I’ve always found myself drawn to people who make things happen. The ones who aren’t just full of ideas, but who also have the grit to see them through. Those two forces—ambition and execution—don’t always come in the same package. But when they do, the results can be extraordinary.
That’s exactly what I saw this past week as I walked into Broadway Bets. What began as an idea—a community poker tournament to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS—has now become a full-blown institution. Ten years in, it’s bigger than ever. More tables. More patrons. More impact.
From what I can tell, it’s not by accident. A decade ago, I received an email from Micah Hollingworth telling me about an idea for an event that he and Mark Shacket were cooking up. These are two of the kindest people you'll meet on Broadway, so I was all ears. The pitch seemed reasonably straightforward from what I remember: bring people together, have a good time, and do some good in the process for people in need. Straight forward mission, but anyone in the live events business knows the actual lift to pull all of the parts together to make this a success is no easy task.
Well, that first event was a success, given the great buzz in the aftermath. Mission accomplished?
For most people, that would’ve been enough. But not for them.
What sets Broadway Bets apart isn’t just its staying power. It’s that every year, the people who make it happen—Micah Hollingworth, Mark Shacket, Brett Sirota, Broadway Cares, and countless others I’m not aware of—keep building, expanding, and inviting more of the community into something meaningful. And none of it was required. I don’t believe anyone asked them to do this. They just saw a need and got to work.
As I was leaving the event, I extended a warm congratulations to Mark and Brett who I saw on separate occasions on my way out. I know they both invested a lot of their personal time and energy into this initiative. Something Mark said really summed it up for me: “Yes, we’re proud of the growth... but over the years actually getting to see firsthand the money impacting lives—that’s the reason we keep doing it.”
That’s it. That’s the whole point.
This isn’t just a fundraiser. It’s a masterclass in what happens when good people roll up their sleeves, commit to a cause, and stick with it year after year. Score one for the good guys. And, if I’m doing my math correctly, they raised over $2.5 million since they launched. Wow!
To everyone involved in Broadway Bets—thank you. Keep it up. You're making more than just a difference. You're setting a standard. And, oh yeah, please put me at a rookie's table next year so I can at least survive in the tournament for the first hour of play.
