Joe Cada Signs With Poker Stars

PokerStars has now maxed out on the number of November Nine members it can sponsor after picking off the youngest of the bunch - 21 year old Joe Cada. That brings the total of players sponsored by Poker Stars at the final table of the 2009 Main Event of The World Series of Poker to three.

Three is the magic number for sponsors thanks to a new rule for the 2009 WSOP - Rule 43-B-i: “No more than three (3) players at the Final Table — and all other tables featured for television coverage — will be allowed to wear apparel with logos, patches or promotional language from the same entity.”

Cada joins Eric Buchman and Kevin Schaffel as the PS representatives at this year’s final table, giving them three out of the top six chip stacks at the table. Cada was originally sponsored by Ultimate Bet for a short-term deal signed late in the WSOP, an odd echo of the Tiffany Michelle sponsorship fiasco in 2008 which saw the last woman standing in the WSOP jump ship from PokerNews to UB.

While it’s unclear if UB made an attempt to retain Cada, it seems unlikely that they could compete in a bidding war with PokerStars, or that they could expect the type of ROI on such a sponsorship that Stars will likely pull in with the signing.

“I’m proud to have been chosen to represent PokerStars. Their reputation and prestige are second to none,” said Cada. “I look forward to bringing even more accolades to their already decorated team.”

Cada has a chance to make WSOP history by becoming the youngest player ever to win the Main Event, a record set just last year by Peter Eastgate who broke the mark held by Phil Hellmuth for two decades or so.

PokerStars may have Cada, but they don’t have rakeback. View all of the major rooms that offer rakeback here.