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The after effects of Black Friday are still rumbling in the poker world as PokerStars has trimmed its roster of sponsored pros by dropping three US-based poker players. The three players who saw their PokerStars contracts expire were former Main Event Champion Tom McEvoy, former November Niner Dennis Phillips, and noted poker author and theoretician Bill Chen according to WickedChops Poker.

All three players cut from the site were older players, who focused mainly on live poker tournaments, which likely contributed to the site’s decision to part ways with the trio.

McEvoy is considered one of poker’s old-guard players, and simply hasn’t been able to break-through in today’s poker world.

Chen keeps a low profile in the poker world, and despite penning recent additions to many player’s poker libraries, most poker fans wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a crowd.

Phillips was PokerStars “everyman” player, and was heavily marketed by PokerStars. By far this was the most surprising cut.

Even though none of the three are considered top-tier pros, and lack the marketability of younger players, the move is just a further sign that the sponsorship business is likely to dry up for all US poker pros unless they are in the extreme upper echelon of players.

This is unlikely to be the last haircut the US roster of sponsored poker players receives, especially as some of the high-profile Full Tilt Poker pros come on the market, and PokerStars and other sites have already shown that their focus has shifted to the European and Asian markets.