos with Phil Ivey at the Rio, but it was because I was friends with Bluff’s Eric Morris.
PND: What difficulties have you faced growing PokerRoad?
Sebok: The toughest things have been sales and marketing. Our ideas are some of the best in the industry, but sales and marketing we struggle at. The UIGEA hasn’t helped that, nor has the downturn in the economy.
PND: You’re bringing interns out to Las Vegas for the WSOP. What will they be doing?
Sebok: We’ll be having interns for PokerRoad Radio. We’re going to be filming blog videos, but we’ll be more conscientious about it than we were last year. We’ll have one person working with the pros and setting up cameras. We’re going to have another set of guys working on a big new project. People love PokerRoad. They love the radio show and want to be involved. People get super fanatical and the easiest thing for us has been getting them involved.
PND: Right after the scandal on Ultimate Bet unfolded, you were able to secure an interview with Russ Hamilton, who was later implicated. Talk about how you’ve been able to bring on top-tier newsmakers as guests.
Sebok: It’s Barry Greenstein being who he is. He is one of the greats in the game and has been around forever. His word is good. We talked about a whole host of things when we sat down with Russ. He let us know what was okay to air and had his lawyer there. Also, when I got started in poker, I jumped into the media circle really quickly. The younger players know me from playing with me or dealing with me in a media sense. I like to think my reputation is similar to Barry’s: What you see is what you get.
PND: How have you been able to juggle your bevy of responsibilities?
Sebok: I generally want to kill myself on any given day, which is why I’ve cut back on the number of tournaments I play in. Last year’s WSOP was horrendous. My stress level was off the charts. It’s really bad to run between tournaments and radio shows. Recently, I’ve held it back some and been focusing more on the company. I’m not going to be playing in 45 events this year; it’ll probably be more in the neighborhood of 15.
PND: Is that frustrating to have to cut back on the number of tournaments you play in?
Sebok: It’s very frustrating, especially because I’ve had so many close calls. Right before we started PokerRoad, I was getting 7th and 10th place finishes. I started PokerRoad and it fell off. I still cash and do decently, but the deep finishes are few and far between. You try to do two things at 100% and end up doing them both at 70%.
PND: What are your day-to-day duties now?
Sebok: I’m CEO and President of the company and I’ve tried to farm everything out. When you first start a company, you do everything: website development, sales, marketing, etc. Now, I think of myself as a problem solver. I try to focus on other issues we have. It’s coming up with new projects for the WSOP and getting sponsors lined up. I focus a lot on sales and marketing. I’m out of my element, but it’s where our needs are.
PND: Talk about Barry Greenstein’s performance on this season of High Stakes Poker.
Sebok: I got phone calls throughout the day from him. I got this call about him laying down aces to Durrrr. He’s telling me about the $919,000 pot. For me, watching it is filling out the picture. I have the utmost faith in his play. He’s Barry Greenstein the big poker player, but he’s also my pops, so he calls me up about hands.
PND: Does he still teach you some of the finer points of poker?
Sebok: Even more so now because I don’t play as much. We’ll chat about things before events. He’s teaching me more than he was before. I would never be one of those people who say they don’t need any more coaching. A lot of times, it’s focusing on what I need to be doing and how others perceive me at the table. It’s one of the central components of how you do. He’ll come over to my table and say how people play and I’ll go to his table and say the same things.