As you may have guessed by now, we’re big supporters of fan clubs. After all, meeting people with the same interests as you can only be a good thing, right? You get to hang out with fellow fans, talk about your favorite teams or stars, and you might even discover a few things about your passion that you didn’t yet know. Unlikely we know, but hey, it’s possible.
While there are countless NBA fan clubs and even fan clubs that organize watch parties for sports like golf, what about those other sports that fly under the radar? These are the sports that everyone plays but because of the nature of the game, they may not actively watch it on TV or even have a favorite player. We are, of course, talking about poker. The game that pretty much everyone can play, but that still manages to stay out of the spotlight until the World Series of Poker (WSOP) rolls around.
Interestingly, we’ve discovered that there are very few poker fan clubs in the US. Sure there are plenty of poker tournaments organized by groups on Facebook, but the sport is really lacking some dedicated fan clubs to bring poker fans together outside the normal setting of a competitive game.
So if you’re a regular poker player and an avid fan of the game, then it’s time you started your own fan club. But what’s so great about poker fan clubs anyway?
They’re very different to live tournaments
If you already play regularly in live tournaments then you’re quite lucky; not everyone has that luxury. But even if every poker fan in the world could play in a live game on a regular basis, being part of a fan club is an entirely different thing.
Live tournaments are great for improving your skills, but unless you hang around after the game, you don’t get much chance to socialize with the other players. Everyone is focused on their game and no one wants to be distracted.
Fan clubs, on the other hand, give you a chance to get to know other fans. You can talk about the game, ask for tips on poker strategy, or discuss the latest news in the world of poker. You can even arrange trips to casinos or friendly home games. The possibilities for social interaction with other players are pretty much endless.
Fan clubs are great for learning
You can only learn so much from friendly games with your buddies in the kitchen, especially if they’re not all that skilled at poker. And when it comes to live tournaments, or even online poker, everyone is competing against each other. You’ll learn from the experience, but you won’t get a chance to ask questions.
Fan clubs give you the opportunity to learn from your peers. In fact, the poker community is incredibly friendly and while players compete while at the table, when they’re not playing, they’re often more than willing to help others. If you want proof, go ahead and check out the many Twitch channels where poker players explain their strategies to their followers. It really is eye-opening to see how helpful they all are.
Where can I find a poker fan club?
As we mentioned earlier, finding poker fan clubs isn’t as easy as you’d think. Sure, you can join some Facebook groups or follow your favorite player on Twitch, but this can be hit and miss. Groups are often just there to arrange tournaments and home games while Twitch lacks the community vibe that only a fan club can provide.
So if you can’t find one, what should you do?
That’s easy! Just start your own. It really isn’t all that difficult.
Start your own poker fan club
While we were dismissive of Facebook groups just now, if used right, they can be a great way to connect with fellow fans. However, you will need to be quite diligent with who you admit to the group and set out clear guidelines on what’s acceptable.
Don’t allow promotion of any kind without permission from the group owner (that’s you). Be clear that the group is for interacting with fellow fans, so distasteful comments or anything that promotes hate or offends other members will not be tolerated.
Most importantly though, you’ll want to keep your fan club active. That means starting regular conversations and sharing things within the group that other may find interesting. You can also suggest live meetups and home games for any members that live near each other.
If your members aren’t local, you can suggest playing online. The best way to get started with fellow members is to play some freeroll games just so you all get to know each other. You don’t want to create any early tension in the group, especially if you keep winning the pot.
A good idea is to use some of the free poker tournaments available online as a starting point. This way, you and your members will have some fun while getting to know each others playing styles. And best of all – no one loses out.
It may also be a good idea to arrange some watching parties. This may not be so easy to arrange as, generally speaking, the WSOP is the only major televised tournament. Luckily for you, they live stream the final table for every event, so at least once a year you can have a watch party where everyone gets together.
An even better idea though, would be to book a trip and head to Vegas to watch the WSOP games in person. Yes, you can do that and there’s usually no admission charge to get in. Just show up on the day and walk into the room where you can watch any game you like. The main event is a little different, as only family and friends of players get into the main seating area, but you can still attend if you’re prepared to stand and watch. Arranging to go to a live event is quite possibly the best thing any fan club can do, and you’ll earn some serious kudos from your fan club members if you can pull off a trip to the Main Event.
So, if you’re into poker and sick of your regular home games with your non-poker playing family and friends, step away from the kitchen table and start your own poker fan club. Like we said, it’s really not that hard to do and it could be the very thing you need to improve your poker skills and meet some like-minded souls.