Doug Polk announced today that he has sold his training site, Upswing Poker, to new sweepstakes operator ClubWPT Gold. Polk is already an ambassador for the ClubWPT Gold and will remain involved with Upswing going forward.
In a YouTube video announcing the news, Polk ran through the history of Upswing and what existing and new users can expect after the transition.
Polk also pointed out that his popular YouTube channel likely wouldn't have existed without the launch of Upswing in December, 2015 — he started producing videos to help market the site. That saw numbers grow, and they were given another boost when he won the WSOP Tag Team bracelet with co-founder Ryan Fee in 2016.
Polk said Upswing did "several million dollars a year in revenue" by years two and three and eventually grew to have tens of thousands of members.
However, with the introduction of The Lodge card club that Polk co-owns and other business ventures, Polk had other things competing for his time and he decided the time was right to sell to ClubWPT Gold.
Doug Polk teased the sale amount at the end of his video but cut-off before he revealed anything. What's coming after ClubWPT Gold acquisition?
Polk has promised a synergy between Upswing and ClubWPT Gold that will have direct benefits for members. First, if you purchase a course or subscribe as a member, you'll be rewarded with Sweeps Coins to play on the ClubWPT Gold site.
- Most signature courses – 50 SC bonus upon purchase
- The Poker Blueprint with Uri Peleg – 25 SC bonus upon purchase
- Monthly Lab subscription – 10 SC bonus, 40 SC (semi-annual subscription) or 70 SC (annual subscription)
Members can also expect to see UI improvements, along with the launch of Lab 2.0, a total revamp of the existing Lab with quizzes, coach interaction, community and a live roadmap to help deliver constant improvements. Polk also said that brand-new signature courses would be announced soon.
Polk said, "I will never forget the day that I wrote a $5,000 check to start Upswing. What an incredible journey building this company has been. Thank you to the tens of thousands of members who have joined Upswing over the years. To this day, I am inspired by your stories."
Polk also confirmed that he would be staying on, along with other existing Upswing staff, "to help facilitate a successful transition and to shape the future of both companies."
You can watch the full Polk announcement video below.
