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ESPN has extended its contract with Harrah's Entertainment for the worldwide video rights to World Series of Poker (WSOP)-branded tournaments through 2010.
As part of the agreement, ESPN will provide live pay-per-view video coverage of the Final Table of the 2006 WSOP Main Event via pay-per-view. For $24.95, hardcore poker enthusiasts will be able to watch every minute of the 2006 WSOP Main Event Final Table (scheduled for Thursday, August 10th starting at noon Pacific/3 p.m. Eastern) until the 2006 WSOP World Champion is crowned.
The pay-per-view broadcast will be available via either broadband Internet at ESPN.com, or via digital cable and direct broadcast satellite television. As of press time, ESPN has not announced any cable or satellite TV carriage agreements for the 2006 WSOP Main Event Final Table.
"This agreement signifies our commitment to provide both our core and casual viewers with programming that offers the highest levels of competition and entertainment value across a variety of media assets. We look forward to continuing to build this premier franchise with our partners at Harrah's," said ESPN Senior Vice President of Programming Acquisitions and Strategy John Wildhack. Wildhack was named ESPN's lead negotiator for media rights with major US-based sports and entertainment organizations last October.
WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack added, "Since 1993, ESPN has been the exclusive telecast partner of the World Series of Poker. Its programming expertise and global distribution has helped our tournament become the biggest and the best. This new agreement - by far the largest television deal in poker history - affirms our mutual commitment to growth and further establishes the World Series of Poker as the No. 1 brand in poker and as a leader on the sports and entertainment landscape."
In addition to the pay-per-view coverage, ESPN will continue its tape-delayed WSOP programming. In 2006, ESPN’s US network is scheduled to present 32 hours of coverage on Tuesdays starting July 18th through October 31st (8-10pm Eastern).
A complete list of televised 2006 WSOP preliminary bracelet events will be announced by June 16th.
ESPN International will distribute the WSOP telecasts to Japan (J sports ESPN), Australia (ESPN Australia), New Zealand (ESPN New Zealand), South Pacific Islands (ESPN Pacific Rim), Latin America (ESPN Latin America and ESPN Dos), Israel (ESPN Israel), and Sub-Saharan Africa (ESPN Africa).
The Sports Network (TSN) of Canada, which is 33% owned by ESPN, Inc., has not announced its 2006 WSOP telecast plan at press time.
Several new poker TV hotspots in East and Southeast Asia, including South Korea and the Philippines - where the rival World Poker Tour (WPT) brand has taken root within the past 12 months - are currently missing from ESPN International's TV distribution list for the WSOP product.
ESPN-branded TV networks in most of Asia (with the exception of Japan and the Middle East) are managed by News Corporation (NewsCorp) under the auspices of Singapore-based ESPN Star Sports (ESS) joint venture. NewsCorp has its own library of poker TV products produced in the United States, Europe, and Australia, which are distributed worldwide by London-based FOX Sports International (FSI).
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