Tiffany Michelle sponsored by Poker News or Ultimate Bet?

**Chipless Wonder** · 07-15-2008 11:20 PM

From Poker News...

PokerNews Official Statement
July 14, 2008
PokerNews Management
The last 48 hours have been a crucial and trying time for PokerNews.

On the outset of the World Series of Poker, we have been associated with an outstanding female poker player, who until a few hours ago, was the last woman standing in the original field of 6844 entrants in the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Official PokerNews representative, Tiffany Michelle, was one of the chip leaders for the better end of her run in the Main Event and was poised for a brilliant Final Table appearance that would make her the second woman in history to achieve such a feat.

As a company that truly believes in this industry and in the importance of supporting aspiring poker players, PokerNews sponsored her into several buy-in events at this year's World Series including the Main Event, enabling Tiffany to showcase her irrefutable talent and flair on the felt. However, a few days into the Main Event, several media outlets published reports and images showing Tiffany donning an UltimateBet.net logo during her play at the ESPN feature table.

It was later confirmed that without any consultation with PokerNews, Tiffany went ahead and signed a sponsorship deal with Ultimate Bet. While we welcome such sponsorship deals between online gaming operators and players, as a company we could see no reason as to why we were left out of such negotiations, especially considering the relationships that PokerNews has with all such entities. Tiffany was bought into the event by PokerNews and had a signed player contract with PokerNews Ltd. We believe, that based on advice from her agent that the contract may have loopholes; she went and made a deal with an online gaming operator that completely contradicted the trust that we had put in her, both as an employee and as a sponsored player. As an organization we felt completely sabotaged by Tiffany, her agent and Ultimate Bet.

In fact, PokerNews was looking forward to and expected a large number of sponsorship offers from the world's biggest poker rooms – Tiffany's career was about to explode and we could not have been more proud for her. Therefore, we are incredibly disappointed with Tiffany and her agent's lack of respect and professionalism. We are currently seeking legal council on this entire situation and potential damages to PokerNews.

In regard to the Ultimate Bet and PokerNews relationship, Ultimate Bet has come under considerable scrutiny from the Poker Community for several scandals involving high-ranking employees and the use of defective software that allowed these users to see their opponent's hole cards. As a result of such breaches in the online communities trust, PokerNews has decided that it will no longer promote this site within its network.

Despite the disappointing circumstances, we extend our deepest congratulations to Tiffany on her outstanding achievement. Tiffany finished in 17th place and left the room to a standing ovation.

On behalf of PokerNews, I would like to thank the millions of faithful viewers who have supported us throughout this time, and who have continued to come to us for reliable, timely and in-depth reporting of the world's biggest poker tournaments. I truly believe that this year we were able to showcase to the world the incredible team of people that we have working for this organization. The live updates this year set a precedent and I am proud of our efforts.

Justin Robert Huxley
PokerNews Ltd Vice President

Source = PokerNews Official Statement | Poker News

**SNutizzle** · 07-16-2008 01:32 AM

Wow that is serious stuff!

On the positive side, tonight at Sahara I played next to a very nice gentleman named James. I gave him a badbeatspoker business card and he said he would check it out.......as well as his buddy, who turns out to be Main Event final table player Kelly Kim.

I sure hope we hear from James and Kelly. It would be nice to add a couple new members and get some stories about the ME in its crunch time!!

**CW Buckeye** · 07-16-2008 12:20 PM

That is awesome that they called her out like that. Good for them and shame on her.

**ImADonk** · 07-16-2008 03:13 PM

Here's a pic of Tiffany on Day 5. Note that she has on both PN and UB logos. The picture was found in this thread here: Live Reporting | 2008 World Series of Poker | 39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event

So by no means am I lawyer or have any ideas how these sponsorship deals work but it sounds to me like PN wanted a piece of her sponsorship action?

In fact, PokerNews was looking forward to and expected a large number of sponsorship offers from the world's biggest poker rooms – Tiffany's career was about to explode and we could not have been more proud for her

OK, so you're staking her and she's wearing your logo and you're going to get most of her prize money(I read somewhere it was 2/3 of the money) but you also want a piece of the action if somebody else wants to sponsor her?

I'm sorry but unless it's stated in the contract (which it appears it wasn't) then that doesn't make me your slave.

Also, if you read the comments at Pokernews about this article then another valid point is brought up:

In response to Davega...were only responding to the article itself...Your absolutely correct...we don't know the conversations that are going on between the parties. But the article itself suggests the notion that Tiffany Michelle signing with UB has persuaded them to end all advertising privileges with the company due to the scandals.

P.N. , two plus two, poker road, card player ect...all had articles on UB and the Absolute scandals months ago. Too base this decision off of Tiffany's choice and to cut off UB and AP leads us readers to believe P.N. has there priorities in the wrong place.

UB/AP advertising should have been ceased months ago when the facts were released about the scandals. To ban them now and announce it in an article explaining how they feel Tiffany Michelle cheated them so to speak was classless.

Don't get me wrong....I love the articles on P.N. But it jumps off the page in the article about there statement towards Tiffany...relating her decision in sponsorship to the UB/AP scandals.

Again in my last post I stated it's nobody's fault except P.N. that a sponsorship deal wasn't landed with Tiffany Michelle. In the book "The Go-getter by Peter B. Kyne" the message depicts "whatever it takes to get the job done"

The Job didn't get done. Release an article about the P.N employee that didn't get the job done....don't rip Tiffany Michelle lol.

**Chipless Wonder** · 07-16-2008 03:21 PM

Ah ha - it appears that there are two sides to every story.

**ohpokergal** · 07-16-2008 09:26 PM

It sounds like a bunch of Poker News sour grapes! I guess they thought they had "exclusive" rights, but if it ain't in writing .... it don't exist!!

How can you blame any amateur player for grabbing as much glamour, spotlights and C-A-S-H as they possibly can? I mean really....

It's not like she was this incredibly wealthy executive!! She's still wearing the Poker News shirt and they would get so much GREAT publicity for having an employee that performs this well.

Plus everybody knows that given a choice between looking at the Poker Stars logo on her chest or the Ultimate Bet on her hat.... where are most eyes going to gravitate???

Calling her out seems like a shabby and classless thing to do. It seems to me that she's living up to her end of the bargain. Plus paying her way in is a small price to pay for the amount of TV time that they will get in exchange.

If Poker Stars gave Kathleen Gliva $10k (or the equivalent of the buy-in) to wear their gear, then buying their employee's way in --- AND getting a cut -- they have little room for bitching!

**SNutizzle** · 07-16-2008 09:33 PM

Dana I'm not so sure Tiffany Michelle was a Poker News employee.

All that "employee" reference in the appeal article I think refers to whichever PokerNews employee should have been in charge of securing exclusive rights to her, if that's what they were after. OR negotiating with Ultimate Bet to establish a fair co-sponsorship if THAT is what they were after....

It's hard telling at this point WHAT they were after, other than monopolizing her.

**ohpokergal** · 07-16-2008 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by SNutizzle

Dana I'm not so sure Tiffany Michelle was a Poker News employee.

All that "employee" reference in the appeal article I think refers to whichever PokerNews employee should have been in charge of securing exclusive rights to her, if that's what they were after. OR negotiating with Ultimate Bet to establish a fair co-sponsorship if THAT is what they were after....

Actually, according to this link from her website, she worked for them as an online host.

Tiffany Michelle Poker