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The face of PokerStars for more than a decade – Daniel Negreanu – announced that he was parting ways with the online poker conglomerate yesterday. The company has been undergoing a massive exodus of team pros with the likes of Felipe Ramos, Vanessa Selbst, Jason Mercier and the brand’s longest-tenured sponsored player Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier all exiting the Red Spade`s pro team recently, and the six-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner has now become the latest ambassador to jump ship.
Negreanu’s exit is undoubtedly the most significant departure from the PokerStars pro team so far. There is little doubt that Negreanu is one of the most celebrated poker players in the world today and currently sits in second place on the all-time tournament earnings leaderboard with a massive $38.7 Million in career winnings.
This latest exit means that Chris Moneymaker is the only poker boom era Team Pro member still associated with PokerStars.
The news of ‘Kid Poker’ departure came through on May 23 when Negreanu announced the same on Twitter.
I have an announcement I’d like to share with you all about my time with @pokerstars pic.twitter.com/qqY3ABPOTw
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) May 23, 2019
PokerStars also tweeted about the parting of ways.
This is not a bluff: after 12 great years together, today we part ways with @RealKidPoker, a true legend of the game. GG & GL. #ThankYouDaniel pic.twitter.com/fxQNFdwqcj
— PokerStars (@PokerStars) May 23, 2019
Daniel Negreanu – PokerStars: 12 Years of Sponsorship
Before joining PokerStars, Negreanu was in the process of building his own poker site, Full Contact Poker. However, Negreanu signed on with the online poker giant back in June 2007 and has been the frontman of the Red Spade’s Team of pros for much of the last decade.
During his time with the company, the 44-year-old won several titles most notable of which were the $2,000 Limit Hold’em at the 2008 WSOP, the A$10,000 No Limit Hold’em at the 2013 WSOP Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC), Melbourne and the €25,600 No-Limit Hold’em – High Roller at the 2013 WSOPE, Enghien-les-Bains.
However, it has not been all hunky-dory for Negreanu who got a lot of flak for trying to defend some of the more controversial business decisions by PokerStars – like the rake increase incident and termination of the SuperNova Elite program.
Many well-known poker personalities have often feuded with Negreanu citing that the later was more concerned about earning money than being a good ambassador for the poker community. When Negreanu stood behind the poker site’s decision to increase rake, pros such as Doug Polk mocked him with a “more rake is better” meme. He even spent thousands of dollars last year at the WSOP to purchase a billboard outside the Rio, which read, “MoreRakeIsBetter.com.”
Even Shaun Deeb came out lashing Negreanu over the poker staking controversy that had started with poker vlogger Johnnie “Vibes” Moreno charging a 1.38 mark-up for his WSOP package.
He left a message on Negreanu’s tweet saying, “I hope you find time to be the ambassador for poker players I’ve known you always could be.”
Nevertheless, Negreanu claims that he and PokerStars are parting ways on amicable terms. “In a lot of ways, it’s somewhat freeing,” he said in a video blog. “For years, when I make a statement about poker, people say, ‘You’re just saying that because you’re being paid to say that.’ Which I know is not true — I could pass 1,000 lie detectors to prove that — but what’s great about the situation now is I can go back to essentially making comments and statements about the poker community that I guess would have more credibility because of that.”
“I’ve had the luxury over the last 20 years of being on the inside when it comes to the business side of poker, the professional side of poker. I know what poker players are missing. I know what some of the people in business miss about what it’s like to be a professional poker player. I’ll still fairly discuss any issues, positive and negative, with them, with partypoker, with WSOP,” he added.
Speaking on Negreanu’s departure, PokerStars Associate Director of Stars Group Public Relations, Rebecca McAdam Willets said, “Daniel has been one of the most influential faces of poker and indeed PokerStars for 12 years, and it has been wonderful to have his passion, support and insights throughout our relationship. We wish Daniel the very best for the future, as well as wedded bliss and tons of run good this summer.”
Response From the Poker Fraternity
There has been an outpouring of good wishes for the former PokerStars Team pro on Twitter.
You have been and will continue to be a great ambassador for this game. Your reach and influence and most importantly the way you treat fans of the game extend far beyond any company you represent. Can’t wait to see what you get after next! ?
— Maria Ho (@MariaHo) May 23, 2019
Daniel gl in the future with the Mrs. it was great being on a team with you for 12 years
— Chris Moneymaker (@CMONEYMAKER) May 23, 2019
it’s been an honour being your team mate all these years. Enjoy family life, so good to see you so happy ❤️❤️❤️
— Liv Boeree (@Liv_Boeree) May 23, 2019
I look forward to seeing what happens next.
It’s gonna be a great summer
— Joey Ingram ???? (@Joeingram1) May 23, 2019
Good luck, and see you in Vegas!
— Maria Konnikova (@mkonnikova) May 23, 2019
Future Plans
Newly married to Amanda Leatherman last week on May 17, Negreanu definitely has a lot on his plate. As he informed all in his farewell video, he hopes to start a family in the coming years and called his split with PokerStars as just part of his “life taking on a new direction.”
“I’m super excited about the future with my new woman,” he said.
He also confirmed that he will be continuing his popular WSOP vlog and will be returning for WSOP 2019.