Nick Schulman’s latest win in a PokerGO Tour (PGT) excessive curler introduced out the requires 2025 Poker Corridor of Fame induction (as if he hadn’t already performed sufficient).
Little question the now six-time PGT and World Collection of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner is HOF worthy. He’s crushed it on the felt the previous 20 years and within the broadcast sales space, totally on PokerGO, for what appears to be a decade now.
However he won’t even get on this 12 months, his first 12 months of eligibility at age 40. That’s as a result of one other equally deserving legend of the sport – Scott Seiver – may even be eligible this summer season when the inductee is introduced.
And, sure, “inductee” (singular), not “inductees” (plural) is appropriate. One participant or business personnel will get voted into the Corridor of Fame yearly, leaving quite a few deserving people caught on the sidelines for years and even endlessly (see: Savage, Matthew).
Poker Corridor of Fame Voting Course of
The WSOP determined in 2020 to restrict induction to 1 individual a 12 months after voting in two yearly for many of the earlier 20 years. Doing so brought about some controversy and has led to a endless debate inside the poker group.
Preserving the exclusivity of the Poker Corridor of Fame was the reasoning behind the change, a logical mentality. However doing so appears to have created extra pointless debate and controversy than precise enhancements to the HOF.
In some other sport, voters wouldn’t have to decide on between Seiver and Schulman. They’re each deserving of instant induction. Take Main League Baseball (MLB) as the instance the WSOP ought to copy.
The Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame usually inducts 2-5 gamers or managers per 12 months. Eligible writers from inside the Baseball Writers’ Affiliation of America (BWAA) forged a poll and may vote for as much as 10 gamers.
Most write in far fewer than 10 gamers, nonetheless, as there are often just a few worthy of consideration. However the choice to vote for greater than only one is out there and obligatory in years when a number of slam dunk first-ballot candidates change into eligible, very similar to the Poker Corridor of Fame will cope with this summer season.
Those that make it on 75% or extra of the ballots earn enshrinement into Cooperstown, the location of baseball’s elitest membership. If just one participant reaches that threshold in a sure 12 months, then so be it.
Baltimore Orioles “Iron Man” Cal Ripken Jr. and San Diego Padres smooth-hitting Tony Gwynn reached eligibility in 2007. Each had been inducted with over 97% of the vote, though a number of “journalists” determined to make a mockery of their vote and the Corridor of Fame by refusing to incorporate two indeniable first-ballot candidates.
However the voters didn’t have to decide on between Gwynn, who handed away in 2014, and Ripken, whose 2,632 consecutive video games performed streak will possible by no means be damaged. They had been every included on each poll, save for the few questionable voters.
The dwelling members of the Poker Corridor of Fame, these chosen to forged a poll, gained’t have that possibility this summer season. They’ll have to find out if Seiver is superior to Schulman, or vice versa, and that simply doesn’t appear proper.
Scott Seiver vs. Nick Schulman
Seiver, the reigning WSOP Participant of the 12 months, gained three bracelets final summer season and now has seven total. He’s racked up $27 million in reside event cashes, in accordance with The Hendon Mob, and like Schulman, has the respect of his friends as one of many high high-stakes money sport gamers on the planet.
Schulman’s a six-time bracelet winner, has practically $22 million in reside event cashes, and is taken into account the most effective poker commentators. Each gamers have dominated within the hardest video games for about 20 years.
So, how do you select between the 2? Higher but, why is a alternative even required? And would inducting each in the identical 12 months diminish the exclusivity of the Poker Corridor of Fame? No, as a result of they’re each virtually definitely going to get in finally anyway.
An Even Greater Drawback
Seiver vs. Schulman is not the one matter right here. The problems with the voting course of run far deeper and can solely worsen within the coming years.
There’s already a backlog of gamers and business builders with a case for induction, a listing that features however will not be restricted to Jeremy Ausmus, Mike Matusow, Matt Savage, and Isai Scheinberg. However even in case you do not assume these people are deserving, there may be an limitless provide of legends set to show 40 over the following few years. Tom Dwan, Shaun Deeb, Phil Galfond, Kristen Foxen, and Vanessa Selbst are only a few of the upcoming eligible candidates.
Should you assume the backlog is lengthy now, simply wait till about 2030 when the voters are left to decide on between Stephen Chidwick and one of many 10-12 deserving candidates who did not get within the prior 5 years because of the one-person-per-year rule. How do you select between Chidwick, perhaps the very best event participant on the planet and, say, Foxen, maybe the best feminine poker participant ever?
This downside would all be solved if the WSOP Poker Corridor of Fame adopted the baseball mannequin. Or, return to inducting two per 12 months and maybe add a separate wing for business builders like Savage and Scheinberg (the Baseball Corridor of Fame does this too, by the way in which). Simply do one thing, something, apart from restrict it to 1 Corridor of Famer per 12 months.
Ausmus made this level even stronger earlier this month when he was formally named PokerGO Tour Participant of the 12 months for 2024 after which proceeded to win the PGT Championship $1 million freeroll for $500,000 the following day. The six-time WSOP bracelet winner, who grew to become eligible for enshrinement 5 years in the past, has arguably as sturdy of a case as Schulman and Seiver.
Erik Seidel, a Poker Corridor of Famer and voter, agrees that one per 12 months is not sufficient. He expressed as a lot in a publish on X.
The idea of making certain the Poker Corridor of Fame is an unique membership ought to be recommended. It will be foolish to only let anybody with a number of million bucks in The Hendon Mob cashes or 4 WSOP bracelets into the HOF. However there are hundreds of thousands of poker gamers world wide. Letting 100-150 within the Corridor of Fame over a 50-year interval as a substitute of fifty would do nothing to decrease the membership’s exclusivity.
