Poker's desperately needed culture change to bring it into the main stream = (spoiler) Sponsors

Hi there...

I'm hoping this triggers a wholesome discussion on a topic that comes up with my family quite consistently so I'd imagine it would with others' too...

That is - Can poker be played without the gambling aspect?

Normally I default, snap reply, "no, not really." But the last instance of this talking point arose I reflected and made a mental comparison with Golf.

Golf tournaments are played for money. There is certainly an element of risk & also chance within golf.. For example, the ball lands or hits a stone or odd tuft of grass causing it to take an odd bounce that will either be to the player's advantage or disadvantage... Anywho...

Golfer's don't pay an entry fee to each tournament as far as I'm aware.. But there is a prize pool, and the better you finish in the final standings the more money you win, with, of course, the eventual champion winning the biggest prize!!! Where does the money come from? Sponsors! Like, Rolex, BMW, Barclays and so forth...

While it's true there is a much greater aspect of luck & chance within poker tournaments, there are some similarities between Poker and Golf tournaments...

So I'm wondering... If there was a pro tour for tournament poker players that was funded by sponsors... and in order to get a seat in the main events throughout the season, player's had to play well, and finish in point wining positions in previous events... Would it then be more accepted by cecular society and culture?

So again, could it happen that instead of players, each posting a buy in per tournament... What if there was a "Pro Tour" much like the PGA tour.. or multiple tours in fact... And in order to gain entry to flagship tournaments, players must post good results in previous events... They don't buy in to the tournaments on the pro tour, but much like golf, they are invited and the seats are already paid for... The prize money for the winning players comes out of the funding posted by the sponsors of each event...

And so forth... The gambling aspect is largely removed and the acceptance from mainstream society awarded? I don't know.. But... I think it's an interesting idea that's worth a second thought.

Don't you? How else could the current poker culture and process be altered so it was less like raw gambling and more respected as a profressional discipline, with the most practiced, studied and talented players standing the best chance of the most success long term...