ShareA recent announcement by the United States government has led WSOP officials to alter the Main Event schedule.
In a recent White House announcement, officials announced that international travelers would be allowed to visit the country with proof of full vaccination. This announcement comes on the heels of an earlier decision in September to ease travel restrictions in early November.
Inbound travelers will still need to show a negative Covid test in order to enter the United States, but the news is a big shift from the year and a half of restricted travel.
As a result, WSOP officials have altered the original WSOP schedule in order to accommodate international players who would have otherwise been unable to play the event. The changes involve an addition of two Day 1s, which ultimately changes the entire schedule.
Day 1E will take place November 8 with an 11 a.m. start, which pushes back the originally scheduled Day 2A and 2B. Day 1F will take place the following day at noon, which takes the place of the original Day 2C and 2D.
Ultimately, the biggest change to the schedule is that Day 1F and Day 2A, 2B & 2D will be taking place at the same time, something that some Twitter users voiced their concerns over.
Others questioned if adding one of the Day 1s on the same exact day the travel restrictions are lifted would even encourage international player’s to make the trip. One twitter user even called it a “disgrace.”
“What a disgrace. Two weeks till the ME, people have made their reservations and plans and you decide to add more days and change the schedule,” said David Gralnick on Twitter. “This feels like another WSOP money grab.”
Others voiced their support for the schedule change and the accommodation of international players.
“Hopefully this will help the Europeans who will be able to come just after the end of the travel ban,” said Louis Do Vegas.
Although the changes to the Main Event schedule may alter some entrants’ plans, the accommodation of international players for an historically international event just makes sense.
