oioi, a £1,100 Sky Poker UKPC seat is on offer today.

GaryQQQ

I'm unable to play in the UKOPS tournaments this debate applies to, so I can look at the situation a neutral.

The seats were promoted here as 'added value'. That's very misleading in my opinion. The was no added value unless the tournaments ran with overlay, an unlikely situation. It was never made clear that the cash prize pool was being reduced by the value of these seats.

Further more, this could be seen as Sky taking extra rake from the prize pool. £100 in the case of a £1,100 seat (which I assume is £1,000 + £100).

I can only agree with the other players who've replied here. This reflects badly on Sky Poker and would be best avoided in future if you wish to maintain your hard-earned reputation for fairness and honesty.

CxE1

If it was marketed correctly then why so many aggreived. If we get past this then how can you change the prize structure. I have decided i will write to sky and take this matter through skys internal complaints procedure and thereafter take the matter externally to the alternative dispute resolution service.

TeddyBloat

It's not just the marketing, the principal of raking the prize pool is pretty scummy.

Just because other sites have shady ways of ensuring they rake players as much as they can doesn't mean sky should be joining them.

That they use words like "added" and "Bonus" when they are actually ensuring some of the prize pool is converted to rake really does stick in the throat though.

BigBluster

In Response to oioi, a £1,100 Sky Poker UKPC seat is on offer today.:

All you have to do is win the UKOPS Main Event, & you'll get the bonus of a £1,100 Sky Poker UKPC Seat.   Easy game. Ish.
Posted by Tikay10

This would be more fun if the seat went to the person who finished 27th. It's not easy to finish 27th, even if you try!

Ice_Tiger

This is fairly common practice at some live venues. It is not really about getting additional rake in the prizes paid out as about ensuring that guarantees are met in the forthcoming event and avoiding or reducing costly overlay.

Already quite a few players are boycotting live venues that use this practice and no doubt SKY Poker will lose players if it is repeated. The plus side is that the majority of players won't realise it is happening so you can get away with it quite a few times before it seriously affects the business.

Long term, it will alienate customers and drive them to other sites.

StayOrGo

Hi guys, yes this probably was an error of judgment by Sky. However I'm sure they will learn from it and we know Sky Sam and TK are genuine, good guys who go to a lot of lengths to reply and get feedback from us about various issues.

We are very lucky to have a forum where anyone can vent their disapproval in these situations.

It would be a shame for Sky to say that "Replying and/or providing a Forum is more trouble than it's worth"

So, lets put things in perspective. I do not know many sites that interact so well with their players and get fast feedback to them via the Forum etc.

So lets not vilify them too much.

For me personally, I quite like "seats added to the prize pool". Although I did think that 1 UKPC seat for the winner was wrong (unless being given, as it eventually was)

The good thing when say 10 seats form part of the prize pool, is that it is good for the guys finishing 7th-10th, which can often be a disappointing result compared to the prize pool that the final table receive.

So a quick message particularly to Sky Sam and TK. This probably was a mistake, but keep up the good work, and thanks for fighting our corner with these things. Great that you got the UKPC seat to be "added" in the end.

All the best,

Graham

CxE1

Hi Graham, Great post as always. Well done in the main event.I have taken this matter further than most for the following reasons

1. When a grey haired dinosaur says its not right the youngsters should listen.

2. They do it because other sites do it and then they call it industry standard.

3. They have not said it won't happen again, just they will do it differently

4. Most importantly, the prize pool is the players money.In an END event they can split it up as originally advertised but they       cannot and should not tell you how and where to spend it.The rake/fee is theirs to do as they please.

I will be writing for an external adjudication on this matter over the weekend. Sky beleive " the prize pool is sky poker's to use as we desire".This has to be challenged because this is the players money. I'm not after money, just an acknowledgement that this practice is plain wrong

Jac35

In Response to Re: oioi, a £1,100 Sky Poker UKPC seat is on offer today.:

Hi guys, yes this probably was an error of judgment by Sky. However I'm sure they will learn from it and we know Sky Sam and TK are genuine, good guys who go to a lot of lengths to reply and get feedback from us about various issues. We are very lucky to have a forum where anyone can vent their disapproval in these situations. It would be a shame for Sky to say that "Replying and/or providing a Forum is more trouble than it's worth" So, lets put things in perspective. I do not know many sites that interact so well with their players and get fast feedback to them via the Forum etc. So lets not vilify them too much. For me personally, I quite like "seats added to the prize pool". Although I did think that 1 UKPC seat for the winner was wrong (unless being given, as it eventually was) The good thing when say 10 seats form part of the prize pool, is that it is good for the guys finishing 7th-10th, which can often be a disappointing result compared to the prize pool that the final table receive. So a quick message particularly to Sky Sam and TK. This probably was a mistake, but keep up the good work, and thanks for fighting our corner with these things. Great that you got the UKPC seat to be "added" in the end. All the best, Graham
Posted by StayOrGo

Great post 

Jac35

In Response to Re: oioi, a £1,100 Sky Poker UKPC seat is on offer today.:

Hi Graham, Great post as always. Well done in the main event.I have taken this matter further than most for the following reasons 1. When a grey haired dinosaur says its not right the youngsters should listen. 2. They do it because other sites do it and then they call it industry standard. 3. They have not said it won't happen again, just they will do it differently 4. Most importantly, the prize pool is the players money.In an END event they can split it up as originally advertised but they       cannot and should not tell you how and where to spend it.The rake/fee is theirs to do as they please. I will be writing for an external adjudication on this matter over the weekend. Sky beleive " the prize pool is sky poker's to use as we desire".This has to be challenged because this is the players money. I'm not after money, just an acknowledgement that this practice is plain wrong
Posted by CxE1

Terrible post 

LmfaoAllin

Mr Jackson has beat me to it but still will add my +1 to the sentiment.

Well said Graham, nice post.