WSOP ANNOUNCES CHANGE TO INTERNATIONAL EVENT FORMAT
LAS VEGAS, Nevada. Melbourne, Australia. Monday 25 November 2013. The World Series of Poker (WSOP), in partnership with Australia’s Crown Melbourne, has modified thetournament dates for the second WSOP Asia-Pacific. 

World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC) is expected to take place on October 1-17, 2014, at Crown Melbourne and feature ten WSOP gold bracelet events. 
 
‘We are excited to return to Melbourne in 2014 for WSOP APAC and the beginning of a new era for our international championships’ said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart. ‘The WSOP standard is bigger, better and different. Moving to a rotational approach, with one international event per year allows for better organization and more marketing in each region. We also want to do right by the players, and provide more value for their travel dollar. There is a glut of poker tournaments around the world, and our vision is to each year put on a single global showcase that can’t be missed.’ 
 
WSOP Europe will return to the schedule in 2015 and be organized in odd-years. Therefore, the decision was made to move WSOP APAC to October, which is springtime in Melbourne. The date change also allows Crown Melbourne more time to organize satellites and promotions, with150 runners already guaranteed to qualify for the $10,000 Main Event alone.
 
The inaugural WSOP APAC was contested in April, 2013 and featured five official events, with Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu, among others, winning WSOP gold bracelets.
 
Crown Melbourne Chief Operating Officer, Xavier Walsh said today ‘Crown is once again proud and excited about this partnership between two industry leaders to create another premier poker event in this region. The new scheduling sits perfectly within the Melbourne events calendar, at the tail end of the Australian Rules Football finals and the beginning of the internationally renowned Spring Racing Carnival. This provides Crown with significant exposure in Asia, Europe and America, which will in turn form an integral part of Crown’s global marketing strategy to attract additional international visitors to Australia
and Crown Melbourne.’ 
 
Crown Melbourne is Australia’s leading integrated entertainment resort attracting millions of local, interstate and international visitors each year. It is one of the largest entertainment complexes in the world showcasing world-class gaming facilities and is the home of the renowned and prestigious ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’ along with the largest poker room outside North America. The world-class complex also boasts one of Australia’s best restaurant precincts, international designer brand shopping and award winning hotels - Crown Towers, Crown Promenade and Crown Metropol. 
 
The WSOP APAC officially moves to an even year calendar schedule with an event in 2014, followed by the next one in 2016.
 
As with the inaugural WSOP APAC, the 2014 event will include television production coverage to be aired globally.
 
The complete schedule and dates are expected to be announced early in 2014.