Dnegs isn’t happy with how the awards ceremony is organized
The Global Poker Awards ceremony has come under fire after poker pro Daniel Negreanu and his wife, Amanda, shared their thoughts on the latest episode of the Mania Podcast. While they acknowledged some positive aspects of the event, they criticized the lack of participation from professional players and raised concerns about the awards’ voting process.
Negreanu recalled how past poker award ceremonies were major events that attracted top professionals like Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth. He noted that those gatherings felt significant, with a strong presence from the poker community. In contrast, he claimed that hardly any players attended this year’s ceremony, based on conversations he had with Jeff Platt and Brent Hanks.
Amanda praised Platt for his role as the event’s host, but Daniel pointed out that the audience seemed hesitant to react to some of his jokes. He speculated that attendees were either uncomfortable or unwilling to show genuine engagement, which contributed to a lackluster atmosphere.
One of Negreanu’s biggest complaints was about the voting system, arguing that many people cast votes without fully understanding the categories. He admitted that when he doesn’t have knowledge about a specific category, such as the best mid-major tournament, he refrains from voting. However, he believes others vote based on personal preference rather than merit, turning the process into more of a popularity contest.
The discussion also touched on past experiences at the awards, hinting at an amusing story from a previous ceremony. While the Global Poker Awards aim to celebrate the industry, Negreanu’s critique suggests there may be areas that need improvement to regain the excitement and credibility the event once had.
