ESPN Sign Seven-Year WSOP Deal
Great news for all you Poker TV fans, ESPN will announce today that they have signed a new deal to cover the World Series of Poker until 2017, the current deal ends in 2010 despite ESPN’s poker rating being down 8% this year to date, “ESPN is bullish on poker for a long time to come”; according to a spokesperson.
The main event coverage for 2009 begins soon which will provide the needed boost in ranking especially seeing the Tiger Woods of poker “Phil Ivey” making the final table this year.
The deal will provide viewers of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPN-International and several other TV channels the chance to watch the World Series. ESPN have covered poker’s most prestigious event since 2003.
ESPN Poker TV Schedule 2009 WSOP
Tuesday nights will be poker night at ESPN with 32 hours of TV coverage in their schedule from the WSOP 2009, broken into episodes beginning from the 28th July running though until the main event final which is scheduled to be broad cast on ESPN on 10th November 2009.
Norman Chad and Lon McEachern will be in the commentary seat and this week’s episode is Day 1 of the World Series of Poker 2009.
This Tuesday night’s coverage will focus on the first day of the Main Event and feature such pros as Phil Laak, Mike Matusow and actor turned poker player Jason Alexander from the TV show Seinfeld.
Source: USA Today – ESPN, World Series of Poker Extend Broadcast Deal to 2017