WSOPC Lodge Early Results, Commerce Pulls Clippers Advertising

WSOPC Lodge Events Underway

Action at the Lodge Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado, got underway for the latest World Series of Poker Circuit stop on April 24. The first event was a $365 NLHE tournament, and Chad Donnelly beat the field of 269 players to win $19,773.

Event 2 was a $580 NLHE tournament that drew 145 players, and Valentin Vornicu won $20,299 for his victory. Event 3 was a $365 NLHE reentry with 770 entries and a $231K prize pool, out of which Greg Eyster won $46,205 for first place. Timothy Campbell won Event 4, and Thupten Thondup took down Event 5, both NLHE events. Event 6 was a Limit Omaha Eight or Better with a $365 buy-in, and Osama Aweida walked away with a win and $12,265.

The WSOPC Lodge $1,675 Main Event is scheduled to begin May 2 with two starting flights.

Commerce Casino Pulls NBA Team Ads

The Los Angeles card room that is crediting with being the largest poker room in the world, Commerce Casino, suspended advertising with the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team this week.

The move was a response to the uproar over comments from Donald Sterling, the owner of the NBA team, regarding black people. He was recorded saying he didn’t want them at his games. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver responded with a lifetime ban from games and league business, as well as a $2.5 million fine, the maximum available.

Many team sponsors removed their support and advertisements in the wake of the scandal. Commerce followed suit after 18 years as a Clippers sponsor. “The arena experience for fans and the reputation the team has maintained is why we have aligned with the franchise,” read a statement. “At this time, we are suspending our relationship with the L.A. Clippers pending the outcome of that review.” Though the league decision has been handed down, there is a pending matter of whether the league will require that Sterling sell the team.