This is a recurring request within the poker universe. The mind sport is full of adrenaline, excitement, and great characters, but for those not used to the environment of chips and cards, everything can seem technical and distant. Given this, Jeremy Ausmus believes that the WSOP needs to start telling more human stories during its broadcasts again.
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In addition to this, the American star, who has almost US$ 29 million in live tournament earnings and holds six WSOP bracelets, commented on ESPN’s return to covering the series. In an interview with “Poker.org,” he highlighted that currently the broadcasts are very focused on the technical part of the game, something quite different from what happened years ago.
Thus, Ausmus stated that he would like to see a change in this aspect. “Before, it was the story of someone who won the local tournament, earned a spot in the Main Event, and suddenly found themselves on poker’s biggest stage. You wanted to follow that journey”, said the player.
However, the American believes this change is necessary for an even greater reason: to expand poker’s reach to new audiences. “The coverage was much more focused on the event’s narrative. If poker wants to reach a larger audience, I think it needs to return to the old format”, he added.
The quest for the Player of the Year title
In 2024, Jeremy Ausmus came very close to winning the WSOP Player of the Year award. The professional reached seven final tables during the series but was ultimately surpassed by Scott Seiver in the season title race.
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However, the most recent winner of the race was Shaun Deeb, who intends to repeat the feat in 2026. For Ausmus, no one dedicates themselves more to the series than his compatriot. “No one dedicates more than Shaun. With his playing style, he’s either going to do badly or build a fortune”, he stated.
Despite this, Ausmus revealed that he does not intend to play the entire WSOP schedule this year, mainly because he has already planned a trip to Japan with his family during the North American summer.
Finally, the player did not rule out fighting for the Player of the Year award again in the future. In fact, he assured that if he enters the race strongly this season, his plans could change quickly. “It’s very hard to play everything all summer long, nonstop. But I’ll say one thing: if I get into the race for the award this summer, that will change everything”, he concluded.
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