Doug Polk had a busy Monday. In the afternoon, he interviewed Alan Keating for nearly three hours and promptly followed that up with three additional hours spent livestreaming his Code Doug $100K Challenge on ClubWPT Gold.
Shortly after powering down his livestream setup, Polk and his fellow owners at the Lodge Card Club announced the addition of two new investors to the group: Ethan 'Rampage' Yau and Nik 'Airball' Arcot.
Yau and Arcot join an existing investor group that includes Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen.
In a press release, the Lodge Card Club said, "Their involvement represents an exciting step forward for the Lodge as we continue to expand our reach and grow the club’s presence in the poker world. With their backing—both financially and in influence—we are further positioning the Lodge as a premier destination for poker players."
Polk's take
In the video above, Polk offered his personal take on Yau and Arcot joining the Lodge Card Club, employing his trademark wit throughout.
After running through a brief background on Yau, Polk highlighted his influence and draw as a content creator, citing these factors as a major positive to the partnership — especially when it comes to further expansion. With over 325,000 YouTube subscribers and 111,000 followers on Instagram, Yau's reach will certainly play a role in strengthening the Lodge Card Club player base.
Polk said, "Having Ethan on board is a giant win for The Lodge and we are extremely thankful to have someone that can help the brand grow. Obviously, we have lofty goals for where we're headed in the future — we're two clubs today and we're going to certainly look to increase that count in the not-so-distant future."
When it comes to Arcot's involvement, Polk recognized the potentially controversial nature of the addition — "Some would say he is one of poker's most well-known heels" — but he went on to argue that, like professional wrestling, the game needs its villains as much as it needs its heroes. Whether you love him or hate him, it's hard to argue against the idea that Arcot's presence at any streamed table commands lots of attention.
"The point is this guy is very good for poker," Polk continued.
Polk went on to promise high-stakes streams involving Arcot, including a potential monthly game: "You're certainly going to be seeing a lot of Nik Airball in the near future."
Lead Image Courtesy of Antonio Abrego/PokerGO
