Last week, Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin inked a two-year extension with the USA-friendly site UB.com. Baldwin had originally signed a one-year deal and told Poker News Daily that the recent turnover at Team UB hasn’t been disconcerting: “It keeps you on your toes, but it’s been exciting. We’re not just talking about moving the brand in a new direction; we’re actually doing it. It’s exciting to have some movement.”
The major change in recent months was the departure of Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke, who had served as the main faces of the site for a decade. “It’s sad to see them go, Baldwin admitted. “Both are fun people to work with, be around, talk strategy with, and play with. At the same time, it was a business decision. I wish them luck going forward. It was funny reading on the forums when it happened because people thought the sky was falling. I had to laugh because it couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Shortly after Hellmuth and Duke left, UB.com brought Prahlad Friedman on board. On the poker rapper and free throw shooter extraordinaire, Baldwin told us, “I’m really excited to have him on board. It means the brand is gaining strength to be able to attract a player of his caliber. We’re only going to attract more of the same, which should result in some exciting games on the client. We have a tremendous amount of respect for him.”
Baldwin revealed that he plans to be more actively engaged with players going forward: “I’m looking forward to helping improve the software a bit and making it a better experience for players. I’m also looking forward to having more hands-on interaction with players.” He added that he was proud of the current status of UB.com’s software: “From a game play standpoint, we’re second to none. Our tournaments structures are excellent and there is a ton of play from the beginning to the end of most events. Look at the success of the recent UBOCs. People have come out in huge numbers.”
Matt Palmer, CEO of 11Media Group and agent to Eric Baldwin, told Poker News Daily that his client will be an integral part of the online poker site moving forward: “With UB fully transitioning into an entirely new brand direction, we are very pleased to have signed a sponsorship deal that will allow Eric to help anchor the UB Pro Team for some time. As UB continues to roll out new platforms, Eric’s re-signing will not only see him involved in new and exciting upcoming promotional agendas, but it will also generate even more well deserved visibility to him.”
Team UB currently includes the likes of Baldwin, Friedman, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Bryan Devonshire, Joe Sebok, and former “Amazing Race” contestants Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho. Many in the industry have been speculating as to who the next face of UB.com will be and, while Baldwin couldn’t give specifics, he told Poker News Daily, “I would definitely look for us to expand, continue to add some exciting names, and really strengthen that core team.”
What is UB.com’s new direction you ask? Can an online poker site with a longstanding presence in the industry really remake itself? “We just want to be an exciting place that people want to be part of,” Baldwin explained. “We want to be new and exciting and target the crowd that wants to live the poker lifestyle.”
Play with Baldwin and company by visiting UB.com.
