On Friday morning pros attending the World Series of Poker Europe will wake up and rip the wrapping off a brand-new event in the poker world, the Caesars Cup.

The Caesars Cup is essentially a carbon copy of the PGA’s Ryder Cup, which has successfully attracted a substantial fanbase to golf’s fifty billionth event of the year. Young, popular pros have been conscripted to 8-player teams captained by Annette Obrestad (Europeans) and Daniel Negreanu (Americas).

The awkwardly-named teams will play through a variety of different permutations of doubles No-Limit Hold’em, with a bit of heads up thrown into the mix to guarantee lively action.  The format is—not unlike the Ryder Cup—somewhat hard to grasp at first, but the appeal is simple: it’s us vs them (you decide which team “us” is for you).

Here’s why I love the idea: poker, like golf, tennis, and other individual sports, is limited to the extent to which it can tell a compelling story by the success of the major names that are playing in that particular event.  In other words, a classic case of the No Tiger Woods, No Interest Syndrome.  Just ask any of the qualifiers for the final table at the Borgata Poker Open (you’ll need to look them up), also going on this week.

By assembling teams made up of well-known pros around inclusive international labels, the event cashes in on fans who have been trained on years of cheering for their favorite sports team, and who will love to see the players work together to win bragging rights, and play entertaining poker.  And if the first Ryder Cup was any indication, they’ll be playing hard.

In case you’re interested, the players involved include heavy hitters Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Harmer, Doyle Brunson (Americas), Peter Eastgate, Patrick Antonius, and Dario Minieri (Europeans).

ESPN will be broadcasting all the action as part of their World Series of Poker Europe coverage.  Be sure to tune in to watch history unfold, and because you know you want to.