- The Global Poker Index (GPi) “newest voice of support” is tennis legend and Olympic gold medalist Boris Becker.
- Boris will also act as the Honorary President of the 2014 Global Poker Index European Poker Awards.
- Becker said: “Tennis rankings have been instrumental in turning tennis players into superstars recognized the world over, I hope to be able to help do the same for poker and poker players.”
The Global Poker Index (GPI) has a new supporter, tennis legend and Olympic gold medalist Boris Becker. GPI describes Boris as its “newest voice of support,” rather than Team Pro, but the concept is identical.
Boris will also act as the Honorary President of the 2014 Global Poker Index European Poker Awards and be a “presence” at live events during the year. He will attend the next awards ceremony scheduled for early 2015.
Currently ranked 5,680th on the GPI, Boris sounded pleased with the deal saying that “tennis rankings have been instrumental in turning tennis players into superstars recognized the world over, I hope to be able to help do the same for poker and poker players.”
Poker and Boris Becker go back some time. In 2007 he was signed as a member of PokerStars’ Team Sports Stars, although he did not cash in a major live event until 2008. He is currently the face of YouWin.com which operates a poker room on the Merge Gaming Network.
“Boris is one the most recognized athletes in the world and has been involved in poker for a few years now. The fact that he is ready and willing to work with us in growing the game and promoting the players makes me very proud to have our organization associated with such a legend” added GPI owner Alex Dreyfuss.
The importance of the German market to online poker makes Boris Becker an even more marketable front man than his sporting success would suggest. He is “Britain’s favourite German,” according to Wikipedia, and almost 30 years after his first success at Wimbledon, he remains a first rank celebrity.
