Ante Up Poker Media LLC and Arizona Poker News LLC have announced that Southwest Poker News will merge into Ante Up, YOUR Poker Magazine, effective with Ante Up’s February 2014 issue.
“We’re excited to welcome Southwest Poker News’ readers and advertisers to Ante Up,” said Scott Long, who, with Christopher Cosenza, is publisher of Ante Up Poker Media LLC and Ante Up, YOUR Poker Magazine. “Our combined forces will further cement Ante Up as the nation’s leading poker publication, and the potential for future growth is endless.”
Christopher Cronin, founder of Arizona Poker News LLC and Southwest Poker News, will become Director of Sales for Ante Up Poker Media LLC and will be based in the Phoenix metro area.
“I really feel that the hard work and dedication from myself and my staff has been recognized, and we look forward to bringing our readers the same great coverage on a much larger scale,” said Cronin, who retains ownership of Arizona Poker News LLC and the Southwest Poker News name. “I am also very thankful for the advertising partners who have remained loyal and made it possible to bring the poker players of the Southwest all of your poker news each month. Scott Long and Chris Cosenza are great guys and we share the common goal of becoming the #1 media source for every poker player!”
Ante Up will increase its physical press run to 40,000 copies monthly and its distribution locations to more than 280 casinos and poker rooms nationwide as a result of the merger, and expects to significantly increase its page count as it expands its coverage in Southwestern states.
Several Southwest Poker News writers will join Ante Up to help bolster that coverage. Jon Zaun (Phoenix/North Arizona), Brian Pedersen (Tucson/South Arizona), Hans Hollenbeck (Colorado) and John Short (Southern Oklahoma/Texas) will become Ante Up Ambassadors in their respective regions. Donovan Livingston will write features and assist with New Mexico coverage. Mark Brement and Sean Hansen will join Ante Up’s stable of strategy columnists.
“For the past three years, Southwest Poker News has been the dominant poker news source in Arizona, New Mexico and other Southwestern states,” Long said. “With Chris Cronin now on our team, Ante Up looks forward to continuing that great work and giving the players and casinos in that region the national exposure that they so richly deserve.”
