Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. announced this week that ESPN will telecast
32 hours of original programming of the 2006 World Series of Poker
Presented by Milwaukee's Best Light. The ESPN telecasts will be aired
every Tuesday at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time beginning
July 18 and continuing through October 31.
In addition to the regular telecast schedule, poker fans will - for
the first time ever - have the opportunity to see the Main Event's
final table live. For a suggested retail price of $24.95, poker fans
can purchase for their TV screens or computers The World Series of
Poker Live! - a new pay-per-view special starting at 3 p.m. Eastern
Time on Thursday, August 10. The live coverage will continue until
the champion is crowned.
"ESPN's live coverage will be an historic first for the game
of poker," said Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the WSOP.
Produced under the ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) banner, this
year's WSOP will be covered by up to 25 cameras, as well as an overhead
camera that will travel the length and width of the tournament area.
The specially constructed final table used throughout ESPN's coverage
will incorporate up to 10 "pocket cams" in the table's rail
to show viewers the players' cards, and a "rabbit cam" under
the table next to the dealer may show viewers the card that would
have been dealt next should a player fold.
In 2005, the World Series of Poker on ESPN enjoyed its longest presentation
ever averaging a 1.3 rating for more than 1.1 million viewing households.
It has been EOE's highest-rated series for the past three years.