Was Darvin Moon responsible for a spike in middle-aged white guys watching the WSOP this year?
WSOP TV broadcast numbers are holding steady.
Ctrl+P:
“…more than 2.1 million viewers watched ESPN’s same-day coverage of the World Series of Poker, presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, from Las Vegas on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The telecast earned a 1.8 household coverage rating in an average of 1,806,113 households, a slight decrease from the 1.9 rating earned for the 2008 finale.
ESPN’s 15-week schedule of World Series of Poker coverage in 2009 included 31 telecasts averaging a 1.0 rating, even with last year. However, averages for households (1,024,901) and viewership (1,228,008) increased nine and seven percent, respectively, from 2008, and the important Male 25-54 demographic saw a 13 percent jump from 2008.”
Good to see more middle-aged white guys catching on to poker, at least.
ESPN has signed a seven-year extension for WSOP broadcasts. Speaking of seven-year extensions, meet Cristina Buccino.
The World Series of Poker will be on ESPN at least until 2018.
A new seven-year deal extension is supposed to be announced by ESPN and Harrah’s today. This can really only be seen as a good sign that ESPN and Harrah’s see future growth in poker (i.e. bye-bye UIGEA). Shit, most marriages don’t last seven years. This is a real commitment.
While ratings have dipped for WSOP broadcasts by 8% this year compared to 2008 (when ratings rose up to 15%), some of that could be attributed to the absolute worst-case-scenario final tables they have aired. We’ll see if ratings spike during the Main Event, which had some marketable names (Phil Ivey, Dennis Phillips, Joe Sebok, and reigning champ Peter Eastgate) go deep.
Read the full article on the re-up at Fox Business here. For more Cristina Buccino pics, go here.
In what ESPN has publicly stated as an “absolute fucking worst-case scenario” final table*, the 2009 WSOP Champions Invitational airs tonight.
The final trio included three of the biggest charisma guys in the game: Tom McEvoy, Robert Varkyoni, and Dan Harrington.
All right all right. By all accounts McEvoy and Varkyoni are good guys, but that doesn’t mean they make for good TV. But we’ll remain hopeful. Can’t be worse than Face the Ace at least, right?
Above is a preview from tonight’s second episode. Reread our write-up on the event here.
* Ok, not publicly stated but come on, you know someone said it.
Today ESPN confirmed the story we broke last week and announced they will launch a new online-only poker show: Inside Deal.
The show will be hosted by poker newcomer Laura Lane, the man who has impressively gotten more mileage out of a 13th place finish in the Main Event than anyone in history Bernard Lee, and Andrew Feldman.
Given Lane’s status as the only host with a vagina, let’s concentrate on her for a second. Lane, who has a disappointing lack of photos in FHM and MAXIM thus far in her brief career, has been a reporter for ESPN Magazine, OK!, and MTV News, and has been an on-air commentator on MSNBC and Extra. Not sure if we like the blonde or brunette look better yet. We’ll keep you posted. That shit is important.
Inside Deal’s first three month run begins August 4th and continues until the completion of the November NineTM.
View more photos of Lane below or on her website here.
Guaranteed viewership: get Keeley Hazell to host ESPN's rumored new poker show. Make it happen, Global Sports Leader.
On the heels of its successful MMA Live show (which is not to be confused with the even more wildly popular MMA Fix TV), it looks like ESPN is finally taking the plunge into launching new poker programming, as they are rumored to launch an Internet-only weekly 30 minute poker show in the coming weeks.
While some may argue this was the greatest idea ever–in 2004–we’re glad to see ESPN support its massive investment into the WSOP with some relevant poker content. Consider it another step for poker into greater mainstream acceptance.
No word yet on who the host will be, but you know our vote. More thumbs below from Keeley Hazell’s newish Ralph Magazine photo shoot.
If you’re a regular reader of ESPN.com, you’re probably wondering what happened to Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons. Easily the website’s most popular columnist, Simmons’ writing is a staple among 21-34 year-old Corporate America types who need time killers as they grind it out in their cubes.
Simmons you may recall played the 2006 WSOP Main Event where he was eliminated when his K-T flopped two-pair was counterfeited. He was also supposed to have played both last year and this year’s Main Event, but didn’t end up showing to either. And he was supposed to have Daniel Negreanu on a podcast the week of this year’s Main Event, but that fell apart at the last minute.
Aside from an occasional podcast, Simmons has been almost completely missing from ESPN.com this summer.
Quick announcement from Bill: ESPN was gracious enough to give me 10 weeks off to finish my second book. My column will return right before Week 1 of the NFL season, just in time for another year of crappy football picks! If you’re a fan of the "B.S. Report," we’re still doing weekly podcasts, but that’s it. Enjoy the summer.
However we’ve learned from multiple sources at ESPN that there’s a deeper issue involved. And his name is Rick Reilly.
It all reached a boiling point around the time Simmons cancelled that aforementioned podcast with Daniel Negreanu before the 2008 WSOP Main Event. ESPN.com "people" (as in, some of the management) are rumored to believe that The Sports Guy’s best days may be behind him. That he’s lost his fastball, so to speak. Rick Reilly (who lost his fastball around the same time Satchel Page did) had recently been put/heavily promoted on the homepage. This has further steamed Simmons, as the two have certainly taken their jabs at each othere. (read more on the tensions here)
But the real root of the problem may be that Reilly is getting paid a bundle more than Simmons.
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If you’re a regular reader of ESPN.com, you’re probably wondering what happened to Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons. Easily the website’s most popular columnist, Simmons’ writing is a staple among 21-34 year-old Corporate America types who need time killers as they grind it out in their cubes.
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