It seems that PokerStars has made the first step in trimming its roster, apparently cutting US pros Dennis Phillips, Bill Chen, and Tom McEvoy. Although no official announcement has been made, the (former?) pros are no longer visible on the Team PokerStars page on the PokerStars website. The move seems to be simply a business move on PokerStars part, as the aforementioned pros were likely deemed unmarketable in the current poker climate.
Is this the first of many cuts for PokerStars or are they simply getting rid of some dead weight? Only time will tell, but the fact that US Pros like Jason Mercier, Barry Greenstein, and Vanessa Selbst continue to actively represent PokerStars is certainly a promising sign. The poker landscape has undoubtedly changed, but as long as the US audience has some exposure to a few familiar TV poker faces, “poker fans” will still have a pulse. If only the cream of the crop are able to retain sponsorship at the expense of a few boring, not-so-entertaining folding bots; it may not be such a bad thing after all.
More details and reactions as this story develops. Stay tuned.
