PPP sack the Big C

jack90210

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-blogs/12-the-craic-with-ciaran-o-leary/entries/5209-goodbye-to-paddy-power

Was he just not doing the business? No big tournie scores? Have they got anyone lined up? Who would be a good signing?

RoadSweeper

[ ] sacked

jack90210

Didn't re-sign him, same difference.

Ollieboy

I actually felt he did a good job and got loads of coverage at the WSOP last year. His coverage at the IO in 2008 was pretty good and he was great at mixing with players etc.

If they're going to sign someone the best available Irish talent at the moment not signed as to be Jude, but I would hurry as I reckon he'll be picking up offers soon.

Fatboydim

That's a shame - Ciaran is a nice guy.

I doubt PPP will replace him however. I think the IO is their star.

Conbro

Can't say I'm too fond of the guy to be honest. His nauseating, attention seeking commentary of the IO last year was pretty difficult to endure, stage Irishness at its stomach churning best. Choosing a nickname thats a euphanism for cancer I also find to be distasteful. Probably a good decision by PPP as Im sure Im not the only person he has deterred from their brand.

Conbro

Conbro wrote: »

Can't say I'm too fond of the guy to be honest. His nauseating, attention seeking commentary of the IO last year was pretty difficult to endure, stage Irishness at its stomach churning best. Choosing a nickname thats a euphanism for cancer I also find to be distasteful. Probably a good decision by PPP as Im sure Im not the only person he has deterred from their brand.

I am pretty sure when you were thinking about PPP you were just about to hit download until you considered their sponsorship of Ciaran O'Leary.

"I shalln't associate with such people", you thought, eh Conor?

Conbro

Deleted User wrote: »

I am pretty sure when you were thinking about PPP you were just about to hit download until you considered their sponsorship of Ciaran O'Leary.

"I shalln't associate with such people", you thought, eh Conor?

Obviousy he is not the only criteria in determining whether I play with Paddy Power or not. However his image certainly doesnt encourage me, which is kind of what he's paid to do. Understand?

Conbro

Conbro wrote: »

Understand?

Do I ever?

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

Conbro

Deleted User wrote: »

Do I ever?

Of course how dare I question The Wise One

corkie123

pity nice guy but in this climate who going to be spending money with pros? heard ladbrokes have donk loads of the guys .
seem like boyles are the only guys who put people into touries and there only local ones .
ppp have bought a share of a aussie bookies so funds might be short at moment .:D:D:D

eagle eye

PPP would be better off sacking that advertising department imo.

I though Ciaran O'Leary did a good job for them, a nice guy and added a bit of decency to their ranks to somewhat offset that insulting unintelligent advertisiing.

Conbro

Conbro wrote: »

Of course how dare I question The Wise One

Ha, I make no claim to wisdom. I wasn't having a go at you btw Conor, I was trying to make a PPP joke originally.

Conbro

Deleted User wrote: »

Ha, I make no claim to wisdom. I wasn't having a go at you btw Conor, I was trying to make a PPP joke originally.

lol chill m8:D enough people get worked up about me around here dont you start

Conbro

Conbro wrote: »

lol chill m8:D enough people get worked up about me around here dont you start

Consider me chilled:cool:

Jesus Wept

Maybe it was because he was referring to them as 'Paddy Powers'.

5starpool

I'm available to be signed if PPP are looking for someone.

phantom_lord

Ollieboy wrote: »

I actually felt he did a good job and got loads of coverage at the WSOP last year. His coverage at the IO in 2008 was pretty good and he was great at mixing with players etc.

If they're going to sign someone the best available Irish talent at the moment not signed as to be Jude, but I would hurry as I reckon he'll be picking up offers soon.

i don't think talent has much to do with it unfortunately.

corkie123

5starpool wrote: »

I'm available to be signed if PPP are looking for someone.

it be a poker player they be looking for ;)

5starpool

Oh right. Sorry.

Carry on.

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

mdwexford

They probably got shut of him because he refers to himself in the 3rd person imo.

5starpool

They'll never sign Pighead so.

If you don't read After Hours you probably won't get that one. Might be better for your sanity though.

Jesus Wept

mdwexford wrote: »

They probably got shut of him because he refers to himself in the 3rd person imo.

The-Rigger was thinking much the same md.

opr

5starpool wrote: »

They'll never sign Pighead so.

If you don't read After Hours you probably won't get that one. Might be better for your sanity though.

Somehow Pighead gets away with it.

Opr

smoothcall

Conbro wrote: »

Can't say I'm too fond of the guy to be honest. His nauseating, attention seeking commentary of the IO last year was pretty difficult to endure, stage Irishness at its stomach churning best. Choosing a nickname thats a euphanism for cancer I also find to be distasteful. Probably a good decision by PPP as Im sure Im not the only person he has deterred from their brand.

Ill say now imo Conor he's one of the nicest guys on the poker scene iv'e ever met. Your slaggin his "stage" irsishness although it seems put on, i genuinely feell he loves everything about irish poker. Iv'e had the chance to talk to the man on a few occasions, and his passion for the game and ireland always prevailed. I wouldn't be one to be "awed" bt the pro players, but i had a few jars at the the previous IO with Ciaran, then over in vegas he approached me out of no where and said howaya Andrew, how are the cards teratin ya?.... So i dunnno he always came across like a top man to myslef, but if Ciarans not sponsered by PP anymore i still hope he'll be at all the Irish tourneys.....

And I certainly don't think his nickname was ever to be considered in that referance .

Daithio

I never met the guy, but on tv etc he seemed like a perfectly nice bloke. I doubt the discontinuation of the contract has much to do with his performance to be honest, I reckon it's more likely that the PPP marketing department are smart enough to realise that the sponsorship model doesn't provide a very good ROI for them.

Jesus Wept

Daithio wrote: »

I never met the guy, but on tv etc he seemed like a perfectly nice bloke. I doubt the discontinuation of the contract has much to do with his performance to be honest, I reckon it's more likely that the PPP marketing department are smart enough to realise that the sponsorship model doesn't provide a very good ROI for them.

I found his antics irritating during the broadcast where he won his bracelet.

jbravado

To be fair he seems a very genuine and approachable guy who represented Paddy Power well.

ZZR1100

mdwexford wrote: »

They probably got shut of him because he refers to himself in the 3rd person imo.

the big Dave dosnt know what you mean

Lafortezza

Deleted User wrote: »

"I shalln't associate..."

Nice

Monkeybonkers

Conbro wrote: »

Can't say I'm too fond of the guy to be honest. His nauseating, attention seeking commentary of the IO last year was pretty difficult to endure, stage Irishness at its stomach churning best. Choosing a nickname thats a euphanism for cancer I also find to be distasteful. Probably a good decision by PPP as Im sure Im not the only person he has deterred from their brand.

I don't know Ciaran but from what I remember reading on PPP it was people in America who couldn't pronounce his name that gave him this nickname. You can't do much about the nickname you're given unfortunately.

NickyOD

Don't think I've met anyone in poker more approachable and laid back than Ciaran. From what I know of him I like him a lot.

I would say this is a bad move on PPP's part. To me he seems like the ideal ambassador for them, but I'd imagine there is more to it than a simple case of PPP just deciding to not renew his contract.

There is always more to the story.

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

lol @ the idea that it is the economic recession as quoted in the article why things have been discontinued. PP are actually growing their profits and even expanding into Australia at the moment. Not a bad recession for them!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=afzmafgveatA&refer=australia

HIVeindhoven

I doubt sponsoring players is +EV for many poker sites tbh. Dont see what they get out of it, who a site sponsors isnt even on my radar when considering whether to deposit. I doubt its on the radar of anyone who isnt a complete retard.
Most sponsorship deals from what i can see involve site owners staking their degen buddies into Donkaments.

YULETIRED

he won a bracelet got a deal, he hasn't done much since, they are a poker site, you need to back winners, your brand needs to be associated with winners. It's quite normal if you show no real form you can't expect to be picked, any monies should be redirected to current next best thing, that's how it works in general. Likeable chap but busines is business

good luck to him

Ollieboy

HIVeindhoven wrote: »

I doubt sponsoring players is +EV for many poker sites tbh. Dont see what they get out of it, who a site sponsors isnt even on my radar when considering whether to deposit. I doubt its on the radar of anyone who isnt a complete retard.
Most sponsorship deals from what i can see involve site owners staking their degen buddies into Donkaments.

true in most cases but not always, a good example is Marty Smyth. He has massively increase the profile of Boyles. Also Full-Tilt have made massive use of there pro's.

I do believe having loads of online qualifiers at events and wearing your brand is just as good. I've been asked about different site names at loads of events and always notice one I've not seen before.

Jayminator

jbravado wrote: »

To be fair he seems a very genuine and approachable guy who represented Paddy Power well.

Leave BCB outta this

kennyrsb

his soul patch is crap

SpencerJames

I dont usually feel the urge to get into these thread where people are talking about things the havent a scoobies about. BUt this time, considering how strongly I feel on the issue I have to get involved.

Ciaran is a top guy. Anyone here that is giving out about him clearly doesnt know the man. its important to remember its his job to get tv time and be a public figure of Irish poker.

Its also to remember that this deal was the first one of its size and scale in irish poker. It was always going to be a trial period. PP obv just feel that the juice wasnt worth the squeeze and didnt reknew his contract. Its a business after all. Im sure PP would be the first to say what a great job Ciaran did.

On a personal level, he has been nothing but great to me. Offering advice and encouragement. A great guy to go for a few beers with and has no problem giving his time to anyone.

GL to him.

Donkathon

watch he'll make the final table in this years wsop and then pp will be sick, they should have waited till after the wsop imo

NickyOD

YULETIRED wrote: »

he won a bracelet got a deal, he hasn't done much since, they are a poker site, you need to back winners, your brand needs to be associated with winners. It's quite normal if you show no real form you can't expect to be picked, any monies should be redirected to current next best thing, that's how it works in general. Likeable chap but busines is business

good luck to him

The guy made a final table of the Poker Million, finishing 3rd for 175K which was televised on sky sports. You can probably count the number of Irish players with bigger live cashes than this in the last year on one hand. Not sure what more PPP could want considering they didn't wait for the WSOP.

HIVeindhoven

Just to add, of all the Irish poker sites, PPP are the ones with least to gain from sponsorship, given the already huge brand awareness and especially given the huge amount of free airtime and free press they get. (I know a lot of that is in relation to retarded novelty bets (Stuff like PP offering 500/1 on Bono to be next Pope. "Insert cheesy wisecrack from Paddy Power here" Ho.Ho.) as opp0sed to Poker but it all helps keep PPP to the fore in punters minds.

HIVeindhoven

NickyOD wrote: »

The guy made a final table of the Poker Million, finishing 3rd for 175K which was televised on sky sports. You can probably count the number of Irish players with bigger live cashes than this in the last year on one hand. Not sure what more PPP could want considering they didn't wait for the WSOP.

I'm not sure many people care about this kind of thing anymore. Most peoples interest in a tourney begins and ends with their involvement in it.(or maybe freinds and aquaintances also) There is so many tourneys on TV and far greater awareness of the variance involved, I dont think random Punters assign much significance to a guy finishing 3rd in an event like that. I play quite a few tourneys online, used to play live and read this forum most days.I have watched all of HSP. However the only EPT winner i could name from the last two years is Fintan Gavin (purely because of this forum) and i have no idea of the name of the guy who won the irish open this year. I just dont care and i suspect its the same for a lot of players.

BigCityBanker

i had a big long reply written out and my browser crashed instead of writing it out again I will summarise.

Ciaran is as genuine a person and as proud an Irishman as you will meet on your travels. Anybody who thinks otherwise simply just is not a good judge of a person or their character. I can share stories much like Rory and Chubs above about just how nice a guy he is.

Our parting was amicable, there was no row, nothing sinister and there certainly isnt any more to it as somebody suggested above in the thread. The PPP staff would be the first to count him as a friend and wish him well done on his fiture achievements.

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

CHD

So?

Ollieboy

HIVeindhoven wrote: »

I'm not sure many people care about this kind of thing anymore. Most peoples interest in a tourney begins and ends with their involvement in it.(or maybe freinds and aquaintances also) There is so many tourneys on TV and far greater awareness of the variance involved, I dont think random Punters assign much significance to a guy finishing 3rd in an event like that. I play quite a few tourneys online, used to play live and read this forum most days.I have watched all of HSP. However the only EPT winner i could name from the last two years is Fintan Gavin (purely because of this forum) and i have no idea of the name of the guy who won the irish open this year. I just dont care and i suspect its the same for a lot of players.

Fintan didn't win a EPT, he finish 2nd. Just to prove your point more.

Also most of the advertisement people want from a sponsor player is not for the Irish market, mostly for UK and Europe. Brand awareness there is very weak for most Irish companies

dannydiamond

HIVeindhoven wrote: »

the only EPT winner i could name from the last two years is Fintan Gavin (purely because of this forum)

Fintan finished 2nd.

I'm pretty sure sponsorship deals with players is mostly about brand awareness and if there's one site who probably don't 'need' a sponsored player it's Paddypower.
From my perspective he did very well for them,never missing an opportunity for tv time,commentating and also an excellent result in the poker million.

Good luck to him.

HIVeindhoven

just to add , i wasnt jumping on the "Big C" bashing bandwagon, just musing on the EV of sponsorship for the sponsor.