Major news broke on Tuesday, as popular poker training sites CardRunners and StoxPoker merged. However, the two companies will remain separate entities for the foreseeable future, according to a press release distributed by CardRunners. The move allows CardRunners to offer a low-cost point of entry in the market and allows StoxPoker members discount memberships to CardRunners.
As part of the move, StoxPoker will eliminate its $99 sign-up fee, which had been previously assessed to every new member of the site. In addition, the price for a 12 month membership will drop by 33% (currently, year-long subscriptions on StoxPoker are $299.) CardRunners and StoxPoker will focus on different marketplace niches going forward. The statement by CardRunners reveals, “StoxPoker will continue to emphasize small- and mid-stakes games instruction through classroom-style learning, StoxPoker University, and personal coaching. Similarly, CardRunners will continue to deliver premier training services for advanced poker players.” Each brand will be able to enjoy its own unique role in the marketplace.
Ezra Galston, Director of Marketing for CardRunners, told Poker News Daily, “At CardRunners, we wanted to offer a low cost entry option into the poker training market. Some of our competitors currently offer no sign-up fees. We’re a premium brand and have had thousands of members who have paid that fee. StoxPoker is a different entry point for us. There will be an increased emphasis on low- and mid-stakes, but none of StoxPoker’s instructors will be leaving.”
CardRunners Gold members will be able to purchase six months of StoxPoker training for $118 (a savings of 30%) or a full year for $150 (a savings of 55%). StoxPoker members will be able to purchase a year’s worth of CardRunners instruction for under $22 per month. Lead instructors at StoxPoker include Co-Founder Nick “Stoxtrader” Grudzien, Bryce “Freedom25” Paradis, Matt Matros, and Dusty “Leatherass” Schmidt. StoxPoker instructors won over $5 million online in 2007.
Grudzien noted, “Stoxpoker coaches and customers now have more resources behind them than ever before. Our merger with CardRunners will deliver more value to our customers and allow our coaches to spend even more time on what they do best – produce well-communicated training content for small- and mid-stakes players in almost all games.”
Taylor Caby, Co-Founder of CardRunners, added, “We’re delighted to add breadth and depth to our poker training resources while delivering a decisive competitive advantage to more than 14,000 members. Members now have two separate platforms to choose from as well as a ‘no sign-up fee’ option, which many customers have requested. Whether you are new to poker or playing nose-bleed stakes, we’ll make sure you’re ready with the top resources behind you.”
As part of the merge, CardRunners will make 13 StoxPoker videos available to its Gold members. Likewise, 10 CardRunners videos will be accessible to StoxPoker members in the near future. A one day trial to CardRunners is also available by sending a text message with “cardrunners” to 32075 to receive an entry code and instructions.
CardRunners is based in Chicago and was founded by Taylor “Green Plastic” Caby and Andrew “muddywater” Wiggins. Other members of Team CardRunners include Brian “sbrugby” Townsend, Brian “stinger85” Hastings, Mike “Schneids” Schneider, Cole “cts” South, and Eric “p3achy_keen” Liu. In addition, they are all members of Team Full Tilt as part of an agreement that was struck in March.
