WSOP 2009. Info, Chip Counts, & & stuff. Feed your wild side.

[tikay]

I'm getting all sorts of stuff from The Rio, & Harrahs, as to WSOP 2009, so I'm just gonna plonk it on this thread, as it arrives.

Some of it is mind-numbingly boring, but there are tit-bits that may be of interest. snoops usully does a wicked WSOP Thread, but he's not here any more, sadly, so you'll have to make do with this. 

Some of the early stuff is on my Diary, or on the $40k Thread, but I'll keep the rest of it on here henceforth.

So, off we go. News from the WSOP 2009. Presented by Jack Link's Beef Jerky. Feed your wild side.

[tikay]

Event #3 of the 2009 World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky has broken the record for the largest Omaha Hi/Lo event in history. The $1,500 buy-in event attracted 918 entrants and generated a prize pool of $1,253,070. The previous record was set by last year’s $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo event which drew 833 entrants for a $1,137,045 prize pool. The defending champion of last year’s event, Thang Luu is currently the chip leader with 73,600 in chips.

[tikay]

This one's for WSOP geeks only. The rest of yoiu are excused, I suggest you go have a Jerky.

To All Media:

With hundreds of thousands of poker players and names over many years, there are occasional errors in results and records.  We will agree, it is vital that we be accurate when reporting results.

We note there are four player records which need to be updated and corrected at many websites and player profiles:

 

DAVID CHIU -- Most of Chiu's results are accurate.  However, all WSOP records prior to 1995 do not belong to Chiu.  His first year to cash at the WSOP was in 1996.  Chiu is reported to have cashed in several events during the 1980s.  THESE CASHES BELONG TO A DIFFERENT PLAYER.  His name is David Chew.

Here are the records which should be corrected at all websites, which are listed under CHIU, but in reality belong to CHEW.  Note that it was CHEW who finished 4th in the WSOP Main Event in 1984, not CHIU :

1987 18th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit Hold'em (Event
$1,500 buy-in 5/7/1987 24th $1,500
 
1986 17th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit Hold'em (Event 6)
$1,500 buy-in 5/15/1986 4th $26,370

1986 17th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit Omaha (Event 1)
$100 buy-in 5/10/1986 4th $7,260

1985 16th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event 3)
$1,000 buy-in 5/6/1985 6th $5,960

1982 13th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit 7 Card Stud (Event 13)
$1,000 buy-in 5/21/1982 5th $5,600

1981 12th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit Ace to Five Draw (Event 11)
$1,000 buy-in 5/17/1981 4th $8,800

These results will significantly drop Chiu in career rankings.  I have spoken with him and he had verified that his first WSOP cash was in 1996.

 

BRENT CARTER:  Some poker sites list his birth year as 1959.  It is 1948. 
Carter should also be credited with 48 career WSOP cashes -- not 45 or 46 as is listed at some sites (this is the mark going into the 2009 WSOP).

There is one very obvious error, which occured in the WSOP event played on 5-2-03.  Event #18 shows Roger Easterday as the 10th place finisher.  This is incorrect.  The correct 10th-place finisher is Brent Carter.

Note that Roger Easterday finished 10th in Event #19 (not Event #18). 

 

ROGER EASTERDAY:  Remove his 10th-place finish in 2003 WSOP Event #18.

 

BERRY JOHNSTON:  Some websites list Berry Johnston's number of WSOP cashes at 56.  This number should be 57.  Johnston is not credited with the 1997 WSOP event played on 5-2-97, Pot-Limit Omaha.  He finished in 8th place.  Hence, he should also have 29 WSOP final table appearances (not 28).  He collected $9,150 for that finish.


Thank you.


-- Nolan Dalla

[thetank]

Is there anywhere I can buy some Jack Link's Beef Jerky in the UK?

I have a wild side what wants fed but I'm too nitty to buy a plane ticket.

[tikay]

Another from today. No room for the Shrewdies?

To All Media:
 
The 2009 World Series of Poker is already setting new records.  We expect that Event #4 ($1,000 buy-in NLHE "Stimulous Special") will set an all-time record as the largest non-Main Event tournament in WSOP history.  This event begins (Days 1-A and 1-B) on both Saturday and Sunday.
 
However, one of the downsides of such a huge event is that some players could be shut out.  We kindly ask our media colleagues to spread the word to all poker players that they need to register for this event quickly, at the risk of being a complete sell-out.  We know many players travel from great distances to play in WSOP events and your voice will let players know that they need to act fast.
 
Thank you being a part of poker's greatest celebration, the 40th Anniversary of the World Series of Poker.

[tikay]

This one, in yesterday, gets a 9.6 rating on the tikay geekometer. Look away now.

But you have to love the American lingo. Have you ever heard of a "bar back" before? No, nor have I. But I know what it is. Americans, not as daft as they look when it comes to lingo.

2009 World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky
Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Official Report 

Event #1

Casino Employees Championship

No-Limit Hold’em

Buy-In:  $500

Number of Entries:  866

Total Net Prize Pool:  $389,700

Number of Places Paid:  81

First Place Prize:  $83,833

May 27-28, 2009

 

 

Tournament Highlights:

 

The Winner

 

·        The 2009 World Series of Poker “Casino Employees Champion” is Andrew Cohen, from Las Vegas, NV.  Cohen is originally from New York.

 

·        Cohen is a 39-year-old bartender.  He works at The Palms Casino, inside the Nine steakhouse.  Cohen is married and has one child, a daughter who was born last December.

 

·        “The one thing that I always wanted – for any poker player, this is it,” Cohen remarked in reference to winning the first WSOP gold bracelet of 2009.  “I told all these guys here, it’s not about the money to me, and I’m not even a rich guy.  I’m a bartender.  And, I don’t care about the money.  You can always get money.  It’s the bracelet that counts.”

 

·        Cohen plays regularly in Las Vegas poker tournaments, mostly nightly events spread at various Strip casinos.  He has done well recently, with three consecutive cashes.  But this was his biggest poker victory, by far.

 

·        Cohen was moved emotionally by his victory.  He was unable to contain his enthusiasm at various points during the post-tournament interview and took a few seconds to regain his focus on questions asked by reporters.

 

·        Cohen called his wife moments after winning.  He stated that she was crying at their Las Vegas home.  “She knows how much the gold bracelet means to me.  Life doesn’t get much better than today,” he said.



·        Cohen is close friends with Alex Outhred, who is an instructor at the WSOP Academy.  Outhred remarked afterward:  “Andrew played flawlessly.  He just played flawless all night long.  This is the stuff you teach and you see it actually happen – it’s even better to see it come out so perfectly in the end.”  Cohen also wanted to note the contribution of his friend, poker player Floyd Lewis.

 

·        Cohen came into this year’s WSOP planning to enter five events – three $1,500 buy-in events and a $1,000 buy-in event.  He had just enough bankroll ($5,000) to cover a select number of modestly-priced tournaments.  Cohen now says he will likely add the $10,000 buy-in Main Event to his future plans.

 

·        Cohen collected $83,833 for first place.  He was also awarded his first WSOP gold bracelet.  The bracelet is/was to be presented at a special ceremony held at center stage held the following day.  Cohen is/was the first gold bracelet winner to be honored in this way, which will include the winner’s national anthem. 

 

 

The Players

 

·        The final table was comprised of nine players, which included the following occupations:

 

Poker Dealers (4)

Casino Games Dealers (2)

Bar Back (1)

Floorman (1)

Bartender (1)

 

·        Two of the nine players at the final table were born in The Philippines.  The remaining seven players were born in the United States.

 

·        The runner up was Paul Peterson, from Las Vegas, NV.  He is a bar back who works at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.  “Don’t tell them where I work, because I called in sick today,” Peterson joked to the media.

 

·        Interestingly, in a tournament filled with poker dealers, it was a bartender and bar back who ended up as the top two finishers.



·        The third-place finisher was Casey Kuhn, from Bettendorf, IA.  He is a casino games dealer formally employed at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort in Iowa.

 

·        The fourth-place finisher was Grant Yasui, originally from Waipahu, HI.  He now works as a poker dealer at Fitzgerald’s in Downtown Las Vegas. 

 

·        The fifth-place finisher was Jun Dulay, from Las Vegas, NV.  He now works at The Mirage as a blackjack dealer.



·        The sixth-place finisher was Bobby Rooney, from Oakland, .  He is a Floorman at The Oaks Card Club in Emeryville, .  Rooney previously cashed at the 2005 Aussie Millions poker tournament in Australia. 

 

·        The seventh-place finisher was John McAvoy, from Chandler, AZ.  He is a poker dealer at the Gila River Casino at Wild Horse Pass.  This was McAvoy’s first time to play in a WSOP event.



·        The eighth-place finisher was Ferdinand Boleski, from Las Vegas, NV.  He is a table games dealer.   

 

·        The ninth-place finisher was Sammy Porter, from Bullhead City, AZ.  He is a poker dealer at Harrah’s Laughlin.

 

·        The defending champion was Jonathan Kotula (Las Vegas, NV).  He did not enter this year’s event.

 

 

Odds and Ends

 

·        The tournament kicked off in grand style with WSOP President and Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel standing at center stage.  The center stage platform is positioned at the center of the Amazon Ballroom at the Rio Convention Center, which holds 160 of the tournament’s 295 tables.

 

·        During his introduction, Jack Effel thanked the tournament players, who are all casino employees.  He stated, “It’s you who are out there spreading the word about the World Series of Poker which keeps the players coming back again and again.  Thank you!”

 

·        During his introduction, Jeffrey Pollack noted “Jack Effel is the best tournament director on the planet,” which brought a rousing ovation.  Effel and his staff have worked tirelessly for months refining and some say perfecting the schedule and structures to the players’ benefit.

 

·        Jeffrey Pollack, speaking to the large gathering of casino employees and poker players stated, “Without you, the WSOP would not be possible.  You make it happen.”

 

·        While exiting the stage, Jeffrey Pollack casually remarked to that he had difficulty sleeping the night before, in great anticipation for the opening of the 2009 WSOP.  Summing up the thoughts and feelings of millions of poker players around the world he stated, “Last night felt like Christmas Eve.”   



·        Next, Jeffrey Pollack introduced 11-time WSOP gold bracelet winner and 1989 world champion Phil Hellmuth to the crowd, who was bestowed with the “Shuffle Up and Deal” honors.  Hellmuth made it clear that he supports the new rules in effect for this year’s WSOP.  He also joked with the crowd that he occasionally gets out of line, “but never, ever with the dealers – only the other players,” he said.  Although Hellmuth’s introduction brought a predictable mix of cheers and boos from the good natured crowd, his comments were favorably received.

 

·        Prior to the start of the event, the tournament room was filled with popular music from the year 1970.  Since this is the 40th anniversary of the WSOP, much of the music and memories that his year’s series will flashback to the earlier era.  The three songs played as background music prior to the start were “American Woman” by The Guess Who, “Instant Karma” by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band, and “Cecilia” by Simon and Garfunkel.

 

·        The 2009 WSOP officially opened for business one day prior to the start of this tournament, on May 26th.  While the biggest poker event in the world was underway at the Rio, less than a quarter-mile away at Harrah’s sister property, President Barack Obama was speaking to a gathering at Caesars Palace Las Vegas.

 

 

The Event

 

·        The first Casino Employees Championship was held at the 2000 WSOP.  It was actually called the “Dealers World Poker Championship” at the time, since the tournament was open only to casino dealers (the following year, all casino employees became eligible).  That inaugural event attracted 109 entries and was won by Dave Alizadeh, from Las Vegas. 

 

·        Casino employees were given their own poker tournament, which became a gold bracelet event from the first year forward.  The tournament was added to the WSOP schedule to honor the efforts and commit of poker dealers and all casino employees who help make the WSOP so successful.

 

·        The Casino Employees Championship is included amongst all official WSOP records and statistics.  However, it is not an open event, since there are restrictions on entry.  The event is generally grouped with the Seniors World Championship and Ladies World Championship, which are non-open events but which are still coveted titles afforded the same distinction as all gold bracelet tournaments.

 

·        From 2000-2003, the championship was a Limit Hold’em tournament.  Since 2004, the championship has been a No-Limit Hold’em tournament.

 

·        The largest turnout in history for this event occurred in 2006, when 1,232 casino employees participated.



·        Last year, the tournament was held towards the end of the WSOP (Event #55).  However, this year the tournament returned to its traditional spot on the schedule as the opening event of the WSOP.

 

·        The tournament was played over a two day period.  The prize money was reached at the conclusion of the first day, which lasted 14 hours.  The 81 in-the-money survivors continued play on Day Two, which lasted nearly 12 hours.

 

·        The End Day One chip leader was Zurich Karli, from Zurich Switzerland.  He ended up finishing in 15th place.

 

·        Andrew Cohen (Las Vegas, NV) arrived at the final table with a slight chip lead.  However, he lost his advantage about an hour into final table play.  He regained the lead when his pocket kings scooped a big pot and essentially dominated play in the final two hours.



·        The final table lasted about 4 hours and 20 minutes.

 

·        The final hand took place when Paul Peterson re-raised all-in with ace-queen.  Andrew Cohen called with pocket sixes.  “I knew it was either a race situation or I had a big lead,” Cohen said later.  The board failed to improve either hand, which meant the pocket sixes won the last pot of the tournament. 

 

·        Although Cohen held a 5 to 1 chip advantage over Peterson when heads-up play began, he was modest about how the final hand was played out.  “I got lucky on the last hand to win the race,” he said.  “And you know how important it is to win the races.”

 

·        The tournament officially began on Wednesday, May 27th at 12:06 pm.  The tournament officially ended on Friday, May 29th at 1:52 am.

 

 

WSOP Statistics

 

·        Through the conclusion of Event #1, the 2009 WSOP has attracted 866 entries.  $389,700 in prize money has been awarded to winners.

[tikay]

Not sure I liked this one, which arrived a few days back. I just KNOW where this one will lead. Watch this space.

Note the Voting procedure. Simple is best. But not in America.

".....Today marks the official beginning of the 40th Annual World Series of Poker and to kick things off, we start our nomination process for the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame class.  The public, for the first time ever, has the opportunity to nominate this year's inductees.  From today through July 2, the public can log on to  http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame/halloffamevoting.asp and nominate those they feel deserving.  More details attached and below.

To get you "ready" for the WSOP, here's a fun little video as well.  http://www.vimeo.com/4826308

<<Hall of Fame Voting Guidelines.doc>> <<PokerHallOfFame.JPG>>

POKER HALL OF FAME VOTING GUIDELINES

In 2009, the Poker Hall of Fame marks its 30th Anniversary. Last year, in the first step of Harrah’s plan to elevate the Poker Hall of Fame, the enshrinement ceremony was moved to poker’s biggest night– as part of the Main Event of the World Series of Poker in November.

This year, the nomination, selection and voting process will be revamped as well, culminating in the enshrinement of a worthy inductee(s), again in November as part of the Main Event Final Table.

The new process will work as follows:

From May 26 through July 2, 2009 the public will be able to cast their nominations via online submission at www.worldseriesofpoker.com via the following link: http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame/halloffamevoting.asp .  Each submission will allow for a nominee name as well as up to 250 words supporting that nominee’s worthiness.


During the Main Event of the WSOP, Harrah’s will announce the Top Ten list of nominees by the public.  These ten names become the players among consideration for induction in 2009.


In August, the Hall of Fame committee will then spend the month reviewing the public’s nominations and determine if any others should be added (such as non-poker players who have contributed greatly to the game, any glaring omissions, etc.) and determine the final list.


In September, a finalist ballot will be sent to the current Hall of Famers (16 living) who will each rank the nominees in order of preference – yet only ranking those they deem worthy of admission in 2009.  Each Hall of Famer will also have the ability to add a write-in candidate, whom won’t be eligible for admission in 2009, but will automatically be added to the consideration list for 2010.  In addition, a select group of media members (not to exceed the number of HOF voting members) will also be sent a ballot for ranking the finalists.  All votes will be cast in private, with each HOF and media member entitled to keep their vote secret but not obligated to.  After receiving back all ballots, the HOF committee reviews the selections and helps finalize any tiebreakers or errors.  


Any finalist receiving 75% or more of the votes will be inducted during the enshrinement ceremony at the Final Table of Main Event in November, 2009.


The main criteria for the Poker Hall of Fame are as follows:

A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
Played for high stakes
Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers
Stood the test of time
Or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results...."

[WarBwastard]

Is there anywhere I can buy some Jack Link's Beef Jerky in the UK?

I have a wild side what wants fed but I'm too nitty to buy a plane ticket.

You can buy it in Spar shops.  I don't really have a wild side so don't know what it's like.

[tikay]

And LESS THAN AN HOUR after that Hall of Fame stuff arrived, this one came thudding in. Lush the Gush, the ultimate PR Pro. Respect to him.

The suggestion that Mike Sexton be elected is, of course, purely coincidental to his role at Party Poker. Bias? What bias?

"....VOTE MIKE SEXTON FOR POKER’S HALL OF FAME!

AMBASSADOR OF POKER DESERVES 2009 INDUCTION

 

Gibraltar -- 26th May 2009 -- Nominations are now open for this year’s induction to the Poker Hall of Fame and today marks the start of a campaign for the induction of Mike Sexton. For the first time in the history of the Poker Hall of Fame the early stage of the nomination process is open to the general public.

You can vote for Mike now at: http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame/halloffamevoting.asp

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “We encourage the poker community to vote online for Mike Sexton’s induction into Poker’s Hall of Fame. Mike famously said that poker takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master – it takes five minutes to vote and mark the lifetime achievement of the master! Mike meets all the criteria and deserves to be top of the list when the process gets to the Hall of Fame committee.”

Inaugural WSOP Europe winner Annette Obrestad has already expressed her intention to vote for Mike.  “I may be from a different generation of poker players to Mike but in my mind he deserves induction into poker’s hall of fame this year.”

PartyPoker.com recently renewed its association with Mike, who will act as a host, consultant, ambassador and player.  Sexton needs little introduction and is unarguably one of the most respected figures in the game. As the face and voice of the World Poker Tour and holder of a WSOP bracelet, Mike is truly one of the games pioneers. Sexton is in the top ten for the most cashes at the World Series of Poker and is instantly recognizable to all poker enthusiasts. Regarded as ‘The Ambassador of Poker,’ for years Mike advocated corporate involvement with poker to take the game he loves into the mainstream. Notably, Sexton also won the first $10k buy-in NL hold'em championship event at Foxwoods World Poker Finals in 1992 and in 2000 was the first American to win the championship event at the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris , which at the time was the biggest event in Europe .

Through his role with the World Poker Tour Mike brought the game to millions around the world. In 2006 Sexton won the Tournament of Champions at the World Series of Poker, a concept he had originally created. He donated $500,000 of his winnings to charity and has since become a co-founder of http://www.pokergives.org/, which encourages players to make charitable donations.
 
Mike ticks the boxes!....."

[tikay]

You are not paying attention if you missed this purler from the Harrahs WSOP HOF blurb.

Any finalist receiving 75% or more of the votes will be inducted during the enshrinement ceremony at the Final Table of Main Event in November, 2009.

Enshrinement! That, I like.

I have a dream, to be enshrined, at an enshrinement ceremony.

Could we have an enshrinement ceremony for the next RSQ? We could enshrine Tighty. Yes, let's do it.

[tikay]

If you enjoy reading between the lines, let your imagination run amok, & try figuring what this one really means, & what HIE has been formed to do.

".....HARRAH’S ENTERTAINMENT FORMS HARRAH’S INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT

NEW SUBSIDIARY TO MANAGE THE GLOBAL GROWTH OF THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER® (WSOP)

 AND EXPLORE EUROPEAN INTERACTIVE EXPANSION STRATEGY

LAS VEGAS, May 29, 2009 – Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. (Harrah’s) announced today that it has established a new subsidiary, Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (HIE) to manage the global growth of the World Series of Poker® (WSOP) and explore a European interactive strategy.

“As the world’s largest gaming company, Harrah’s is taking a proactive approach toward international and interactive expansion,” said Harrah’s Entertainment Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Loveman.  “It is important we position ourselves to explore new markets as well as new technologies with our best in class brands.”

Mitch Garber, a longtime gaming lawyer and public company senior executive, joins HIE as CEO.  Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the WSOP, remains in that role and will become President of HIE.

In addition to growing the World Series of Poker, HIE will explore the use of interactive gaming technologies to expand the reach of Harrah's brands globally, starting in Europe. With its renowned Total Rewards customer-loyalty program, HIE will be utilized to develop new opportunities to strengthen and grow Harrah's customer base. 

The World Series of Poker, in its 40th year, has experienced record growth in the last five years.  Participants from 124 nations competed in last year’s tournament, up from 24 just five years ago and entrants have gone from 13,036 to 58,720 during the same span.  The WSOP expanded into Europe in 2007 with the creation of the World Series of Poker Europe® held each fall in London....."

[tikay]

Note that Jeffrey Pollack - aka Commissioner Pollack - will now be President Pollack. Cool!

I can't wait to interview him in Vegas - "So Mr President....". Eat your heart out Sir David Frost.

I have a great relationship with Jeffrey. Friends? That'd be the wrong word, but we have a beneficially mutual relationship, we get along grand, & it works well, & has been very handy for me, in my job. That's just how the world turns.

Sky Poker get on with him well, too, & again, it's mutual. Jeffrey did a Live Phone-In to "The Club" this week - nice scoop that - & he will give us interview time & a few "priveleges" in Vegas.

It's easy to diss Mr - Commissioner - President - P. But his job is to monetise the WSOP, & he's brilliant at it. He made NASCAR into a mega-buck earner, & he'll do the same for Harrahs. Players may not appreciate that, or like it, or benefit, but thats his job.

His Office address is pretty neat, too - "1, Las Vegas Boulevard". It's actually a small office in Caesars Palace, very tidy, stuffed full of photographs, mainy from his NASCAR days, & lots of momentos, it's a real character filled office, & he himself is a real character, with his pin-striped suits & weird ties. He has 2 PA's & a secretary, & e-Mails to Jeffrey get pinged back within minutes. Oddly, his business acumen & mental agility reminds me very much of Des Duffy.

Here's Jeffrey with this week's wages.

[boldie]

online voting to suggest someone to go into the hall of fame?

I vote that Brent Homeris fella...and Flushy,.

[tikay]

These just in.

WSOP WELCOMES BACK JACK BINION !
 
Jack Binion is one of the most revered names in poker.  And with good reason.  The Binion Family founded the World Series of Poker forty years ago.  During the WSOP's first three decades, Jack Binion was largely responsible for the growth and popularity of poker's greatest celebration.  WSOP President and Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and his staff are determined to keep Jack Binion's legacy very much alive and make sure he is honored and credited as poker's patriarch. 
 
In his opening remarks to the largest non-Main Event tournament in WSOP history, Pollack stated:
 
"Welcome, players and fans, to the 40th Annual World Series of Poker.  It's with great honor and respect that I welcome Jack Binion to the stage.  Jack, on behalf of everyone here, thank you.  Thank you for the World Series of Poker.  All that we have done over the last few years, all that will ever be done with the WSOP over the coming years, is but an embellishment on your legacy and the legacy of your family.  You wrote the song, Jack.  We merely cover it.  Again, thank you."
 
With those words Jack Binion took the microphone, weclomed the crowd and said the most famous words in poker, "Shuffle Up and Dea!"

[tikay]

Another, also from the rotund Nolan Dalla.

OFFICIAL WSOP LAUNCH PARTY TONIGHT AT THE RIO!
 
All media are invited to attend the 2009 Official WSOP Launch Party, which takes place at ND Fuego (nightclub) at the Rio.  There will be a step and repeat banner and red carpet entry available for photos and video -- so this is a rare chance to shoot as much video and photos as you wish.  Still photography is allowed inside the venue.