The possibility of any poker brand welcoming a large new influx of sponsored professionals or global ambassadors is always interesting and a hot topic in the poker community. The WPT’s return to premier prominence has seen them place major investment in a number of areas, and we have seen a host of new World Poker Tour ambassadors being signed to the oldest poker tour in the world, giving the industry as a whole a massive boost.
In this article, we’ll look at who has signed with Team WPT in recent times and who currently rules the roost as World Poker Tour ambassadors. We’ll also speculate as to which players and poker personalities might be the next additions to a roster that boasts more strength and depth than a long pass from Tom Brady at his peak.
Who Are the New World Poker Tour Ambassadors
The current World Poker Tour roster is the envy of other poker brands, with a great mix of trending players, fresh faces, and Poker Hall of Famers. When the WPT named Steve Aoki as their Brand Ambassador early in 2022, it sent shockwaves through the industry. Aoki was an award-winning DJ, used to winning a Grammy or two, but what would he bring to the party? It turned out… the party itself! Aoki has been a great name to be linked with the WPT and has spent a fair amount of time at the tables, too, meeting hundreds of players of all levels at multiple WPT stops.
“The passion and energy in which Steve Aoki approaches every aspect of his life is both inspiring and very much in line with the new vision of the WPT,” Adam Pliska, the World Poker Tour CEO, said at the time of Aoki joining the brand.
When the WPT announced their next acquisitions, no-one was surprised when Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme were unveiled as new ambassadors. The pair of YouTube vloggers and MUG hosts have helped revolutionize the way we watch poker, and the World Poker Tour is embracing new technology and innovations like never before. Owen and Neeme’s exclusive NFT series and the growth of their online WPT Global brand are indicative of this, and having Neeme and Owen at the forefront of new WPT developments can only strengthen their global brand.
Neeme’s tenure as a World Poker Tour brand ambassador ended a short while ago, but Owen remains attached to the WPT brand and can be seen wearing their patch and attending numerous stops and live events.
The WPT introduced Doyle Brunson as a new ambassador by featuring the 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and back-to-back WSOP Main Event champion (in 1976 & 1977) in a highly amusing advert for the WPT World Championship. Texas Dolly arrived a month early for the celebrations in the video as he rolled towards Vegas ahead of time in the hilarious take on early registration. Pliska commented about the poker legend: “Doyle has been a part of the World Poker Tour from the very beginning.” Of course, Doyle passed in May 2023 but he’ll certainly remain a part of WPT lore.
Another WPT jewel pic.twitter.com/xPETljk3oh
— Doyle Brunson (@TexDolly) November 1, 2022
This advert was one of many towards the latter end of the year that have demonstrated just how on trend the WPT are. Hiring Phil Ivey to be another new brand ambassador back in 2022 was a masterstroke. Not only was Phil also a 10-time WSOP bracelet winner, but Ivey’s mystique is legendary. He promptly appeared in a self-deprecating video where he and Tony Dunst were answering calls in the WPT office. To bring Phil Ivey back in a big way on the tournament circuit is to WPT’s credit.
WPT Summer Festival now at @wpt_global including the $1 buy-in $1 million guaranteed event. See you there pic.twitter.com/OrL3cXOOJE
— Phil Ivey (@philivey) July 23, 2022
The Legends Behind the Mic
It’s not only the mix of Ivey and Dunst that reminds us just what a strong team all those new ambassadors are joining. Vince Van Patten and Tony Dunst have been the WPT’s co-anchors since the late, great Mike Sexton left us. Sexton’s many friends still miss his effortless grace and humor. Van Patten and Dunst deserve huge credit for filling the enormous loss of Mike, producing content that retains Sexton’s wit and wisdom and representing well as World Poker Tour ambassadors.
Image Credit: WPT
Presenting coverage of all the big events where players have the chance of getting their name carved into the WPT Mike Sexton Champions Cup is the Australian broadcasting hero Lynn Gilmartin. A mainstay of the WPT for many years, Gilmartin’s easy charm and whip-smart personality make her someone WPT relies on. Fans love seeing her on the screen wherever she goes.
WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage is another powerhouse personality in his own right, having won the Global Poker Award for Poker Industry Person of the Year this year. His relationship with players and fans is second to none. It’s impossible to think of someone in poker who has welcomed so many people to the game. It’s continued growth is in no small part a direct result of Savage’s skill and presence.
READ MORE: Inside Matt Savage’s WPT Prime Cyprus Experience
Who Could Be the Next World Poker Tour Ambassador?
There are so many players in poker who offer so much in terms of success, brand growth and an online presence. To pick only a handful inevitably misses hundreds of perfectly suitable candidates. That said, this is exactly what we’re going to do. So let’s start with tour favourite Dan Smith.
Image courtesy: PokerGO, HendonMob
Known as ‘The Cowboy’, Smith might be used to playing high roller events, but he’s happy to mix it up in $10,000 MTT fields too. Dan won his first WSOP bracelet in the summer of 2022, rubber stamping what everyone in the game knows; Smith is a winner both on and off the felt. His Double Up Drive has raised millions for charity, too, and the World Poker Tour’s own efforts in this area would complement Smith’s charitable ethic.
Darren Elias is already a bona fide World Poker Tour legend, having won more Main Event titles on the WPT Tour (four) than any other player in history. What better way to promote the brand than by making the most successful player ever to sit at the WPT felt a top ambassador? Elias isn’t just a great poker player, he’s also a wholesome family man who has proven that you can become a ruthless winner while being a nice person.
With poker props running in the family, one player who we think would add huge value as a future World Poker Tour ambassador is Natasha Mercier. With husband Jason taking more of a back seat in recent years, Natasha’s propensity for making it through tough fields and juggling motherhood alongside her poker success is inspiring. With the poker industry always looking for ways of bringing more women into a game still dominated by men, what better person to inspire others to take up the game than Natasha?
Image credit PokerNews, Drew Amato
Finally, we think that the genius mind of Erik Seidel would be a great fit for the World Poker Tour. A bona fide Poker Hall of Famer, Seidel remains hugely consistent, and along with his backgammon and chess passion he could bring other mind sport players to poker. Seidel’s background in stocks and accounting offers a true meeting of intelligence that could only benefit the changes any poker brand will go through.
Image credit: PokerNews
The WPT has made giant leaps in recent years, adding some big names to their roster of World Poker Tour ambassadors. Who knows what future years will bring and which new names will be added to help represent the biggest poker tour in the world?!
