Finally, the World Series of Poker is coming to a TV near you. Not only is summer time, with the exception of an occasional soccer game or two, a bleak time for sports viewing, it’s also fairly bereft of original TV programming in general. That changes tonight.
ESPN begins their coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker by showing the $40k NLHE “40th Anniversary” tournament. This actually features a lot of “non” names to the casual fan, but Greg Raymer makes an appearence and is a big name on the final table. There are several online poker players joining him, who will try and use the exposure as a launching pad for mainstream recognition. Watch for it at 8pm to 10pm EST.
Next week, on Tuesday August 4th, ESPN showcases another special event (for the 40th anniversary) by showing their coverage of the WSOP Champions Cup Invitational event. This one is solely about bragging rights, and one of this year’s Hall Of Fame nominees uses it as recent reminder to voters how good and underappreciated he is. That’s to be followed by another non-bracelet event, August 11th the “Ante Up For Africa Charity” tournament. It will showcase a lot of Hollywood actors and celebrities and ESPN thinks that will translate to ratings gold. Even if Celebrity Poker has fallen off the dial years ago–why not.
Then the main course comes on August 18th, when ESPN, dispenses with the appetizers and starts with their main event content. Yes, that means no 50k Horse final table or donkaments included this year. So, it’s going to be hard for ESPN to create new stars, though they’ll have no problem mining some of their old ones.
PokerKing Blog says “August 18th until September 22nd, the network will air two hour episodes of brand-new main event coverage every week. September 29th, the network will have a special three-hour installment of “Poker Night on ESPN” – this show, according to ESPN.com, will feature episodes 19-21 of their main event coverage. This episode will run from 8 pm to 11 pm EST. The week after (October 6th), there will be a shortened one-hour episode that will run from 10-11 pm EST.”
After that the schedule rights itself albeit at a later hour. October 13th to November 3th, the shows are back to the two one hour episodes, back to back, but they start an hour later at 9 pm. Then the November Nine come into play. On November 10th, the suits and editors at ESPN will try and splice together their final table coverage in under a day or so. Last time they only portrayed two hands or so of an epic heads up match between Eastgate and Demidov hopefully that coverage will improve.
The schedule:
July 28 — 8-10 p.m., ESPN
WSOP $40,000 Special Anniversary Tournament
August 4 — 8-10 p.m., ESPN
WSOP Champions Cup Invitational
August 11 — 8-10 p.m., ESPN
Ante Up For Africa Charity
August 18 to Sept. 22 8-10 p.m., ESPN
WSOP main event episodes 7-18
September 29 8-11 p.m., ESPN
WSOP main event episodes 19-21
October 6 10-11 p.m., ESPN
WSOP main event episode 22
October 13 to Nov. 3 — 9-11 p.m., ESPN
WSOP main event shows 23-30
November 10 — 9-11:30 p.m., ESPN
WSOP main event final table