PokerStars has decided to cut ties with their Team Sports Stars ambassadors – the line-up featured such renowned athletes as footballer Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Luis Nazario and tennis player Rafael Nadal.
Recently, the well-known poker room has ended their sponsorship deals with many poker pros: either because the players resigned to protest the questionable changes the parent company, Amaya implemented (e. g. increasing rakes, revamped VIP system); or because Stars simply chose not to renew their contracts.
Now, the entire bulk of sports star which is Team Sports Stars had to part ways with PokerStars since their contracts won’t be expanded either. The ad campaign featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and others were targeted to bring in an audience who is less familiar with poker, thus expanding the room’s recreational player base.
The only person to remain with PokerStars from the team is Dutch field hockey player Fatima Moreira de Melo who is also an avid poker player – she has been moved to Team Pro, next to such names as Daniel Negreanu.
The athlete ambassadors’ salaries made up too much of PokerStars’ advertising budget, that is likely behind their decision.
No official announcement has been made yet, but the atheltes are no longer featured on the official site and partner sites have been notified not to use the banners with their images.
